Live Your Best Lives
Xuzhou, formerly known as "Pengcheng", enjoys the reputation of "Peng Zu's hometown, Liu Bang's hometown, and Xiang Yu's capital". Its long history of more than 6,000 years has left behind rich historical and cultural relics.
Xuzhou offers a wealth of attractions to explore, from rich historical relics to trendy amusement parks and popular snacks. Experience the rides at Xuzhou Fantawild Park, see beluga whale and mermaid performances at Europark Polar Ocean World, and explore the gardens at Xuzhou Garden Expo Park. Xuzhou is also a city well-suited for CityWalks, especially the 3.5-kilometer North-South Historical and Cultural Axis, which begins at Yunlong Mountain and ends at the Five Provinces Archway in Huanglou Park, connecting thousands of years of Xuzhou's history and culture.
Come to Xuzhou to check in and feel the wind and temperature here~
Yunlong Mountain, also known as Shifo Mountain, is 142 meters above sea level. The mountain is divided into nine sections, winding and undulating, like a dragon, with its head raised to the northeast and its tail dragging to the southwest.
Yunlong Mountain is a national 5A-level tourist attraction that integrates natural scenery and cultural landscapes. The mountain has beautiful natural scenery and numerous cultural relics, including the large stone Buddha from the Northern Wei Dynasty, cliff carvings from the Tang and Song Dynasties, the Fanghe Pavilion from the Song Dynasty, the Xinghua Zen Temple from the Ming Dynasty, the Imperial Stele Pavilion from the Qing Dynasty, etc. Later, the Yunlong Academy, Kuayun Pavilion, Tongxin Terrace and other landscapes were added to Fujian.
During the Song Dynasty, Su Dongpo served as the prefect of Xuzhou. He visited Yunlong Mountain many times with friends and left behind many popular and exquisite poems, such as "Climbing Yunlong Mountain": "Intoxicated, I climbed up Huangmao Hill. The rocks on the hill were as chaotic as a flock of sheep. At the top of the hill, I fell drunkenly on a stone bed and looked up at the vast sky with white clouds. Songs fell into the valley, and the autumn wind was long. Passersby raised their heads and looked southeast. Clapping and laughing made the emperor crazy."
It is recommended to climb the mountain from the north gate. It takes about 20 minutes to walk to the Fanghe Pavilion, and then about 20 minutes to climb to the observation deck, where you can take in the scenery of Yunlong Lake and Xuzhou city.
To truly understand a city, a visit to its museums is a must. Xuzhou Museum, nestled at the northern foot of Yunlong Mountain, was built on the site of the former imperial palace during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty during his southern tours. Comprising four exhibition areas, the main building, the Eastern Han Dynasty Pengcheng King's Tomb at Tushan, the remains of a Han Dynasty quarry, the Qianlong Imperial Palace, and a stele garden, the museum integrates ancient sites, tombs, and architecture, making it a distinctive local museum with Han culture as its defining feature.
The Xuzhou Museum boasts three floors, hosting permanent exhibitions such as "Treasures of Ancient Peng," "Golden Swords and Iron Horses," "Heavenly Craftsmanship of Han Jade," "Splendid Terracotta Figures," "Ming and Qing Furniture," and "Ming and Qing Paintings and Calligraphy Donated by Deng Yongqing." The "Treasures of Ancient Peng" exhibition hall embodies the essence of Xuzhou culture, showcasing exquisite stone, jade, and bronze artifacts. The Western Han Dynasty Jade Clothes with Gold Threads is the museum's most treasured item.
The exhibition "The Splendor of Terracotta Figures" features more than 210 exquisite pottery figurines dating from the Han Dynasty to the Song Dynasty, including Western Han Dynasty music and dancing figurines, painted ceremonial guard figurines, and Northern Dynasty painted standing female figurines. Among them, the pottery figurines unearthed in Xuzhou have distinct regional characteristics.
When I first heard of Hubu Mountain, I thought it was a mountain, but it turned out to be an ancient street with a charming and quaint atmosphere.
Hubu Mountain is located in the south of the ancient city of Xuzhou, so it is also called Nanshan. It has a very long history. As early as 206 AD, Xiang Yu, the King of Western Chu, established his capital in Pengcheng and built Ximatai here, which made it the first scenic spot in Xuzhou. There was a saying in history that "the poor live in the North Gate, the rich live in the South Gate, and the rich live in Hubu Mountain."
Hubu Mountain has its own unique features during the day and at night. During the day, you can visit the ancient buildings of the Ming and Qing Dynasties here. There are still more than 400 well-preserved houses from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, more than 700 houses from the Republic of China, and more than 20 relatively complete courtyards, which record the ups and downs of Xuzhou City for thousands of years.
If you visit Hubu Mountain at night, in addition to the quaint night scenery, many people will also choose to come here to taste Xuzhou's special food and snacks.
There are so many special foods in Xuzhou. The well-known barbecue and clay pot chicken are must-try dishes here. Not only that, there are also braised meat, Luomo, Satang, Sanzi, mutton soup, etc. Going to Xuzhou is not only a journey of cultural landscape, but also a journey of food experience on the tip of the tongue.
The Huilongwo Historical and Cultural District is a cluster of ancient dwellings built during the Qing Dynasty. Its architectural style exemplifies Xuzhou's traditional architecture, with the oldest house dating back over 200 years. According to the Xuzhou Chronicles, the area's low terrain caused rainwater to flow backward, creating a long-lasting backflow, leading to its nickname, "Huilongwo," a homophonic name for the area.
Today, Huilongwo, relying on its long history and cultural heritage and taking folk customs as its signature, has been built into a leisure district integrating history and culture with fashion and leisure. It has now become Xuzhou’s city exhibition hall and a new city business card, and a must-see Internet celebrity attraction for tourists to Xuzhou.
There are ancient streets and alleys, city wall museums, theme markets, Cat's Sky City and many cultural and creative shops here. It is deeply loved by everyone and is a very photo-taking place, especially when wearing Hanfu, any shot can be a time-travel blockbuster.
The Xuzhou Lower City Ruins Museum is built in Pengcheng Square in Xuzhou's Gulou District. It is based on the original archaeological site and uses an "original site and original authenticity" approach to showcase the remains of people's lives in the Han and Ming dynasties, truly recreating the vicissitudes of Xuzhou's city-building.
Xuzhou has a history of more than 2,600 years and is the earliest city in Jiangsu Province. Located in the Yellow River region, Xuzhou has suffered from constant floods in history. The ancient city was repeatedly flooded and rebuilt, resulting in the spectacular sight of "city under city, street under street, and well under well".
The museum consists of a sunken square, a foyer, an introductory hall, a water courtyard and an archaeological hall. In the hall, you can see the streets, grinding platforms, tofu shops, blacksmith shops, brick stoves and drainage channels of the Han Dynasty from the Ming Dynasty, which record the vicissitudes of Xuzhou for thousands of years. Now they are displayed before the world, which is amazing.
Huanglou, built by Su Dongpo during the Northern Song Dynasty, is one of the five famous towers in Xuzhou (Pengzu Tower, Overlord Tower, Swallow Tower, Kui Tower, and Huang Tower). The tower we see today was rebuilt in 1988, and Huanglou Park was built, providing a great place for local residents to relax and cool off.
Xuzhou offers a wealth of cultural, historical, and natural attractions, and offers a wealth of experiential experiences. Representative examples include Ocean World Polar World and Fantawild. The sprawling Ocean World, covering nearly 100,000 square meters, boasts ten themed pavilions, three underwater tunnels, and a variety of theatrical performances. Visitors can also witness marine life from both the Arctic and Antarctic. It's truly astonishing!
The recommended performances are the mermaid show and the marine animal show. It is recommended to arrive at the venue early to choose the best viewing position. The mermaid show is at 10:30, 12:30, 14:40 and 16:30 every day, and the marine animal show starts at 11:30 in the morning and 15:30 in the afternoon.
Xuzhou Garden Expo Park was built with the concept of "City-wide Garden Expo". It has 65 exhibition gardens, including 39 provincial exhibition gardens, 10 international gardens, 5 creative gardens, 3 corporate gardens, 2 master gardens and 6 public gardens.
The Garden Expo Park is incredibly large, and with so many gardens, it feels like a full day wouldn't be enough to explore every one. Since we didn't have much time, we only visited three gardens: Qingqu Garden, Yangzhou Garden, and Beijing Garden. Each garden is unique, tailored to the specific city. From the Jiangnan gardens to the ancient buildings reminiscent of Beijing's imperial palaces, you can experience the architectural styles of China from north to south.
Finally, I checked into Xuzhou Fantawild Park, and I have to say, the attractions are incredibly diverse. Xuzhou Fantawild is a large-scale, high-tech cultural theme park, incorporating traditional Chinese myths, legends, and folk tales with the unique culture of Xuzhou. For example, the large-scale indoor theme park "The Song of the Great Wind," which showcases the charm of Chu and Han culture; "Adventures in the Dragon Palace," which explores the mythical world of dragons; and "Light of Life," which traces the origins of life on Earth, offer an immersive experience in the rich history of Chinese culture.
Recommended entertainment projects include "Triumph in the Skies", "Star River Crossing", "Dragon Valley Rafting" and "Big Pendulum", which you must experience.
