IN Guangdong Province, fall is not just about maple leaves. Nanxiong, a small city in the northeast of the province, also offers stunning fall scenes with its beautiful gingko leaves, traditional culture and delicious delicacies.

    Stunning gingko

    leaves and red earth

    The leaves of gingko trees turn chartreuse to golden yellow during the middle of November and early December. Covering nearly 67 square kilometers, Nanxiong is the lowest altitude natural gingko area in China.

    The trees are mainly spread throughout Pingtian, Youshan, Maozifeng, Zhutian and 18 other towns. As the “Hometown of Gingko Trees,” Nanxiong has more than 5,000 gingko trees. Among them, more than 1,000 trees are over 100 years old, and the oldest one is more than 1,600 years old.

    When autumn comes, the leaves gradually change to yellow. The fallen leaves make the area a golden sea. This may be why Nanxiong is a hot spot for photographers in fall and winter.

    Recommended spots to see gingko leaves are Pingtian Town and Maozifeng forest.

    Nanxiong is also well-known for its red earth, which covers an area of 1,800 square kilometers. It is also a popular choice for passionate photographers. Cangshizhai Scenic Spot is the best place to appreciate the stunning scene.

    Historic ancient town

    Nanxiong is a famous historic ancient town in the province.

    The city’s history can be dated back to the period of the Three Kingdoms (220-280). As it’s located near Jiangxi and Hunan provinces, it has been an important transportation hub connecting Guangdong and Central China since ancient times.

    There are many historic sites in the city. Among them are Sanying Tower, Zhuji Ancient Alley, Meiguan Ancient Road, Liankaijing Temple and Daxiong Temple.

    Sanying Tower, located in downtown Nanxiong, is a well-known tower originally built in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The tower is now a symbol of the city.

    Zhuji Ancient Alley is an ideal place to trace back the history of Guangdong Province. Located in the north of the city, the 1,500-meter-long alley is the origin of more than 100 family names in the province. It has many family temples that have preserved the families’ history and culture. As the most important commercial street in the transportation hub, it is also an ideal place to experience ancient business operations in the province.

    Nanxiong Dinosaur Protection Area is also worth visiting.

    Delicious local delicacies

    Nanxiong is also a city of delicacies. Although its cuisine originated with the Hakka people, it is a lot more spicy than typical Hakka dishes.

    According to the city’s government, the top 10 must-try Nanxiong dishes are pork stuffed Hakka tofu, duck stew, goose stew, steamed pork with dried vegetables, chicken stew with escargot, steamed beef balls, fish cake, escargot and duck stew with soured bamboo shoots, duck neck stew and pig foot in soy sauce.

    Nanxiong also has many famous snacks, such as dried beef, rice cakes, hot sauce, shredded taro cake, fried tomato and sweet corn cake and escargot.

    Another must-buy local product is gingko nut. Due to its large production volume, gingko nuts in Nanxiong are much cheaper than those sold in Shenzhen. It is also a very popular and nutritious ingredient in Chinese cuisine. Recommended dishes include fried shrimp with gingko nut, fried pumpkin with gingko nut and chicken stew with gingko nut.

    Transport: Take a coach to Shaoguan from any Shenzhen coach station and then take a bus to Nanxiong.(Wang Yuanyuan)