Yanzhou Ancient City Scenic Area

As time flies, more than half of January 2024 has passed, and the Laba Festival is behind us. With the winter break and the Chinese New Year approaching, it's time to plan a quiet and relaxing trip for yourself! Combining work and rest is essential to maintain a high level of thinking and capability, allowing one to enter a state of complete relaxation and comfort, which is very pleasant. So, the question arises, where should one go for a leisurely trip? How about a laid-back journey? Uncle Cricket suggests visiting Hangzhou's 'one destination, two names' ancient city to experience a thousand years of romance. Those interested can consider making a trip in 2024! The place in question is Yanzhou Ancient City, also known as 'Meicheng Ancient Town.' At this point, some may wonder why one place has two names? It turns out that the scenic area is an ancient city with a thousand years of history, the former administrative center of the ancient Yanzhou Prefecture. Since the county was established in the fourth year of Huangwu during the Three Kingdoms period (225 AD), it has a history of over 1700 years and was once a bustling Lin'an Prefecture. Moreover, according to the records in 'Meicheng Town Chronicles,' three emperors of the Song Dynasty—Emperor Taizong, Emperor Gaozong, and Emperor Duzong—had all served as local officials in Yanzhou Ancient City. During the Southern Song Dynasty, as a 'key area near the capital,' the city thrived commercially and was known as the 'prosperous prefecture on the south bank of the Yangtze River.' The main streets of the ancient city, such as Zhengda Street and South Street, still carry the trajectory of regional commercial development and maintain regional cultural symbols. By the Ming Dynasty, Yanzhou was considered a place where hidden dragons dwelled. Hence the saying, 'Half of the world's plum blossoms are in Meicheng,' aside from Nanjing and Beijing. Therefore, it was also referred to as 'half the imperial capital,' a place many yearn for! Today, Yanzhou Ancient City and Meicheng Ancient Town cover the same area. When people say they are visiting Yanzhou Ancient City, they are actually referring to Meicheng Ancient Town; they are one and the same. However, as time is merciless, the once prosperous Yanzhou Ancient City/Meicheng Ancient Town has declined and become a city managed by Hangzhou, which is quite lamentable! But the splendid and long-standing culture, the abundant poetic heritage, the flourishing universities, and the mouthwatering cuisine all still exist! With ongoing restoration, these treasures have been unearthed for everyone to enjoy, making it a popular tourist destination today—Yanzhou Ancient City or Meicheng Ancient Town! Upon arriving at the site, one can see the city walls and archways. Standing on the walls of Meicheng, one can gaze at the clear river waters outside the city and the leisurely people within. Despite the passage of time, the prosperity of Yanzhou Ancient City remains! The ancient streets and alleys, the Hui-style architecture with black tiles and gray bricks, and the unique snacks and specialties all recreate the charm of the past, drawing much attention! Unlike other attractions, Yanzhou Ancient City/Meicheng Ancient Town is completely free to visit. After arriving, visitors are essentially playing in the scenic area. During holidays, there are often performances such as city gate shows, flash mobs, and parades, creating a lively atmosphere. When night falls, the ancient city lights up, not only offering a beautiful sight but also traces of poetry, perfect for taking photos and reminiscing about the past! When tired from walking, one can try local delicacies such as Yanzhou roasted cakes, Jiande tofu wraps, Sandu rice cakes, Sandu fish balls, corn cakes, stinky tofu, and sweet fermented rice, which effortlessly relax the body and mind! First-time visitors can follow this route: Kaiyuan Temple—West Lake Park—Sibuxiang Sculpture—Yanzhou Ancient City Wall Ruins—Poetry and Culture Light Corridor—Statues of Famous Teachers Who Moved to Zhejiang University—East Lake—Qiu Shi Pavilion—Jiangxi Guild Hall—East Gate Street—Old Post Office—Zhengda Street—Yanzhou Prefecture Qiao Tower. Along the way, one can discover the ancient city's thousand-year history and profound culture, as well as beautifully carved old archways and the lively atmosphere of a southern water town! Visitor Information for Yanzhou Ancient City/Meicheng Ancient Town: Admission is free. Located at Chengnan East Road, Meicheng Town, Jiande City, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. Take the Meicheng 205 bus to the 'Meicheng Power Supply Station' stop. It is recommended to drive or take a taxi directly to Yanzhou Ancient City/Meicheng Ancient Town after arriving at Jiande Station if you miss the direct bus. For a romantic getaway, Yanzhou Ancient City/Meicheng Ancient Town offers a stroll through ancient streets, sunset views from the city gates, night market shopping, and local specialty purchases. For those who love photography, there are plenty of scenic spots such as the Chengqing Gate (an 1800-year-old city gate), Zhengda Street/ancient archways (all on the main street), the ancient city tower (great for viewing the sunset and night scenery), Wang's Former Residence, Yanzhou Top Scholar's Mansion, and Zhu Kezhen's Former Residence for photo opportunities! This article is originally created by 'Uncle Cricket Loves Traveling' and is not to be reproduced or copied without permission. Violators will be prosecuted! For more fun, free, and novel travel tips on food, drink, and entertainment, follow 'Uncle Cricket Loves Traveling'! If you like this article, don't forget to give it a thumbs up at the end, which can help with planning your travel itinerary! Have you visited this attraction? Feel free to leave a comment and discuss!

I am Guanhai Tingtao tour+ Global Traveler, please follow me! (Published the 1476th travel photography article in 51 countries across 5 continents) Yanzhou Ancient City (now called Meicheng) is located on the banks of the Xin'an River to the west of Hangzhou, with a history of over 1700 years. Yanzhou was once the only prefectural city between Huizhou and Hangzhou. At the same time, Yanzhou was also a city that thrived due to water transportation and could even compete with Hangzhou in the past. During the Ming Dynasty, the status of Yanzhou Ancient City was second only to Hangzhou, making it the second-ranked existence in Zhejiang at the time. Even by the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, Yanzhou was still among the top five affluent cities in Zhejiang. Historically, Yanzhou Prefecture was extremely popular, with bustling streets lined with archways, reaching over 100 at its peak. Today, there are not many ancient relics left in the old town, most of which have been rebuilt by later generations. The roadside shops mostly sell traditional snacks, such as Yanzhou baked cakes, Jiande tofu wraps, dried pickled vegetable pancakes, stinky tofu... Not only delicious but also full of local life. It's very pleasant to take a leisurely stroll around the ancient town!

Jiande may not be as popular as the nearby Qiandao Lake, Tonglu, or Fuyang, but if you want to avoid the crowds, Jiande is also a great choice. So, a three-day, two-night leisure trip is arranged. 🚄🚕Transportation: Jiande is suitable for self-driving, but if you don't want to drive yourself, you can also take the high-speed train + taxi. Ride-hailing is easy, and the taxi fare for three days is about 450 yuan. Xinye Ancient Village: It takes about an hour's drive from Jiande Station/Jiande City to get there. On Friday afternoon, there were hardly any tourists in the village, with less commercialization and many original residents still living there. With white walls and black tiles, horse-head walls, the village's architecture is scattered and orderly, with crisscrossing alleys; ancient pagodas, ancient houses, and ancient ancestral halls bring a sense of age to the village. This tranquil little village is like a paradise, and walking through it, you might think you've arrived in Huizhou. The downside is that it's quite far from Jiande City, but you can visit it together with the nearby Daciyan Scenic Area. The recommended playtime is 2 hours. (We took a taxi directly from Jiande Station to Xinye Ancient Village, and after visiting, we took a taxi back to Jiande City. It's advised to book the return trip in advance) Yanzhou Ancient City (Meicheng Ancient Town): Meicheng in Jiande is an ancient town with a history of over 1700 years. Ancient residences, city walls, old archways, and delicious food seem to fulfill all expectations of an ancient town. It's very popular, with plenty to see and eat, nestled in the mountains and by the water, with beautiful scenery. The recommended playtime is 2-3 hours. (About 30 minutes by taxi from Jiande City) Jiuxing Fishing Village: An ancient fishing village at the confluence of three rivers, it is said that Zhu Yuanzhang demoted the defeated troops of Chen Youliang to fishermen, forbidding them to live on land. These subordinates mainly consisted of nine surnames. Unique cultural customs and historical background add a touch of mystery to the village. There's a parking lot at the entrance to the fishing village where external vehicles are not allowed, but there's a shuttle bus that offers free rides into the village. Inside the village, there are art galleries, homestays, coffee shops, farm restaurants, high-altitude drifting, and more. Because it's located at the confluence of the Xin'an River, Fuchun River, and Lanjiang River, the scenery is amazing, and the sunset is beautiful on a clear evening. The recommended playtime is 2 hours. (About 10 minutes by taxi from Meicheng) Xin'an River Greenway: When visiting Jiande, you must experience the 17-degree summer on the trails along the Xin'an River. There's a long greenway along the river, and we stayed near the Baisha Bridge. In the morning or evening, you can witness the Baisha mist by the river, which is very refreshing when it hits your face, like opening a refrigerator in the summer. 🍜Jiande Cuisine: Local drivers recommended several restaurants, with fish head soup and tofu buns being must-tries. Meicheng Ancient Town also offers fried kueh, Yanzhou crispy cakes, crystal cakes, Sandu mochi, and other delicious snacks.

Yanzhou Ancient City Scenic Area Whether you visit during the day or at night, admission is free Travel suggestion: self-driving Daytime visit to Yanzhou Ancient City: √Typical Huizhou architecture, climb up to the city wall of Chengqing Gate, you can overlook the Xin'an River and the whole view of the ancient town. √Then walk along the main street, you will pass several archways, and finally walk to the place with awning boats, and it is not very prosperous if you go further. But if you continue to walk, you can still see the archway. √The food in Jiande is generally a bit spicy. There are many snacks in the ancient street, such as Yanzhou roast cake, Jiande tofu bag, yellow rice cake stinky tofu, etc. √The ancient city has a city opening performance every day, parading in ancient costumes, adding a lot of artistic conception to the ancient city, which is very interesting. √If there are treasures who like to take ancient costumes, you can also rent costumes on the ancient street for shooting. Night tour of Yanzhou Ancient City: √The night view of Yanzhou Ancient City is very surprising, even more dazzling than during the day. √The light show on the ancient city wall of Chengqing Gate can directly understand the history of ancient and modern times. It is also a very shocking scene. √It is recommended to play for 2-3 days, there are homestays in the ancient street, and the price is not expensive. Surrounding play: Da Ci Yan, Shouchang Ancient Town, Sandu Fishing Village, Xinye Ancient Village, Qili Yangfan, Strawberry Town

D1: Da Ci Yan Half of the temple is embedded in the cliff, and half is overhanging in the air, You don't have to go to Jiangxi Wangxian Valley to check in the fairy world on the cliff. Five cable cars go directly to the mountainside, look at the Buddha on the mountainside, play in the canyon, cloud stepping, jungle speed sliding, sit on the glass plank road down the mountain, the spectacular is beyond the film~ Jiang Qingyue near people Take a boat to tour the Xin'an River at night, immersive experience is incredibly wonderful, Meng Haoran Li Bai and other masters of poetry run through, It shows the local customs and cultural heritage of Jiande, extremely exciting!! Friendly reminder: Board the ship at 18:30 at the Jiang Qingyue near people pier, only this one! D2: Yanzhou Ancient City This is a thousand-year-old town that has been forgotten for a long time. Climb the ancient city wall, The picturesque Xin'an River landscape gallery unfolds before your eyes, and the Meicheng ancient town under the city wall, It is a street full of snacks and specialties. What's the beauty of playing? Watch performances·Acrobatics·Dance·Flash mob Visit the ancient city·Qing Post Office·De Culture Museum·Zhejiang University Westward Movement Museum Tour Yudai River Experience rowing boat

Zhejiang West·Yanzhou Prefecture, with a history of more than 1700 years, was one of the top eight prefectures in Zhejiang West during the Song and Yuan dynasties. In the southern Zhejiang and northern Jiangsu, where there are many ancient towns and water towns, it is far less famous than Wuzhen and Xitang, but it has a bit more tranquility. Yanzhou ancient city is located north of Wulong Mountain and south of Fuchun River, with beautiful scenery. Fufu Street and Zhengda Street lead to Qiaolou in the north and Chengqing Gate in the south. Along the way, there are many archways, such as Sanyuan Archway, Zhuangyuan Archway, Jiande Hou Archway, Sifan Archway, Han Chun Fuzhi Archway and Lixue Mingbang Archway, which show the glory of the past. There are many snacks on Zhengda Street, among which Jiande Tofu Bag and Yanzhou Roasted Cake are the most famous. Local restaurants seem to not turn on air conditioning during the day, and the indoor temperature feels even colder. In the winter afternoon, the sun is shining, and it is very comfortable to stroll leisurely on the streets of the ancient city. Or find a teahouse, boil tea around the stove, and talk about life. Climb up to Chengqing Gate, overlook the confluence of three rivers (Fuchun River, Xin'an River, Lan River), walk along the city wall, and enjoy the scenery of Jiangnan. The Nanfeng Tower, rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty, stands still across the river. 🏯Yanzhou Ancient City/Meicheng Ancient Town Meicheng Ancient Town 📍Zhengda Street, Meicheng Town, Jiande City, Hangzhou ⏰Business hours: 24 hours open 🎫Ticket price: free entry and exit, free tour 🗺️Tour recommendation: Cao's Ancestral Hall, Yanzhou Zhuangyuan Mansion, Liuhe Ancient Well, Zhu Kezhen's Old House, Kuixing Pavilion, Zhejiang University's first stop in the westward move. 🏨Homestay recommendation: Huajian Mansion·Hu Hengmao, horse-faced wall, bluestone slab, deep experience of the late Qing merchants' residence, once the century-old firm of Yanzhou Prefecture. 🚘Traffic guide: Depart from Hangzhou along the Changshen Expressway to the "Yangcun Bridge" exit, the whole journey is 122km, and the journey takes 1.5 hours. 📌Play suggestion: Recommend a day trip, the cold winter trees wither, you can choose the boat project according to personal conditions.

As soon as winter comes, fresh and delicious strawberries become the main attraction for picking tours, going to Jiande, the hometown of strawberries in Hangzhou, China for strawberry picking tourism. Remember these seven things: 1, Jiande is part of Hangzhou, downstream of Qiandao Lake, you must pass through Jiande to go to Qiandao Lake, so you can arrange Jiande together with the route of Qiandao Lake; 2, Jiande's Yanzhou ancient city is also called Meicheng ancient town, it is a less popular ancient city on the bank of Xin'an River that does not charge admission and has free performances as shown in picture 2 3, There are many homestays with river views in Jiande, especially next to Sandu fishing village, they are concentrated in a large area, the price is cheaper than Tonglu, and the quality is not inferior to Tonglu 3, In addition to Meicheng ancient town and Sandu fishing village, Jiande also has attractions such as Qili Yangfan, Lingqi Cave (the shooting location of Journey to the West in 86), Daci Rock, Xinye ancient village, Xiaya wetland, etc. 4, The food in Jiande is different from Hangzhou, it is closer to Quzhou cuisine, it is spicy and salty, tourists who think Hangzhou is a food desert can come here to enjoy Xin'an River fish head, stick fish, etc. are all delicacies 5, Jiande is the hometown of strawberries in China, every year it sends a large number of berry farmers to the whole country, the variety of strawberries is rich, the picking season can last from winter to April of the next year. Yangcunqiao town is the main production area 6, The water of Jiande's Xin'an River is almost constant at 17 degrees all year round because it all flows out from the bottom of Qiandao Lake, so there is 17 degrees Jiande 7, The best way to travel in Jiande is to charter a car or self-drive because the attractions are far apart

Located in Jiande City, Hangzhou, the ancient city of Yanzhou is truly a hidden beautiful ancient city. It is located on the bank of the Xin'an River, surrounded by green mountains, quiet and quaint. Here retains a large number of Ming and Qing buildings, rows of archways all reveal that this is a geomantic treasure land that has been outstanding since ancient times. As soon as I stepped into this ancient city, I was attracted by the scenery here. The distant city tower and the towering mountains behind, as well as the rural scenery of the fishermen's pastoral songs here, made me feel a bit like I was in the ancient city of Dali, Yunnan. Except for the lack of some ethnic customs of Yunnan, everything else is really too similar. Everyone should really calm down and slowly feel the slow life here, it's really too comfortable.