5 Days in Nanchang

The 57.5-metre tower rebuilt in 1989 stands on the city wall — the 29th version of a pavilion first raised in 653; Wang Bo's preface of 675 made it, and the Wanshou Palace lanes keep the night going.

1. nanchang tengwang pavilion
2. nanchang wanshou gong street

The uprising of 1 August 1927 began here, and the museum keeps the former Jiangxi Grand Hotel — a factual visit; the fountain at Qiushui Square throws its main jet 128 metres at dusk.

1. nanchang august1 uprising museum
2. nanchang bayi square
3. nanchang qiushui square

About 45 kilometres north, the tomb of Liu He — dead in 59 BC — yielded more than 5,000 bamboo slips and over 100 kilograms of gold after the 2011 dig; nearby the Qing-era Wangshan manor rows its courtyards, all beams and brick carvings.

1. nanchang haihunhou museum
2. nanchang wangshan tuku

The green wall northwest of town tops out at 841 metres, the city's high point; monasteries, bamboo valleys and tea rows fill a day, and the cooler ridge air explains the summer villas.

1. nanchang meiling

The old pagoda quarter does a last round of street breakfasts, and the riverside walk strings the bridges together before the evening train.

1. nanchang shengjin tower
2. nanchang ganjiang riverside