Jinhua
Black-and-white pig hams cure through winter frost and summer heat, while ancient twin rivers unite before the battlements of Bayong Tower.
Spreading across the heart of the central Zhejiang basin, Jinhua sits where the Jinhua and Wuyi rivers converge into the Lan River beneath old Wuzhou's stone city walls. This river city is the home of world-renowned Jinhua ham. Sourced from the local Liangtouwu pig breed, hind legs are salted during midwinter frost, air-dried in spring breezes, and cured through intense summer heat to allow natural microflora to convert fat into rich savory notes. From the heights of Bayong Tower, praised in verse by Song poet Li Qingzhao, the city unfurls its heritage timber temples, while street-side clay ovens crisp flaky dried-vegetable pastries.
What to see
Bayong Tower in Old Wuzhou commands panoramic views where twin rivers converge; the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Prince Palace preserves extensive historic frescoes and grand timber halls; Shuanglong Cave offers a unique water-filled karst cavern entered by lying flat in wooden skiffs; Zhuge Bagua Village retains an intact geomantic radial street grid; Tianning Temple preserves Yuan-dynasty timber framing.
What to eat
Jinhua cured ham slices thin to reveal crimson lean and translucent fat, lending umami to soups and steamed dishes; Jinhua flaky biscuits stick inside charcoal clay ovens packed with preserved mustard greens and minced pork fat until shattering and crisp; ham and duck casserole simmers heritage duck with cured ham shank into golden broth; Lanxi beef noodles top handmade wheat strands with wok-fried beef strips and pickled mustard greens.
Getting here & around
Jinhua and Jinhua South railway stations link directly to Hangzhou, Shanghai, Nanchang, and Guangzhou via high-speed rail, reaching Hangzhou in forty minutes. The Jinhua-Yiwu-Dongyang intercity rail connects to Yiwu. Dedicated shuttle buses serve Shuanglong Cave, while regional buses reach Zhuge Bagua Village from West Bus Station.
Choose a neighbourhood
Each area offers a different side of the city. Pick one to explore at your own pace.
Old Wuzhou Core, Bayong Tower & Prince Palace
The thousand-year administrative core where twin rivers meet, home to Bayong Tower, Jiufang Alley, and Taiping wall paintings.
Climbing Bayong Tower to reflect on Li Qingzhao's famous verses and walking cobblestone lanes for clay-oven biscuits.
Zhuge Bagua Village & Ancient Radial Canals
The largest ancestral settlement of Zhuge Liang's descendants, centered on a yin-yang pond radiating eight narrow alleys.
Contemplating the circular pond reflections and tracing Ming timber pillars inside Dagong Ancestral Hall.
Heritage Ham Curing Houses & Food Streets
The center of national intangible heritage ham curing, showcasing traditional winter salting cellars and sun-drying racks.
Visiting multi-story timber aging rooms to observe bamboo skewer aroma testing and selecting traditional Liangtouwu hams.
Winter Salt Curing and Summer-Heat Fermented Hams
The soul of Jinhua ham is rooted in the distinct seasonal swings of the inland basin. Local Liangtouwu pigs, marked by black heads and rumps with white bellies, produce compact hind legs with thin skin and fine bone. When midwinter frost arrives, curing begins. Master butchers rub coarse sea salt into fresh legs, applying rhythmic hand pressure over several salting cycles across two months until salt penetrates the bone marrow. Come spring breezes, the legs hang along open wooden corridors to air-dry. During the sweltering dog days of summer, natural enzymes and microflora convert pork fat into savory umami compounds. Sliced thin after three years of aging, the meat gleams ruby-red like polished agate.
Old Wuzhou Paved Lanes and Bayong Tower Brackets
Walking the flagstone alleys of historic Wuzhou, stone thresholds carry the smooth polish of centuries. Perched on the highest stone ramparts stands Bayong Tower, originally erected by Southern Qi poet Shen Yue. Centuries later, poet Li Qingzhao climbed these same stairs to pen famous verses celebrating the city's command over southern waterways. Rising on two tiers with sweeping hip-and-gable roofs, its timber frame relies on elegant bracket cantilevers. Gazing south from the balustrade, the Dongyang and Wuyi rivers glide like jade ribbons before merging. In Jiufang Alley below, ancient brick courtyards preserve the quiet dignity of this central Zhejiang river hub.
Ham and Duck Casserole alongside Crisp Flaky Pastries
Strolling through Jinhua, the senses are engaged by aromas of caramelizing maltose and rich broth. At street corners, pastry chefs roll paper-thin pastry dough layered with lard around a filling of finely minced preserved mustard greens and pork fat. Glazed with malt sugar syrup and sprinkled with white sesame, the dough discs are slapped by hand against the red-hot interior walls of a charcoal clay drum. Within minutes, the lard melts into the greens, crisping the exterior into dozens of shattering golden layers. In home kitchens, heritage duck simmers inside heavy earthenware casseroles alongside thick slabs of aged ham and yellow wine, yielding a golden broth brimming with profound depth.