Xuancheng & Jingting Mountain

"We never tire of gazing at each other — only Jingting Mountain and I": Li Bai's poetic mountain and Xie Tiao Tower stand in this home of the Four Treasures of the Study, which pairs well with Shuidong Ancient Town and the bald cypresses of Qinglong Bay in Ningguo.

Xuancheng lies in southeastern Anhui where the mountains of southern Anhui meet the Yangtze plain. Historically known as Wanling and Xuanzhou, it is a "City of Poetry" where Xie Tiao and Li Bai left their verses, and the "home of the Four Treasures of the Study" — Xuan paper, Xuan brushes, Hui ink and Xuan inkstones. This destination centers on Xuanzhou District and also covers Ningguo, about 50 km to the south; Taohuatan in Jing County, Longchuan in Jixi and Taiji Cave in Guangde belong to neighboring destinations. The city and northern outskirts take a day: climb Jingting Mountain in the morning and see the twin pagodas of Guangjiao Temple at its foot, visit Xie Tiao Tower, Kaiyuan Pagoda and the old town in the afternoon, and head to Wanling Lake and the Xuancheng Museum in the evening. Shuidong Ancient Town and Longquan Cave to the southeast can be combined into a half-day to full-day trip, and the Chinese Alligator Scenic Area on the outskirts is good for families. One day in Ningguo: take a boat at Qinglong Bay to see the bald cypresses, admire the ginkgo at Enlong World Log Cabin Village, visit the Xialin Jiutian Silver Waterfall if you like mountain scenery, or hike the Wuyue Ancient Trail. Spring (March–April) and autumn (October–November) are best, and the bald cypresses at Qinglong Bay turn red from late November to early December. Getting there: Xuancheng Station has high-speed trains to Nanjing, Hangzhou, Hefei and elsewhere, about 1 hour from Nanjing; Ningguo has Ningguo South Station. Taxis are fine for sights in the city, but driving or hiring a car is recommended for Ningguo and Shuidong. Allow 2–3 days, and pick up some Shuidong candied jujubes and Jingting Lüxue tea.

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