Discover China

The China Daily article Hefei well worth a visit introduces the capital of eastern China’s Anhui province. Hefei is at the junction of Dongfei and Nanfei rivers, and is known as a garden city because of its many parks, which include Belt Park, a “green necklace” that circles the old town.

Hefei has many historical and cultural sites, such as the Memorial Temple of Lord Bao (999-1062) and the former residence of Li Hongzhang (1823-1901), a leading statesman during the late Qing Dynasty. It is also a great base for exploring the many other attractions of Anhui Province such as the beautiful Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), the ancient villages of Hongcun and Xidi, and the Yangtze River city of Wuhu.

I was fortunate to be able to visit Hefei and other Anhui attractions during my trip to Henan, Anhui and Zhejiang Provinces in 2009.

Each year during the Mid-Autumn Festival, China Central Television (CCTV) hosts a spectacular gala that is broadcast live across China. To watch the full video online visit CCTV 2010 Mid-Autumn Festival Gala. This year’s gala was broadcast from the city of Wuhu in Anhui Province which we visited on our 2009 trip to Henan, Anhui and Zhejiang. The distinctive Anhui architecture is reflected in the stunning Mid-Autumn Festival Gala stage set.

Our August 2009 trip to Henan, Anhui and Zhejiang provinces was fantastic – amazing ancient villages, stunning mountain scenery, beautiful lakes, excellent shopping and dining, and of course the friendly Chinese people.

Our trip began in Zhengzhou, capital city of Henan province. There we visited the nearby Shaolin Temple and the Yellow River Scenic Area. After that we travelled to Anhui province to visit capital city Hefei, the ancient villages of Xidi and Hongcun, beautiful Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), and the Yangze River city of Wuhu. We also briefly visited Qiandao lake and Hangzhou city in Zhejiang province, and finished the trip with a return visit to Xiangcheng Henan.

For the story of the trip see My China Trips – Henan, Anhui, Zhejiang 2009 and photos see the Galleries.

In less than a week I will be back in China again. I can’t wait—the last few days before the flight seem like an eternity! We will again visit Shenzhen briefly, then fly to Zhengzhou, capital of Henan. There we plan to visit the nearby Shaolin Temple, and also Yuntai Mountain. After that we travel to Anhui province to visit capital Hefei, the Yangze River city of Wuhu, Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) and nearby historic villages. We will finish the trip with visit to Xiangcheng Henan. Look for the story and photos here.