What should you do in Jinhu Tower Town, a hidden treasure travel destination in Huai'an, Jiangsu?
Preface
The Yao Dynasty style and lotus charm, beautiful Taji! Jinhu Taji Town, bordered by Gaoyou Lake to the east and south, faces Jinnan Town across the Huaihe River to the west. It is a veritable Jiangnan water town. Its unique natural conditions also make this place beautiful and charming.
Jinhu Countycheck the details
Jinhu County, under the jurisdiction of Huai'an City, Jiangsu Province, is located in central Jiangsu Province. Surrounded by Baima Lake, Baoying Lake, and Gaoyou Lake, it was named "Jinhu" by the beloved Premier Zhou Enlai, symbolizing abundant resources and the wealth of sunrises. Jinhu is known as the "Hometown of Emperor Yao," "Land of Lotuses," "Land of Fish and Rice," "Pearl of the Huai River," "Water Village Jinhu," and "Little Jiangnan of Northern Jiangsu." Surrounded on three sides by Baima Lake, Baoying Lake, and Gaoyou Lake, the Huaihe River empties into the Yangtze River, running west to east through the hinterland. The area boasts vast waterways, a dense network of rivers, long embankments, and lush greenery. Farmland, fragrant rice fields, and lotus ponds create a vibrant, lakeside, waterside landscape.
Recommended months: Spring and autumn are the best
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Taji is also known as the "Hometown of Emperor Yao," tracing its history back to ancient times. Its rich history and stunning natural scenery have made it a treasured tourist destination. Local attractions like the Lotus Pond, the Yaoxiang Kingdom Cultural Tourism Area, and the beautiful Huangzhuang Village are popular with visitors. Our two-day, one-night trip focused on these areas, further deepening my impression of Taji Town.
Lotus Pond: Come for the Lotus
Nestled on the shores of beautiful Gaoyou Lake, the Lotus Pond Scenic Area, surrounded on three sides by the lake, boasts a beautiful ecological environment. It is a National 4A-level Tourist Attraction and a National Agricultural Ecological Scenic Area. Every summer, the Lotus Pond transforms into a scene of wind-swirled lotus leaves, rolling green slopes, and blooming lotus flowers, creating a fairyland for visitors and a breathtaking spectacle for photographers.
Looking down from the air at Lotus Pond, one feels a sense of breathtaking beauty, as if "the lotus leaves stretch to the sky, the lotus blossoms are a striking red in the sunlight." The scenic area boasts attractions such as Lotus Fairy Square, Wisteria Corridor, Hundred Lotus Garden, Bihe Pavilion, and Watery Years. Lotus Fairy Square and Hundred Lotus Garden are the highlights, especially in summer, offering excellent opportunities for lotus viewing, whether by boating in the pond or simply admiring the scene from the shore.
Baihe Garden is the largest and most beautiful ornamental lotus pond in Lotus Marsh, covering an area of more than 150 acres and owning more than 50 ornamental ponds. Hundreds of lotus varieties bloom here, including the gracefully dancing Dancing Lotus, the affectionate Deep Affection Lotus, and the Purple Lotus Coming from the East to welcome distinguished guests. Each lotus has a variety of postures and competes for splendor.
It is no coincidence that there is such a large lotus pond here. In history, Su Dongpo, Huang Tingjian and other literati and poets once boarded a boat here for a night tour and admired the scenery and wrote poems, leaving behind the famous line "Wine is sold under the moon at the bridgehead, tea is boiled by the spring behind the green mountain temple". With its unique ecological natural scenery and tourism resources, the famous "Ten Lotus Scenes" have been formed here, such as "Pearl Light of Brick Society", "Listening to the Waves by the Lake", "Watching the Sunrise at East Lake", etc.
I was boating on the water and accidentally wandered into the depths of lotus flowers. The scene I had always imagined was now right in front of me: the clear water was covered with dense clusters of huge lotus leaves, a black-sailed boat, and an elegant woman in ancient costume, who had lost her way in the depths of the lotus leaves. Such a scene was truly amazing.
Not far from the statue of the Lotus Fairy, there is a small house. This is the Lotus Culture Experience Hall. With ten thousand acres of lotus pond as the background, it is the first lotus-themed comprehensive exhibition hall in Jiangsu Province. It is divided into six theme exhibition areas: "Sequence", "View", "Knowledge", "Enlightenment", "Inheritance" and "Realm".
The highlight of the entire venue is undoubtedly the Lotus Viewing Area. While the lotus flowers here aren't real, they're presented through audio, visual, and other visual effects, depicting the four seasons of the lotus pond. Multimedia and digital content also highlight the lotus's botanical history, morphological characteristics, geographical distribution, growth habits, cultivation techniques, and its key values and cultural symbols.
Of course, if you are tired of playing, you can also come here to rest. There is a rest platform by the water. Through the glass, you can see the beautiful scenery of the ten thousand acres of lotus pond. The small pavilion, the green lotus leaves and the blooming lotus add radiance and beauty to each other, just like a watercolor painting.
Yao Xiangguo: Traveling Through the Ages
There is an ancient fairy city here that looks like something out of a game world. It is located beside the waterway where the Huai River flows into the Yangtze River. Looking down from the sky, the peculiarly shaped buildings have turquoise roofs and vermilion or golden eaves, which complement each other and give people the illusion of traveling through time and space. This is the Yaoxiang Kingdom Cultural Tourism Area, a place that recalls ancient legends.
Yao, also known as Tang Yao, was one of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors of ancient China. During his reign, he improved politics, controlled floods, and established the calendar. Sima Qian called him "the most ideal princess." Regarding Emperor Yao's hometown, the book "Emperors' Chronicles" records that "when Yao was born, his mother lived south of San'a," which is now in Taji Town, Jinhu County. Yaoxiang Kingdom, a tourist attraction built on this background, is now a national 4A-level scenic spot.
Yaoxiang Kingdom is the first national immersive cultural experience area in China. It has the Yao Culture Exhibition Hall, the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Square, the Yao Mother Sculpture, the Yaoxiang Flower Language, the San'a Love Theater, the Ancient Yao Emperor Wine Culture Experience Hall, the Guanzhi Handmade Sauce and Vinegar Culture Training Base, the Qingdu Ceramics Museum and other attractions. The visitor experience is very rich, especially the recently popular wine, sauce and vinegar experience halls.
We highly recommend starting your visit with the Yao Culture Exhibition Hall, located in the largest building in the center of the scenic area. Yao, one of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors of ancient times, initiated Chinese civilization and created a harmonious and prosperous era. He is hailed by later generations as "the teacher of the people, the model of the emperor, and the ancestor of civilization." The Yao culture he nurtured is truly the root of Chinese culture and civilization.
The Yao Culture Exhibition Hall focuses on the life of Emperor Yao. Through staged scenes, graphic displays, sculpture models, and 3D circular films, it comprehensively showcases the life story of Emperor Yao and the achievements of Qing Dude, one of China's most virtuous mothers. This place is a favorite among children, who are always curious about the reasons behind the scenes that seem so out of place in modern society, making it a meaningful educational experience for them.
During the Tang Dynasty, people believed that wine was invented by Emperor Yao and that the zither was designed by Emperor Shun. This saying, "Yao invented wine, Shun designed the zither," harks back to ancient times. At the Ancient Emperor Yao Wine Culture Experience Hall, you can learn about the entire winemaking process, from fermentation and distillation to storage, and even sample some of the finest wine.
Guanzhi Handmade Sauce and Vinegar Cultural Heritage Base (Jiulongkou Sauce Factory) is a great place to learn about the origins, development, and production process of sauce and vinegar culture. You can also experience making your own sauce and vinegar, which is quite fun. Furthermore, after 150 years of ups and downs, Jiulongkou Sauce Factory still maintains its millennium-old brewing techniques. Our sauce and vinegar are additive-free and blended, truly traditional and natural. If you're interested, buy a bottle to take home.
Anyone who has visited Yao Xiangguo will undoubtedly be deeply impressed by the San'a Love Theater's performance of "Young Emperor Yao." Set against the backdrop of primitive tribal life during the Yao and Shun eras, the four-act play, titled "The Birth of Emperor Yao," "Raising Emperor Yao in Taji," "Farewell to His Son in Qingdu," and "Huo De Becomes Emperor," vividly depicts the story of Emperor Yao's birth and growth in San'a, located on the south bank of the Huai River (present-day Taji Town, Jinhu Lake).
The Yaoxiang Kingdom Cultural Tourism Area is quite large, so it's no wonder it's called a "kingdom." This ancient city harkens back to ancient times, with its unique architecture reminiscent of a video game, giving you a time-travel experience. The scenic area is also incredibly photogenic, with any casual snap creating a stunning masterpiece. The experience is even better when dressed in period costume.
Huangzhuang: Beautiful Rural Village
Huangzhuang, part of Gaoqiao Village, Taji Town, Jinhu County, Huai'an City, lies east of Lotus Avenue and west of the Huaihe River. Surrounded by Gaoyou Lake, Hongze Lake, and Baima Lake, it boasts convenient transportation and a beautiful natural environment. As a provincial-level featured rural village in Jiangsu Province, Huangzhuang attracts numerous visitors with its beautiful villages, excellent ecology, and stunning scenery.
I still remember the scene of brilliant yellow rapeseed blossoms in full bloom on my last visit to Huangzhuang. Now, midsummer has arrived, and the village pond is blanketed with lotus leaves, bringing to mind the beautiful poem: "Lotus leaves reach the sky, their green is boundless; lotus blossoms are a striking red in the sunlight." A long corridor, the essence of Huangzhuang, offers a stroll through the ever-changing scenery of the four seasons. The lawns on either side offer opportunities for games, barbecues, camping, picnics, and lotus viewing—perfect for families, couples, and even families.
Rural tourism is not about whether there are a lot of activities. Compared with amusement parks, rural tourism is mainly based on "subtraction" and cares more about the experience of tourists. After all, the purpose of coming here is to experience things that cannot be experienced in the city, and the more "local" the experience is, the better.
Huangzhuang isn't large, but it's plenty spacious enough to spend a morning or afternoon exploring. Besides the area you see, there's also an Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, a great place to learn about the history of Huangzhuang and even Jinhu. There's also the Zhiqing Corridor, a must-see attraction in Huangzhuang. Historically, over 1,500 Zhiqing (educated youth) were sent to the countryside to work in Taji and Minqiao. Commemorating that time, the Corridor houses a vast collection of antiques, including a 28-inch bicycle, a black-and-white television, an old sewing machine, a vintage flashlight, an enamel teacup, a radio, a bucket, a stone mill, an iron lock, and an old thermos.
For someone like me, born in the 1990s, I recognize most of what I see. It's like stepping back into the last century, reminiscing about my childhood. Rural tourism should be naturally beautiful, but it also needs to have substance, something that resonates and moves people. That's what makes a trip so beautiful.
Travel Tips
Whenever I visit Jinhu, I usually stay in Heyun Town. The neat rows of two-story villas, paired with exquisite courtyards, make this place look very livable. The pink walls and black tiles of the houses complement the lotus leaves that cover the water, embodying the charm of the Jiangnan region. The Ouyu Boutique B&B in the town is a popular choice. This unique B&B, themed around lotus culture, offers comfortable accommodations, comprehensive facilities, and a beautiful environment, all within easy reach of Jinhu's popular attractions.
Speaking of Jinhu's unique delicacies, besides crayfish, the Lotus Banquet is also a must-see! The beauty of the lotus lies in the eyes of literati and the palates of foodies! The Lotus Banquet at Lotus Pond uses local ingredients, fresh lotus roots, stems, and leaves, meticulously crafted to create dishes like Pan-fried Lotus Root Cakes with Moonlight over the Lotus Pond, Lotus-scented Glutinous Rice Rolls, Crispy Lotus Petals, Sweet and Sour Lotus Root Slices, Braised Pigeon with Lotus Root and Red Dates, and Lotus Petal-Marinated River Shrimp. Not only are they visually appealing, but they're also unforgettable.
Surrounded by lakes on three sides, Jinhu Taji Town naturally offers a wealth of delicious fish and shrimp. The featured "All-Fish Banquet" truly amazed me. The banquet features a comprehensive selection of fresh river and lake seafood, meticulously crafted into over ten dishes. These include steamed mandarin fish, long fish soup, deep-fried saury, catfish with vermicelli noodles, whitefish with chopped peppers, whitebait egg soup, casserole fish head, and fish balls in vinegar soup. The sheer variety of dishes is truly mouth-watering.
