Shouxian & Mount Bagong

The last capital of the State of Chu and the battlefield of the Battle of Fei River, ringed by intact Song-dynasty walls and backed to the north by Bagong Mountain, birthplace of tofu — a historic base on the banks of the Huai River.

Shou County lies in north-central Anhui on the south bank of the Huai River and is administered by Huainan. Known in ancient times as Shouchun and Shouzhou, it became the capital of the State of Chu late in the Warring States period — Chu's final capital — and is today a National Historical and Cultural City. The old town is backed by Bagong Mountain to the north and faces the Fei River to the west. The Battle of Fei River of the Eastern Jin dynasty was fought north of the city, giving rise to the Chinese idioms "every bush and tree looks like an enemy soldier" and "the sound of the wind and the cry of cranes," both describing jittery panic; legend also holds that Liu An, Prince of Huainan in the Western Han, invented tofu at the foot of Bagong Mountain. Sightseeing centers on three areas. First is the old town of Shou County, still fully encircled by its Song-dynasty walls, with four gates each guarded by a barbican; inside are Bao'en Temple, the Confucian Temple, a mosque and the old streets of the central crossroads, and the newly built Anhui Chu Culture Museum is just south of the walls. Second is Bagong Mountain about 5 km north of town, with the Palace of the Prince of Huainan, Baita Temple, Pearl Spring and a stone forest on the mountain; in the tofu village at its foot you can feast on a Bagong Mountain tofu banquet, and the tomb of Liu An is nearby. Third are the outlying sights: Anfeng Reservoir (Quebei, a World Heritage Irrigation Structure, about 30 km south of town), the Jiaogang Lake wetlands west of town, and the Huainan Museum in downtown Huainan. The best seasons are spring (March–April) and autumn (September–November); summers are hot, humid and rainy, while winter is the time for beef soup and tofu banquets. Getting there: Shou County is about an hour's drive from Hefei, with the Shangqiu–Hefei–Hangzhou high-speed railway and the Hefei–Huainan–Fuyang Expressway passing nearby; both Shouxian Station and Huainan South Station are options. The old town is best explored on foot or by bike, while Bagong Mountain and Anfeng Reservoir require a taxi or car. Allow 1–2 days: one for the old town and museum, one for Bagong Mountain and Anfeng Reservoir. The Chu Culture Museum is closed on Mondays, and the old town gets crowded on public holidays.

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