Danyang, Jiangsu

Chinese Name: 丹阳 (dān yáng)
Population: 981,600
Area: 1,047 square kilometers (404 square miles)
Location: in the southeast of Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, east China
Area Code: 0511
Zip Code: 212300
GDP (2018): CNY 6.14 billion (USD 0.73 billion)

Located in the south of Jiangsu Province, Danyang is a county-level city under the administration of Zhenjiang City. It is 200 kilometers (124 miles) to the east from Shanghai and 68 kilometers (42 miles) to the west from Jiangsu’s capital city Nanjing. Danyang Jiangsu is adjacent to Changzhou City on the east and south. Danyang has five traditional characteristic industries, including automobile and parts, hardware tools, glasses, wood industry and home textile. Danyang is China's glasses production base and export base, with an annual output of 1/3 of spectacle frames and about 70% optical glass and resin lenses over the country.

 Jiuli Scenic Area
Located in Yanling Town, Jiuli Scenic Area is a place to show the culture of the Wu State (12th century BC – 473 BC). Visitors can appreciate many ancient buildings and well-preserved historical sites such as Jizi Temple, Jihe Bridge and Jiaxian Temple. The most amazing is the six boiling wells. In addition, there are many steles, which are of great appreciation value.

 Tiandi Stone Carving Garden
The Tiandi Stone Carving Garden is the largest stone carving cultural landscape in China and even in the world. The interior exhibition focuses on the culture of the Qi and Liang Dynasties (479 - 557) and displays more than 8,000 stone carvings. The modern scientific and technological means are made good use to show the knowledge of stone carvings interestingly. The tomb stone carvings, religious stone carvings and other stone carvings are displayed outside.

 Wanshan Park
Wanshan Park makes Wanshan Pagoda as its theme and has several antique scenic spots. The park is surrounded by Wanshan Wall which is 280 meters (919 feet) long and 9 meters (30 feet) high and presents an ancient charm. In the park, the pavilions, winding corridors and Wanshan Hall were built in the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). Visitors can drink tea at teahouses, appreciate gaily-painted pleasure-boats and have a walk along the long corridors by water. The park also features beautiful scenery with Chinese parasols, strange stones, bridges, ponds and waterfalls.
 
 Shopping in Danyang International Optical Center
Visitors can buy high-quality but cheap glasses at the Danyang International Optical Center which gathers many famous brands and merchants from China and abroad with more than 600 shops.

The best time to visit Danyang Jiangsu is from September to November when the weather is relatively pleasant and less rainy. The climate in Danyang Jiangsu is humid with four distinctive seasons. It is hot and rainy from June to August, the summer time of Danyang and the highest temperature can be 38℃ (100℉). In winter, from December to February, the weather is dry and cold and the average temperature is about 5℃ (41℉). The rainy season often starts from the middle of June and will last for a month. It is better to avoid traveling to Danyang at that time.

Visitors can fly to Changzhou Benniu International Airport which is situated in Danyang. Or one can fly to Nanjing Lukou International Airport and then take a coach to Danyang. The coach leaves to Danyang every 30 minutes from 10:00 to 21:30, taking 1.5 hours.

As Danyang is close to Shanghai, visitors can take a flight to Shanghai Pudong International Airport or Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. Then take a bullet train at Shanghai Railway Station or Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to Danyang.

The inner-city transportation means mainly depend on buses and taxis as there is no metro. It charges CNY8 for the first 3km of Danyang taxi and CNY1.8 for the next distance. It takes CNY70-80 by taxi to Changzhou Benniu International Airport in 30 minutes.

The best Danyang foods to try include Barley Gruel, Yanling Steamed Duck (Duck Dumpling), Miansu, Zhenjiang River Crab and Zhenjiang Salted Pork.

 Yanling Steamed Duck (Duck Dumpling)
Yanling Duck Dumpling is a special dish of Yanling Town, Danyang City. Boil the processed duck and scum the bubble and then add in scallion, ginger, yellow wine, salt, prickly ash, star aniseed, cinnamon, clove and fennel. After the water boiling again, cut down the duck into 8 pieces, putting them to different bowls. Add rock candy and soup to the bowls. Then steam them in a bamboo steamer for 2 - 3hours. The cooked duck looks like dumplings so the Steamed Duck is also called Duck Dumpling. The duck is light and soft but not greasy and the soup is extremely fresh and tasty.

 Miansu（Dough Figurines Cake）
Miansu is made of glutinous rice or flour with various colors of pigments and then shape them into figures, flowers, birds and animals by hand.