Jizhou, My Second Hometown

At 6:30 AM, I arrived on time to pick up all my long-lost friends and load them into the car, driving south on the Jinzhujing Expressway towards Beijing-Zhuhai Highway. After entering the highway, we drove south along the Jinzhou-Guangzhou Expressway, eventually heading to our first accommodation for this 24-day trip – Jizhou Ancient City. Jizhou! Because of my parents' work, I grew up drinking Jinyang River water and eating rice from the Jinyang River shoreline, a child of the Jinyang River. It's a place I can't bear to leave. Jizhou, my second hometown! I'm coming to see you!

Jizhou Ancient City covers a total area of 4.6 square kilometers, divided into three layers: the outermost layer is a water city, the middle is a brick city, and the inner one is a soil city. The water city ( – a moat with a total length of 10500 meters, a width of 30 meters, and a depth of 4 meters, connecting to the Taihu Lake to the west and the Changhu Lake to the east, and connected to the Ancient Canal), the city walls have 6 gates: East Gate (Yingbinmen – Welcome Gate), Small East Gate (Jianmen – Public Security Gate, Water Gate), North Gate (Gongjikumen – Arch Gate), Small North Gate (Wansuanmen – Far Peace Gate), West Gate (Anlanmen – Tranquil Tide Gate), and South Gate (Nanjiemen – South Ji Gate). Except for the Small East Gate, the other five gates have two doors each, with an city. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, 3 new gates were opened, namely New East Gate, New South Gate, and New North Gate, all without an city. Originally, there were 6 gates with gate towers: Bingyang Tower, Wangjiang Tower, Jiuyang Tower, Quyang Tower, Zongchou Tower, and Jelong Tower. The Quyang Tower and Jelong Tower are the most famous.

Due to the changes in the times, the local government opened up roads for residents to enter and exit the ancient city along the original city walls.

Sunset and farewell again! When will I next see you!

Jizhou has many delicious foods, including Jizhou fish cakes, fish meatballs, Qianzhang shredded pork, crispy eel, winter gourd and turtle tendon soup, pearl glutinous rice meatballs, Jiangling eight-treasure rice, Gongzhou beef noodles, Songzhi roast chicken, Shiqou fish tendon soup, Honghu lotus root, and Honghu wild duck. Small snacks: Zhadong face, Gongzhou pot cakes, Gongzhou bean curd, rice meatballs, bean curd and glutinous rice, Huangjia Tang beef noodle, Xiao Hu duck.

Jizhou fish cakes – a childhood favorite

Lotus root

Jizhou's most famous specialty – lotus root strips

Various snacks