Anhui

Anhui Province lies about 400 kilometers west of Shanghai, and is easy to reach from many destinations in China by flight or train. The capital, Hefei, is not without charm although there aren't many sights.

You will find the main sights in the south part of the province, where the famous Yellow Mountains are the embodyment of Chinese culture. Ragged cliffs and steep gulleys provide a dramatic scenery that has inspired Chinese artists for centuries. The classical sights of fog-engulfed mountain peaks are a staple of many paintings and calligraphy even today. Not far from the Yellow Mountains the smaller and much overlooked Mt. Jiuhua may not be quite as impressive, but sees fewer tourists and boast the option of staying in a monastery on top.

The southern part of Anhui belongs to the Huizhou area, covering parts of the three provinces of Anhui, Jiangxi and Jiangsu. The area is famous all over China for its Lower Yangtze-style houses and way of life. The villages here are all made up of the classic whitewashed houses. Villages like Hongcun, Xidi and Shexian are all places where you can enjoy this particular way of living, but beware that some of them are beginning to attract large number of domestic tourists.

Tunxi City, near the Yellow Mountains, is seen by most as a stepping stone to get to the mountains. However it is a very pleasant city, and since you will be going past here on your way to the Yellow Mountains you should allow yourself time to take in Ancient Street here, a charming street lined with ancient buildings and with the 800 years old Stone Bridge nearby.

In the north part of the province the 'Capital of Chinese Medicine', Bozhou, is a somewhat uninteresting place, but if you are into traditional Chinese medicine this is the place to go. The medicine market here is enormous. To the east, near the provincial border with Jiangsu Province, the city of Ma'anshan was the birthplace of Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai, widely regarded as the best poet of Chinese history. Ma'anshan boasts a number of interesting sights related to Li Bai and his life.