Yongzhou

Yongzhou lies in southern Hunan where the Xiang and Xiao rivers meet, a place woven into Chinese classical culture and legend. Nearby Jiuyi Mountain is traditionally revered as the burial place of the ancient sage-king Shun, and the great Tang writer Liu Zongyuan spent his exile here, giving the city literary fame. Its old town preserves Confucian temples and the Liuzi Temple in his memory, while Mount Yangming draws pilgrims and hikers. Local food is classic Hunan-spicy, from blood-braised duck to Dong'an chicken. With a humid subtropical climate, an airport and high-speed rail, Yongzhou blends heritage with green mountain landscapes.