Dr. Mark Nan Tu

Chaozhou (Chinese: 潮州) is a city in eastern Guangdong province of the People’s Republic of China. It borders Shantou to the south, Jieyang to the southwest, Meizhou to the northwest, the province of Fujian to the east, and the South China Sea to the southeast.

Chaozhou is a famous historical and cultural city in the country. The city’s feature is known as “Classic Tourist City” which receives numerous tourists both from abroad and home. The following is the guide for this “classic city tour”. You can hire a human powered tricycle which will take you to a few historic relics in the “old city”. You can also rent a bike or walk to enjoy the relics and unique culture of Chaozhou. The “old city” is well preserved. Many local people still lives in those old houses along the narrow alleyways.

The tour starts in the Kaiyuan Temple (開元寺) and ends in the same spot. Therefore, you may choose to visit the Kaiyuan temple last.

Stop 1: The first stop is the Ming city wall (明城墻) which is rebuilt in the 1990s. There is a section of the old wall remain. You can compare it to the newly build wall. You shall walk up the wall in Guangji Men (广济门城楼). From the top of the wall, you will get a good view of the Guangji Bridge (廣濟橋) and the Mazhu temple (妈祖庙). You can also see the Han River which was named after the great Chinese poet lived in the Tang dynasty. The Guangji Bridge connects the Ming city wall with the Hangong Shire.

1. The Ming city wall (明城墻), 2.6 kilometers long.
2. The Mazhu temple (妈祖庙)， built inside the Ming wall worships the Mazhu who is a goddess lived in Chaoshan region who was believed to performed many good deeds for the locals. She is worshipped as a goddess after her death mainly in the southeast China and for Chinese in Southeast Asian countries.
3. Guangzi Bridge (廣濟橋), built in the Southern Song Dynasty (1170 A.D.) was reconstructed in the 1990s.
4. Hangong Ci(韩公祠) is located along Hangjiang river and west of Bijia mountain. This shrine had been constructed since Song Dynasty and become the oldest existing and the most completed reservation memorial of Han Yu, who is the great poet in Tang Dynasty.

In the year of A.D.819, for some political reason, Han Yu was exiled to Chaozhou, a backland at that time. But he was not depressed by this, he helped local people to develop education, agriculture, irrigation and release slaves. To memorize what he had contributed to the development of Chaozhou, people constructed this shrine and name him “Hanwengong” respectfully. 　　
　
Stop 2: After an easy stroll on the Ming city wall, you can follow the trail through the old alleyways of the “old Chaozhou city”. The next stop is: Haiyang County Confusion Temple (海阳县儒学宫) or Chaozhou Museum and Changli Old Arch (昌黎旧治坊).
1. Haiyang County Confusion Temple (海阳县儒学宫) was built in the Song Dynasty (1278AD) and was destroyed in a fire. It was rebuild in the Ming Dynasty (1369AD). Its architecture is heavily influenced by the east Guangdong style with intricate and colorful carvings decorate the ceiling joints. The Chaozhou Museum is located inside the temple.
2. Changli Old Arch(昌黎旧治坊) is located just opposite the gate of the Haiyang County Confusion Temple. This arch was built in Ming Dynasty. There are carvings both in front and at the back. Changli is the other name for Hangyu. This arch is built in memory of the Tang dynasty poet Hangyu.

You may choose to rest and chipping the Gongfu tea in many stores in front of the Haiyang County Confusion Temple. There is no obligation to buy. If you wish to purchase, please be sure to bargain.

Stop 3: The next stop is Huang Jilue Temple (己略黃公祠)
Huang Jilue Temple (己略黃公祠) is famous for its intricate wood and stone carvings. It was built in Qing dynasty. It is a great example of the architecture style of the East Guangdong.

Stop 4 (last stop): Back to the beginning is the Kaiyuan Temple (開元寺)
Kaiyuan Temple (開元寺) is a Buddhist center embodied with the quintessence of the architectural art of various dynasties such as the Tang, the Song, the Yuan and the Qing. This temple is over 200 years old. The temple is also home to the most influential Buddhism Study Institute in Southeast China. Inside, handsome calligraphy and inscribed steles remind visitors that this temple once functioned as the record keeper of the city.

Still want to see more? There is also another place worth visit: Xu, Imperial Son-in-law, Mansion (許駙馬府). I will leave that to you to find out the location. It will give you a bit more adventure in this trip.

Xu, Imperial Son-in-law, Mansion (許駙馬府), which retains the basic pattern of the architecture of the Song Dynasty.

Tips:
How to get there:
By Air: Chaozhou has no airport. The closest airport is located in Shantou which is only 30km to Chaozhou city. Every 10 minutes, Shantou bus station has an express bus to Chaozhou.
By train: Guangzhou has 3 trains that connect to Chaozhou
By bus: This is actually the preferred ways to go to Chaozhou. It is very easy to find buses that connect Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xiamen and many other cities.
By boat: Chaozhou is connected to Hongkong and Xiamen by boat.

Travel in the city:
Taxi: Chaozhou old town is very small. The Chaozhou railway station is close to the Kaiyuan temple. The taxis are metered.
Bus: The public bus system is well developed. However, the signs are in Chinese.
By tricycle: this human powered tricycle is another way to enjoy the city. The drivers will usually explain to you the “secret stories” of the Chaozhou. The “old city tricycle tour” costs 30RMB for 1.5 hour round trip that starts in Kaiyuan temple.
By bike: Bikes are offered for rent in many small shops.