Guizhou Zunyi Travel Guide

Zunyi is a prefecture-level city in Guizhou Province in southwestern China. The two main district of the city, known as Huichuan and Honghuagang, have a population of around 800,000 people, and the whole region, including 14 county-level administration area as a whole, has a population of approximately 7 million. Zunyi is located in North Guizhou province, situated at the side of the Xiangjiang River - a branch of Wujiang River. The altitude of the city is approximately 900 meters.

Many Chinese people are familiar with the city of Zunyi in southwest China's Guizhou Province as this is where a landmark meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee was held in January 1935.

As the site where Mao Zedong took full membership in the Politburo Standing Committee and where the CCP finally switched from a strategy favoring large battles and urban insurrection to rural guerrilla warfare, Zunyi is awash in Red History.

Regarded as a crucial turning point of the Long March, the Zunyi Meeting led to the success of the Chinese revolution, and has forever been imprinted on the soul of the city.

● Highlights of Zunyi

Zunyi , in northern Guizhou Province, is a city at the intersection of Guizhou, Sichuan, and Chonqing and an iconic Chinese vacation destination. Zunyi was among the first wave of National Historical and Cultural Cities and boasts Hailongtun, a World Cultural Heritage Site, and Chishui Danxia , a World Natural Heritage Site. It is home to Maotai liquor, which, along with Wuliangye and Jiannanchun, are considered China’s three finest liquors. This is also where the famous Zunyi Conference took place.

Zunyi Conference and Revolutionary Historical Sites:The historic site consists of four residences used by Party leaders, the former Chinese Soviet Republic State Bank, the old Catholic Church (headquarters of the Red Army's Political Department), and a museum. The main site is located in the heart of Zunyi's old town.

Zunyi Old town: Located in the old town of Zunyi, the Red Army Street is a top "red tourism" site. It lies in the traditional commercial and cultural center of the city, displaying blocks with local design and highlighting unique cultural attributes.

Xishui Tucheng Ancient Town: Tucheng is an ancient red town where the birthplace of the famous"four rivers crossing Chishui". the ancient Xi country in the Spring and Autumn Period was located here, built county in han dynasty, and built state in tang and song dynasty. has more than 7000 years of history. In 2005, Tucheng was named'China's historical and cultural town'.

Chishui Danxia Landform: Chishui Danxia Landform is plateau canyon Danxia in humid subtropical zone. It had developed Danxia cliffs, square mountains, stone pillars, valleys, grooves and other typical Danxia individual forms. Because favorable natural conditions and few human activities, Chishui Danxia have developed and well preserved Cyathea National Nature Reserve, Bamboo sea National Forest Park, Swallow Rock State Forest Park, Subtropical Evergreen Broadleaf Forest Nature Reserve.

Maotai Town: Maotai town has always been a famous town in northern Guizhou and a famous wine Holy Land in China. It is located on the Bank of Chishui River in Renhuai City, surrounded by mountains and with dangerous terrain. It condenses the brilliance and essence of Chinese 5000 year liquor culture and reflects the development course of Maotai liquor.

Tea Culture Park: Located in Meitan, a land of famous tea, the park is a complex tea culture themed park, including a teapot-shaped museum, tea related products exhibition, and tea knowledge education, etc.

● Zunyi Food&Drinks

Guizhou Cuisine is one of the 8 different cuisines in China. It is somewhat similar to Sichuan cuisine because they are neighboring provinces and both have many spicy dishes, but Guizhou cuisine also features “sour” dishes as well that make it unique.

Zunyi exhibits the same excellent snacks and specialties for which Guizhou as a whole (Guiyang in particular) is famous.

Unique and delicious Suiyang noodles originate from Yangchuan Town of Suiyang County in Zunyi. The traditional local dish is listed as part of the province's intangible cultural heritage.

Hollow from inside, the noodles are made using a special technique passed down from generation to generation.

Zunyi's chili peppers are also famous, an essential part of the local residents' daily meals.

In Zunyi, some local delicacies are worth a mention are Liu Er Ma Mi Pi,Dou Hua Noodles,Mutton Noodles etc.

Moutai is a special kind of Chinese baijiu made locally in the Guizhou province and is a must try if you visit! It has a distinctly sweet flavor. You’ll see it sold everywhere, from the airport to shops around the province. You can visit the Moutai Culture Center to learn more about how it’s made and learn about it’s importance to Chinese culture.

● Zunyi Climate

Zunyi has a four-season, monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate, slightly modified by elevation.

Average temperatures in Zunyi vary drastically. Considering humidity, temperatures feel nice some of the year, but often too hot in the summer and cold in the winter with a fair chance of precipitation about half of the year.

It has fairly mild winters and hot, humid summers; close to 60% of the year's 1,070 mm  of precipitation occurs from May to August. The monthly 24-hour average temperature ranges from 4.5 °C  in January to 25.1 °C in July, while the annual mean is 15.32 °C . Rain is common throughout the year, with 182 days annually precipitation, though it does not actually accumulate to much in winter, the cloudiest time of year; summer, in contrast, is the sunniest. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from around 9% in January and February to 45% in August, the city receives only 1,051 hours of bright sunshine annually; only a few locations in neighbouring Sichuan receive less sunshine on average.

The best time to visit Zunyi is during Mar to Jun, Humidity and temperatures combine to make this season feel moderate. Highs range from 27°C and 13.3°C with warmer temperatures in the later months. Rain is somewhat common with 5 to 12 days of significant precipitation per month. Spring is the busiest for tourism, which makes it a good time for those looking for things to do.

● Zunyi Transportation

Zunyi Xinzhou Airport is about 40 km to the east of the city center. Currently, there are flights to / from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xi'an, Sanya, Wuhan, and Hangzhou, etc. It takes about 70 minutes between the airport and the urban area by airport shuttle bus.

Zunyi Maotai Airport in Maotai Town is built to serve the public in Renhuai City in Zunyi which is about 16km to the city proper of Renhuai. The air routes have covered about 30 domestic cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xi'an, Hangzhou, etc.

The local Railway Station stands at the end of the Beijing Road north of the city proper, and is about ten minutes' drive from the downtown area.

The Chongqing Guiyang Railway, an expanded revamping railway both used for bullet train and normal speed train, has been put into use officially on January 25, 2018. High speed trains running on the 347km-long journey shortens the travel time from 10 hours to merely 2 hours between Chongqing and Guiyang, provides huge convenience for locals.

There are totally 12 stops set up on Chongqing Guiyang Railway, including Chongqing West Railway Station, Zunyi South Station , Guiyang East Railway Station  or Guiyang North Railway Station .