China travel guide

Traveling in Yangzhou, you can not miss the following places that we recommand.

Slender Western Lake: Named after Hangzhou’s famous West Lake, this long, narrow stretch of water which meanders through Yangzhou’s western limits is a well-known scenic spot. A long bank planted with weeping willows spans the lake; at its midpoint stands a square terrace with pavilions at each of the corners and one in the center. Around the lake is a park in which are found several attractions: Lotus Flower Pagoda (Lianhua SO, a white structure reminiscent of the White Pagoda (Baita) in Beijing’s Beihai Park; Small Gold Mountain (Xiao Jin Shan); and the Fishing Platform (Diaoyutai), a favorite retreat of the Qing emperor Qian Long. The emperor was so gratified by his luck in fishing at this spot that he ordered additional stipends for the town. As it turns out, his success had been augmented by local swimmers who lurked in the lake busily attaching fish to his hook.

Da Ming temple: Located on Shugang Hill, in the city’s northwest, is Fajing Temple, formerly known as Daming Temple. The original temple was built by jian Zhen some 1,500 years ago. In the latter years of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), a nine-story pagoda, the Qilingta, was built on the temple grounds. A recent addition to the temple complex is the jian Zhen Memorial Hall, built according to Tang Dynasty methods and financed with contributions raised by Buddhist groups in japan. When Qing Emperor Qian Long visited Yangzhou in 1765, he was troubled by The temple’s name Daming (which literally means “Great Ming’ fearing that it might revive nostalgia for the Ming Dynasty, which was overthrown by his Manchu predecessors. He had it renamed Fajing Temple. The temple was seriously damaged during the Taiping Rebellion at the beginning of the 20th century. The present structure is a reconstruction dating from the 1930s.

Flat Hills (Ping Shan) Hall: Built by the Song Dynasty writer Ouyang Xiu when he served as prefect of the city, this hall stands just west of Faji,g Temple. Looking out from this hall, the mountains to the south of the Yangtsc River appear as a line at the viewer’s eye level, hence the name Fiat Hills Hall. When Ouyang Xiu’s student Su Dongpo moved to Yangzhou, he too served as prefect of the city. He had a hall built directly behind the one erected by his master, and called it Guling Hall.

Pavilion of Flourishing Culture (Wenchangge): This round, three-story pavilion in Yangzhou’s eastern sector was built in 1585 and celebrates the city’s rich cultural traditions.

Stone Pagoda (Shita): Standing west of the Pavilion of Flourishing Culture is a five-story Tang Dynasty pagoda. Built in 837 AD, it is the oldest pagoda still standing in Yangzhou.

Tomb of Bulhading: The tomb is in the eastern sector of the city and is adjacent to a mosque which houses a collection of valuable materials documenting China’s relations with Muslim countries.

Ge Garden (Ge Yuan): The entrance to this typical southern style garden with its luxuriant bamboo groves, ponds, and rock grottoes is on Dongguan St. in the city’s northeast section. Designed by the great Qing Dynasty landscape painter Shi Tao for Wang Yingtai, an officer of the Qing imperial court, this garden takes its name from the shape of bamboo leaves which resemble the Chinese character ge, meaning “each” or “every.”

He Garden (He Yuan): Built by He Zhidiao, a 19th century Chinese envoy to France, this garden is famous for a 430m. (1,377 ft.) two storied winding corridor, the walls of which are lined with stone tablets carved with lines of classical poetry, In the garden is also an open air theater set on an island in the middle of a fish pond.

Yechun Garden (Yechun Yuan): In this garden, which lies on the banks of the Xiading River at the city’s northern limits, the Qing Dynasty poet Wang Yuyang and a circle of friends used to gather to recite their works. The thatched roofs of the pavilions in this garden give it a quaint, rustic air.

Yangzhou Museum In the same area is the Yangzhou Museum, which houses about 100 paintings and calligraphy scrolls by the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou and a research institute for the study of their work.

Jiangdu Water Control Project: Construction of this multiple-purpose water control project, the biggest in China, started in 1961 and was completed in 1975. The project includes facilities for irrigation, drainage, navigation, and power generation. It consists of four large modern electric pumping stations, six medium sized check gates, thrice navigation locks, and two trunk waterways.

As one of the branch of Yangtze River, Qinhuai River is the biggest river in Nanjing. With a length of 110 kilometers (about 68 miles), the river is divided into two from the Tongji Gate. One that flows into the Nanjing City is called the inner river. The other that flows along the east, south and west side of the City Wall of Ming Dynasty is called the outer river and is regarded as the moat of Nanjing City. For thousands of years, Qinhuai River has nurtured the ancient city of Nanjing and honored by many poets. A lot of stories, romantic affairs and historic sites are related to the Qinhuai River, which adds to its charm greatly.

Something must know

Name
The Qinhuai River used to be called Huai Water, and was renamed Qinhuai for the legend that Qin Shihuang, the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221 – 206 B.C.), ordered to introduce Huai Water to the city by excavating a mountain.

Form
The river divides into two streams, one of which runs pass the city is called the inner Qinhuai. The inner tributary in known as “10 li qinhuai”, where used to be the most flourishing place in the nation, fostering countless poets, scholars and famous almes in the ancient time. Painted boats shuttled to and fro and music sounded all night. The other that flows along the east, south and west side of the City Wall of Ming Dynasty is called the outer river and is regarded as the moat of Nanjing City.

Development
Qinhuai River is a branch of the Yangtze River, running about 110 kilometers, a major watercourse around Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province. It was very famous in the history but lost its fame due to wars, which destroyed many buildings along both banks. The water became filthy and no sign of wealth could be found anymore. After repair and restoration in 1985, the river became a beautiful resort.

See
Nowadays Qinhuai River and its beautiful scenery form a widely recognized Nanjing tourist destination. With the Confucian Temple at its centre, this location offers a combination of historical sites, gardens, painted boats, streets and folk customs. Scenery along the river includes the Bailu Zhou Garden, Confucius Temple, Zhanyuan Garden, Zhonghua Gate and characteristic boats on the Qinhuai River from the section of Taoyedu to Zhenhuai Bridge. Among them, the painted boat from which lanterns hang is the most charming and attractive that adds a festive feeling to the Qinhuai River in the evening.

Village
Since the Stone Age, people have always lived on the banks of the Qinhuai River. 50 to 60 original village sites have been found along the river. Among them are Hushu Cultural Site and Xunzishan Site as well as many others. However, due to various wars and battles fought within the area, ancient buildings along the river were destroyed. The River’s time of prosperity ceased for a time. However, after a period of restoration in 1985, Qinhuai River became a famous scenic location in Nanjing again.

The Confucius Temple
The Confucius Temple, which has become the representative of culture of South of the Yangtze River, is usually crowded with people in the evening. Wine shops, tea houses, snack stalls and handicraft works hawked along the street form the unique scenery of the Temple. Jiangnan Examination Office, which is not far from the Temple, offers visitors the chance to see the place where scholars took their examinations back in the days of feudal Chinese society.

Do
Floating lights are the most famous view on the Qinhuai River. On the river, any boat or ship, large or small, will hang color lamps. It is a very important activity for a visitor to ride such a boat, floating on the river to enjoy the scenes. There is Panchi Wharf, located in front of Dacheng Hall of Confucius Temple, Wuding Gate Wharf, Wharf of Kuixing Ge, and Stone City Wharf. Painted boats are always waiting at any of the given wharfs.

The services on the boat are always impeccable. Tea and local snacks are prepared and visitors can enjoy Chinese traditional music performed by boat girls and boys with Gu Qin – Chinese seven-stringed zither – and Lu Sheng (a reed-pipe wind instrument) during thetrip.

Shanghai cuisine does not have its own style in “Eight Traditional Cuisine of China”, but still it is very popular because it refines the taste of food from the neighborhood provinces, mainly from Jiangsu province (known for its Su Cuisine) and Zhejiang province (known for its Zhe Cuisine). As a main part of your trip in Shanghai, we will recommend here 10 most worth tasting food or snacks in Shanghai.
1. Pan-Fried Steamed Dumpling
This is one the most famous snacks in Shanghai, with the delicious meat pie inside the dumpling, it will have rich juice when you bite it. The most popular three restaurants now in Shanghai where it makes best Pan-Fried Steamed Dumpling are “Feng Yu Sheng Jian”, “Fei Long Sheng Jian” and “Xiao Yang Sheng Jian”. There is one chain store of “Feng Yu Sheng Jian” on West Huaihai Road.

2. Chopped Cold Boiled Chicken
This is a kind of traditional food in Jiangsu and Zhejiang area. In Shanghai, some restaurants like “Zheng Ding Ji” and “Xiao Shao Xing” refined the flavor of the chicken and it becomes very popular in the market.

3. Topping Soup Noodle
This is a kind of Jiangsu style soup noodle. Some Shanghai Noodle restaurants are very good at making this kind of the noodles, especially in De Xing Noodle Restaurant; it makes nice Topping Soup Noodle with two delicacies.
De Xing Noodle Restaurant Add: No. 612, Middle Henan Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai

4. Nanxiang Steamed Meat Dumpling
Almost every restaurant in Shanghai sells Steamed Meat Dumpling, but none of them can compete the Nanxiang Steamed Meat Dumplings in Yuyuan Bazaar. Everyday there is such a long queue in front of the restaurant. Tourists from both home and abroad want to have a try of this most famous snacks in Shanghai.

5. Rice Cake with Rib

It is a kind of snack that made of fried rice cake together with fried ribs, some specially made juice is another must to highlight the flavor of the snacks. For this snack, we recommend “Xian De Lai” and “Bei Wan Xin” restaurants
Xian De Lai Restaurant Add: No.18 South Yunnan Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai

6. Three Seafood Meat Wonton
This is a typical Shanghai local snack. The Wonton is small but delicious, full of juice, “ Wan Shou Zhai” restaurant nearby Former Residence of Mr. Lu Xun on Shanyin Road is the most famous for its Three Seafood Meat Wonton.
Wan Shou Zhai Add: No.123, Shanyin Road, Hongkou District, Shanghai

7. Chicken Porridge
Chicken Porridge as it is named is made of chicken soup. The chicken soup porridge with the chicken itself makes the porridge especially delicious. Those porridge can be found in most chicken themed restaurant, among which Xiao Shao Xing Restaurant make the best one.
Xiao Shao Xing Add: No.1588, Pudong Avenue, Pudong New District, Shanghai

8. Fried Bean Curd in Bean noodle Soup
This is a very common snack in Shanghai, it is made of fried bean curd and bean noodle with soup. But to find the best Fried Bean Curd in Bean noodle Soup, you must go to “Zhen Lao Da Fang” in East Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street.

9. Braised Hairy Crabs
Braised Hairy Crabs is the most popular food in Shanghai. In Crab season, crab is a must food in local Shanghai people’s family or friends gathering banquet. The best Braised Hairy Crabs can be found in Wang Bao He Restaurant in Fuzhou Road near Nanjing Road.

10. Eight Delicacies in Hot Sauce
This is one of the most famous Shanghai local foods. It uses eight different raw food fried with delicious hot sauce, makes it tastes hot and sweet. In the famous Lv Bo Lang Restaurant in Yuyuan Bazaar, the best and the most traditional Eight Delicacies in Hot Sauce can be found here.

“Night Shanghai” is a very felicitous name to describe the nightlife of Shanghai. The amalgamation of lighting and neon, as well as the bustling traffics and passerby are the characteristic of shanghai nightlife. The nightlife is a scene of Crystal’s amativeness.

As a common understanding, Shanghai has the most colorful night life in China, but if you have ever participated, you may feel it is probably the most colorful one in the world!

A great place to do some people watching in Shanghai at night is the Huangpu Park and the Bund. The bund has been a symbol of Shanghai for hundreds of years and is a popular destination for tourists. Walking along the Bund at night is a fascinating site, as the entire Pu Dong skyline is illuminated, including the Oriental Pearl TV tower and the 2nd tallest building in the world-Jin Mao Tower.

Cultural enthusiast can find in Shanghai large-scale performances of acrobatics, musicals, opera, dance, theatre, and classical and contemporary music.

Nightclubs and bars are blooming and can be found everywhere. Xin Tian Di offers the most choice and favorable appreciation. It collects international galleries, fashion shops, themed restaurants, coffee house and bars. The arrival of more and more boutiques, designer shops and luxury goods stores continually adds to the enjoyment of Xin Tian Di.
Fuxing Park, located at No.2, Haolan Road,

Nanjing Road is considered to be the “No.1 commercial street in China”. Here along its 5.5 kilometers (3.4 miles). You will find over 600 shops that on average are visited by some 1.7 million people each day. If you like shopping, do not miss it.

Tea Houses in Shanghai open 24 hours a day. Apart from enjoying a lone taste of tea, you can invite several friends and play or just chat. Once you are here, you can experience all this for yourself. Fashionable entertainments are favorites with young people. When night falls, Shanghai bathes in the light of various entertainment venues. Nightclubs, Karaoke, Discos, Bars and Coffee houses are all popular at night time meeting places.

The Bund Night Scene
The Bund is a must see when watching in Shanghai at night. The Bund concentrates almost all of the beauty of the shades in Shanghai, attracting agminate folks to enjoy the night. Many tourists are attracted by its illuminated night scene.

Xin Tian DI
Shanghai Xin Tian Di has many visitors. If you are visiting Shanghai for the first time, it is much safe to go Xin Tian Di for the nightlife. Xin Tian Di, the most fashionable area cultivated in the distinctive Shikumen Buildings. However, every building has a modern interior and its unique bares, shops and restaurants are more and more popular with the tourists.

Fu Xing Park
Fu Xing Park is another area for nightlife, which is also a recreational park. The only time Fu Xing Park feels hectic is between midnight and 04:00 am, and Park 97 inside the Fu Xing Park is reviewed as the most beautiful bar in Shanghai by public.

Nanjing Road
As the most famous Pedestrian Street of Shanghai, Nanjing Road collects most hundreds of Modernize commercial Mansions, China’s time-honored shops and specialties stores, where it is possible to pick up a bargain or enjoy a tasty morsel to eat.

Tea House
When the shops in Nanjing Road are closed, the tea house really come into their own and the night is still young. The tea house here opens for 24 hours. You can enjoy the quiet here or invited several friends to have a chat

Shanghai Acrobatics Show
Acrobatics is an interactive art. Every body, young or old, educated or not, can easily appreciate. Without language and culture barrier, you certainly feel the influx of adrenaline in your flood. Watch and experience the professional acrobatic group do really unforgettable show to your amazement and satisfaction.

Buffet
Golden Jaguar Restaurant
Adderss 1: Hui Jin Plaza 8th floor, No. 1000 Zhao Jia Bang Road, Xuhui District
Contact:021-64839999
Address 2: 4-5F, Zhongxin Taifu Plaza, No. 1168, West Nanjing Road, Jing’an District
Contact: (021) 64839999
Business hour: 11:00 – 14:30, 17:00 – 22:00
Average cost per person: CNY 180 – 220

Buffet dinner is sure a good choice when you are longing for various kinds of food and don’t know what to have first. Golden Jaguar entered Shanghai in 2003 which is belongs to the Golden Jaguar (China) group, a chain restaurant. Golden Jaguar successfully launches the pioneering service of international compound buffet with 1 million people expected every year.

Xi Duo Wu International Seafood Buffet
Adderss 1: 7F, Super Brand Mall, No. 168, West Lujiazui Road, Pudong New Area
Contact: 021-50470761 50470762
Average cost per person: CNY 180 – 200
Adress 2: 5F, Junyao International Plaza, No. 789, Zhaojiabang Road, Xuhui District
Contact: 021-64228547 64228548
Average cost per person: CNY 128
Business hour: 11:00 – 14:30, 17:30 – 22:00

Various kinds of fresh seafood are available here to ensure your appetite is satisfied. Like crabs, oysters, salmons, tuna, shellfish, abalones, sardine, roast eels, and lobster salad. Delicious desserts like Tiramisu and Häagen-Dazs ice cream are also available. The branch at Super Brand Mall has a better view because you can see the beautiful Huangpu River and the Bund from the window seats.

Japanese Food
Chuhua
Adderss: 3/F, Gubei Garden Hotel, 1446 Hongqiao Lu, Changning District
Contact: 021-6219 1910/ 6208 0645
Average cost per person: CNY 217
Business hour: 6-9am, 11am-2pm, 5-11pm

Chuhua is an elegant restaurant features a glorious buffet which is located in a four-star hotel in Shanghai. Need to make reservation before 3 weeks. It offers Sashimi, Cod fish, Eel, Prawn, Tenderloin, Tempura and Potato and beef, etc. After the main course you can order some dessert, the silky, not-too-sweet caramel blancmange is highly recommended. Chu Hua also offers authentic Japanese breakfast: for about RMB50 per person, you can have a quiet, gourmet start of the day.

Matsuri123 Food Stadium
Adderss: 4/F, 951 Hongxu Lu, Changning District
Contact: 021-6262 7123
Average cost per person: CNY 230
Business hour: Mon-Fri 5:30pm-10:30pm; Sat-Sun 11am-2pm, 5:30pm-10:30pm
The concept of this place is in the name: it’s a stadium of food. The selection in this place is huge. This is a typical Japanese style construction, weird shapes everywhere, a mixture of bright lights and colors and shapes. Now let’s see its menu: Dry noodles, Soup noodles, Stir fried food, Teppenyaki style grilled meat, Ice cream, Sushi, Sashimi, Cutlets, Little cakes, Shellfish, English stuff, Pizza, Pasta and some other Ricey things.

Vegetarian
Jen Dow Vegetarian
Adderss: 2787 Longhua Lu, Xuhui District
Contact: 021- 6457 2299/ 6457 7821
Average cost per person: RMB 138 during lunch time, RMB 158 in the envening
Business hour: 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-9pm
Jen Dow Vegetarian is a vegetarian buffet dinner restaurant which is owned by a Taiwanese. It offers more than 200 dishes, including Chinese, Japanese, and Italian dishes. All dishes here are no meat–unless you consider duck legs made out of mushrooms close enough. Jen Dow Vegetarian is an up market version of vegetarian buffet which charge quite a bit more, but is worth it for its extremely high quality and extensive range of food as well as the classic decoration.

L’Abre de Provence
Adderss: 4/F Metro City, 1111 Zhaojiabang Lu, Xuhui District
Contact: 021- 6426 7698
Average cost per person: RMB 138
Business hour: 10am-10pm
It serves both meat and vegetable. Though it offers some western dishes, but mostly are Asian fare, including dim sum. The extensive lunchtime is during 11:30-13:30. Buffet in this period are salad, rice, noodles, mock meats, stir fried vegetables, and soups. Menu indicates in which items contains meat, but it does not indicate which items include dairy, so just be sure to ask.

Big Brand
Oriental Pearl Revolving Restaurant
Adderss: Inside the Oriental Pearl Tower, 1 Century Avenue, Pudong New Area
Contact: 021- 8797138/ 58791888
Average cost per person: RMB 280
Business hour: 5pm-9pm
It is the highest revolving restaurant in Asia which is at the height of 267m of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. Chinese and Western buffet are available. Dinner costs 280 RMB per person, without drinks, and reservations are suggested for a window seat. The restaurant will revolve around by every 2 hours. It definitely leaves you a deep impression while dining there.

Dong Jiao State Guest Hotel
Adderss: 1800 Jinke Road, Pudong Zhangjiang District
Contact: 021- 58958888
Average cost per person: RMB 196
Business hour: 5pm-9pm
It is a 900-square meter banquet hall which can contain about 900 guests. Take the full pleasure of Chinese and Western delicacies as well as beverages. A breakfast buffet is served each morning while lunch and dinner are available á la carte, from set menus or in the form of a buffet. The self- serve is equipped with the advanced facilities. But it also offers a banquet service. A professional banquet service team is on hand to provide you with the top-grade service.