Xiushui

Hometown of Huang Tingjian and home of Ninghong tea, where the waterfall canyons of Donghuzhai, the Chan ancestral temple on Mount Huanglong and the former residence of the Chen family's "Five Luminaries" make for a journey through the hills of northwestern Jiangxi.

Xiushui County lies in northwestern Jiangxi Province at the southwestern tip of Jiujiang, between the Mufu and Jiuling mountains where Hunan, Hubei and Jiangxi meet, with the Xiu River flowing west to east through the town. It is the hometown of the Northern Song poet and calligrapher Huang Tingjian and of the Chen family's "Five Luminaries", including Chen Baozhen and Chen Yinke; it is also where the first army banner of the 1927 Autumn Harvest Uprising was raised, and it is famous for Ninghong black tea. There are three main areas: in the county town, Yining Town, the Huang Tingjian Memorial Hall and Wenfeng Pagoda on Nanya Cliff and the Xiushui Autumn Harvest Uprising Memorial Hall take half a day; the former residence of the Five Luminaries in Zhuduan Village, about 15 km east of town, and Huang Tingjian's hometown in Shuangjing Village, Hangkou Town, to the west, combine into a "famous figures" day trip; for scenery, Donghuzhai in Zhengcun Township to the south has waterfalls, canyons and a glass bridge, Mount Huanglong in the west has the Chan ancestral temple of Huanglong Temple and seas of clouds, Manjiang Township in the south is the center of Ninghong tea gardens, and Sidu Town in the north has Baozi Rock. The best seasons are Apr–May (tea picking and azaleas) and Oct–Nov; in summer the mountains offer cool retreats and rafting, and in winter Mount Huanglong and Mount Mufu occasionally see snow. Getting there: Xiushui currently has no passenger rail service, so most visitors take a bus from Nanchang, Jiujiang or Wuhan, or drive about 3 hours from Nanchang; sights are scattered, so driving or hiring a car is strongly recommended. Stay 2–3 days, and don't miss Xiushui shaozi dumplings, vegetable cakes and Ninghong tea.

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