Cangzhou

The birthplace of acrobatics and a heartland of martial arts: Wuqiao Acrobatics World, the thousand-year-old Iron Lion of Cangzhou, Nanchuan Old Street on the Grand Canal and Nandagang Wetland, a cultural city south of Beijing and Tianjin.

Cangzhou lies in southeastern Hebei, bordering the Bohai Sea to the east, with the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal running through the city from south to north. It is known as the “Home of Martial Arts” and the “Home of Acrobatics.” The city center is in Yunhe and Xinhua districts, about 200 km from Beijing and 100 km from Tianjin; high-speed trains from Beijing South reach Cangzhou West in about 1 hour. The climate is temperate monsoonal: spring and autumn are the best times to visit, with comfortable temperatures in Apr–May and Sep–Oct; summers are hot and rainy, winters dry, cold and windy. The China Wuqiao International Circus Festival is held in autumn in even-numbered years. Sightseeing falls into three parts. In the city, along the Grand Canal, you'll find Nanchuan Old Street, Qingfeng Tower, Langyin Tower, the Hundred Lions Garden, the Cangzhou Confucian Temple and the Cangzhou North Grand Mosque; the old street's lights and the canal at night are at their liveliest after dark. On the western side of the city, the Cangzhou Museum displays artifacts related to the canal, martial arts and acrobatics (free, but reservations required). Out in the counties: Jiuzhou Town in Cang County, about 20 km southeast, is home to the thousand-year-old Iron Lion of Cangzhou; Wuqiao County, about 80 km south, has Wuqiao Acrobatics World, where you can spend a whole day watching acrobatics and magic shows, with the Iron Buddha Temple in Dongguang and the Botou Mosque on the way further south; Nandagang Wetland, about 60 km northeast, is good for birdwatching in spring and autumn; and to the west, the Danqiao Bridge in Xian County and the Hejian Prefectural Office appeal to history buffs. Allow 2–3 days: one day for the canal and museum in the city, one day at Wuqiao Acrobatics World, and another half day for the Iron Lion or Nandagang. Public transport between county sights is poor, so driving yourself or hiring a car is best. Must-try foods include Cangzhou hotpot chicken, Hejian donkey-meat burgers, lamb intestine soup and Botou preserved vegetables. Museums are closed on Mondays, and Acrobatics World gets crowded on holidays, so buy tickets in advance.

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