At Yellow Crane Pavilion in the west My old friend says farewell In the mist and flowers of spring He goes down to Yangzhou
　　These lines penned by Li Bai, the most famous poet in Tang Dynasty (618-907), have aged well: even in this era, it’s a good idea to visit Yangzhou in the spring. Throughout all the ages, in fact, Chinese poets have lavishly praised Yangzhou in their writings. The city tends to evoke beautiful language.
　　In Li’s day, Yangzhou was one of the wealthiest cities in China. Originally called Guangling, it was founded in the year 3 B.C. By 6, it was the chief commercial hub of the Yangtze River, acting as a crucial canal port, seaport and administrative center. Marco Polo, the famous Venetian merchant traveler who for a time lived in China, served as city governor for three years in the late 13th century.Throughout history Yangzhou, now in east China’s Jiangsu Province, has been a magnet for great merchant families, poets, painters and scholars.
　　Accentuating the city’s landscape is Slender West Lake. Named after hangzhou’s famous West Lake, this long, narrow stretch of water meanders through Yangzhou’s western limits. Isles scattered along the narrow surface of the water form zigzagging river channels. The area is reminiscent of a Chinese brush painting: a long bank planted with weeping willows spans the shore, and the surrounding grounds feature a square terrace with pavilions at each corner and one in the center.
　　Located in central China, Yangzhou features not only spectacular northern-style gardens but also structurally impressive southern gardens, all built by the city’s wealthy families over the centuries. Nowadays, these private gardens – like Geyuan Garden and heyuan Garden – are important additions to the city’s scenic offerings.
　　Geyuan Garden is probably Yangzhou’s most famous garden. Located in the city’s northeast, it was designed by the great Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) landscape painter Shi Tao for Wang Yingtai, an officer of the Qing imperial court. This typical southern-style garden features luxuriant bamboo groves, ponds and rock grottoes. Its name refers to the shape of bamboo leaves, which resemble the Chinese character 个.
　　Food has also made this small city renowned China-wide. Yangzhou dishes are considered huaiyang cuisine, which is one of the country’s Four Great Cuisines. (The other three are Sichuan,Cantonese and Shandong.) huaiyang cuisine is marked by distinctive and masterful skill that Yangzhou’s locals are quite proud of. Unlike other Chinese cuisines that use oily sauces, Yangzhou dishes retain freshness and appealing color, aroma, taste and appearance.