Liuyang 浏阳市

Setting and landscape

Liuyang sits in a basin of hills and valleys between the Lianyun (连云山) and Jiuling (九岭山) mountains, in the northern part of the Mufu-Luoxiao (幕阜-罗霄) ranges. Mountains ring it on all sides and the land is higher in the north-east than the south-west. The Dawei Mountain (大围山) nature reserve in the east is known for the red-billed leiothrix (相思鸟), a prized songbird.

History

A county was first set up here in 209, under the Eastern Han. Liuyang became a county-level city on 16 January 1993. Two sites are under national protection: the former residence of Tan Sitong (谭嗣同), the late-Qing reformer, and the site at Wenjiashi (文家市) where the forces of the Autumn Harvest Uprising met. The Ming Xin'an covered bridge (新安风雨桥) and the Song-era Confucian temple (文庙) are among eight provincial protected sites.

The Confucian temple is the home of Liuyang Confucian sacrificial music (浏阳文庙祭孔音乐), composed in 1829 by Qiu Zhilu (邱之稑) for the temple's ceremonies and listed as national intangible heritage in 2014. The national intangible heritage register notes that the Confucius Temple at Qufu (曲阜孔庙) also uses these scores.

Food and local products

Liuyang fireworks (浏阳花炮) are the city's trademark. A 1935 survey of Chinese industry dates Hunan firecracker making to the Tang and names Liuyang as its birthplace, and local makers honour Li Tian (李畋) as their founder. The craft, done by hand in 12 stages and 72 steps, became national intangible heritage in 2006, and the International Fireworks Association, founded in 2002, has its headquarters in Liuyang. The China Fireworks Museum is in Dayao town (大瑶镇).

Liuyang steamed dishes (浏阳蒸菜) began in the eastern townships at the foot of Dawei Mountain: bowls of dried vegetables, cured meats and pickles steamed in the same rice steamer as the rice. In 2011 the China Cuisine Association named Liuyang China's home of steamed dishes. Fermented black beans (豆豉), ramie cloth (夏布) and chrysanthemum-stone carving (菊花石雕) are other traditional local products.

Highlights

• Dawei Mountain 大围山: Nature reserve in the east, known for the red-billed leiothrix.
• Former residence of Tan Sitong 谭嗣同故居: Home of the late-Qing reformer, a national protected site.
• Wenjiashi meeting site of the Autumn Harvest Uprising 秋收起义文家市会师旧址: National protected site where the uprising's forces met.
• Liuyang fireworks 浏阳花炮: Hand-made in 12 stages and 72 steps; national intangible heritage since 2006.
• Liuyang steamed dishes 浏阳蒸菜: Cured and dried foods steamed in bowls in the rice steamer.