Yunlong Lake Scenic Area
National 5A scenic spot, lake area 7.5 km². Yunlong Mountain has Xinghua Temple from Northern Wei and Tang-Song cliff carvings.
Overview
Xuzhou, formerly known as Pengcheng, is located at the junction of Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan and Anhui provinces, one of the important birthplaces of Chinese civilization. The ancient Peng state was established during Emperor Yao's time, with 4000+ years of civilization and 2600+ years of city history. Xuzhou is the hometown of Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang, with extremely rich Han Dynasty cultural heritage.
Key Facts
Area11,258 km²
Population908万
LanguageZhongyuan Mandarin (Xuhuai subgroup)
Best timeMar-May & Sep-Nov
Top Attractions
Han Culture Scenic Area
Integrates the three Han wonders (Han tomb, Han stone reliefs, Han terracotta warriors), including Lion Mountain Chu King Tomb.
Huaihai Campaign Memorial Hall
One of China's largest campaign memorial halls, displays numerous precious historical photos and artifacts.
Guishan Han Tomb
Joint tomb of 6th generation Western Han Chu King Liu Zhu, engineering precision error only 5mm, known as 'China's unique wonder'.
Pengzu Garden
Comprehensive park built to commemorate Pengzu, legendary god of longevity. Has Pengzu Shrine and Dapeng Pavilion.
Food & Snacks
Diguo Chicken (Ground Pot Chicken)
Xuzhou's signature dish, chicken stewed until flavorful, hand-rolled dough pasted on pot edge.
Xuzhou Mutton Soup
Uses local goat, white soup with rich flavor, not gamey. Best with shaobing.
Peixian Dog Meat
Peixian dog meat is Xuzhou specialty, said to be Liu Bang's favorite. Dog meat braised with secret spices.
Laomo (Thin Pancake)
Xuzhou traditional pasta, thin as paper, made on iron griddle. Can be rolled with various dishes.
Festivals & Events
Xuzhou Han Culture Festival — October
World & Intangible Heritage
- The Grand Canal (Xuzhou Section) (2014) — Inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014. The Xuzhou section is a crucial node of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, connecting the northern and southern canals. The ancient canal course in Pizhou is well-preserved, witnessing over 2,000 years of canal civilization.
- Xuzhou Paper-cutting (2008) — Xuzhou paper-cutting is Jiangsu Intangible Cultural Heritage, known for exquisite delicacy.
Practical Tips
Xuzhou Gets Quite Cold in Winter
Xuzhou winter lowest temp below -5°C, much colder than southern cities, prepare thick down jacket
Plan Half Day for Han Culture Area
Han Culture Area is large, plan at least 3-4 hours for Chu King Tomb and museum
Xuzhou Cuisine Tend to be Spicy
Xuzhou cuisine influenced by Shandong and Henan, strong flavors, tell restaurant if no spicy
Frequent Thunderstorms in Summer
July-Aug Xuzhou has frequent thunderstorms, prepare rain gear