14 Days in Xuchang

The chancellor's residence, opened in 2009, marks where Cao Cao governed after moving Emperor Xian here in 196. Chunqiu Tower keeps Guan Yu's night-reading tradition; the rebuilt Caowei quarter lights up after dinner.

1. xuchang cao chancellors residence
2. xuchang chunqiu tower
3. xuchang caowei ancient city

The Baling Bridge park, 4 km west, holds the Ming stele of Guan Yu's leave-taking. The free city museum (closed Mondays) and the 52-metre pagoda of 1615 share the old moat's east side.

1. xuchang baling bridge
2. xuchang museum
3. xuchang wenfeng pagoda

Southeast at Zhangpan, about 20 km out, the Yuxiu terrace is the ritual mound of the Han-Wei capital where Emperor Xian is said to have worshipped heaven. The earthen walls read best in low sun; combine with the village lanes before the bus back.

1. xuchang hanwei capital ruins

Morning at the locally famous Pang Donglai stores — arrive before 10:00, weekends queue. A slow Luming Lake loop, a lakeside bench and an early dinner keep the day at county pace.

1. xuchang pangdonglai
2. xuchang luming lake park

About 40 km south-west, Shenhou has fired Jun ware for over 1,000 years — "one colour in, ten thousand colours out". Morning throwing session, the seven-li old street and kiln shrines after lunch, then a second workshop for glazing; sleep in the old town.

1. xuchang shenhou ancient town

In Yuzhou county town the free Jun official-kiln museum sits on real Song kiln foundations. The town has traded medicinal herbs for centuries — walk the medicine lanes, buy what the apothecaries weigh out, and bus back to Xuchang by evening.

1. xuchang jun official kiln museum
2. xuchang yuzhou medicine market

West of Yuzhou, about 40 km, the 1,156-metre summit is Xuchang's highest ground — cableway up, ridgeline boardwalks, half a day. The Jiushan valley below is known for its late-autumn red leaves; in other seasons the pines carry the scenery.

1. xuchang dahongzhai

East about 40 minutes to Yanling — some 600,000 mu of nursery flowers, at their showiest during the September expo. Soak at Huadu and stay overnight in the garden town.

1. xuchang yanling flower expo
2. xuchang huadu hot springs

Take the springs again before breakfast — mornings are quieter — then drift back to Xuchang for a slow afternoon on the Qingyi river greenway, where fishermen, kite flyers and tea stalls line the water.

1. xuchang qingyi river greenway

Half an hour by high-speed rail covers the 80 km — honestly labelled, today is Zhengzhou's. The Henan Museum (free, closed Mondays) shows Shang bronzes and 8,000-year-old Jiahu bone flutes; the Erqi Memorial Tower anchors downtown.

1. xuchang zhengzhou henan museum

Still honestly labelled — Kaifeng is a neighbouring city, about 1-1.5 hours by rail via Zhengzhou. Millennium City Park recreates the Song capital from the famous handscroll; the Gulou night market is the proper place to end the day before the late train back.

1. xuchang kaifeng qingming riverside

Board a moat ferry — the ring-around-the-city cruise has run since 2018, passing the Chunqiu complex whose courtyard holds the city's Confucian temple. Xihu park's "small West Lake" makes an easy afternoon.

1. xuchang moat cruise
2. xuchang xihu park

A practical day — the pagoda-culture museum beside the 1615 tower reads the city's tower history in an hour, then collect any Jun-ware pieces left for firing or shipping and buy train snacks. Keep the evening free for one more lap of the lit-up old city.

1. xuchang pagoda culture museum

A market breakfast, a last moat-side walk, then the short ride to Xuchang East — high-speed trains put Zhengzhou at 30 minutes, Luoyang at about an hour and Beijing at roughly three.

1. xuchang city markets