Zaozhuang Jujubes

Zaozhuang Jujubes

　　Zaozhuang gets its name from the abundance of jujube trees. The cultivation of jujubes here dates back thousands of years, with major varieties including Round Bell Jujube, Long Red Jujube, and Winter Jujube. Besides being eaten fresh, jujubes can also be processed into candied jujubes, jujube juice, jujube wine, and more. They are known to nourish blood, calm the nerves, strengthen the spleen and stomach, and help lower cholesterol.

　　 Overview of Zaozhuang: Zaozhuang is a beautiful, fertile, and heroic land located in the southern part of Shandong Province. It borders the Yimeng Mountains to the east, the Weishan Lake to the west, the historical city of Xuzhou—renowned for its Han Dynasty culture—to the south, and the hometowns of Confucius and Mencius, Qufu and Zoucheng, to the north. The Taierzhuang section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal runs through the southern part of the city, with a 68.5-kilometer waterway and a 35-square-kilometer basin that have a history of over 400 years. Covering a total area of 4,550 square kilometers and with a population of 3.6 million, Zaozhuang administers five urban districts—Shizhong, Xuecheng, Shanting, Yicheng, and Taierzhuang—as well as the city of Tengzhou. Zaozhuang lies on the golden tourism route of “One Mountain, One Water, Two Han Sites, and Three Confucian Landmarks.” It is a vibrant and uniquely charming emerging tourist city. It combines the boldness of a northern city with the elegance of a southern water town, earning it the title “Pearl of Southern Shandong.” The city boasts rich tourism resources, numerous scenic spots, and a wealth of cultural heritage, holding great potential for tourism development. Its new tourism brand is positioned as “Hometown of the Railway Guerrillas in a Land of Spiritual Mountains and Beautiful Waters.” Zaozhuang features beautiful mountains and rivers, and a pleasant environment. The Baodugu National Forest Park, known as “The First Fortress Under Heaven,” boasts spectacular peaks, lush forests, and a forest coverage rate of 97%, making it a desirable natural ecological oxygen bar. The Guanshi Pomegranate Garden, which holds a record in the Guinness World Records, is nestled against mountains and near water, offering an elegant and uniquely beautiful landscape that serves as an ideal destination for eco-tourism and leisure. The ancient Grand Canal, with its millennia-old charm, is grand and magnificent. The canal ancient town exudes a strong traditional vibe and has been praised by experts from the World Tourism Organization as “the only remaining Qing Dynasty canal cultural heritage along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.” Yanmahu Lake, with its picturesque combination of lake and mountain scenery, is one of the top ten reservoirs in Shandong Province and the largest in Zaozhuang. The spectacular Xiong’ershan National Geopark has been named one of the “Top Ten New Scenic Spots in Shandong in 2002.” The Tengzhou Weishan Lake Wetland, with its vast expanses of red lotus flowers and miles of reed marshes, is hailed as “the No. 1 Wetland in Northern China” and China’s “Capital of Lotus.” The Lianshan Mountain, famous for its “arid sea wonders,” is covered with dense forests and dotted with peculiar rocks. The vast fields of Long Red Jujube Orchards are fragrant with flowers and fruits and have been listed as one of the first national agricultural tourism demonstration sites. The naturally beautiful Guishan Mountain has been designated as a provincial geopark. Zaozhuang not only offers stunning natural landscapes and a long, splendid history, but also numerous historical sites. It is the hometown of Mozi, the great ancient Chinese philosopher and scientist. Historical figures such as Mao Sui, renowned for “volunteering himself,” the great scholar and Western Han Dynasty prime minister Kuang Heng, who “drilled a hole in the wall to steal light,” and the erudite literary figure Jia Sanjin of the Ming Dynasty, were all nurtured by the spiritual beauty of Zaozhuang. Historical sites include the Beixin Culture ruins dating back over 7,300 years, ancient relics from the ancient states of Teng and Xue, the tombs of Tian Wen and Tian Ying (father and son of Lord Mengchang), numerous Han Dynasty tombs, the tomb of Consort Quan, a concubine of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty, and the largest collection of Han Dynasty stone reliefs in the country. All of these embody the essence and magical charm of human culture. Zaozhuang is not only a destination for green ecological tourism but also a vibrant hub for red tourism. In modern times, it was the site of the world-shocking Battle of Taierzhuang, the heroism of the Canal Detachment, the glory of the Southern Shandong Campaign, and the legendary spirit of the Railway Guerrillas. As a result, Zaozhuang has earned the reputation as the “Hometown of the Railway Guerrillas.” Today, the Railway Guerrillas Monument and group sculptures stand proudly by the beautiful Weishan Lake. The Taierzhuang Battle Memorial Hall, nestled by the picturesque ancient canal, recreates the grand scenes of the patriotic soldiers who fought bravely during the Battle of Taierzhuang. In 2005, the Railway Guerrillas Memorial Park and the Taierzhuang Battle Memorial Site were listed among the 100 key red tourism scenic areas in the country. Zaozhuang, along with Jinggangshan, Xibaipo, and Yan’an, was designated by the National Tourism Administration as one of the 20 key red tourism cities under national focus. In recent years, Zaozhuang has continuously increased investment in line with its urban economic transformation, striving to develop tourism into a pillar industry. It has improved the tourism environment, accelerated the construction of tourism facilities and attractions, and formed several key tourism zones: - A red tourism zone centered around the Railway Guerrillas Memorial Park and the Taierzhuang Battle Memorial Site; - A water-themed tourism zone featuring the Red Lotus Wetland, the Grand Canal, canal ancient towns, and Yanmahu Lake; - A leisure and holiday tourism zone encompassing Lianshan Mountain, Baodugu, Xiong’ershan, Guishan Mountain, and Zhoucun Reservoir; - An agro-ecological tourism zone including the Guanshi Pomegranate Garden, vast Long Red Jujube Orchards, and Hongmen Grape Village; - And an ancient culture tourism zone highlighting the hometown of Mozi, the ancient city of the State of Xue, the Beixin Culture ruins, and the tombs of Mao Sui and Lord Mengchang. Within the city, a two-day tour loop has been developed, taking visitors from the Red Lotus Wetland along the Grand Canal to Taierzhuang, the Guanshi Pomegranate Garden, the Railway Guerrillas Memorial Park, then to Baodugu, Xiong’ershan, Lianshan Mountain, and finally to the ancient cultural tourism area of Tengzhou. With the fertile soil of southern Shandong as its foundation and the mighty canal as its vein, Zaozhuang’s magnificent scenery is truly beyond description.

　　 Hospitality-filled Zaozhuang invites you to taste authentic Long Red Jujubes.