Xinyi 信宜市

Setting and landscape

Mountains cover about 63 percent of the city, and the land is higher in the east than in the west; the flat land lies along the Jianjiang valley. More than 80 peaks pass 1,000 metres. The highest, Datianding (大田顶, 1,703.8 m) in the Yunkai Mountain National Nature Reserve (云开山国家级自然保护区), is described by the Xinyi government as the highest peak in western Guangdong. Tianma Mountain (天马山), Jilongding (鸡笼顶) and Bapaiding (八排顶) carry large summit grasslands.

History

In 502, under the Southern Liang, Liangde County (梁德县) was carved out here as the forerunner of Xinyi. The Tang created Xinyi County (信义) in 621, naming it after Mount Xin to the south and Mount Zhaoyi to the north, and in 634 the prefecture here became Douzhou (窦州). In 976 the name changed to its present characters to avoid the personal name of Emperor Taizong of Song. The county seat moved from Zhenlong (镇隆) to Dongzhen (东镇) in 1952, and the county became a county-level city in 1995. A Western Zhou bronze he (铜盉) vessel found here in 1974 is shown at the Guangdong Museum, and the Xinyi government says more bronze drums have been unearthed in Xinyi than in any other county or city in Guangdong.

What to see

Douzhou Ancient City (窦州古城), seat of successive prefectures and counties with a history of more than 1,400 years, and Lianhua Lake Manor (莲花湖庄园) are the two national 4A scenic areas. The 3A list includes Tianma Mountain, the Xijiang Hot Spring resort (西江温泉度假村) and the Douzhouli Cultural and Creative Street (窦州里文化创意街), rated a provincial tourism and leisure street. Provincial protected sites include the Dahong Kingdom palace site (大洪国王宫旧址), Wenming Gate (文明门), Qifeng Academy (起凤书院) and the former home of Ling Shiba (凌十八故居).

Food and local products

Huaixiang three-yellow chicken (怀乡三黄鸡) and Dangzai fish (氹仔鱼) are national geographical-indication products. Xinyi is a main production base for Xinyi plums (信宜李), jade ware, bamboo ware, southern medicinal herbs and granite slabs, and Sanhua plums (三华李) are among its best-known farm products. Its jade, known as "southern jasper" (南方碧玉), earned it the 2013 title "Capital of Southern Jade" (中国南玉之都) from the China Arts and Crafts Association. Jade carving, bamboo weaving, the Zhenlong piaose float parade (飘色) and the Liushuang lantern festival (六双花灯节) are on Guangdong's intangible heritage list.

Highlights

• Datianding 大田顶: 1,703.8 m peak in the Yunkai Mountain National Nature Reserve, called the highest in western Guangdong.
• Douzhou Ancient City 窦州古城: National 4A scenic area on the seat of old Douzhou, over 1,400 years old.
• Tianma Mountain 天马山: 3A scenic area with a large summit grassland.
• Huaixiang three-yellow chicken 怀乡三黄鸡: National geographical-indication product.
• Xinyi jade carving 信宜玉雕: On the Guangdong provincial intangible heritage list.