Charms of northwest Anhui: Fuyang lures Shanghai tourists

Fuyang, a city in neighboring Anhui Province, is connecting with Shanghai this spring. A promotional event on the North Bund last weekend marked the beginning of this exchange, bringing Fuyang's best wishes and gifts to the city.

Renowned for its carbohydrate-rich cuisine, Fuyang is also home to the only 5A-level scenic spot in northern Anhui – the Bali River Scenic Area.

"The awakening of insects, the blooming of flowers, and the birth of all things make spring the best season for travel, and Fuyang is undoubtedly one of the best destinations for people in Shanghai," said Bai Xiaoyun, head of Fuyang's publicity department.

Located in the northwest of Anhui, on the north bank of the Huaihe River, Fuyang is striving to become a regional cultural and tourism hub.

In addition to ecotourism, Fuyang has been continuously making efforts in performing arts events, nighttime consumption, and light shows in recent years.

So now is the time to go to Fuyang and unlock this "treasure city." Bai extended an invitation to friends at home and abroad, especially those from Shanghai, to visit Fuyang this spring.

He said that the spring scenery in Fuyang is unique, especially at the Huaihe River embankment.

People can go to the hometown of Guan Zhong (720-645 BC) to see the rural scenery deeply rooted in the ancient Chinese adage, "knowing honor and disgrace with sufficient food and clothing, and knowing etiquette with solid granaries."

The quote is from Guanzi, one of the largest collections of ancient Chinese writings named for the famous Chinese minister of state, Guan Zhong.

The West Lake and Jiaobei in Fuyang's Yingzhou District are sites people dream about while the ancient battlefield there reminds visitors about the past, Bai noted.

In the south of the city, lines of cruises are anchored in Shuangqing Bay. The pillow bread, beef noodles, and lasagna are a must try in Taihe County.

If Shanghai is the "leader" of the Yangtze River Delta region, then Fuyang, located in the northwest of Anhui, is the "dragon tail." With improved transportation infrastructure, it only takes around 3 hours to travel from Shanghai to Fuyang by high-speed rail, and only 1 hour and 50 minutes to travel from Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province, to Fuyang.

The vast Yinghuai Plain, with thousands of miles of fertile land, has turned Fuyang into a "granary" and also a "vineyard." Meanwhile, Fuyang is also known as the "water town of northern Anhui."

There are acrobatics in Linquan, flower drum lantern show in Yingshang, paper cutting and pottery making in Jieshou. At the Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum in Fuyang, follow the dough sculpture teacher to transform the dough into a vast world, creating a miniature universe of Eastern aesthetics.

Ji Lanfang, director of the Fuyang Bureau of Culture, Tourism and Sports, said that experiencing the "Slow Life PLUS Edition" in Fuyang can help one regain the long-lost sense of relaxation. It's really fun.

Bai stated that Fuyang and Shanghai have cultural genes of interdependence, matchmaking, and mutual prosperity. More than 500,000 people from Fuyang are currently working in Shanghai, which is also home to nearly 10,000 Fuyang students.

About 60 billion yuan (US$8.3 billion) worth of high-quality agricultural products from Fuyang are served on the dining tables of Shanghai as well as Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces every year.

In addition, more than 500 companies in Shanghai have settled in Fuyang, and nearly 10,000 professionals in science, technology, medical and other fields have been introduced to that city.