Solo Trip to Yangzhou: Experiencing the Charm of the Ancient City

Solo Trip to Yangzhou: Experiencing the Charm of the Ancient City I took a green train from Shanghai, transferring at Zhenjiang, to begin my spring trip to the ancient city of Yangzhou. My one-and-a-half-day itinerary was very tight. All Yangzhou attractions are free for seniors over 65. I visited the most representative attractions in Yangzhou: the Tomb of King Guangling, Slender West Lake, Guanyin Mountain, Daming Temple, Dongguan Historical District, Wenchang Pavilion, Geyuan Garden, He Garden, the Grand Canal, and the Yangzhou Martyrs Cemetery. I arrived at Yangzhou East Station at 12:09 pm and took the No. 3 bus directly to Slender West Lake and the Tomb of King Guangling. The Tomb of King Guangling is a museum and garden complex. The central exhibition hall displays the tomb of Liu Xu, the first King of Guangling of the Western Han Dynasty. It is a "yellow intestine" wooden tomb of an imperial level, grand in scale and rigorous in structure. It is one of the rare large-scale Han Dynasty tombs in China, with a history of more than 2,000 years. Han Dynasty Yangzhou was a highly civilized vassal state, as evidenced by the joint burial tomb of Liu Xu and his wife. The willows and peach blossoms by Slender West Lake, and the reflections of the sky and clouds in the spring water, still echo the laughter of the poets of the past. Yangzhou, located on a prime section of the Grand Canal, was a dreamland for talented scholars and beautiful women in ancient times, a gathering place for merchants, a source of inspiration for writers and poets, and a bassinet for the promotion of nobles. Its long history has left Yangzhou with numerous historical sites and rich tourism resources: the canal from the Spring and Autumn Period, the tomb of King Guangling from the Han Dynasty, the ancient Daming Temple and Guanyin Mountain Temple from the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Tomb of Emperor Suiyang, the Tang City ruins, the Tomb of Puhaddin, Xianhe Temple, and Pingshan Hall from the Song and Yuan Dynasties, and the buildings, pavilions, terraces, and gardens from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, all add to the charm of the ancient city. Li Bai's famous poem, "Bidding Farewell to a Friend," adds to the infinite charm of this ancient city. Many Tang and Song Dynasty writers and poets gathered in Yangzhou, describing the beautiful scenery of Yangzhou in March with vivid brushstrokes: everything awakens, willows turn green, flowers bloom, and spring is full of hope. In early spring, visit Slender West Lake, the private villas of the Ming and Qing Dynasties—Geyuan Garden and He Garden, the ancient Wenchang Pavilion, the Grand Canal waterway, and the Guazhou Ancient Ferry. The gentle weather, enchanting willows, blooming peach and cherry blossoms, carry the rich breath of spring and the spirit of Tang and Song poets: "Whose home is on the desolate ancient bank? Wild water and floating clouds everywhere bring sorrow. Only the withered willows by the river send the sound of cicadas to Yangzhou." A trip to Yangzhou in March, the beautiful scenery of Guangling is intoxicating, every step is a picturesque scroll. If you encounter troubles, a trip will relieve a thousand worries. Springtime Yangzhou is worth a visit.