Yangzhou

Yangzhou is a refined historic city in Jiangsu province on the Grand Canal, celebrated for centuries for its gardens, cuisine, and cultured way of life. With a metropolitan population of around 4.5 million, it was once one of China's wealthiest cities as a salt-trade and canal hub, and it retains an elegant, unhurried character. The climate is humid subtropical, with hot, humid summers and cool, damp winters. Its landmarks include the graceful Slender West Lake, the ancient Daming Temple, and the classical Geyuan and Heyuan gardens. Yangzhou lends its name to the world-famous Yangzhou fried rice and is renowned for delicate Huaiyang cuisine, including crab-roe soup buns and finely shredded dazhugansi tofu. Yangzhou has no metro, but its own airport and high-speed rail station connect it to Nanjing and Shanghai. For an international student, Yangzhou offers a peaceful, beautiful, and affordable setting steeped in classical Chinese culture, within easy reach of the larger Yangtze Delta cities.