Huangzhou District 黄州区

Setting and landscape

The district is mostly alluvial plain with some hills, higher in the northeast and lower to the west and south. The Yangtze runs 38 kilometres through it and the Ba River (巴河), described by the district government as the largest river in eastern Hubei, runs 27 kilometres. Its more than 20 lakes and reservoirs include Yi'ai Lake (遗爱湖) and Baitan Lake (白潭湖).

History

The district holds the Neolithic site of Luosishan (螺蛳山), the Warring States walled town of Yuwangcheng (禹王城), Xiyang City (西阳城) of the Jin and Southern and Northern dynasties, and remains of the Song and Ming town walls. Huangzhou prefecture was created under the Sui. After 1949 it was Huanggang County; it became Huangzhou City in 1990 and was split into Huangzhou District and Tuanfeng County (团风县) in 1996. The district government says it has been named a national historical and cultural city.

The late Tang poet Du Mu (杜牧) served as prefect here. Su Shi was banished to Huangzhou after the Crow Terrace poetry case (乌台诗案) and wrote his two Red Cliff rhapsodies and the Red Cliff ci poem during his stay.

What to see

Dongpo Red Cliff (东坡赤壁) is the cliff Su Shi placed a few hundred paces from the prefect's residence, where he rowed and wrote. The district government and the Huanggang Dongpo Culture Research Society have researched and signposted 41 sites named in his writings from Huangzhou, among them Xuetang (雪堂), Lingao Pavilion (临皋亭) and Anguo Temple (安国寺). Yi'ai Lake Park, the Li Siguang Memorial Hall (李四光纪念馆) and the Qi'an Lake Eco-farm (齐安湖生态农庄) are among the district's eight A-rated scenic areas, and Chen Tanqiu's Former Residence (陈潭秋故居) and Wenfeng Pagoda (文峰塔) are other historic sites.

Food and local products

Dongpo pork (东坡肉) is pork braised with wine over a low fire until the sauce is thick; Su Shi's "Ode to Pork" praises Huangzhou's cheap pork. Dongpo cake (东坡饼) is a dough of flour, egg, salt and water stretched paper-thin, coiled in sesame oil and fried golden. Huangzhou fish balls (黄州鱼圆子), white and pearl-shaped, are on Huanggang's intangible heritage list and are made for festivals. Huangzhou radish (黄州萝卜) is a national geographical indication product.

Getting oriented

Huangzhou is 60 kilometres from Wuhan. The E-Huang (鄂黄), Huanggang and Yanji (燕矶) Yangtze bridges cross to the south bank; the Beijing–Kowloon railway and the Huanggang–Huangmei high-speed line serve the district, and the Wuhan–Huanggang intercity railway stops at Huanggang West, Huanggang and Huanggang East stations.

Highlights

• Dongpo Red Cliff 东坡赤壁: The cliff by the Yangtze where Su Shi rowed and wrote during his exile in Huangzhou.
• Yuwangcheng 禹王城: Walled town site of the Warring States period.
• Yi'ai Lake Park 遗爱湖: Lake park listed among the district's A-rated scenic areas.
• Dongpo cake 东坡饼: Paper-thin dough coiled in sesame oil and fried golden.
• Huangzhou fish balls 黄州鱼圆子: White pearl-shaped fish balls on Huanggang's intangible heritage list.