Haizhou District 海州区

Getting oriented

Haizhou borders Lianyun District (连云区) to the north-east and east, Guanyun County (灌云县) to the south and Donghai County (东海县) to the west; the Xinshu River (新沭河) separates it from Ganyu (赣榆) in the north. The district government puts it 28 km west of Lianyungang port and 20 km north of Huaguoshan International Airport. High-speed lines to Shanghai, Xuzhou (徐州) and Huai'an (淮安) meet here, and the Lianhuo, Shenhai and Changshen expressways cross it. The Qiangwei River (蔷薇河) and the Yan River (盐河) wind around the hills and the city.

History

The district government traces more than 2,000 years of administration and says the First Emperor of Qin set up a stone here as the eastern gate of his empire. Haizhou city was first built in 512 under Emperor Wu of Liang, faced with brick and stone and given four gates in 1418, and badly damaged by the Tancheng earthquake of 1668. The wall was pulled down in 1956; the Quyang Gate (朐阳门) was rebuilt in 1995. The district government also says the novels Journey to the West and Flowers in the Mirror (镜花缘) were born here, and names Su Shi (苏轼) and Li Ruzhen (李汝珍) among the historical figures tied to Haizhou.

What to see

Mount Huaguo, called Cangwu Mountain (苍梧山) in the Tang and Song, is the main peak of the Yuntai range (云台山脉) and took its present name from the Flower and Fruit Mountain of Journey to the West. It is a national scenic area, and its Jade Maiden Peak, at 625.3 metres, is the highest point in Jiangsu.

Kongwang Hill, in the southern suburbs, is named for the story that Confucius climbed it to look out to sea. At the western end of its southern foot, 105 figures were cut into a cliff 17 metres long and 8 metres high in the late Eastern Han. Laozi (老子) and the Yellow Emperor (黄帝) are the largest and most honoured figures, with the Yellow Emperor placed highest; Buddhist scenes include the nirvana and the offering of the body to feed a tigress. The carvings became a national key protected site in 1988. The Jiangjunya petroglyphs (将军崖岩画), which the district calls the "heavenly book of the East", are another national heritage site in the district.

Highlights

• Mount Huaguo 花果山: Main peak of the Yuntai range; Jade Maiden Peak at 625.3 m is Jiangsu's highest point.
• Kongwang Hill cliff carvings 孔望山摩崖造像: 105 late Eastern Han figures mixing Laozi, the Yellow Emperor and Buddhist scenes; national key protected site since 1988.
• Jiangjunya petroglyphs 将军崖岩画: Rock art the district calls the "heavenly book of the East".
• Quyang Gate 朐阳门: South gate of the Haizhou city wall, rebuilt in 1995.