Slow Travel in Gaochun in the Name of Crabs This Golden Autumn

Autumn has arrived. Although the recent temperatures in Jiangsu still feel like midsummer, autumn is undeniably here! The 'autumn tiger' is roaring with enthusiasm, but it hasn't dampened my longing for the season at all. Because in Jiangsu, late September and early October mark the season for hairy crabs to hit the market. When it comes to hairy crabs, friends from other provinces might only have heard of the most famous lake. In fact, many lakes in Jiangsu produce hairy crabs – after all, this is a land of fish and rice. Gaochun's Gucheng Lake is one of them, enjoying high recognition and a stellar reputation within the province.

Apart from hairy crabs, Gaochun is also home to many delightful rural attractions and newly popular scenic spots. So, as soon as I got the news that hairy crabs were available, I drove over 160 kilometers from Changzhou with a friend. Autumn in Gaochun is even more anticipated than the first cup of milk tea of autumn, and it's far more worthy of flooding your social media feeds!

Day 1: Changzhou → Gaochun (self-drive). Checked into Guchengwan Kaiyuan Resort Hotel. Day 2: Gaochun Old Street, Gucheng Lake Water Slow City, crab feast at Hubian Renjia restaurant, Gucheng Bay Scenic Area, and another night at Guchengwan Kaiyuan Resort Hotel. Day 3: Yaxi Slow City, then return trip.

I arrived in Gaochun the evening before and slept soundly, all to get up early and visit Gaochun Old Street right next to the hotel. Nanjing's Gaochun Old Street was first built during the Song Dynasty. It stretches 630 meters in an arc resembling a coin purse. Though the preserved section isn't long, it remains wonderfully lively – especially with the first wave of hairy crabs just hitting the market. Early in the morning, the street was already bustling with noise and the endless haggling between buyers and sellers...

The old street is open to visitors free of charge, including several venues along the way where you can learn about local Gaochun folklore, intangible cultural heritage projects, red tourism, and more. We visited an intangible cultural heritage museum and a Guandi Temple. At the heritage museum, I discovered what the 'Four Treasures of Gaochun' are and was introduced to a folk dance called the 'Dragon Chant Cart'. What intrigued me even more was the Gaochun dialect, which is so fascinating that it was once used as a 'secret code' to transmit intelligence during wartime – the enemy could never crack it.

I'm a fan of 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms', so Guan Yu is certainly no stranger to me. The Guandi Temple on Gaochun Old Street is bustling with worshippers; Guan Yu is also revered as the 'God of Wealth and Martial Arts'. If you pass by, don't hesitate to step in and pay your respects.

The old street is a commercial one, but not overly commercialized. I noticed many shop owners are local residents from the neighborhood. They don't peddle the same old stuff found in those famous ancient towns – like gordon euryale cakes, stinky tofu, or souvenirs shipped in from Yiwu's wholesale market. Many shops on Gaochun Old Street have a strong sense of originality. For instance, at a sachet shop, I bought two herbal sachets with different effects. I also saw an elderly lady running a cloth shoe store.

Gaochun Old Street is hailed as 'The First Ancient Street of Jinling'. The historical layers here are quite captivating. There's a row of pink bricks on the road, called rouge bricks. And an alleyway so narrow it's called 'One-Person Lane'. I squeezed in with some light filtering through and took a photo. I'd like to think someone as slender as me could walk three abreast down it, right? Ha ha...

Gucheng Lake Water Slow City

This wasn't my first visit to Gucheng Lake Water Slow City. After finishing Gaochun Old Street, we drove straight there. Actually, the main draw this time was the crab feast, which I'll save for a later part. The restaurant is Hubian Renjia, right beside the scenic area. Since we were already there with some time before lunch, we took a spin around the Water Slow City.

It's truly a wonderful place, but the temperature that day was really high, and we missed the sea of flowers I'd seen in early summer. The animals in the zoo were probably hiding from the UV rays too, so we hopped on a sightseeing electric cart and stopped at a few spots along the way. Even under these conditions, there were many noteworthy things about Water Slow City.

There's a striking pink sand beach, which with the pale blue lake as a backdrop, looks rather romantic. By the lake stands an internet-famous giant rabbit sculpture. Its pose immediately brought to mind 'rabbit kicking eagle'. From an aerial view, it's even more fitting – if I were an eagle and saw such an imposing rabbit, I'd flee in a hurry...

To properly explore Water Slow City, you definitely need more time. Since we were rushing for the crab feast, we could only skim through. I think when the weather cools down, you should absolutely set aside more time – the environment is totally worth it! Not to mention the tigers waiting in the zoo.

This autumn, Nanjing has gained another spot perfect for classic Chinese-style photo ops. Gucheng Bay, which hadn't yet opened on my early summer visit, is now officially welcoming guests. Gucheng Bay is right next to the Guchengwan Kaiyuan Resort Hotel. This time, our check-in included tickets to the Gucheng Bay Scenic Area. Hotel guests just need facial recognition to enter the scenic area – very convenient.

We arrived in the late afternoon and headed straight to White Deer Forest inside. Here you can get up close with all kinds of adorable animals: marmots, deer, alpacas, red pandas, and more. These little guys are impossibly cute – especially the marmots nibbling carrots, I almost wanted to nibble alongside them! I made a mental note to bring my son next time. We'd taken him to a zoo when he was six months old, but he didn't seem to register animals much then. Now he's over a year old; sometimes he babbles with curiosity when he spots a dog on the street. I'm sure he'd be even more delighted and excited here. After being cooped up in the apartment complex for so long, it's essential to let him experience the wonders of the world.

This is a White Deer-themed family resort, so naturally there are deer. The deer here are quite bold – as soon as they see visitors with food, they edge closer and then compete for treats. Carrots and cabbage leaves are definitely crowd-pleasers! However, the deer and alpacas are a bit large, so it's not ideal for small children to feed them alone; parental supervision is a must. I also urge everyone not to try grabbing the animals or engaging in any uncivilized behavior like slapping them. Harmonious coexistence is the way it should be.

Make sure you stay until nightfall in Gucheng Bay. When the lights along Yizi Water Street twinkle, you'll truly grasp the essence of Jiangnan's charm. Gucheng Bay grew livelier as folks from surrounding villages gathered for the musical light fountain show at Spring and Autumn Pavilion. The fountains and lights dance to the rhythm – playful one moment, gentle the next – creating a feast for both eyes and ears. The best state is to empty your mind and immerse yourself in it... as if transported back to the prosperity of ancient Jiangnan.

At the end, we each received a floating lantern. Setting them adrift on the water, the lights resembled a sky full of stars – truly breathtaking. Look, there was a young lady in hanfu releasing a lantern. The scene was so beautiful. Without even asking permission, I couldn't resist pressing the shutter. If she ever sees this, let these photos be a gift for her!

On the final day, en route back to Changzhou, we stopped at Yaxi Slow City. Gaochun is an International Slow City, as I've explained before: there are many criteria for being designated a 'Slow City', but essentially it means there's more space for people to stroll and more green spaces for leisure. Gaochun was China's first 'International Slow City' recognized by the World Slow City Alliance, and it's where the alliance's China headquarters is located. Any other place in China seeking Slow City accreditation has to get it through Gaochun Slow City.

Yaxi Slow City is a comprehensive agricultural and tourism complex integrating hilly ecological resources for sightseeing, leisure, entertainment, vacationing, and eco-agriculture. It's even larger than Water Slow City. You can hop on an electric sightseeing cart inside, or if it's not crowded, rent an electric vehicle so you can stop and go as you please.

We tried the canopy rafting and canopy walk – both are mildly thrilling activities. Climbing up to the treetops while playing is a really fun experience.

In Yaxi Slow City, we also discovered vast fields of sunflowers perfect for photo ops. Especially when the intermittent sprinklers water the flowers, moistening the air and blossoms, the resulting photos feel even more atmospheric.

【Food】Crab Feast

Don't forget, the whole point of this trip to Gaochun was to eat crabs! During golden autumn, you can order crabs at almost every restaurant in Gaochun. The most classic way to prepare hairy crabs is steaming – perfectly demonstrating that the finest ingredients often need only the simplest cooking. We of course ordered steamed hairy crabs at Hubian Renjia. The plump crabs, trussed with straw and steamed to a golden hue, reveal rich, creamy roe and meaty flesh when opened – so tempting!

Since it was a crab feast, Hubian Renjia also offered many creative crab dishes beyond this classic. One that left a deep impression was the drunken crab in Nü'er Hong wine. The wine flavour was just right, with a lingering aftertaste. The cool, chilled texture instantly awakened the taste buds. Even as someone who never drinks alcohol, I was won over by its umami. Just remember, after eating a lot of this, definitely don't drive!

Another favourite was the river shrimp and crab braised together. I love richly sauced dishes with bold flavors, so this suited me well – river shrimp and river crab cooked in one pot, thoroughly infused with flavour. If some snails could be added this season, wouldn't that be perfect?

Other dishes included delicious crab roe tofu soup, typhoon-shelter-style fried crab, pumpkin and mung bean sheet jelly with crab, and crab roe steamed eggs. Thanks to the addition of crab, every dish was exceptionally savoury. Tastes differ, so you'll have to come and judge for yourself! All I can say is I ended up with a mountain of crab shells and couldn't stop. During crab season, you'll find a place to eat crab anywhere in Gaochun, but restaurants like Hubian Renjia that prepare crab so exquisitely and comprehensively are rare, I reckon.

【Accommodation】Guchengwan Kaiyuan Resort Hotel

On this Gaochun trip, I again chose the Guchengwan Kaiyuan Resort Hotel. It truly is a high-end hotel you have to experience to appreciate. First, the location is fantastic – adjacent to Gucheng Bay Scenic Area and Gaochun Old Street, with free parking nearby and a shopping area close by, making everywhere easily accessible. The room amenities are also top-notch, with luxury items like a Dyson hairdryer, bath products from RE Classified Fragrances, and Kohler bathroom fixtures.

What I love most is the overall comfortable, slow-paced feel the hotel gives. I stayed in a lakeside room on the ground floor, with its own little courtyard facing the lake. Waking up in the morning with a cup of tea or coffee, sitting in the courtyard, having black swans swim up looking for food – it's truly idyllic. Guchengwan Kaiyuan Resort Hotel feels like a microcosm of Gaochun. It's not a place for hurried travellers; once you're here, you should fully enjoy it – savouring the region's unique 'slow life'...