Skip to content
Site Tools
Increase font size Decrease font size Default font size default color blue color green color
Home Travel in Jiangsu Travel in Xuzhou
Travel in Xuzhou

Xuzhou

Xuzhou (xú zhōu 徐州) is well known for its heritage and the Han (hàn 汉) culture. There are total more than 200 Han tombs discovered, with thousands of unearthed priceless funerary objects and terracotta warriors. With a history of 2,600 years, it is also a historical city with the critical strategic importance from military views, and known as a notable battlefield in China's history. There were more than two hundred famous battles once taken place on this land. 


History   

Liu BangIn the Xia (xià ) and Shang (shāng )Dynasties, Xuzhou was in the land inhabited by the Dongyi (dōng yí 东夷)peoples who constantly warred with the Shang and Zhou (zhōu ) Dynasties. During the Spring and Autumn Period (chūn qiū shí qī 春秋时期), Xuzhou was a collection of small farming/fishing villages and towns, part of the border region between the Chu (chǔ ), Wu (wú ) and Qi (qí ). It was originally a capital of the Dongyi State of Xu but was exterminated by the State of Wu in 512 BC. In turn, Wu was conquered by the State of Yue (yuè guó 越国) a few decades later. Chu gradually expanded its influence around Xuzhou after absorbing the nearby State of Cai (cài guó 蔡国) in 447 BC and the conquest of the State of Yue in 334 BC. By the Warring States Period (zhàn guó shí qī 战国时期), it was firmly in cultural and administrative sphere of Chu. Liu Bang (liú bāng 刘邦), who was the first Emperor of Han Dynasty, was born in one of Xuzhou's counties, Peixian County (pèi xiàn 沛县). The Xuzhou region was called Huaiyang (huái yáng 淮扬) during the Zhou Dynasty since the Huai River (huái hé 淮河) crosses the area. The state of Chu moved to this area after the Qin army captured the old capital, Ying (yǐng ), in modern Jingzhou (jīng zhōu 荆州), Hubei (hú běi 湖北).

 

Old Wall of XuzhouAt the beginning of the Han Dynasty, Xuzhou became part of the Kingdom of Chu, a principality ruled by relatives of the royal Liu family. Initially, Liu Bang allowed his relatives to rule parts of the country since they were assumed to be the most trustworthy. However, the Kingdom of Chu under third generation ruler Liu Wu (liú wǔ 刘武) rebelled against the central authority during the Rebellion of the Seven Princes (qī xióng hún zhàn 七雄混战) and was defeated. His tomb was recently excavated near Xuzhou.

 

After the Yellow River started to change course in the Song (sòng ) Dynasty , when heavy silting at the Yellow River mouth forced the river to channel its flow to the lower Huai River tributary, the region has since become barren due to persistent flooding, nutrient depletion and salinization of the once fertile soil.

 

The area was the site of the final critical battle in the Chinese Civil War, the Huaihai Campaign (huái hǎi zhàn 淮海战役) in 1948 - 1949. The disastrous capitulation of Chiang Kai-shek (jiǎng jiè shí 蒋介石) at Xuzhou led eventually to the fall of Nanking (nán jīng 南京).

 

 

Attractions in Xuzhou

 

Guishan Han Tomb Guishan Han Tomb (guī shān hàn mù 龟山汉墓)

It is the tomb for Liu Zhu (liú zhù 刘注) and his wife, the sixth prince and princess of Chu State. It is 83 meters long and 33 meters wide, covering an area of more than 700 square meters, and consists of 15 tomb chambers. Everything needed in daily life is found in the bedroom, dinning room, stable and kitchen which can still be seen in what is essentially a splendid under ground palace.  
The construction of the tomb is a matter of wonder since the tomb was dug from two opposite directions and joined inside the middle of the hill. It is hard to understand how the builders at that time calculated so precisely (with the maximum deviation of 5 millimeters) without any modern equipment. Every passage of the tomb is blocked up by 26 blocks of stone, each of which is as heavy as 6 or 7 tons. Such a carefully dug and polished gigantic tomb project is a superb piece of art and a tribute to ancient Chinese craftsmen.

Location: Guishan Hill, Jiuli (jiǔ lǐ 九里) District
Ticket: RMB 48
Opening Hour: 8:00 - 17:30
Bus Route: Bus No.13, 37, and get off at Guishan Han Tomb Station

Telephone: 0516 - 85770107

 

 

Lion Hill TombLion Hill Tomb (shī zǐ shān mù 狮子山墓)

Lion Hill Tomb is for Liu Wu (liú wù 刘戊), the third prince of Chu who lived in the early Western Han (xī hàn 西汉) Dynasty. The construction of the tomb was such a great project that 5100 cubic meters of stone were dug out to create this queerly structured gigantic tomb. It is grand and stately with big chambers which contained 2000 pieces of the precious cultural relics made of gold, silver, jade, bronze, iron, stone and lacquer.

Address: No.1 Bingmayong (bīng mǎ yǒng  兵马俑 ) Street
Ticket: RMB 60
Opening Hour: 8
:30 - 16:30
Bus Route: Bus No. 5, 49, 60, 71, 605, 608, and get off at Bingmayong Station
Telephone: 0516 - 83167000 
 

 

 

The Xuzhou Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Han DynastyThe Xuzhou Museum of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Han Dynasty 

The Xuzhou Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Han Dynasty, is another significant discovery after Xi’an Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Dynasty. As the funerary objects of Prince of Chu, more than 4000 pieces of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses have been unearthed and with vivid expression and bold outline, they are of high artistic value. The Xuzhou Museum of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Han Dynasty is built on the original site of the discovery, occupying an area of 20,400 square meters. Clay figures of warriors of various forms are laid in an orderly manner inside six pits, representing an underground army full of power.

Address: in the same scenic spot as Lion Hill Tomb

 

 

 

Xuzhou Gallery of Stone Sculptures of Han DynastyXuzhou Gallery of Stone Sculptures of Han Dynasty (hàn huà xiàng shí guǎn 汉画像石馆)

It is a complex of buildings in the Han-Tang-style which covers an area of 10,000 square meters. It is a special museum established to collect, display and study the stone sculptures of Han, with more than 500 stone sculptures preserved. From the sculptures, we can see not only the rich people's rejoicing in fairyland and luxury in mortal life, but also the common people's work and life.

Address: Yunlonghu (yún long hú 云龙湖) East Street
Ticket: RMB 30
Opening Hour: 8:
30 - 17:30
Bus Route: Bus No. 55, 604; Tourist Bus No.2, 9, and get there directly
Telephone: 0516 - 85699628

Tips:. Stamp albums and postcards with paintings of Han Dynasty and stone sculptures are good choices for you to buy as souvenirs.

 

 

Xuzhou Han City Xuzhou Han City  (xú zhōu hàn chéng 徐州汉城)-- CCTV Television Base

This is a group of Han-style buildings located in the ancient battle field of Jiuli Hill (jiǔ lǐ shān 九里山), where more than ten performances such as “Grand Ceremony at Han Palace”, and “King Mustering Troops”, are shown every day at regular hours, demonstrating the impressive and dignified manner of the grand battle field scenes of strong cavalry and marching troops.

Address: Jiuli District
Ticket: RMB 25
Opening Hour: 8:00 - 18:00
Bus Route: Bus No. 13, 37, and get off at Xuzhou Han City Station
Telephone: 0516 - 85771073 

 

 

Han Palace in Peixian County Han Palace in Peixian County 

As the birthplace of Liu Bang, Peixian County boasts a long history and splendid cultural heritage. With an area of 66 hectares in the center of the Peixian County, Han Palace is composed of large-scale Han-style architectures and includes Han Royal Park, Han Street, the Temple of Liu Bang, and “Ode to the Wind” Terrace.

Address: No.1 Peixian Hancheng (hàn chéng 汉城) South Street
Ticket: RMB 50
Opening Hour: 8:
00 - 18:30
Bus Route: you can take a bus to Peixian County at Xuzhou Bus Station and get there directly
Telephone: 0516 - 89638811

 


Xuzhou Museum

Xuzhou MuseumXuzhou Museumjade clothes interwoven with silver threads

Covering an area of 12000 square meters, the Xuzhou Museum is situated on the north slope of Yunlong Mountain. The museum sits in the original site of the temporary imperial palace of Emperor Qianlong (qián lóng 乾隆) of the Qing Dynasty. Lots of exquisite cultural relics of the Han Dynasty are exhibited in the Xuzhou Museum, among which most valuable are the jade clothes interwoven with silver threads, the gild beast inkstone and copper bull lamp.

Address: No.1 Heping (hé píng 和平) Street
Ticket: free
Opening Hour: 9:40 - 17:30
Bus Route: Bus No.6, 11, 608, and get off at Yunlong Mountain Station, then go east for about 100 meters
Telephone: 0516 - 83804412

 

 

Yunlong Mountain Yunlong Mountain (yún lóng shān 云龙山)
Composed of nine hilltops, Yunlong Mountain (cloud-dragon Mountain) got its name from the fact that it looks like a dragon wriggling in the clouds. It is verdant and luxuriant with big pines and cypresses , and is dotted with terraces and pavilions in between the hills.
Su Shi (sū shì 苏轼), the famous poet in the Song Dynasty once wrote about the splendid scenery of Yunlong Mountain in his On Fanghe Pavilion (fàng hè tíng 放鹤亭), where cranes were set free: “When the spring turns into summer, green grass and trees stretch into the far horizon; while in autumn and snowy winter, whiteness covers everything. On the hill top wet and windy, dark and bright, I overlook the constant change.”

Location: Heping (hé píng 和平) Street
Ticket: RMB 15
Opening Hour: 6:
30 - 18:00
Bus Route: Bus No.2, 11, 35, 38, 69, 603, 604, 608; Tourist Bus No.2, and get off at Yunlong Mountain Station
Telephone: 0516 - 82166198 

 

 

Yunlong LakeYunlong Lake (yún long hú 云龙湖)
The lake is surrounded by green hills. Along the green lake bank, you can see extraordinary splendor through all of the four seasons: peach flowers and willows in the spring; red pomegranate in the summer; maple trees in the autumn; and plum blossom against white snow in winter.

Location: at the foot of Yunlong Mountain

Ticket: free

 

 

Quanshan Forest Park Quanshan (quán shān 泉山) Forest Park
Covering an area of over 1334 hectares, the park boasts luxuriant woods and rich biological resources of over 590 plants and 200 animal species. In the park, the harmonious mingling of such various elements as the exquisite crags, alluring lake scenes, lush woods and slender bamboo bushes, wild vegetation and animal life, form delightful and interesting pictures. The chief spots of attraction are the Stone Sheep Hill, the Fairyland, the Garden of Gingko, the Garden of Peony, and the Vale of Vine and Rattan.

Location: in the southern suburb of Xuzhou City
Ticket: RMB 5
Opening Hour: 8:
00 - 18:00
Bus Route: Bus No.39; Tourist Bus No.1, and get there directly
Telephone: 0516 - 83796666

 

 

Monument to Martyrs of Huaihai CampaignMonument to Martyrs of Huaihai Campaign (huái hǎi zhàn yì 淮海战役)

Facing to the south, the Monument is situated on the slope of the hill, standing in the axes of the park with a height of 38.15 meters. The gold-plating inscriptions by Chairman Mao are set in the front of the monument, which is enclosed by cloisters and pavilions. In the marble wall of the south and north cloisters, the inscriptions by the leaders and the names of the martyrs are engraved. The relief sculptures on the base of the monument depict the grand scenes of the battlefields of the Huaihai Campaign.

Address: No.2 Jiefang ( jiě fàng 解放) South Street
Ticket: free
Opening Hour: all day 
Bus Route: Bus No.11, 19, 58, 601; Tourist Bus No.1, 2, and get there directly

Telephone: 0516 - 83840397  


Tips: you can take the sightseeing bus to try a one-day tour of Xuzhou
Tour Route: Museum of Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Han Dynasty -- Lion Hill Tomb -- Monument to Martyrs in Huaihai Campaign -- Yunlong Lake -- Xuzhou Museum -- Guishan Han Tomb
Departure Point: Xuzhou Hotel (north of the Square of Xuzhou Railway Station)
Departure Time: 8:30 a.m.
Price: RMB 80
Inquiry Number: 0516 - 5690046 


PengzuFood in Xuzhou

Xuzhou is also called "Pengcheng (péng chéng 彭城)", because over 4,000 years ago, Pengzu (péng zǔ 彭祖), the father of Chinese cuisine, once lived here. At the same time, as the second political center of the Han Dynasty, the city was greatly influenced by the Han culture. The profound cultures epitomize the city's particular dinning customs. Nearly every dish has a legend or a historic story linked to it.
  

Dongpo Hui Zeng RouDongpo Hui Zeng Rou (dōng pō huí zèng ròu 东坡回赠肉)
"Dongpo Hui Zeng Rou" means "the meat given back to the citizens by Dongpo". Dongpo refers to Su Shi, a famous literate in the Song Dynasty. When he was the official of Xuzhou, storms and flood disasters occurred. Regardless of his own safety, Dongpo personally led his people to fight against the disasters. To express their appreciation, people gave lots of meat to their official as presents. Dongpo accepted the meat but he ordered his chefs to cook it and then gave it back to his people, hence the name of the dish. Now, the method of cooking the dish has been well developed. The chefs usually select the meat from the ribs of streaky pork; cut it into big pieces and then stew it with many seasonings in fresh soup. The cooked meat tastes crisp and full-bodied, leaving your palate with wonderful flavors.

Recommended Restaurants:
Xuzhou Hotel: No.201 Huaihai (huái hǎi 淮海) East Road
Pengcheng Restaurant: No.40 Huaihai East Road
 

 

 

Bawang Bie JiBawang Bie Ji (bà wáng bié jī 霸王别姬)
This is a special dish connected with a moving story in Chinese history. “Bawang” means "overlord" that refers to a hero named Xiang Yu (xiàng yǔ 项羽), who once fought for the throne with Liu Bang. “Ji” refers to his wife Yu Ji (yú jī 虞姬), who kept accompanying him during all the wars. "Bie" just means "to depart". When Xiang Yu was defeated by Liu Bang in Xuzhou, Yu Ji killed herself in order not to witness her husband's miserable situation. Xiang Yu was so sad about his wife's death that he also killed himself. This moving story is widely known among the Chinese and this dish is created by Xuzhou people to commemorate them. The dish is made by steaming turtle and chicken in a pottery pot with fresh soup, wine, shallots, hams, mushrooms and other ingredients. It is famous for the crisp meat, mellow and fresh soup as well as its novel appearance.

 

 

Fish in Lamb Chunks Fish in Lamb Chunks (yáng fāng cáng yú  羊方藏鱼)

It is a famous stewed dish, in which fish is put inside lamb chunks. It tells that one day when Xiding (xī dīng 夕丁), the youngest son of Pengzu, came back from fishing, afraid that his father would scold him, he begged his mother to chop the dewing lamb into chunks to hide the fish inside. When Pengzu came back for dinner, he was surprised to find the lamb very delicious. It happens that “”(xiān)-- the Chinese character for "delicious" is a combination of fish () and lamb ().

 

 

Di guo (dì guō 地锅)

Another one of Xuzhou's famous dishes is Di guo style cooking, which places ingredients with a spicy sauce in a deep black skillet and cooks little pieces of flatbread on the side or top. Common staples of Di guo style cooking include: chicken, fish, and eggplant.

 

Di guoDi guoDi guoDi guo

  


 

Transportation in Xuzhou

 

Airport
Guanyin (guān yīn 观音) Airport provides airline service to more than ten big cities in China.

Inquiry Number:0516 - 83068113
Booking Number: 0516
- 83068188

 

Xuzhou Train StationRailways
Situated in the northwest of Jiangsu, Xuzhou City is one of Chinese most well-known transportation hubs, in which China's two most important rail lines, Beijing-Shanghai that runs north-south direction, and
Lianyungang (lián yún gǎng 连云港) - Urumqi (wū lǔ mù qí 乌鲁木齐) that goes from east to west, meet here.

Inquiry Number0516-95105175
Booking Number: 0516-95105688

 

Public Buses
There are two kinds of city buses in Xuzhou, ordinary buses and air-conditioned ones. A ticket is generally RMB 1 for the former and RMB 2 for the latter. In addition, there is a special tourist bus from the east railway station to many tourist destinations including Yunlong Mountain, Yunlong Lake. This costs about RMB 2.


Taxis

Taxis in Xuzhou are much cheaper than most other cities in China and also it is easier to catch one than in other cities. Generally speaking, the flat rate for the first three kilometers (about two miles) is RMB 7 and the distance surcharge is RMB 1.4 for every extra kilometer between three and six kilometers. If the distance is more than six kilometers, RMB 2.1 will be charged for every additional kilometer.
If you want to order a taxi, you can dial the numbers below:

Xuzhou Taxi Company: 0516-83733497 
 
 
 

Contact
The area dialing code is 0516. From overseas, dial + 86 516 XXXX - XXXX. Phone numbers are 8 digits.

 

SignEmergency numbers
Ambulance: 120
Fire: 119
Police: 110
Weather: 121
Phone number directory: 114
Tourist Complaint Hotline: 0516 - 83709993
Xuzhou Exit-Entry Administration Bureau: 0516 - 3736928