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Xiangqiao District, Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province
The best-preserved ancient city in Guangdong
Chaozhou is a city in the easternmost corner of Guangdong Province, facing Taiwan across the sea. It is home to the Teochew people, who have a rich and distinctive culture that has influenced many parts of Southeast Asia. Chaozhou Ancient City, also known as Xiangqiao District, is the historical and cultural center of Chaozhou. It has a history of more than 2,000 years and preserves many ancient buildings and relics that reflect the glory and charm of this ancient city.
The best ways to experience the culture of Chaozhou is to enjoy a cup of Chaozhou Gongfu tea, which is a refined and elegant way of brewing and drinking tea. You can find many tea houses in the ancient city, where you can watch the skilled tea masters perform the intricate steps of preparing and serving the tea, while listening to the soothing music of Chaozhou string instruments.
Another cultural highlight of Chaozhou is Chaoju, also known as Teochew opera or Chaozhou drama. It is a traditional form of Chinese opera that originated in Chaozhou and has a history of over 500 years. It features melodious singing, graceful movements, colorful costumes, and elaborate makeup. You can watch Chaoju performances at some theaters or temples in the ancient city, or during some festivals or celebrations.
If you are interested in architecture and history, you will find plenty of attractions to explore in Chaozhou Ancient City. One of the most iconic landmarks is Guangji Bridge, which is one of the four ancient bridges in China. It was built in the 12th century and has a unique design that combines stone arches and wooden pontoons. The bridge can open and close according to the tide and the traffic on the river. It is also a great place to enjoy the view of the Han River and the ancient city wall.
Another must-see attraction is Paifang Street (archways street), which is at the heart of the ancient city. There are 22 archways on the street. Each archway has a story behind it. Most of the archways were set up by scholars (Jinshi), champions (Zhuangyuan), and ministers (Shangshu). The earliest archway was the Zhushi Archway in 1517. The archways that are recommended for you to visit are the Four Scholars Archway, the Champion Archway, the Zhushi Archway, the Imperial Edict Three Xi Archway, and the Qin En Three Xi Archway. There are also many arcade buildings on the street. Of course, the most important thing is the food on this archway street. The characteristic food of Chaozhou is basically here.
Other attractions that you should not miss include Kaiyuan Temple, which is a Buddhist temple with a history of over 1,000 years and a collection of exquisite sculptures and paintings; Huang Jilue Ancestral Hall, which displays the finest wood carving art of Chaozhou in the Qing dynasty; Residence of the Imperial Son-in-Law Xu, which is the oldest mansion-style residence in Chaozhou; and Longhu Ancient Village, which is an ancient village with more than 100 well-preserved buildings from different dynasties.
Chaozhou Ancient City is located in Xiangqiao District, Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province. It covers an area of about 3 square kilometers and is surrounded by the Han River on three sides.
The easiest way to get to Chaozhou Ancient City is by high-speed train. You can take a train from Guangzhou South Railway Station or Shenzhen North Railway Station to Chaoshan Railway Station, which takes about 2.5 hours or 1.5 hours respectively. Then you can take a bus or a taxi from Chaoshan Railway Station to Chaozhou Ancient City, which takes about 1 hour.
There are also flights to Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport, which is about 25 kilometers away from Chaozhou Ancient City. There are flights from major cities in China such as Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Kunming, Xi'an, etc. From the airport, you can take a bus or a taxi to Chaozhou Ancient City, which takes about 1.5 hours.
Chaozhou Ancient City is open all year round and there is no admission fee for entering the ancient city. However, some attractions within the ancient city may charge separate tickets or require reservations. Below is ticket information and opening hours for some of the main attractions
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