Stand on Liuzi Street in Lingling District and the old memorial temple at number 86 anchors a quiet lane of low buildings and river light. This is the part of Yongzhou where the city's long history is easiest to read on foot, and it is where most of the urban sightseeing is concentrated. Lingling District sits 20 km south of the city's central business district.
Yongzhou suits travellers who are already in Hunan and want a slower stop between the better-known cities, and those willing to travel out to the rural counties for the region's major attractions. The urban area itself does not have a great deal to offer, so plan your time around Lingling District and the counties.
This guide covers the sights in Lingling District, the one county temple worth the trip, the park in the city centre, and the county areas where the Nüshu script and the old villages are found. Practical details such as opening hours and admission are given where they are known.
1. Liuzi Temple
Liuzi Temple is an old memorial temple dedicated to Liu Zongyuan, a famous writer who lived during the Tang Dynasty. It sits at 86 Liuzi Street in Lingling District, and it is the strongest single sight in the city's urban area.
It is open 08:00-18:00 with no entry after 17:00, admission is ¥25, and bus nos. 13 and 31 will get you there. Since Lingling District is 20 km south of the CBD, pair it with the other Lingling District sights in the same trip rather than making the journey twice.
2. Yongzhou Museum
Yongzhou Museum is the city's main museum, at 120 Nanjin Road South in Lingling District. It is the natural companion to Liuzi Temple and a good way to give context to what you have seen in the district.
It is open 08:00-12:00 and 14:30-17:30, closed on Mondays, and entry is free. Bus nos. 1, 3, 21, 33 and BRT302 serve it. Note the midday closure when you plan your morning or afternoon.
3. Ningyuan Temple of Culture
The Ningyuan Temple of Culture is a Yongzhou cultural heritage site with elegant and unique architecture, and it is a recommended place for visitors to explore traditional Chinese culture. You can feel the historical heritage of the Temple of Literature here.
It is at No. 78 Wenmiao Street in Ningyuan County, open 8:00-17:30, with admission of ¥23. It is out in the counties rather than in the city, so treat it as a separate day rather than something to squeeze in alongside Lingling District.
4. Jiangyong County and the Nüshu script villages
Jiangyong County holds old villages dotted throughout, which housed women who once developed a unique literary tradition with the Nüshu script, a phonetic script based on Chinese logograms only understood by them. Most of Yongzhou's major attractions, including the Nüshu script, are located in the rural counties, and this is the one to prioritise.
Because the villages are spread across the county, allow a full day and expect to move between them rather than seeing everything in one spot.
5. Jianghua Yao Autonomous County
It is a county-scale destination rather than a single sight, so go with time to spare.
Combine it with the wider county circuit only if you have several days, since the counties are the part of Yongzhou that takes the most planning.
6. Xiaoxiang Park
Xiaoxiang Park is a comprehensive park in the centre of the city, in Lengshuitan District on City Hedong Meiban Street. You can experience local food and a variety of amusement rides, and locals often have picnics and walks here.
It is open 24 hours and entry is free, which makes it the easy option when you are back in the city centre and want somewhere to walk in the evening.
7. Walk along the Xiang river
Walking along the Xiang river is one of the simple things to do in Yongzhou. The city sits on the southern bank of the Xiang River, which is formed by the confluence of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers.
This pairs naturally with time in the city centre, and it costs nothing. Autumn is the driest season if you want the most reliable conditions for a walk.
If you only have one day
Morning: Take bus nos. 13 or 31 south to Lingling District and start at Liuzi Temple on Liuzi Street, arriving well before the 17:00 last entry so you are not rushed. Continue to Yongzhou Museum on Nanjin Road South, keeping in mind that it closes over the middle of the day and is shut on Mondays.
Afternoon: Return to the city centre and spend the afternoon in Xiaoxiang Park in Lengshuitan District, where you can eat and walk among the locals.
Evening: Finish with a walk along the Xiang river, which needs no ticket and no schedule.
Where are Yongzhou's main attractions?
The city's urban area does not have much to offer, and the sights that are there sit in Lingling District, about 20 km south of the CBD. Most of Yongzhou's major attractions, including the Nüshu script, are in the rural counties.
When is the best time of year to visit?
Spring is very rainy, especially in May, which is the wettest month, and from January to May more than half of the days in each month usually see some precipitation. Summer is very hot and humid, while autumn is the driest season.
Do I need to pay to visit the main sights?
Some are free and some are not. Yongzhou Museum and Xiaoxiang Park have no admission charge, while Liuzi Temple is ¥25 and the Ningyuan Temple of Culture is ¥23.
How do I get around the city's sights?
Local buses serve the main ones: nos. 13 and 31 for Liuzi Temple, and nos. 1, 3, 21, 33 and BRT302 for Yongzhou Museum. Yongzhou also has a railway station, a Lingling railway station and an east railway station, plus an airport at Lanjiaoshan Town.
Decide how many days you can give to the counties, check the museum's Monday closure against your dates, and start planning your route south to Lingling District.