LOCATED at the southwest of Hangzhou and beside Fuchun River, Fuyang is a beautiful small city with a long history.
In 221 BC, Fuyang was established as a county of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC). It is also the birthplace of Sun Quan, emperor of Wu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period (AD 220-280).
Throughout history there are many famous artists, writers and entrepreneurs from Fuyang. It is said in an old Chinese saying: "A beautiful place nurtures brilliant people." Fuyang is indeed such a place.
Here are five highlights.
Longmen Town
Located at the foot of Longmen Mountain and covering an area of 18 square kilometers, Longmen Town is home to many descendants of Emperor Sun Quan.
Nowadays, there are about 7,000 people living in Longmen, 90 percent of them surnamed Sun.
The town got its name from Yan Zilin, who, after visiting it, said: "With its green mountains and clean rivers, this place is on a par with Luliang Longmen."
In the town, you can see well-preserved architecture of Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties which is unique in southeastern China. The lanes are all paved with cobblestones, as are the walls of residential houses.
In each house there is a large ancestral hall, which in olden times served as the living room. Eaves and the balconies of each house are connected to each other, which is an example of characteristic Chinese architecture.
Apart from residential houses, there are also ancient temples, decorated archways (pailou) and shrines, all of which date back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. The architecture has borne witness to the vicissitudes of local life for many years and, together with small rivers, bridges and old lanes, constitutes a unique picture of the old town scenery in China.
About 1 kilometer from the town stands Longmen Mountain, with green mountain ranges extending far off. There is a hotel at the foot of the mountain.
Ticket: 35 yuan
By car - From Hangzhou take the 320 National Road to Zhongbang Bridge then after 100 meters turn left onto 307 Provincial Road and travel 8,000 meters to Longmen Town.
Guan Mountain (Stork Mountain)
On the east side of the city, near Fuchun River, is Guan Mountain.
In Chinese, guan means stork and the name originates from a large stone that stands at thebank of Fuchun river, which resembles the bird.
On the mountain there is an old house of writer Yu Dafu, who was a prominent figure in the New Culture Movement in the 1930s and 1940s.
Ticket: Free
By car - From Hangzhou take the Hangfu Yanjiang Road to Fuyang, then drive 2 kilometers toward Chengnan.
Wang Gongwang Forest Park
This park is one of the country's top tourist sites and has 49 kinds of rare animal species, such as antelopes and leopards.
In the park, you can visit subtropical woods, a bamboo garden, an ancient temple and the remains of Wang Gongwang's house.
Wang was a famous painter in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).
He led a reclusive life in this area in his old age, building a small house himself beside Xiaoqi Spring and creating the masterpiece "Mountain Life beside Fuchun River."
By car - From Hangzhou take the Hangfu Yanjiang Road to Fuyang, then take Jiangbing Avenue E.
Fuchun Taoyuan
In Qukou Town, at the northwest of Fuyang, Fuchun Taoyuan is made up of five tourist spots: Yanlin River, Yechu Forest, Biyun Cave, Hewu Lawn and Sanjia Village. Here you can enjoy the quietness of country life.
In the Biyun Cave you can see stalactites of all shapes and color. Some have names. The "Pisa Tower," "Huangguoshu Waterfall" and "Jade Curtains" are so called because of their different shapes.
Ticket: 88 yuan
By car - From Hangzhou take the 320 National Road to Fuyang then onto 05 Provincial Road, turn right at Xukou to Xigao Line.
This is a key tourist attraction in Zhejiang Province and the largest park in southeastern China.
Located in Fuyang's Shoujiang Town, only 15 kilometers from Hangzhou, the wildlife park is divided into two areas: a bus-riding area and a walking area.
There are up to 10,000 animals (more than 200 species) in the park, including panda, snub-nosed monkeys, white rhinoceros, white tiger, white lion, hippopotamus and many others. The animals are from all over the world and some of them are rare and under protection in China.
You can also visit various topographical sites in the park including African savannah, Australian outback and Asian wetlands.
Ticket: 90 yuan (adult), 45 (child)
By car - From Hangzhou take the 320 National Road to Fuyang's Shoujiang Town, then turn to Jiulong Avenue.
In 221 BC, Fuyang was established as a county of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC). It is also the birthplace of Sun Quan, emperor of Wu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period (AD 220-280).
Throughout history there are many famous artists, writers and entrepreneurs from Fuyang. It is said in an old Chinese saying: "A beautiful place nurtures brilliant people." Fuyang is indeed such a place.
Here are five highlights.
Longmen Town
Located at the foot of Longmen Mountain and covering an area of 18 square kilometers, Longmen Town is home to many descendants of Emperor Sun Quan.
Nowadays, there are about 7,000 people living in Longmen, 90 percent of them surnamed Sun.
The town got its name from Yan Zilin, who, after visiting it, said: "With its green mountains and clean rivers, this place is on a par with Luliang Longmen."
In the town, you can see well-preserved architecture of Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties which is unique in southeastern China. The lanes are all paved with cobblestones, as are the walls of residential houses.
In each house there is a large ancestral hall, which in olden times served as the living room. Eaves and the balconies of each house are connected to each other, which is an example of characteristic Chinese architecture.
Apart from residential houses, there are also ancient temples, decorated archways (pailou) and shrines, all of which date back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. The architecture has borne witness to the vicissitudes of local life for many years and, together with small rivers, bridges and old lanes, constitutes a unique picture of the old town scenery in China.
About 1 kilometer from the town stands Longmen Mountain, with green mountain ranges extending far off. There is a hotel at the foot of the mountain.
Ticket: 35 yuan
By car - From Hangzhou take the 320 National Road to Zhongbang Bridge then after 100 meters turn left onto 307 Provincial Road and travel 8,000 meters to Longmen Town.
Guan Mountain (Stork Mountain)
On the east side of the city, near Fuchun River, is Guan Mountain.
In Chinese, guan means stork and the name originates from a large stone that stands at thebank of Fuchun river, which resembles the bird.
On the mountain there is an old house of writer Yu Dafu, who was a prominent figure in the New Culture Movement in the 1930s and 1940s.
Ticket: Free
By car - From Hangzhou take the Hangfu Yanjiang Road to Fuyang, then drive 2 kilometers toward Chengnan.
Wang Gongwang Forest Park
This park is one of the country's top tourist sites and has 49 kinds of rare animal species, such as antelopes and leopards.
In the park, you can visit subtropical woods, a bamboo garden, an ancient temple and the remains of Wang Gongwang's house.
Wang was a famous painter in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).
He led a reclusive life in this area in his old age, building a small house himself beside Xiaoqi Spring and creating the masterpiece "Mountain Life beside Fuchun River."
By car - From Hangzhou take the Hangfu Yanjiang Road to Fuyang, then take Jiangbing Avenue E.
Fuchun Taoyuan
In Qukou Town, at the northwest of Fuyang, Fuchun Taoyuan is made up of five tourist spots: Yanlin River, Yechu Forest, Biyun Cave, Hewu Lawn and Sanjia Village. Here you can enjoy the quietness of country life.
In the Biyun Cave you can see stalactites of all shapes and color. Some have names. The "Pisa Tower," "Huangguoshu Waterfall" and "Jade Curtains" are so called because of their different shapes.
Ticket: 88 yuan
By car - From Hangzhou take the 320 National Road to Fuyang then onto 05 Provincial Road, turn right at Xukou to Xigao Line.
This is a key tourist attraction in Zhejiang Province and the largest park in southeastern China.
Located in Fuyang's Shoujiang Town, only 15 kilometers from Hangzhou, the wildlife park is divided into two areas: a bus-riding area and a walking area.
There are up to 10,000 animals (more than 200 species) in the park, including panda, snub-nosed monkeys, white rhinoceros, white tiger, white lion, hippopotamus and many others. The animals are from all over the world and some of them are rare and under protection in China.
You can also visit various topographical sites in the park including African savannah, Australian outback and Asian wetlands.
Ticket: 90 yuan (adult), 45 (child)
By car - From Hangzhou take the 320 National Road to Fuyang's Shoujiang Town, then turn to Jiulong Avenue.