Zhou Enlai's Hometown Scenic Area

Zhou Enlai's Hometown Scenic Area

Zhou Enlai's Hometown Scenic Area is a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction and a cultural tourism destination.

Zhou Enlai's Hometown Scenic Area is located in Huai'an City, Jiangsu Province, a nationally renowned historical and cultural city, and is a national 5A-level tourist attraction.

Zhou Enlai's Hometown Scenic Area includes the Zhou Enlai Memorial Hall, Zhou Enlai's Former Residence, Fuma Lane, and Hexia Ancient Town, covering a total area of 3.15 square kilometers. The region features six major categories of tourism resources—including water scenery, biological landscapes, and historical ruins—along with 18 subcategories and 83 basic types, totaling over 100 individual sites. In addition to its rich tourism resources, Zhou Enlai's hometown also boasts profound historical and cultural significance.

The Zhou Enlai Memorial Hall is located at Taohua Yin within the Jia City outside the north gate of the ancient city of Huai'an. The memorial complex consists of the main memorial island, a vast water surface, and surrounding green spaces, covering a total area of 400,000 square meters, 70% of which is water. The total construction area is 21,166 square meters, with an exhibition area of 7,880 square meters. The island houses the main hall and the exhibition hall, where the latter displays a rich collection of artifacts that hold significant historical value.

Zhou Enlai's Former Residence consists of two connected courtyards, one to the east and one to the west, covering an area of 1,987.4 square meters. It includes 32 rooms of various sizes, all built with blue bricks, gray tiles, and wooden structures.

Fuma Lane is an ancient alley located about 300 meters northwest of Zhenhuai Tower in the ancient city of Huai'an. During the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Hui (Zhu Yunwen) built a mansion here for his son-in-law. Many renowned historical figures from Huai'an once lived on this lane.

Hexia Ancient Town has a history of over 2,500 years and was the birthplace of historical figures such as the heroine Lady Liang Hongyu and the great literary master Wu Cheng'en. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the town produced 67 jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations), earning it the title "Home of Jinshi" and showcasing its deep cultural roots. Hexia was also an important commercial hub in Huai'an's history.

Huai'an is the birthplace of Zhou Enlai, a great founding premier of China, as well as one of the origins of Huaiyang Cuisine, one of China’s four major culinary traditions and the cuisine served at the founding national banquet. Wu Cheng'en, the author of Journey to the West, was also born in Huai'an. The millennia-old ancient town of Hexia boasts a long cultural history; during the Ming and Qing dynasties, it produced 67 jinshi, 123 juren (successful candidates in the provincial imperial examinations), and 12 Hanlin scholars, earning it the title "Home of Jinshi" and highlighting its profound cultural heritage.

The personal charisma of Zhou Enlai, along with his dedication to the nation and efforts for world peace, have added a sense of greatness and distinct urban charm to both Huai'an and Zhou Enlai's Hometown Scenic Area. As an outstanding red tourism cultural site, the Zhou Enlai Memorial Hall has introduced generations of visitors to the life of Zhou Enlai and the revolutionary history of the Communist Party of China.

Zhou Enlai's Hometown Scenic Area was awarded the title of National Advanced Cultural Collective by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Personnel in 1995; it was named a National Advanced Patriotic Education Base by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage in 1996; it received the title of National Advanced Cultural and Museum System Collective from the Ministry of Personnel and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage in 1997; it was designated as a National Patriotic Education Demonstration Base by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee in 1998; it was named a Jiangsu Provincial Civilized Unit in 1999; and it was recognized as a Jiangsu Provincial Civilized Scenic Tourism Area Model Site in 2000. In 2008, it was honored as a "Jiangsu Provincial Civilized Scenic Tourism Area," ranked fifth among the "60 Top Red Tourism Attractions in New China" by the China Communist Party News Network in 2009, recognized as a "National Advanced Collective in Red Tourism" in 2011, named one of the "Five-Star Most Beautiful Places in Jiangsu" in 2011, selected as one of the "100 Must-Visit Places in the Yangtze River Delta" in 2012, and officially approved as a national 5A-level tourist attraction in October 2015.

Further Reading:

· The 29th Batch of National 5A-Level Tourist Attractions (October 2015)