Admiring Rapeseed Flowers, Strolling in Xinghua City

Xinghua's rapeseed flowers are also a popular attraction. This time, we planned a two-day trip to leisurely explore Xinghua.

“The river has myriad bends of clear water, every field ridge is adorned with yellow blossoms.” The most beautiful season in Xinghua is spring when the rapeseed flowers bloom. Drawn by its reputation, we came to Xinghua primarily to see the rapeseed flowers, but also took time to explore the city itself. Xinghua is not only picturesque but also steeped in history, having produced many renowned figures in ancient times.

On the first day, we left Suzhou at 10 a.m. and arrived in Xinghua after more than three hours.

1. Xinghua is the hometown of Zheng Banqiao. Local tourism promotes the theme “Hometown of Banqiao, Cradle of Water Margin.” Therefore, the Xinghua Museum is an indispensable stop.

Coincidentally, there were primary school students serving as guides that day. A young girl explained the historical figures of Xinghua to us.

2. The Xinghua Museum is connected to Li Garden on the east and to the Xinghua County Government Office on the south, so after purchasing tickets at the museum, we entered directly from inside.

Leaving the county office, we headed straight for Jindongmen.

3. Jindongmen Scenic Area

Jindongmen has a history of over a thousand years. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, this area has been bustling with markets and thriving commerce, earning the name “Golden East Gate.”

The district preserves rich historical relics and cultural sites, including Shangchizhai Pharmacy, Zhuangyuan Archway, Zheng Banqiao's Former Residence, Zhao Haixian's Western-style Building, and the Mansion of Minister Cheng.

Before 5 p.m., we arrived at Gongjitai Private Kitchen and became the first table for dinner.

On the second day, we slept in until we naturally woke up.

It is said that a day in Xinghua begins with morning tea. So, after getting up, we went to Qingfeng Tea House at 9 a.m. to experience Xinghua people's breakfast atmosphere. Unexpectedly, there were many people, and dim sum like crab roe buns and steamed dumplings were made to order. We were told it would take nearly an hour, so since we had a schedule for the day, we only ordered some quick breakfast items: egg pancakes and shrimp-roe fish noodle soup.

Today's itinerary was Qanduo Rape Flower Scenery. March and April are the peak season for rapeseed flowers. There are many places to see them, but Xinghua's Qanduo flowers have their unique charm.

I heard that next to Qanduo Rape Flower Scenery, there is a beautiful rural village—Dongluo Village, a four-star rural tourism area. The village's communal dining hall is open to the public, so we wanted to experience the atmosphere of a public canteen. Unfortunately, when we arrived after 2 p.m., the chef had already left. We could only wander around the village.

In the afternoon, we started our return journey at 3 p.m. and arrived home safely at 6 p.m.