Stand on Ziyin Road in the old town and the grey-tiled merchant houses around you are a reconstruction of the prosperous Zunyi of the 1930s, built on the streets where the Politburo met in January 1935. A short walk away, incense smoke drifts from a market street below Xiangshan Temple, and beyond the rooftops Fenghuang Mountain rises out of the middle of the city.
Zunyi suits travellers following the Long March through Guizhou, and anyone using the city as a base for the mountains, caves and Danxia landscapes of the surrounding countryside. It also rewards slower visitors: the old town is compact and walkable, the food is cheap and distinctive, and the parks give you a genuine break from the traffic.
This guide covers the revolutionary sites, temples, museums and parks in and around the city, plus the day trips that are realistic from Zunyi. Practical details such as opening hours and ticket prices come from the listings below; check them again before you travel, as they change.
Top things to do in Zunyi
1. Site of the Zunyi Conference
This former merchant's home at 96 Ziyin Road is where the Politburo met in January 1935, and where Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping were among the leaders present. The tense arguments between supporters of the Soviet line and the Maoist line ended with the decision to continue the Long March and encourage rural revolt. It is the single most important historical site in the city and the natural starting point for the old town.
The site is free and open 08:30-17:00, with no entry after 16:30. Buses 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 18 and 26 stop nearby. Because it sits at the heart of the old town, combine it with a walk through the surrounding streets rather than treating it as a separate trip.
2. Zunyi Conference Museum
Across the garden from the conference site, this museum holds exhibits on the Zunyi Conference, the Long March and the Chinese Civil War in Guizhou. The displays are entirely in Chinese, but the photographs and statues carry the story even without the text, and English-speaking guides may be available.
Opening hours are 08:30-17:00, with evening opening to 21:00 generally available from April 1 to November 30. Entry is free. Visit it directly after the conference site, since the two share the same address and garden.
3. Old Town
Several blocks of restored Zunyi buildings surround the conference site, largely rebuilt from the ground up in the early 1980s in a style suggesting the mercantile Zunyi of the 1930s. This is where you will find the best shopping and eating in town.
Between Yangliu Jie, next to the old Catholic Church, and Shilong Lu lies Red Army Street, a complex of traditional-style architecture built in 2006 on the site of the old Zunyi Park zoo. Come here in the evening when the streets are at their liveliest.
4. Fenghuang Mountain National Forest Park
Zunyi is shaped roughly like a doughnut with Fenghuang Mountain at its centre. The park holds Fenghuang Square, a cultural event venue and evening gathering place, along with tea gardens, hiking trails, temples and the tomb of the Red Army Martyrs.
The flat area along Fenghuang Lu and the tomb can be crowded, but the rest of the park is a quiet haven with excellent views over the city. General admission is free and the park is open all day. Buses 1, 3, 9, 26 and 33 serve it.
5. Xiangshan Temple
Dating from the 1920s, this is the largest temple in Zunyi and remains an active place of worship. The road leading up to it is a crowded market street full of food and fruit vendors, fortune tellers and incense sellers, which is as much of the experience as the temple itself.
It is at 103 Zhongshan Road, open 08:00-17:30, with an entry fee of ¥2. Numerous buses stop nearby, including 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 19B, 21, 22, 26, 27, 29, 33 and 303.
6. Hailongtun Fortress
Hailongtun is a ruined medieval castle south of Zunyi, built on top of a mountain. It has spectacular views and is one of the few surviving examples of medieval military defences in China. The climb and the ruins make it one of the most rewarding half-days out of the city.
Take Tourist Bus 2 from the Zunyi City Museum and get off at the last stop. From April to October it is open 08:30-18:00 with no entry after 16:30; from November to March, 09:00-17:00 with no entry after 16:00. Admission is ¥80.
7. Loushan Pass Battlefield
High in the Da Lou Shan range, Loushan Pass was the site of the Red Army's first major victory over pursuing KMT forces during the Chishui River campaign. Mao Zedong wrote a poem about the battle that generations of Chinese schoolchildren have learned. It works as a day trip or an overnight visit from Zunyi.
The site is in Banqiao Town, Huichuan District, reached by bus from Maocaopu Bus Station. It is open 09:00-17:00 with no entry after 16:00, and general admission is free.
8. Jinding Mountain
About twenty minutes northwest of Zunyi, Jinding Mountain is a pilgrimage site popular with Zunyi residents. The scenery is lovely and the temples are interesting, though some are a little run-down; donations from the faithful have restored others. Many visitors spend the night in the village below the summit so they can catch the sunrise.
Take bus no. 31 from the Gaoqiao bus stop on Tianjin Road, near Gaoqiao Bus Station, and get off at the last stop, or recruit a minivan at the bus station. The site is open 07:00-19:00 and admission is ¥10. Basic dorm-style rooms are available year-round and tents in summer for ¥10-15 per person.
9. Chishui Danxia
Part of the China Danxia World Heritage Site, this landscape of red sandstone formations lies in Chishui City, roughly 200 km west of downtown Zunyi. It is the biggest excursion in this guide and the one most worth building a trip around.
Buses leave from Maocaopu Bus Station and stop at Zhongzhuang Bus Station before continuing to Chishui. The journey takes about three and a half hours, so plan to stay overnight. Tickets are ¥80 for the Great Waterfall, ¥80 for Buddha Light Rock, ¥45 for Swallow Rock, or ¥180 for an all-inclusive ticket, with additional fees for transport within the park.
10. Zunyi Museum
A comprehensive museum covering the history and culture of Zunyi, useful for putting the revolutionary sites and the old town into context before or after you visit them. Entry is free.
It stands at the corner of Renmin Road and Zhuhai Road in Huichuan District, served by buses 10, 11, 13, 25 and Tourist Bus 2. Opening hours are 09:00-17:00 with no entry after 16:30. Tourist Bus 2 from here continues to Hailongtun Fortress, so the two can be paired.
11. Zunyi Memorial Park
Once the private garden of a local merchant, this park opened to the public after the revolution. It contains typical Chinese park amenities: an amusement park, roller skating, snacks, tea gardens, rock sculptures and a large fish pond.
It is at 65 Gongyuan Road, along the river opposite Fenghuang Mountain National Forest Park, and entry is free. Combine the two parks on the same afternoon, crossing the river between them.
12. Zunyi Art Museum
The main art museum in Zunyi, in the New Xinpu Area at the intersection of Aoti Road and Changzheng Avenue. It is a quieter stop than the history museums and a reasonable choice if you have a spare afternoon.
It is free and open 09:00-17:00 with no entry after 16:30. Buses 302a and 302A serve the area.
13. Huichuan International Hot Springs Tourism City
A popular hot springs resort in the north of the city, and a good way to end a day of walking or climbing. Normal adult tickets are ¥88 on weekdays and ¥98 on weekends, with discounts for children under 1.4 metres and adults over 60.
It is at the intersection of Honge Road North and Jinshajiang Road in Huichuan District, open 10:00-21:00 with no entry after 20:00. Buses 23, 47, 48 and Tourist Bus 2 stop nearby.
14. Maotai Town
A town in Renhuai City famous for the alcoholic beverage named after it, known as the national liquor of China. Buses to Maotai Town depart from Zunyi's Zhongzhuang Bus Station. If you have any interest in baijiu, this is the place to see how the drink is bound up with the town that produces it.
15. Tomb of Yang Can
Yang Can was a high-ranking official in charge of civilian and military affairs in the Bozhou area during the 13th century, and he is buried here together with his wife. His tomb is one of the more notable of several Song Dynasty tombs in the Zunyi area.
It is at Huangfenzui, Pingqiao Village, Shenxi Town, about 12 km south of Zunyi Station; take bus no. 305 to Pingqiao and walk about 1 km north. Entry is free, but as of January 2022 the tomb is temporarily closed to the public, so confirm before making the trip.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Site of the Zunyi Conference on Ziyin Road when it opens, then cross the garden to the Zunyi Conference Museum while you are still fresh. Spend the rest of the morning wandering Old Town, including Red Army Street between Yangliu Jie and Shilong Lu.
Afternoon: Have lunch in the old town, then take a bus to Xiangshan Temple and walk up through the market street. Afterwards, cross to Fenghuang Mountain National Forest Park and follow the trails away from Fenghuang Lu for the views back over the city, finishing at the tomb of the Red Army Martyrs.
Evening: Return to Old Town for dinner and shopping, then walk along the river to Zunyi Memorial Park, or head back to Fenghuang Square, which fills up as an evening gathering place. If you would rather soak than stroll, take a bus north to Huichuan International Hot Springs Tourism City, which admits visitors until 20:00.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time of year to visit Zunyi?
Summer is the sunniest season, while winter is the cloudiest and driest in terms of accumulated rain. Close to 60% of the year's precipitation falls from May to August, so if you plan to hike Fenghuang Mountain, Jinding Mountain or Hailongtun Fortress, be prepared for rain in those months.
Are the main sights free?
Many of them are. The Site of the Zunyi Conference, the Zunyi Conference Museum, Fenghuang Mountain National Forest Park, Zunyi Memorial Park, the Zunyi Art Museum, the Zunyi Museum and Loushan Pass Battlefield all have free general admission. Paid entries include Xiangshan Temple at ¥2, Jinding Mountain at ¥10, Hailongtun Fortress at ¥80 and the Chishui Danxia sites.
Which sights can I reach by bus?
Most of the city sights are on bus routes: the conference site and museum on buses 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 18 and 26; Xiangshan Temple on many routes including 7, 8, 9 and 11; Fenghuang Mountain on 1, 3, 9, 26 and 33; the Zunyi Museum on 10, 11, 13, 25 and Tourist Bus 2; and the art museum on 302a and 302A. For Loushan Pass and Chishui, go to Maocaopu Bus Station; for Maotai Town, use Zhongzhuang Bus Station.
What should I eat in Zunyi?
Local specialities include Zunyi Lamb Rice Noodles, a traditional Guizhou snack and a staple breakfast; Douhua noodles, combining tender tofu, chewy noodles and a spicy dipping sauce; Yaxi Liangfen, made from peas that are soaked, ground, filtered, cooked and cooled before being cut into strips; Zunyi Red Oil Rice Noodles, described as tangy, spicy, refreshing, soft and chewy; and chicken cake, baked from eggs, flour and cream. The old town has the best concentration of eating places.
Pick the sights that match your interests, check the opening hours and transport details before you set out, and start planning your days in Zunyi around the old town and the mountains beyond it.