Suizhou 随州Suízhōu
A marquis's bronze bells, the farmer-god's birthplace and golden ginkgo valleys

About Suizhou
Suizhou lies in the hills between the Tongbai and Dahong mountains on the road north to Henan, and promotes itself as the birthplace of Yandi, the legendary farmer-god Shennong, honoured in a large memorial park at Lishan. In 1978 the tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng was opened at Leigudun on the edge of town, yielding a set of 65 bronze chime bells now shown in the provincial museum in Wuhan. Each autumn the ancient ginkgo valley at Luoyang turns gold.
What to eat in Suizhou
- Yingshan slippery pork (应山滑肉)
Listed sites in Suizhou
12 sites in Suizhou are on the official lists. Those with a page of their own link to it; the rest open as cards on the map.
- Baopu Valley Wellness Resort 抱朴谷 4A scenic area · on the map
A wellness resort of about 12 km² in forested hills at the head of the Huai River, on the Hubei–Henan border. - Dahong Mountain 大洪山 4A scenic area · on the map
A stand-alone mountain massif of about 305 km² that straddles Suizhou, Jingshan and Zhongxiang, with 127 km² and its highest peak, Baozhu Peak (1,055 m), in Suizhou. - Former HQ of the New Fourth Army's Fifth Division, Jiukouyan 新四军第五师司令部旧址 4A scenic area · National heritage site · on the map
In June 1940 the headquarters of the New Fourth Army's Hubei–Henan force moved into the Sun family compound at Jiukouyan, a Qing-dynasty courtyard house built in 1733 with 56 rooms in a three-hall, two-courtyard layout, and the Fifth Division was formally established there on 5 April 1941 under Li Xiannian. - Gaogui Santan Scenic Area 高贵三潭 4A scenic area · on the map
A forest park and provincial scenic area on the Hubei–Henan border at the foot of the old Pingjing Pass, known for its waterfalls and pools (the 'three pools' of the name), the summit of Dagui Mountain and a grove of qingtan (wingceltis) trees of more than 2,000 mu that local officials bill as the largest in China. - Journey to the West Park, Sui County 西游记公园 4A scenic area · on the map
A large leisure resort themed on the novel Journey to the West, covering about 260 hectares in the hills near Dahong Mountain. - Journey to the West Rafting, Huaihe 西游记漂流 4A scenic area · on the map
A rafting run of about 9 km down the Longtan stream in the Tongbai Mountains, with nine bends and more than 30 rapids over about two and a half to three hours, ending close to the expressway exit at Huaihe. - Shennong Tribe 神农部落 4A scenic area · on the map
A theme park in the Tongbai Mountains built around rock carvings that county officials present as prehistoric images of the legendary farmer-god Shennong, a sun god and a three-legged sun bird. - Suizhou Cultural Park 随州文化公园 4A scenic area · on the map
A large landscaped park in the eastern part of Suizhou, laid out around the city's cultural themes: the legendary farmer-god Shennong, the Zeng chime bells, the Spring and Autumn minister Ji Liang (whose statue stands partway up the hillside) and the Sui dynasty, which took its name from the city. - Thousand-Year Ginkgo Valley 千年银杏谷 4A scenic area · on the map
A valley of ancient ginkgo trees strung along about 12 km of five villages in Luoyang town, with around 300 trees more than a thousand years old. - Tianwangzhai Hill Fortress 田王寨 4A scenic area · on the map
A hill fortress of stone walls that follow nine hilltops on Gucheng Mountain in the Tongbai range, with gates and beacon towers; local accounts date it to the end of the Song or the Yuan period. - Yandi Hometown Park, Lishan 炎帝神农故里 4A scenic area · on the map
A memorial park at Lishan, which Suizhou promotes as the birthplace of Yandi (Shennong), the legendary farmer-god and herbalist. - Leigudun Tombs 擂鼓墩古墓群 National heritage site
The cemetery of the rulers of the state of Zeng in the Warring States period, spread over a low rise on the north-western edge of Suizhou as eight burial grounds covering about 116 hectares.
On the map
Open Suizhou on the illustrated map to see its outline, its places and listed sites together, and to add them to a trip.
Open Suizhou on the map