Slender West Lake is the premier attraction in Yangzhou. The park, lined with willow trees, picturesque pagodas, and loads of history has enough to keep a visitor busy for the entire day. During spring the park is an expansive wonderland of flowers and budding trees. There are few enclosed city parks in China as impressive as this, making Slender West Lake a must visit.

Five Pavilion Bridge, the unofficial symbol of Yangzhou, is found here connecting the slender lake’s shores. The bridge was constructed nearly five hundred years ago. Always bustling with activity, the bridge offers excellent elevated views of the lake. It’s also a reliable place to catch a pleasant breeze to help visitors cool down a bit on a hot summer day.

The towering pagoda seen in the distance from Slender West Lake is Da Ming Temple. The temple dates back more than 1,500 years, although it has been destroyed and rebuilt numerous times throughout history. A highlight here is the Japanese style memorial hall for the monk Jian Zhen, who spread the message of Buddhism to Japan during the Tang Dynasty. Other highlights include climbing the ten story Qiling Pagoda for excellent views of Yangzhou, on a haze free day at least. There is also a very tasty vegetarian restaurant within the temple complex, just below Qiling Pagoda.

Ge Yuan (Garden) is one of the more well known and interesting gardens in all of China. A thick bamboo forest immediately greets a visitor upon entering Ge Yuan. A closer look at the forest reveals a green palette of bamboo varieties. In fact, Ge Yuan gets its name from the character ge (个), said to resemble a leafing stock of bamboo. Emerging from the bamboo thicket comes towering rock formations, four in all that are said to resemble each season, and actually do in a refreshing way. Behind the rock formations are long corridor alley style residences, that have a surprisingly colorful feel despite being composed of gray brick. Passing through Ge Yuan is passing through three different worlds, all of which represent some of the most beautiful aspects of China.

He Yuan is a fun garden to get lost in. Built in 1883, its maze of buildings and residences adapt some Western architectural styles, yet retain a nostalgic late Qing era feel.

This deep, rocky, and elegant place is an intricate weaving of gardens and crimson buildings meshed with buildings within buildings and gardens surrounding gardens. He Yuan emits the feeling of the sun before a rain shower.

There is a certain mystery to the grounds, as finding yourself lost within a forest of towering stones is nearly guaranteed.

A few hundred year old trees cast a long shadow over the two story buildings and lotus ponds, while smaller trees emerge from the rocks and walkways to flower in the spring. Stepping into He Yuan is an escape, and then exiting back out onto the busy street outside will feel like an unfamiliar world. It also lies in a great part of town for street browsing and alley wandering with a great Korean restaurant (Ah Li Lang) just a short walk north of the entrance.

Even the slightest of Chinese history enthusiasts will be engaged at these remarkably well preserved 2,000 year old tombs. The once Han Dynasty regional emperor Guang Ling (the origin of Yangzhou’s former name) had these wooden tombs constructed for he and his wife. The tombs were uncovered at an incredible 40 meters beneath the surface in the hills just north of Yangzhou. Discovered thirty years ago, the tombs were meticulously disassembled, moved to Yangzhou, and rebuilt within a museum.

Today, the museum sits on one of the few hills in Yangzhou and provides a rare elevated view of the city (on a smog-free day of course). The tombs themselves are composed of huge cuts of Chinese Nanmu wood, and include abundant displays explaining the symbolism behind their construction. Relics found with the tombs are also displayed here. A plus at this museum are the intelligible English captions alongside nearly every exhibit.