Anhui安徽·皖
Mist-wrapped mountains and the whitewashed Huizhou architecture of southern Anhui.
Anhui sits between Jiangsu and Hubei, straddling the Yangtze and the Huai rivers. It is home to two of China's most iconic mountains — and — and a unique architectural tradition.
Southern Anhui's UNESCO-listed villages of are widely considered the most photogenic in the country, lacquer-black tiled roofs reflecting in still ponds.
The province is also the birthplace of the , who dominated Chinese trade for centuries and left a legacy of magnificent ancestral halls and "Four Treasures of the Study."
Top Attractions
Culture & Traditions
Huizhou Merchant Architecture
From the 14th to 19th centuries, Huizhou merchants built their hilltop hometowns with high white walls, "horse-head gables" to block fires, and stone-carved courtyards — an entire architectural movement.
Hui Cuisine
One of China's eight great cuisines — slow-stewed, soy-and-bamboo-heavy. Try smelly mandarin fish (sounds bad, tastes incredible) and stinky tofu, an Anhui invention.
Four Treasures of the Study
Anhui has produced the most prized Chinese writing materials for 1,000 years — Huizhou ink sticks, She inkstones, Xuancheng brushes and Xuan paper.
Mountain & Cloud Painting Tradition
Huangshan inspired the entire Shanshui ("mountains and water") school of Chinese landscape painting. A single morning in the clouds explains why.
Anhui Opera (Hui Opera)
Hui opera, born in 18th-century Anhui troupes, evolved into Peking opera when it merged with Hubei traditions in Beijing — the original DNA of China's national stage form.
Cities
10 prefecture-level · sorted by tourist popularity- 1
Hefei
合肥CapitalThe provincial capital and a major center for science and technology — home to the University of Science and Technology of China, Lord Bao's Temple, and Sanhe Ancient Town.
- 2
Huangshan City
黄山市The gateway to the Yellow Mountain and the heart of Huizhou culture — Tunxi Ancient Street, and the nearby UNESCO villages of Hongcun and Xidi.
- 3
Wuhu
芜湖A major port city on the Yangtze River — famous for its Chery automobile industry, the Zheshan Park, and the Fantawild Adventure theme parks.
- 4
Anqing
安庆A historical city on the Yangtze — former provincial capital, home to Mount Tianzhu, and the birthplace of Huangmei Opera.
- 5
Ma'anshan
马鞍山An industrial city near Nanjing — famous for its steel industry and the Caishiji scenic area, where the poet Li Bai supposedly drowned while trying to catch the moon.
- 6
Bengbu
蚌埠The "Pearl City" on the Huai River — a major rail junction and home to the Longzihu Lake scenic area.
- 7
Chuzhou
滁州Located near Nanjing — famous for Mount Langya and the "Old Drunkard's Pavilion" (Zuiweng Ting) immortalized by Ouyang Xiu.
- 8
Lu'an
六安Located in the west — famous for Lu'an Guapian green tea and the Tiantangzhai scenic area in the Dabie Mountains.
Famous Locals
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