Taizhou (Jiangsu)

Lixiahe water country: Xinghua’s Qianduo rapeseed-flower islets floating on the water, Qin Lake Wetland and the Qintong Boat Festival, night cruises on the Fengcheng River, Taizhou morning tea and Mei Lanfang’s hometown.

Taizhou lies in central Jiangsu on the north bank of the Yangtze, facing Yangzhou and Zhenjiang across the river. It administers Hailing, Jiangyan and Gaogang, as well as Xinghua, Taixing and Jingjiang. Known in ancient times as Hailing, it was praised as “an ancient prefecture of the Han and Tang, a famed region of Huaihai.” This destination has two main parts. In the south, central Taizhou centers on the old Hailing town ringed by the Fengcheng River, with Wanghai Tower and Taizhou Old Street, the Mei Lanfang Memorial Hall and Taoyuan Garden along the water; a night boat ride on the Fengcheng River is the signature experience. The old town also has Guangxiao Temple, the City God Temple, Rishe Garden and the Daohe historic quarter. To the northeast, Jiangyan is home to the 5A-rated Qin Lake National Wetland Park and Qintong Ancient Town, where the Qintong Boat Festival around Qingming (early April) is a spectacular sight. To the north, Xinghua lies at the heart of the Lixiahe water country; the rapeseed flowers on the raised fields of the Qianduo Scenic Area are one of China’s best-known spring flower displays, and there are also the Lizhong Water Forest, Zheng Banqiao’s Former Residence and Xinghua Old Town. In the south, Huangqiao Ancient Town in Taixing is famous for the Battle of Huangqiao and Huangqiao sesame cakes. The best time is late March to early April for rapeseed flowers, and autumn for Qin Lake crabs. Taizhou Station has bullet trains to Nanjing and Shanghai, and Yangzhou Taizhou International Airport lies between the two cities; Xinghua and Qianduo are about 1 hour’s drive from Taizhou. Plan 2–3 days: one for Taizhou’s old town and a Fengcheng River night cruise, one for Qin Lake and Qintong, and one for Xinghua’s Qianduo and the Water Forest. Don’t miss Taizhou morning tea (shredded tofu and crab-roe soup dumplings).

Top sights

Itineraries