Taizhou (Jiangsu)

Taizhou (泰州 Tàizhōu) is a city in Jiangsu. In 2010 its population was 4.6 million, of whom 1.6 million live in the built-up (or metro) area made of three urban districts, (Hailing, Jiangyan and Gaogang).



Understand
The urban core of Taizhou prefecture is Hailing District (海陵 Hǎilíng). Adjacent to it are Gāogǎng (高港) and Jiāngyàn (姜堰). There are also three outlying satellite cities: Jìngjiāng (靖江), Tàixīng (泰兴), and Xīnghuà (兴化). Each of these places has its own identity, and when locals say "Taizhou", they usually seem to mean Hailing District.

For information about Xinghua, see Xinghua.

History
Taizhou City has a civilization history of more than 5,000 years and a construction history of more than 2,100 years.

Spring Festival
The Spring Festival is the Chinese Lunar New Year, commonly known as "New Year", "New Year", "New Year's Day", etc., also known as "Chinese New Year". On this day, people will get rid of the old and bring in the new, worship gods and ancestors, pray for blessings and ward off evil spirits, reunite relatives and friends, and celebrate and entertain.

Mid-Autumn Festival
Eating mooncakes is one of the essential traditional customs during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The traditional mooncakes made by Taizhou people have various flavors such as bean paste and five kernels. In addition, Taizhou also has a special mooncake called "vinegar mooncake", which is filled with a mixture of mature vinegar and sugar. It has a sweet and sour taste and is very popular among locals.

Climate
Taizhou City is located in the northern subtropical humid climate zone, affected by monsoon circulation, and has obvious monsoon characteristics. There are four distinct seasons here, with high temperatures and rainy days in summer and mild and dry winters.

By train
Taizhou Railway Station is a modern station, located 12 km north east of Taizhou city centre. Local bus 26 (¥2) runs into downtown, taking around 30 minutes. A taxi costs approximately ¥30. The station is simple enough to use - there are 2 waiting rooms spread over 2 floors (2nd and 3rd floor) and 3 platforms. Taizhou is on the newly opened Nanjing-Nantong railway line and is served by approximately 6 trains per day in each direction - most just run between Nanjing (2 hours, ¥13 hard-seat) and Nantong but a handful are K-trains continuing to Shanghai - there are also daily connections to Guangzhou (26 hours) and Beijing (15 hours). The ticket office is fairly quiet at most times and you never have to wait more than 5 minutes, although the staff don't speak English.

By bus
There are regular buses to Nanjing, Nantong, Yancheng, Yangzhou etc as well as a few per day running to Shanghai. Taizhou Bus Passenger Transport Station (+86 523 8688 3786) is located at 2 Qingnian South Road, Hailing District.

By bus
Taking a bus is relatively simple. Most buses are ¥1 although the 26 to the train station is ¥2. The fare is written on the fare box and exact change is required. Most buses run from 05:00 to 22:00. Schedules are in Chinese only as are the on-board announcements; although if you have a basic knowledge of Chinese they're easy to follow.

By taxi
Taxis are plentiful and cheap with flagfall starting at &yen;8.

By bike
Riding a bike can be a fast, fun and relatively safe way of travelling. Many roads have dedicated bike lanes but beware of everything from motorbikes to buses encroaching on your territory. Bicycles can be purchased in several locations including Lotte Mart, Jichuan East Road, Hailing. For locals, bicycles are slowly being eclipsed by electric scooters but they still remain an easy means of transportation for visitors. Whilst not as prevalent as in bigger cities, bike theft does occur so make sure your ride is locked up safely. Helmets are optional but recommended.

By foot
Walking around Taizhou can be a pleasant experience. As with all of China, right-of-way is effectively proportional to weight: vehicles trump motorbikes, motorbikes trump pedestrians. Motorbikes and bicycles can come from any direction. Avoid unpredictable movements while walking and crossing streets. Drivers predict your future location from your speed & direction. Taishan Park in Hailing district is a popular venue for walking while safely removed from the traffic on the streets. Taishan Park is 1.5 km south west of Pozi Street Commercial Pedestrian Street. Fengchenghe Scenic Area, Nanshansi Road, Hailing district is a pleasant location for a walk.

Talk
English speakers are not widespread so it would be wise to have destinations and hotel addresses written in Chinese characters. Most taxi drivers do not speak English & will not recognise hotel names written in English. Many younger Taizhoans have studied English in school but due to a lack of practice, are not conversant.

Even speakers of Standard Mandarin may have some trouble understanding the residents here, as the local dialect is Lower Yangtze Mandarin, which diverges significantly from Standard Mandarin in pronunciation.

See

 * Guangxiao Si (temple)
 * Old Street ('Lao Jie'). Misleadingly named new development of restaurants & souvenir stalls.
 * Mei Lanfang Park & Memorial Museum
 * Mei Lanfang Park & Memorial Museum

Do

 * Fengchenghe Scenic Area, Hailing district.
 * Taishan Park, Hailing district.

Buy
Hailing district is the main business and commercial hub of the city. Shopping is concentrated in the blocks bordered by Dongjin Road to the north and Jichuan Road to the south. Qingnian Road forms the western boundary for most shoppers while the eastern boundary stretches at a push to Gulou Road.

Eat
The area around Pozi Street has lots of cheaper eats such as KFC, fast food places and noodle shops.

The Taizhou Wanda Plaza complex has lots of Western food but is inconsistent in quality. Tasty curries, poor steaks and an expensive buffet restaurant called Toronto's are on offer in Wanda Plaza.

It seems to be the consensus among the local English speaking foreigners that the best restaurants appear to be family owned and are scattered throughout the city. There are some excellent places to eat in Old Street (老街 Lǎo Jiē); which despite its name is actually a new development. Classic dishes include 'gan si', 'bao zi' and 'mien'.

'Dafeng SanqianLi' on Gulou South Road near Wanda Plaza is a Korean owned restaurant with excellent Kimchi pancakes and Bi Bim Bap. It's located south of the KFC at the intersection of Jichuan East Road.

'Shui Ren Tang' has excellent zhōu (粥) or porridge as well as Ribs and Chinese buns. It's on Gulou North Road and is near the 'Hui bin Lou'.

There are a few BBQ streets with people from Xinjiang mostly selling meat that you can roast on an open flamed bbq. Sitting on small stools and sipping beers while eating lamb, beef, and chicken are favourite pastimes for many in Taizhou.

The Three Delicacies of Taizhou (泰州三绝): Referring to the stinky tofu from Taixing, ginger duck from Taizhou, and crab roe soup dumplings from Yangzhong. These three dishes each have their own unique characteristics and are representative snacks of the Taizhou region.

Crystal Steamed Buns (水晶包子): This is a traditional Jiangsu snack, and Taizhou has its own version. Crystal steamed buns are known for their thin, transparent skin and diverse fillings, including both meat and sweet options.

River Fresh Hui Noodles (河鲜烩面): Located in a water-rich region, Taizhou's river fresh hui noodles feature fresh river ingredients as the main components, with a delicious and unique broth.

Peach Blossom Spring Frozen Tofu (桃花源冻豆腐): This is one of Taizhou's specialty dishes, using locally produced frozen tofu as the main ingredient and complemented with peanut sauce and crushed peanuts, providing a refreshing and delightful taste.

Drink
Nightlife in Taizhou typically involves ordering beers in a restaurant or going to KTV (karaoke) bars. There is little in the way of regular bars or clubs. KTV can be a great way to spend the evening; order some beers, choose some songs and sing the night away. English songs are available but the choice is limited. KTV bars are scattered throughout the city; some of the bigger venues are concentrated around Pozi Street. A new 'bar street' has been manufactured in the Taizhou Wanda Plaza complex but none of the bars there are particularly inviting.

Su Bei Rice Wine (苏北米酒): Tai Zhou may have some traditional rice wine production, and one type could be Su Bei Rice Wine. This rice wine likely boasts a rich and mellow taste, representing a local specialty.

Budget
Home Inn is located near Pozi Street on Renmin Road. It has parking in the back and offers inexpensive but likely hard beds.

Splurge
The Doubletree by Hilton Jiangsu Taizhou is near Taizhou Wanda Plaza. It offers western-style rooms at a higher price. The hotel is nicely decorated with impressive ornamentation and an imposing foyer. The cost is higher but the beds are good.

Go next
Yangzhou is near to Taizhou and is a larger city. It has lots of gardens and is worth the trip.