Gaoyou

Gaoyou is a county-level city administered by Yangzhou in central Jiangsu, set beside the large Gaoyou Lake along the ancient Grand Canal. It is famous throughout China for its salted duck eggs, prized for their rich double yolks, and preserves the Mingcheng post station, one of the best-surviving imperial courier stations in the country. The writer Wang Zengqi, who immortalised the town in his stories, was born here. For an international student, Gaoyou offers canal-town history, lakeside scenery, celebrated local food and a calm, affordable pace.