Nanchang

Home of the Tengwang Pavilion, immortalized in the line "the sunset clouds fly with a lone wild duck", the Nanchang Uprising memorial sites, and Nanchang mixed rice noodles and clay-pot soup — a provincial capital south of the Yangtze that offers excellent value.

Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi Province, lies southwest of Poyang Lake on the lower reaches of the Gan River. Known in the past as Yuzhang and Hongdu, it is the city described in Wang Bo's "Preface to the Tengwang Pavilion", with its famous lines "the sunset clouds fly with a lone wild duck; the autumn waters share one color with the endless sky." The Nanchang Uprising of 1 August 1927 fired the first shot of armed resistance against the Kuomintang, earning the city the names "Heroic City" and "birthplace of the army flag". The Gan River divides the city: the old town on the east bank has the Tengwang Pavilion, the Memorial Hall of the August 1st Nanchang Uprising, Bayi Square, the Wanshou Palace historic district, Shengjin Pagoda and the Bada Shanren Memorial Hall at Qingyunpu; the Honggutan New Area on the west bank has the musical fountain at Qiushui Square, the new Jiangxi Provincial Museum and a riverside light show. Watching the illuminated skylines on both banks from the Tengwang Pavilion or Qiushui Square at dusk is the highlight of a Nanchang evening. About 60 km north of the city, the Haihunhou State Site Museum displays gold, bamboo slips and other major finds from the tomb of Liu He, Marquis of Haihun, of the Han dynasty; Meiling in the northwestern outskirts is a summer retreat for hiking. The best seasons are Mar–May and Oct–Nov; Jul–Aug is scorching (often 38°C or higher), and the rainy season falls around June. Getting there: Nanchang West and Nanchang stations have high-speed trains to Changsha, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan and more; Changbei International Airport is about 30 km from the city, and the metro covers the main sights. Plan on 2–3 days, and consider linking up Jingdezhen, Mount Lu and Wuyuan for a Jiangxi loop. The best-known foods are the breakfast staples Nanchang mixed rice noodles and clay-pot soup, along with fried rice noodles, white sugar cakes and stir-fried artemisia with cured pork; the local taste leans spicy. Most museums require reservations; check official sources for ticket prices and show times.

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