Hanzhong City Area

The "Little Jiangnan of the Northwest" between the Qinling and Daba Mountains, with vast spring rapeseed fields, Han dynasty culture and Three Kingdoms sites, plus crested ibis and giant panda habitat at Huayang in the Qinling to the north.

Hanzhong lies in southwestern Shaanxi, backed by the Qinling Mountains to the north and screened by the Daba Mountains to the south. The Han River flows through the middle, forming the fertile Hanzhong Basin, and the mild, moist climate resembles that of the Jiangnan region, hence its nickname "Little Jiangnan of the Northwest". This is the birthplace of the Han dynasty – Liu Bang was made King of Han here and appointed Han Xin as his general – and the very names for the Han people, the Chinese language and Chinese characters all trace back to it. During the Three Kingdoms period Zhuge Liang garrisoned troops here for his northern expeditions and was buried at the foot of Mount Dingjun in Mian County after his death, so Shu Han relics abound.

The climate is northern subtropical humid monsoon, with four distinct seasons. The best time is mid-to-late March through early April, when over a million mu (about 67,000 hectares) of rapeseed bloom across the basin, making it one of China's most famous flower-viewing spots; in October–November the Qinling foothills glow with red leaves and ginkgo. Summers are hot, humid and rainy – escape the heat at Huayang or Liuba in the Qinling – while winters are damp and cold with little snow.

Areas to explore: ① The city (Hantai District) – Gu Hantai (Hanzhong Museum, home to the Thirteen Shimen Inscriptions), the General Appointment Platform, Dongguan Zhengjie old street, Xinghan Shengjing and the Han River at night; one day. ② West to Mian County – Wuhou Temple, Zhuge Liang's Tomb and Mount Dingjun; one day. ③ North – the Shimen plank road on the Bao River, then up National Highway 316 to the Zhang Liang Temple and Mount Zibai in Liuba. ④ East – Zhang Qian's Tomb in Chenggu, the crested ibis and pear orchards of Yang County and the Cai Lun Tomb and Temple; continue north into the Qinling to Huayang Ancient Town to see crested ibis and giant panda habitat. ⑤ The southern suburb of Nanzheng – Mount Han and South Lake, good for a relaxing half day.

Getting there: Hanzhong Station on the Xi'an–Chengdu high-speed railway links to Xi'an (about 1.5 hours) and Chengdu (about 2 hours); Chenggu Airport is about 20 km east of the city. Taxis are easy in town; for sights in the counties, self-drive or hire a car. Allow 3–4 days. Qingmuchuan Ancient Town in Ningqiang County, formerly listed under Hanzhong, is now covered by the "Guangyuan & Jianmen Pass" destination.

Food: Hanzhong mianpi (including hot rice-skin noodles), cai doufu (vegetable tofu), jiangshui noodles and bangbang rou are must-tries. During rapeseed season the districts and counties often hold flower festivals with traffic controls, so check the latest notices.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries