Shangrao Travel Guide

Chinese Name: 上饶 (shàng ráo)
Population: 6,833,000
Area: 22,791 square kilometers (8, 800 square miles)
Location: in the northeast of Jiangxi Province, east China
Administrative Division: 2 districts (Xinzhou, Guangfeng); 10 counties (Shangrao, Yushan, Qianshan, Hengfeng, Yiyang, Yugan, Poyang, Wannian, Wuyuan); 1 county-level city (Dexing)
Area Code: 0793
Zip Code: 334000
GDP (2019): CNY 251.31 billion (USD 36.427 billion)

Shangrao City is located in the northeast of Jiangxi Province close to the borders with the provinces of Zhejiang to the east and Anhui to the north, while Fujian province lies to the south. The city's immediate neighbors within Jiangxi are Jiujiang, Nanchang, Fuzhou and Yingtan. Shangrao has been known as the land of fish and rice since ancient times. Benefiting from flat and fertile lands around the Poyang Lake, Shangrao acts as an important commodity grain, cotton, oil, fish and pig base in Jiangxi. It is recommended to take 2 - 3 days to tour around the city as there are so many things to see: Sanqing Mountain which is a Taoist holy land and famous for granite peak forest in various shapes in the east; China's largest freshwater lake Poyang Lake inlaid in the west; Huanggang Mountain, the highest peak in east China in the south; Wuyuan, which is a must-see place in Shangrao and highlights vast rapeseed flower fields and well-preserved Hui-style traditional buildings.

It is a famous Taoist resort listed among key scenic and areas of historical interest by the country at the junction of Yushan County and Dexing City. The mountain contains ten scenic spots embracing natural wonders of steep cliffs, cloud seas, conifers and waterfalls. There are two main tourist routes. There are very many scenic spots along the southern route, while the rugged north route is more suitable for those who love climbing. 

It is spoken of as some of the most beautiful countryside in China boasting multitudes of old trees, caves, ancient buildings and cultural relics. Jiangling may be well worth seeing in Wuyuan. Vibrant yellow rape flowers spread into the depths of the valleys and some villages are hemmed in by rape fields. Each spring when the rape is in full bloom many visitors and numerous photographers are attracted to the area. 

Other Scenic Spots: Tortoise Peak, Yuanyang Lake (Lake of Mandarin Ducks), Gexian Mountain

Shangrao is ideally located at the convergent area of Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian and Anhui, separated from the capital city of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang by Poyang Lake. Around the city, there are five airports that can be reached from the city in one to three hours, including Wuyishan Airport, Quzhou Airport, Jingdezhen Airport, Nanchang Changbei International Airport and Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport.

Railways run through the eastern, southern and central regions of Shangrao. More than fifty trains arrive daily from Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou and Guangzhou at Shangrao Railway Station. Apart from the well-developed highway network, the area also has excellent waterway transport. Through the water systems of Le'an and Xinjiang River as well as waterways in northern Nanchang, ships can navigate Poyang Lake and northward to the Yangtze River.

Shangrao Railway Station is situated at Lingxi Town in the east of the city proper. The central bus station is at 27, Daihu Lu. The city has totally nine ports. Twenty of the entire one hundred and sixty-eight docks are passenger docks, and ships from Poyang County to Nanchang, Jingdezhen and Poyang Lake are available.

See more Shanghai - Shangrao Train, Shangrao - Guilin Train

With a humid subtropical monsoon climate, Shangrao City has ample rainfall and sunshine. Spring and autumn seasons are shorter with longer winters and summers. The weather here is moderate and its average annual temperature is about 16.7-18.2°C (62.1-64.8°F).

 When to Go: June to October is the most favorable season in which to pay a visit. 

 History: The earliest pottery artifacts discovered in China were at the Xianrendong Site, and Shangrao found to be one of the birthplaces of paddy horticulture in the world. The area belonged to Wu and Yue states during the Spring and Autumn Period (770BC-476BC). Poyang Shire was founded in this area over 1,700 years ago during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220).

 Physical Features: Hills and low to medium high mountains are the main features of the landform here. It is separated by Mt. Wuyi from Fujian Province in the south. In addition, it has Huaiyushan Mountains in the central region and offshoots of Mt. Huangshan in north boundary area with Anhui Province. There are rivers crisscrossing to the west of Shangrao with a scattering of many lakes. The soil is fertile in the famous Poyang Lake Plain.

 Special Local Products: Lianshi Paper from Qianshan County, bodiless lacquer from Boyang County, whitebait and white lotus seed from Poyang Lake, kudzuvine herbal medicines, rice cake of Yiyang County, pearls from Wannian County, Longwer Inkstone (also She Inkstone)