Park of China
Overview
| Name | Xuzhou 徐州 |
| Web address | https://parkofchina.com/en/cityxuzhou.html |
| Province | Jiangsu |
| Location | Jiangsu |
| Latitude, longitude | 34.20, 117.28 Google Maps |
| Top sights | Tombs of the Han kings of Chu, Han terracotta figures, Han stone reliefs, Yunlong Hill, Yunlong Lake |
About
Xuzhou, in north-west Jiangsu where Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan and Anhui meet, was known in the past as Pengcheng — said to be the fief of Pengzu in the time of Yao — and is a National Famous Historical and Cultural City. It has always been a strategic prize; at the end of the Qin, Xiang Yu made Pengcheng his capital, and the Han founder Liu Bang came from Pei County in Xuzhou. See also Cities of China.
Under the Western Han this was the kingdom of the kings of Chu, who left many tombs and relics, so that people say “for the Han, look to Xuzhou”. The tombs at Shizishan and Guishan are cut deep into the hills, with grand passages and chambers; more than four thousand Han terracotta figures were found at Shizishan; and the Han Stone Relief Museum shows carved scenes of Han life and myth.
Yunlong Hill and Yunlong Lake south of the city are Xuzhou’s scenic spots; Su Shi wrote many poems and essays here as prefect in the Northern Song. On Hubu Hill in the city is the Xima Terrace, where Xiang Yu is said to have watched his troops drill.
Travel tips
Getting there: Xuzhou Guanyin International Airport is south-east of the city; high-speed trains run to Xuzhou East, where the Beijing–Shanghai and east–west lines meet.
Sightseeing: The Han culture park (Shizishan tomb and terracotta figures) and the Guishan tomb take half a day each; Yunlong Lake and Yunlong Hill can be seen together.
Photo credits: Yunlong Lake: Windmemories (CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons)