Xuzhou

Xuzhou is a historic city in northern Jiangsu province and one of China's oldest, long prized as a strategic crossroads and the ancestral home region of the Han dynasty's founder. With a metropolitan population of around nine million, it is a major railway junction and coal and industrial base at the meeting point of four provinces. The climate is a temperate monsoon one, with hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters. Its heritage is deeply tied to the Han dynasty, seen in its own terracotta warrior museum, the Guishan Han tombs, and scenic Yunlong Lake and Mountain. Local cuisine is hearty and northern in character, well known for its distinctive morning sha soup and stewed lamb. A growing metro network, Guanyin International Airport, and a major high-speed rail interchange connect it to Beijing, Shanghai, and Nanjing. For an international student, Xuzhou offers very affordable living, deep ancient history, solid universities, and an excellent transport location for exploring eastern China.