City Introduction

Yangzhou is always considered as the gate of central Jiangsu, and a garden city. Located in central Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou, in historical record, was the richest place with honey and milk in China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze, it borders Taizhou to the east, Yancheng to the northeast, the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Tianchang in Anhui Province to the west, Huai'an to the north, and Zhenjiang across the river to the south. The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal runs through the city and intersects with the Yangtze River. Traditionally, it is the water-land transportation hub and vital water channel from south to north.

 

 

 

 

History and Culture

The city has a history of more than 2500 years, from the Spring and Autumn Period when it was called Guangling. During the Warring States Period (403-221 BC), the city was named Hancheng (Perkins). In 590 AD, the city began to be called Yangzhou, which was the traditional name of the entire southeastern part of China at that time. During the second generation of Sui dynasty (581-617 AD), under Emperor Yang of Sui (604–617 AD), Yangzhou was the southern capital of China. Then it was called Jiangdong upon the completion of the Grand Canal until the fall of the Sui dynasty.

The city has remained a leading economic and cultural center and major port of foreign trade and external exchange since the Tang dynasty. Many Arab and Persian merchants lived in the city, but they were massacred in 760 AD during the An Lushan Rebellion (Perkins). The city, still known as Guangling, was briefly made the capital of Wu during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Marco Polo claimed to have served the Yuan dynasty in Yangzhou under Kubilai Khan in the period around 1282–1287 (to 1285, according to Perkins). Although some versions of Polo's memoirs imply that he was the governor of Yangzhou, it is more likely that he was an official in the salt industry. The discovery of the 1342 tomb of Katarina Vilioni, member of an Italian trading family in Yangzhou, does suggest the existence of a thriving Italian community in the city in the 14th century. Until the 19th century, Yangzhou acted as a major trade exchange center for salt, rice, and silk (a government regulated industry).

The Ming dynasty (1368-1644 AD) was largely responsible for building the city as it now stands and surrounding it with 9 kilometres of walls. The Yangzhou riot in 1868 was a pivotal moment of Anglo-Chinese relations during late Qing dynasty, which almost led to war. The crisis was fomented by the scholar-officials of the city, who opposed the presence of foreign Christian missionaries there. The riot that resulted was an angry crowd estimated at eight to ten thousand who assaulted the premises of the British China Inland Mission in Yangzhou by looting, burning and attacking the missionaries led by Hudson Taylor. No one was killed, but several of the missionaries were injured as they were forced to flee for their lives. As a result of the report of the riot, the British consul in Shanghai, Sir Walter Henry Medhurst took more than seventy Royal Marines in a man-of-war and steamed up the Yangtze to Nanjing in a controversial show of force that eventually resulted in an official apology from Viceroy Zeng Guofan and financial restitution made to the injured missionaries.

From the time of the Taiping Rebellion (1853) to the end of the Communist revolution (1949) Yangzhou was in decline, due to war damage and neglect of the Grand Canal as railways replaced it in importance. Among early plans for railways was one for a line that would connect Yangzhou to the north but this was jettisoned in favour of an alternative route. The city's status as a leading economic centre in China was never to be restored. With the canal now partially restored, Yangzhou is once again an important market center. It also has some industrial output, chiefly in cotton and textiles. In 2004, a railway linked Yangzhou for the first time with Nanjing. Yangzhou is located in the middle of Jiangsu Province, on the north bank of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The city is always considered as the gate of northern area of Jiangsu Province. Yangzhou was established early in 486 BC, and in ancient times, Yangzhou was written in Chinese as 杨州 (Yang Province), equal in administrative position with a “province” in modern time. The name Yangzhou was earlier mentioned in The Tribute of Yu, which recorded that Yangzhou was located between Huai and the Sea.

 

 

 

 

Natural Environment

Located in the middle of Jiangsu Province, Yangzhou is on the north bank of the Yangtze River and at the southern end of Jianghuai Plain. The city is situated between north latitude 32°15' - 33°25’,and east longitude 119°01' - 119°54’. it borders Taizhou and Yancheng to the east, Yangtze River and Zhenjiang across the river to the south, the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Chuzhou in Anhui Province to the west, and Huai'an to the northwest. The Grand Canal, runs through Yangzhou's main urban area (the “city proper”), where it intersects with the Yangtze River, at north latitude 32°24',and east longitude 119°26’. The total area of the city is 6643 square kilometers, with a east-west span of 85 kilometers, and a north-south span of 125 kilometers. Of the total area, main urban area accounts for 2350.74 square kilometers (128.0 square kilometers are fully constructed), and the rest part is occupied by counties and cities of 4240.47 square kilometers (93.6 square kilometers are fully constructed). Land area is 4856.2 square kilometers, accounting for 73.7% of the total area, and water area is 1735.0 square kilometers, accounting for 26.3% of the total area.

 

 

 

 

Climate Change

Yangzhou is located in a transitional climate zone, sharing both subtropical monsoon humid climate and temperate monsoon climate. The main characteristics of this climate are: it has four distinct seasons, ample sunshine and rainfall, and the prevailing winds change with the seasons. The north winds are dry and prevailing in winter, especially northeast wind and northwest wind, and in summer the southeast and east winds from the sea are hot and humid. In spring, winds mainly come from southeast, and in autumn northeast. The winter is longer, about 4 months, the summer, 3 months, and spring and autumn are shorter for 2 months respectively.

 

 

 

 

Useful Information

Almost all the public places in Yangzhou, like tea house, cafe, and restaurant, are equipped with WiFi. This is actually in accordance with the current policy of “wireless Yangzhou”, which the city is implementing. You can not only enjoys WiFi in almost one thousand places, ranging from Starbucks, Yangzhou/Taizhou Airport, and bus stations to those main roads in the city, provided by China Telecom, but also apply for different kinds of free online packages provided by China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom.

 

 

 

 

Telephone Number of Tourism Service

Tourism Consulting Tel: 0514-87363909

Tourism Quality Complaint Tel: 0514-87325601

Complaint with the Consumer’s Association of Yangzhou: 0514-87365315

 

 

 

 

Notes

1. The hottest months in Yangzhou are July and August, which are also off-peak seasons for tourism with cheaper tickets.

2. Just as one line from a Chinese ancient poem goes, “In the mist and flowers of spring, he goes down to Yangzhou”, spring is the best days to travel, and also welcomes the most tourists.

3. The morning tea time is over after 10:00 a.m. and those state-owned tea houses will close after 13:00 p.m.. So, if you want to taste Yangzhou’s famous morning tea, please mind the time.

 

 

 

 

Festivals (Important/Historical/Folk)

The bell in Daming Temple rings to welcome the New Year

Time: at the end of each calendar year

Location： Daming Temple

In the eve of the new year, tourists can go to the temple to enjoy its magnificence under moonlight. In the late evening, tourists can participate in the prayers’ meeting, listening to the master’s worships and waiting for the coming new year. You can also come to the top of the tower to ring the bell together with the abbot and pray if you like.

March International Economy & Trade Tourist Festival

Time: April 18 - May 18

Location： Songjiacheng Relic Park, Slender West Lake, etc.

During the tourist festival, various activities are carried out, including sightseeing, food tasting, cultural events, sports, entertainments, shopping, exhibition, and trade negotiations. For example, there are Chinese Bathing Festival, fireworks, night tour of the Slender West Lake, International Horticultural Exposition, and so on.

Yangzhou Viburnum Macrocephalum Festival

Time: During May, it is held every two years

Location： Viburnum Macrocephalum Garden, etc.

This flower is known for its pure color and elegant shape, and it is rare in China. This festival includes viewing Viburnum Macrocephalum, flower fair, lantern show, trade negotiation, tasting food, sightseeing, cultural events, entertainments, and performances.

Moon Festival

Time: September 8 - October 8

Location： Slender West Lake

In the night of the mid-autumn, you are blessed with the splendor of the fifteen arches of the Lotus Bridge all hugging the bright moon, the mystery of viewing the moon sight on the “moon pavilion”, just like the wonderful feeling depicted in a poem, which goes, “the moon comes and projects its brightness on the ground, making it seem a span of water; the clouds rise, making the sky seem rows of mountains”, and wonderful sight in the Twenty-Four Bridges, just like a poem goes “the bright moonlight is embracing the Twenty-Four Bridges, are you still listening to the beauty playing flute?” Yangzhou World Canal Cities Expo

Time: September 25 - 28

Location： Yangzhou City

In this expo, mayors and scholars from those canal cities in the world are invited to discuss relevant issues like the protection of canal relics, and communication and cooperation among those cities. During the expo, regular activities include the rite of guests entering the city by water, large evening party, opening ceremony or canal city communication forum, picture exhibition of “the memory of world canal cities”, the flowered boats floating on the ancient canal, and other civic activities.

China Gaoyou Postage Festival

Time: During October, it is held every two years

Location： Gaoyou in Yangzhou

In this festival, tourists can enjoy the rite of taking the county magistrate from the ancient post house to the praying place, postage show, the evening party with songs and dances of “the spirit of postage”, and experiences of folks’ life.