Shicheng

"China's Home of White Lotus": the Danxia peaks of Tongtianzhai set against vast lotus fields at Dashe, plus the Northern Song Baofuyuan Pagoda, the Shicheng Blocking Battle Memorial Park, Jiuzhai Hot Spring and the azaleas of Baguanao make for a small-town trip in southern Jiangxi.

Shicheng County lies in northeastern Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province, on the western slopes of the Wuyi Mountains, bordering Ninghua in Fujian to the east. It is the source of the eastern headwaters of the Gan River and has long been called the "thoroughfare to Fujian and Guangdong"; it was also an important waypoint for Hakka ancestors migrating south and one of the starting points of the Central Red Army's Long March. The county town, Qinjiang Town, lines the Qinjiang River, and in its center the Northern Song Baofuyuan Pagoda, nearly 60 m tall, is a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level. About 6 km southeast of town, Tongtianzhai is a national 4A-rated scenic area and national geopark, famous for its cracked, tortoiseshell-like Danxia rock surfaces and its "Thousand Buddha Danxia". Shicheng is also "China's Home of White Lotus", and in Jun–Jul vast fields of lotus bloom at Dashe Village and elsewhere on the outskirts.

Areas to explore: around the county town are Baofuyuan Pagoda, the Osmanthus House (where the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's Young Heavenly King was captured) and the Shicheng Blocking Battle Memorial Park north of town; on the southeastern outskirts, Tongtianzhai and the Dashe lotus gardens are next to each other and can be combined in half a day to a day; in the south, Pingshan Town has Jiuzhai Hot Spring, and at the county's southern tip lie the Ganjiangyuan National Nature Reserve and Ganjiangyuan rafting; in the north, Baguanao in Gaotian Town is an alpine meadow at 1,300 m covered in azaleas in April and May.

Seasons: azaleas and spring scenery in Apr–May, lotus viewing in Jun–Jul (the best time), autumn outings and hikes in Sep–Nov, and hot springs in winter. Summer is hot with frequent thunderstorms, so check the weather before rafting or hiking.

Getting there: Shicheng Station on the Xingguo–Quanzhou Railway can be reached by train from Xingguo and Ganzhou or from Ninghua and Sanming in Fujian; driving from downtown Ganzhou takes about 2.5 hours. Apart from Baofuyuan Pagoda, most sights in the county require a car or hired driver. Allow 2 days: one for Tongtianzhai, the Dashe lotus fields and the town's historic sites, and one for Jiuzhai Hot Spring or Baguanao / Ganjiangyuan rafting. Local specialties include Shicheng fish noodles, white lotus banquets, lei cha (pounded tea) and sweet potato buns.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries