14 Days in Xiaogan

Dong Yong Park tells the legend that put "filial piety moves heaven" into the city's name - recorded as Xiaochang in 454 AD and Xiaogan since 924; the tale joined the first national intangible-heritage list in 2006. Finish with warm rice wine and sesame candy downtown.

1. xiaogan dongyong park
2. xiaogan city markets

In Xiaochang County about an hour northeast by road, the national forest park's twin peaks top out at 873.7 m; stone steps, temples and valley streams - take water and start early.

1. xiaogan shuangfeng mountain

Stay in Xiaochang County - the Guanyin Lake reservoir country next to Shuangfengshan means lakeside paths, small islands and fish restaurants; a slow day after yesterday's climb.

1. xiaogan guanyin lake

Markets, a bowl of rice wine for breakfast the local way, an afternoon nap and laundry - the excursion block starts tomorrow.

1. xiaogan city markets

A gentle flower-park day on the city's northern fringe - tulips around March-April, cosmos into autumn - with a teahouse afternoon downtown.

1. xiaogan jinhui manor

An honest county day - Tangchi sits in Yingcheng, a county-level city under Xiaogan, about 80 km southwest by road; soak in the morning, take the town's long lunch, and a second soak before the ride back.

1. xiaogan tangchi hot springs

A second look at the park's stone carvings without the crowds, then an early night before the second excursion block.

1. xiaogan dongyong park

The poet Li Bai settled in Anlu around 727 AD and stayed about a decade, marrying into a local family; the Baizhao Mountain cultural zone keeps temples and springs in his memory, and the Wuhan-Shiyan HSR (2019) stops at Anlu West nearby.

1. xiaogan baizhao mountain

Another county day - Hanchuan, a county-level city under Xiaogan about 40 km south, wraps around the Diaocha Lake crab ponds; autumn visits get hairy crab season, and the lakeside villages sell it straight from the tanks.

1. xiaogan diaocha lake

The provincial capital is about 70 km southeast, 30 minutes by intercity rail - the 1957 first Yangtze bridge, the Yellow Crane Tower and Jianghan Road; back to Xiaogan for the night.

1. wuhan

A slow day for rice wine and sesame-candy shopping, a long noodle lunch and packing light for the last excursion.

1. xiaogan city markets

Honest neighbour day - Xinyang over the border in Henan holds Jigong Mountain, one of China's four classic summer resorts, with its early-1900s villa quarter; note the Beijing-Guangzhou HSR's Xiaogan North station actually sits in Dawu County, some 100 km from downtown.

1. xiaogan jigong mountain day

A final loop of the city parks and the old streets, with snacks for the train and an early night.

1. xiaogan dongyong park
2. xiaogan city markets

A market breakfast and a last park walk, then the intercity rail or HSR toward Hankou for the exit.

1. xiaogan city markets