Chizhou

Chizhou is an important port city in south Yangtze River with a reputed name ‘city of leisure’. In Anhui Province, there is a famous tourist zone called ‘Liang (two) Shan (a Chinese pronunciation which means mountains) Yi (one) Hu (a Chinese pronunciation which means lakes) and Chizhou is an important part of it (note: the two mountains refer to the Yellow Mountains and Mt. Jiuhuashan; one lake refers to Taipinghu Lake).

Chizhou is located in the southwest part of Anhui Province, connecting with the Yellow Mountains in the east and along with the Yangtze River in west. The city is in a good ecotope and harmonious economy, population development with environment, so it is set as the first national ecological economy demonstration plot in China.

An Open Port

Chizhou Port is an open port. With a shoreline of 24.5 kilometers, Chizhou Port can berth 5,000 ton shipping throughout the year as one of the important port along the main Yangtze River line (the Yangtze River line flowing through Chizhou is 160 kilometers long).

Mt. Jiuhuashan

Mt. Jiuhuashan, together with Mt. Putuoshan in Zhejiang Province, Mt. Wutaishan in Shanxi Province and Mt. Emeishan in Sichuan Province, are called ‘the Four Famous Buddhist Mountains’ in China. With a highest point of 1,344 meters, Mt. Jiuhuashan is located in the north of the Yellow Mountains and south of the Yangtze River. There are totally 99 peaks on Mt. Jiuhuashan and among them more than 30 are over 1,000 meters.

Mt. Jiuhuashan is not only a Holy Land for these believers to the Buddha, but a summer resort with an exquisite scenery and pleasant temperature. Mt. Jiuhuashan is well-known at home and abroad with its two laurels which are ‘the Number One in Incense’ and ‘Number One Mountain in Southeast’.

Cultural Art

Dating back to Tang Dynasty (618-907), Chizhou has a history of more than 1,380 years. Poets and literary men, person of virtue and ability appeared from generation to generation on this old but magical land. Among them, one masterpiece through the ages written by Du Mu (803-852, an ancient great poet and literate in late Tang Dynasty) must be mentioned. This poem is named ‘Qing Ming’ which shows a vivid scene in one of the Tomb-sweeping Day at that time. And this poem makes Xinghuacun Village which appeared in it renowned worldwide.

Another representative one is named Nuo Opera which is one of the old and rare drama types in Anhui Province. This kind of performance started from the Matrilineal Society (about ten to two or three years ago) with a purpose of sacrifice, praying for a better future life, a good wish.