Things to do in Huainan

寿县古城历史悠久，文化底蕴深厚。古城墙是寿县古城的一大亮点，沿着古城墙漫步，欣赏城墙上的砖瓦和箭楼，感受古代军事防御的场景。此外，寿县古城的特色小吃种类繁多，口味独特，如寿县大救驾、寿县牛肉汤等，都很有特点。

The Anhui Chu Culture Museum, located in Shouxian County, Huainan City, is the only national first-class museum in China named after Chu culture. Formerly known as the Shouxian County Museum, it houses over 10,000 artifacts, including more than 230 sets of national first-class cultural relics. Among them, seven pieces, including the Three-Legged Ram Zun and the Sword bestowed by King Zhi of Yue, are considered the museum's most prized possessions.

Shou County Baoen Temple is located near the east gate of Shou County. It is a thousand-year-old temple built during the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty. The famous monk Xuanzang presided over the construction. There are two thousand-year-old ginkgo trees in the temple, which are estimated to have been planted when the temple was built.

Bengbu's Longzi Lake Park is a vastly underrated treasure. Its most striking detail is the "North-South Dividing Line" that stretches across the lake. Stepping onto the line, you instantly experience the magical feeling of "left foot in Huaibei, right foot in Huainan"—a uniquely Bengbu geographical romance, and every photo is a viral Instagram post. But its charm goes far beyond that. The "Moon Rising Over the Lake" sculpture, bathed in sunlight, is the heart and soul of the park. Resembling a bright moon floating on the water, the massive metal sphere complements the shimmering water. Especially at night, when the lights come on, the giant "moon" radiates a cool, cool glow across the dark lake, a magical spectacle that captivates the heart. Deeper into the park, you'll discover its richly layered "dual character": the east bank boasts modern art installations and expansive lawns, where young people camp and play, vibrant with energy. The west bank hides a tranquil Metasequoia forest, where wooden boardwalks wind through the trees, and egrets occasionally fly by, instantly transporting you to the tranquility of the Jiangnan wetlands. This powerful sense of conflict and its memorable moments elevate Longzi Lake Park far beyond the ordinary beauty of lakes and mountains, making it a well-deserved symbol of Bengbu's city.

Jiaogang Lake National Wetland Park exceeded my expectations! The 60,000-mu (approximately 4,000 hectares) lake stretches out in a vast expanse of misty waves. Boating through reed beds and lotus ponds, a gentle breeze carries the delicate fragrance of lotus blossoms, and waterbirds occasionally skim the surface – a truly pristine wetland landscape. The park boasts excellent facilities, clean boardwalks, and an immersive boat trip, where you can also savor authentic lake delicacies. Slow down, appreciate the beauty of the lake, relax and rejuvenate – a perfect weekend getaway! Highly recommended!

Anfengtang is the earliest large-scale pond irrigation project in the history of Chinese water conservancy. It has a scientific site selection, reasonable project layout and abundant water resources. Its construction has provided valuable experience for large-scale pond irrigation projects in later generations. For thousands of years, Anfengtang has played an important role in irrigation, shipping, and military support.

Huainan Museum mainly features cultural relics from the tomb of King You of Chu at Li Sangudui in Shou County and the two tombs of Marquis Cai in the Spring and Autumn Period, as well as more than 10,000 archaeological excavated porcelain specimens from the Shouchun Ancient Kiln. The excavation of the Wuwangdun Tomb of King Kaolie of Chu, which was listed as a major ancient Chinese project this year, has pushed the archaeological research of Chinese Chu culture to a climax. Although the Chu State, which existed for 800 years, had a huge influence, few things were unearthed and displayed in history, so the discovery of the Chu tomb near the last capital of the Chu State shocked people at home and abroad. Huainan and Shou County (ancient Shouchun) have been very popular tourist destinations in recent years. I hope that the low-key Huainan cultural tour will be valued by the majority of cultural enthusiasts.

There are 11 national treasure-level ginkgo trees in Shouxian Ancient City, two of which are in the Confucius Temple of Shouxian. The Confucius Temple of Shouxian is located on West Street of the ancient city, opposite the museum. The two ginkgo trees in the Confucius Temple have a history of 740 years and have not yet turned yellow.

We were very fortunate that our top guide today was Ms. Dong Ling. Her professional expertise was solid; she didn't just recite from memory. She eloquently explained the stories and archaeological backgrounds behind each of the museum's treasures, making dry history vivid and easy to understand. My son and I deeply experienced the thousand-year history of Nanjing. Highly recommended!

The Confucius Temple and Jiangnan Examination Hall along the Qinhuai River in Nanjing offer stunning nighttime views. A stroll through them in the gentle autumn breeze is incredibly pleasant. There are free performances and some attractions that charge admission, so you can choose what to do. In short, anyone visiting Nanjing should definitely check them out.