The Spring and Autumn Yancheng Tourism Area is located in Wujin District, Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province, and is a national 5A-level tourist attraction. With the Yancheng ruins from the Spring and Autumn period as its core, the scenic area integrates historical and cultural displays, leisure vacations, themed amusement, and other functions. It is currently the most completely preserved and oldest ancient city-site ruins from the Spring and Autumn period in China. The tourism area covers a total area of 7.6 square kilometers, among which the core Yancheng ruins occupy about 0.6 square kilometers and consist of three concentric city walls—the outer city, inner city, and sub-city—with three encircling rivers. This three-city, three-river nested layout is unique both domestically and internationally and is hailed as the "First Ancient City of Jiangnan." The scenic area includes Yancheng Spring and Autumn Paradise, Yancheng Spring and Autumn Ruins Park, Yancheng Wildlife World, Yancheng Traditional Commercial Street, and other sections. It both preserves the historical depth of the ancient ruins and reproduces the cultural style of the Spring and Autumn period through modern methods, forming a unique "one city, one park, one world" layout.
Historical Culture
The Yancheng ruins have a history of more than 2,700 years. Their construction date can be traced back to the late Spring and Autumn period, and legend says they were built by Prince Jizha of the State of Wu. As a city-site ruin from the Western Zhou to Spring and Autumn periods, it is the only ancient city discovered in China with a three-city, three-river layout. The outer city is oval, while the inner city and sub-city are square. Each of the three city walls is surrounded by a moat. This architectural layout is extremely rare in the history of world urban architecture and is of great value for studying ancient Chinese urban planning and military defense systems.
Since 1958, a large number of precious cultural relics have been unearthed at the Yancheng ruins, including dugout canoes, bronze ware, pottery, and jade artifacts. Among them, a dugout canoe dating back more than 2,800 years is one of the oldest and most complete dugout canoes discovered in China and is now housed in the Yancheng Ruins Museum. In 1988, the Yancheng ruins were listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level. In 2010, the Spring and Autumn Yancheng Tourism Area, with the Yancheng ruins as its core, was officially completed and opened, allowing Spring and Autumn culture to be passed on in a living form through ruins protection, cultural performances, themed amusement, and other means.
Main Attractions
Yancheng Spring and Autumn Ruins Park
Yancheng Spring and Autumn Ruins Park is the core area of the tourism area and fully preserves the appearance of the ancient city ruins from the Spring and Autumn period. The outer city has a circumference of about 2,500 meters, the inner city about 1,500 meters, and the sub-city about 500 meters. The three moats have a total area of 300,000 square meters and still maintain clear water quality today. Visitors can stroll along the city wall walkways, overlook the unique three-city, three-river layout, or take a boat tour on the moat to experience the ancient charm of the "water city." The park also includes the Yancheng Ruins Museum, which displays unearthed artifacts such as dugout canoes, bronze swords, and primitive celadon, and systematically introduces the historical evolution and cultural value of Yancheng.
Yancheng Spring and Autumn Paradise
Yancheng Spring and Autumn Paradise is a large amusement park themed around Spring and Autumn culture. It covers about 400,000 square meters and is divided into six major areas, including the Garden of Various Schools of Thought, Market Street, Spring and Autumn Royal Palace, and Yancheng Ruins. The park has more than 30 amusement facilities, such as "Sun Wu's Point-General Platform," "Wu Zixu Crosses Zhaoguan," and "Nine Dragons Ask the Tripod." Among them, the "Roller Coaster: Extreme Speed Flying Car" has a track length of 980 meters and a top speed of 100 kilometers per hour. It is designed around the theme of Spring and Autumn warfare and is full of thrills. In addition, the park presents a large-scale live-action performance, "The Legend of Yancheng," which uses lighting, sound effects, and live special effects to recreate scenes of war and ritual from the Spring and Autumn period and attracts a large number of visitors every day.
Yancheng Wildlife World
Yancheng Wildlife World covers about 2,000 mu and is one of the larger wildlife parks in East China. It houses nearly ten thousand animals of more than 300 species, including white tigers, golden snub-nosed monkeys, and giraffes. The park is divided into a walking area and a self-driving area. The self-driving area is about 10 kilometers long, and visitors can drive through simulated habitats such as the African savanna and Asian forest to observe animals up close. The park also includes an animal kindergarten, a beast performance area, and other sections. The "white tiger diving" performance is especially wonderful, showcasing the white tiger's agility and making it suitable for family visitors.
Yancheng Traditional Commercial Street
Yancheng Traditional Commercial Street is adjacent to Spring and Autumn Paradise and has a total building area of about 30,000 square meters. Its architectural style imitates the market streets of the Spring and Autumn period. The street gathers intangible cultural heritage handicraft shops such as Changzhou combs and bamboo carvings, as well as various specialty restaurants and teahouses. Visitors can buy souvenirs here or taste Changzhou snacks such as large sesame cakes and silver-thread noodles. At night, the commercial street lights up with antique-style lighting, creating an atmosphere of "returning to the Spring and Autumn period in a dream," making it a good place for leisure and shopping.
Food
Changzhou Large Sesame Cake
Changzhou large sesame cake is a traditional famous pastry of Changzhou, Jiangsu, and can be tasted at many restaurants in Yancheng Traditional Commercial Street. It is round in shape and comes in sweet and savory flavors. The sweet filling is mainly white sugar and sesame, while the savory filling uses fresh meat and chopped scallions. After being baked over charcoal, the outer skin is crisp and the inside is soft, with a rich aroma. The large sesame cakes in the scenic area are made using traditional techniques, have a diameter of about 10 centimeters, and cost 6 yuan each. They are a favorite specialty snack among visitors.
Silver-Thread Noodles
Silver-thread noodles are a classic noodle dish of Changzhou, named for their noodles being as fine as silver threads. They are sold at "Changzhou Old Noodle Shop" on Yancheng Commercial Street. The noodles are made from high-quality flour and served with chicken broth or bone broth, supplemented with toppings such as shrimp and eel shreds. They have a smooth, chewy texture and delicious soup. In the scenic area, silver-thread noodles are available in large and small bowls. A large bowl costs 18 yuan and a small bowl 12 yuan, suitable as a main meal.
Tianmu Lake Clay Pot Fish Head
Tianmu Lake clay pot fish head is a famous specialty dish of Changzhou and can be tasted at restaurants such as "Spring and Autumn Restaurant" around the Yancheng Tourism Area. The dish uses bighead carp specially produced in Tianmu Lake, takes the fish head portion, and is slow-cooked in a clay pot with tofu, bamboo shoots, and other ingredients. The soup is milky white, the meat is tender, and it is rich in collagen. Clay pot fish head at restaurants around the scenic area is priced according to the size of the fish head, about 80-120 yuan per portion, suitable for sharing among several people.
Surrounding Food
Hutang Town, 3 kilometers from the Yancheng Tourism Area, has many specialty restaurants. Among them, "Zhaiqiao Old Goose" at "Wujin Old Restaurant" is quite famous. This dish uses locally free-range old geese, braised with soy sauce, rock sugar, and other seasonings. The meat is firm and the sauce aroma is rich, with an average consumption of about 60 yuan per person. In addition, "Huangli Beef" in Hutang Town is also a must-try food. It mainly features braised beef, has a tender taste, and can be taken away as a souvenir.
Tickets：
A separate ticket system is implemented for each attraction, with tickets starting at 138 yuan.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "Changzhou Spring and Autumn Yancheng Tourism Area" to get the latest updates or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours：
Opening hours vary by attraction:
Yancheng Spring and Autumn Ruins Park: 8:30-17:00 (last entry at 16:30);
Yancheng Spring and Autumn Paradise: 9:00-17:30 (extended to 21:00 in summer, subject to official announcements);
Yancheng Wildlife World: 9:00-17:00 (last entry at 16:00);
Yancheng Traditional Commercial Street: 10:00-22:00.
Opening hours may be adjusted during holidays. It is recommended to check official notices from the scenic area before traveling.
Tour Route：
Recommended one-day comprehensive route (balancing history and amusement): Arrive at Yancheng Spring and Autumn Ruins Park at 8:30 a.m., visit the Ruins Museum, take a boat tour on the moat, and learn about the history of Yancheng. At about 10:30, go to Yancheng Spring and Autumn Paradise and experience amusement projects such as "Sun Wu's Point-General Platform" and "Extreme Speed Flying Car." Have lunch at "Spring and Autumn Restaurant" in the park at 12:00.
In the afternoon, watch the 14:00 performance of "The Legend of Yancheng" at 13:30; at 15:00, go to Yancheng Traditional Commercial Street to buy intangible cultural heritage souvenirs; end the itinerary at 16:30, or depending on time, go to Yancheng Wildlife World (if choosing a combo ticket).
This route involves about 6 kilometers of walking in total and allows you to fully experience the combination of Spring and Autumn culture and modern amusement. It is suitable for young and middle-aged visitors and families.
Transportation：
Bus: From downtown Changzhou, take buses 61, 68, or 307 to "Yancheng Bus Center Station" and walk about 10 minutes to the main entrance of the scenic area; take Metro Line 1 to "Yanzheng Avenue Station," then transfer to bus 75 to "Yancheng Spring and Autumn Paradise Station." The whole journey takes about 1 hour.
Self-driving: Starting from Changzhou Railway Station, drive south along Wuyi Middle Road for about 10 kilometers to reach the scenic area parking lot. The drive takes about 25 minutes; the scenic area parking lot charges 5 yuan per hour, with a daily cap of 20 yuan.
Tourist line: Changzhou Bus Station operates a tourist line to the Yancheng Tourism Area, departing daily from 8:00 to 17:00 at 30-minute intervals. The fare is 5 yuan per person.
Must-Visit Attractions：
Yancheng Spring and Autumn Ruins Park: Unique three-city, three-river layout, 2,700-year-old ruins, rich unearthed artifacts, and the core area for understanding Spring and Autumn culture.
Yancheng Spring and Autumn Paradise "Extreme Speed Flying Car": 980-meter track, top speed of 100 kilometers per hour, themed roller coaster experience, highly thrilling.
Yancheng Wildlife World Self-Driving Area: 10 kilometers long, allowing close viewing of white tigers, giraffes, and other wild animals, suitable for family interaction.
Live-action performance "The Legend of Yancheng": Combining lighting effects and historical plot, performed daily at 14:00, showing war and rituals of the Spring and Autumn period.
Travel Tips：
Suggested travel time is 1-2 days. For an in-depth experience, you can choose to stay at a hotel near the scenic area and visit the commercial street at night.
Spring and Autumn Paradise and Wildlife World are relatively large. It is recommended to wear comfortable sports shoes and bring a sun hat and drinking water (prices inside the scenic area are relatively high).
The self-driving area of Wildlife World can be entered by self-driving, or you can take the scenic area sightseeing bus (50 yuan per person). Self-driving is more flexible.
In summer, it is recommended to avoid the high-temperature period at noon. The night session of Spring and Autumn Paradise has fewer crowds, and some projects require no queuing.
Visitors with children can give priority to Wildlife World and the children's amusement area of Spring and Autumn Paradise, and arrange rest time reasonably.
Notes：
Climbing the city walls and littering are prohibited in Yancheng Ruins Park, and cultural relic protection regulations must be observed.
Getting out of the vehicle to feed animals is prohibited in Wildlife World. When self-driving, keep the windows closed and follow staff instructions.
Some amusement facilities in Spring and Autumn Paradise have height restrictions (for example, "Extreme Speed Flying Car" requires a height of at least 1.4 meters). Check the notice boards before riding.
Dining prices inside the scenic area are relatively high. You may bring dry food (not in glass packaging) and eat in designated areas.
There are many visitors during holidays. It is recommended to travel during off-peak times and plan your route reasonably.