Holiday in Huainan

About Huainan

Huainan is located on the southern bank of the Huai River in Anhui Province and is considered the birthplace of tofu — one of the most influential foods in world history. According to legend, Liu An, the King of Huainan during the Han Dynasty (179-122 BC), invented tofu while attempting to create an elixir of immortality. Today, the city celebrates this culinary heritage with an annual tofu festival and a tofu museum. The Bagongshan (Eight Immortals Mountain) is the scenic highlight of Huainan: the wooded mountain range rises right on the outskirts of the city and offers hiking trails through dense forests to Daoist temples, springs, and viewpoints. The name refers to the eight sages who accompanied King Liu An in his alchemical experiments. The Bagongshan Forest Park area also includes the Zhongshan Temple and several historical caves. The Shouxi Lake (Shouchun West Lake) on the edge of the historic city of Shouchun is an expansive landscape park with islands, bridges, and pavilions. Shouchun itself was the capital of the ancient Chu state and later the seat of Liu An's kingdom. The ancient city walls and gates are partially preserved and testify to the strategic importance of the city. The Huainan Coal Mining Museum documents another side of the city: Huainan was one of the most important coal mining areas in China and has undergone a remarkable structural transformation in recent years. Former mining areas have been transformed into lakes and parks — an example of ecological urban redevelopment. The Huainanzi, a philosophical work from Liu An's court, is one of the most significant texts of Daoism and eclecticism of the Han Dynasty. The city honors this intellectual heritage with memorials and a cultural park that addresses the connection between philosophy, alchemy, and the invention of tofu.