Bozhou

Bozhou combines traditional Chinese medicine culture with Three Kingdoms history. As the hometown of Cao Cao and Hua Tuo, it offers a strong sense of history alongside everyday local life. The following itinerary is a good way to get to know the city in two days.

• Huaxilou (Flower Theater): One of Bozhou’s landmark historic buildings, known for its “three wonders”: brick carvings, wood carvings and iron flagpoles. The Shanxi–Shaanxi Guild Hall preserves exquisite architectural details that reward a leisurely visit.

• Cao Cao’s Underground Troop Passage: Built during the Eastern Han dynasty, these military tunnels are known as the “Underground Great Wall.” Small recesses known as “cat-ear caves” and traps offer a tangible look at defensive facilities associated with the Three Kingdoms period.

• Nanjing Lane Money House: A well-preserved Qing dynasty banking house with an underground vault and displays of historical banknotes, offering insight into the financial activities of Huizhou merchants.

• Huazu Temple: Dedicated to Hua Tuo, this temple has a traditional medicinal herb garden and a museum of Chinese medicine. Activities include Five Animal Exercises and identifying medicinal herbs by scent.

• Bozhou Museum: Admission is free, but advance reservations are required. Collections include a jade burial suit threaded with silver wire and inscribed Eastern Han bricks, providing a broad introduction to Bozhou’s 3,000-year history.

• Beiguan Historic District: This historic district with Ming- and Qing-style streets is free to enter. Red lanterns complement the stone-paved lanes, making it a pleasant place for an evening stroll, with plenty of local snacks along the way.

Two-Day, One-Night Highlights Itinerary

• Day 1: Three Kingdoms Sites and Old Street Life
  • Morning: Start with beef-stuffed flatbread and sa soup, then visit Cao Cao’s Underground Troop Passage. Temperatures inside are fairly stable, but lighting is dim and some sections require you to bend down. Wear flat shoes with good grip.

• Lunch: Eat around Beiguan Historic District, choosing dry-tossed noodles or three-delicacy noodles.
  • Afternoon: Explore Huaxilou and Nanjing Lane Money House on foot. Both have richly detailed architectural decoration; hiring a guide can help you understand the brick carvings, wood carvings and other features.

• Evening: Return to Beiguan Historic District to see the streets lit up, or take the Guohe Night Painting boat ride to view the riverside lights.

• Day 2: Traditional Medicine and Local History
  • Morning: Visit Huazu Temple, learn about medicinal plants in the traditional herb garden, and try a Chinese medicine pulse reading or make an herbal sachet to learn more about traditional Chinese medicine.

• Lunch: Try medicinal dishes such as Hua Tuo braised duck or peony-flower chicken for a taste of the local tradition of using food as medicine.
  • Afternoon: Visit Bozhou Museum to see the jade burial suit threaded with silver wire and artifacts excavated from the Cao clan tombs, adding context to the city’s history. If time allows, browse Kangmei Chinese Medicine Market and pick up herbal teas and wellness spices as gifts.

Local Foods to Try in Bozhou

• Bozhou Beef-Stuffed Flatbread: A popular breakfast choice with a crisp crust and a filling of minced beef and glass noodles. Portions are large, with a rich, oily flavor.

• Sa Soup: A broth made by simmering mature hen and pork bones, with raw egg stirred in to form ribbons, then topped with pepper and cilantro. It is often served with beef-stuffed flatbread.

• Guoyang Dry-Tossed Noodles: Chewy, hand-cut noodles mixed with garlic sauce, chili oil and bean sprouts for a tangy, spicy, savory flavor. They usually come with a bowl of sour soup with egg.

• Wawayu: Small, tadpole-shaped jelly pieces made from sweet potato starch, served cold in a cup and eaten through a straw. Vinegar, garlic water and chopped pickled mustard stem give them a refreshing, tangy and spicy flavor.

• Bozhou Mahu: Soy milk cooked into a thick porridge, then mixed with soybeans and chopped pickled vegetables. Thick, crunchy and salty, it makes a warming meal.

Transport and Accommodation

• Transport: High-speed trains run directly to Bozhou South Station. A taxi from the station to the old town takes about 15–20 minutes. The city’s attractions are clustered together, most within 2 kilometers of one another, so you can walk or use shared electric bikes.
• Accommodation: Consider staying near Beiguan Historic District or Huaxilou for convenient access to attractions. Budget guesthouses and chain hotels in the old town cost roughly RMB 120–250 per night.

Practical Tips

• Tickets: A combined ticket for Huaxilou and Nanjing Lane Money House costs around RMB 70. Students, seniors over 65 and children under 1.2 meters tall can usually get free or half-price admission.
• Eat breakfast early: Many shops serve beef-stuffed flatbread and youcha, a savory flour-based soup, only during the morning breakfast hours, usually finishing around 10:30 a.m. Arrive early.
• Check closing days: Bozhou Museum is closed on Mondays. Reserve your visit in advance through its official WeChat account.
• Tunnel visits: Some sections of Cao Cao’s Underground Troop Passage have low ceilings and dim lighting. People with claustrophobia, as well as older adults and children with limited mobility, should consider carefully whether to visit. Wear shoes with good grip.
• Shopping at the medicine market: Kangmei Chinese Medicine Market is a good place to experience the market atmosphere. If you lack experience identifying medicinal ingredients, avoid expensive herbs and choose herbal teas or spices as gifts instead.