Dazhou 3-Day Citywalk Guide: Ba People's Hometown on the Red Tongchuan

Dazhou — core area of the ancient Ba people's activities, one of the birthplaces of Ba culture. Three thousand years ago, the Cong people established the Cong Kingdom here. Hometown of General Zhang Aiping with deep revolutionary heritage — the Fourth Front Red Army fought bloody battles here. Phoenix Mountain is the city's green lung; climb Phoenix Tower to see the Zhou River winding through and Ba Mountains stretching into the distance. Hundred-Li Gorge is hailed as "Eastern Sichuan's First Canyon" with karst caves + underground rivers + cliff walkways. Zhenfo Mountain uniquely combines Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism with exquisite Qing Dynasty architecture. Qu County's Han Dynasty stone towers are China's most complete surviving examples, national treasure-level artifacts. Shadow-Play Beef is thin enough for lamplight to pass through, Juyuan Black Chicken makes incomparably fresh soup — three days exploring Ba culture and revolutionary history in eastern Sichuan.

🌤️ Best Time to Visit

Spring (Mar-May): Phoenix Mountain spring outing + Zhenfo Mountain azaleas, 12-25°C
Autumn (Sep-Nov): Hundred-Li Gorge moderate water level + autumn colors, 12-28°C — Recommended!
Summer (Jun-Aug): Hundred-Li Gorge rafting season, 22-35°C

🚄 Getting There

Arrival

HSR: Dazhou Station, Chengdu→Dazhou ~3h (¥200 2nd class), Chongqing→~2h (¥130)
Driving: ~4h from Chengdu, ~2.5h from Chongqing

Local Transport

Bus: ¥1-2, Taxi: Starting ¥5
Tip: Hundred-Li Gorge is in Xuanhan County (~2h from city), consider hiring a car

🏨 Where to Stay

Tongchuan District (City Center): Near Zhou River and Phoenix Mountain, ¥100-250/night
Hundred-Li Gorge area: Farmhouses, ¥80-150/night

🍜 Must-Eat Food — Eastern Sichuan Flavors from the Ba People's Homeland

Shadow-Play Beef (¥25-40/bag) — Dazhou's calling card! Beef sliced so thin lamplight passes through (hence the name), spicy and crispy, melts in your mouth. Created in Dazhou during Guangxu era of Qing Dynasty, a century-old brand. Top souvenir choice
Juyuan Black Chicken Soup (¥40-60/person) — Wanyuan City's Juyuan Town specialty, black-bone black-flesh chicken, soup incredibly fresh and nourishing. Hailed as "the #1 nourishing soup"
Dazhou Noodles (¥6-12) — Dazhou's breakfast staple: mixed sauce noodles + beef noodles + intestine noodles, bright red oil, chewy texture
Dafeng Mutton (¥30-50/person) — Xuanhan County Dafeng Village specialty, mutton hotpot fresh without gaminess, perfect with dipping sauce
Qu County Daylily (¥5-10/bag) — Qu County specialty, "China's Daylily Capital," great for soups and stir-fries, golden color and tender texture
Dazhou Seven-Star Pepper (¥5-10/bag) — Local chili variety, explosively spicy with rich aroma
Yongxing Salted Duck (¥20-35/whole) — Traditional five-spice braised duck, glossy brown skin, firm meat

Food Areas

Tongchuan Old Street: Shadow-Play Beef shops + noodle houses
Hundred-Li Gorge: Dafeng mutton + farmhouse cuisine
Qu County: Daylily + farmhouse restaurants near Han towers

📅 3-Day Itinerary

🚶 Day 1: Phoenix Mountain + Dazhou Museum + Zhou River Night

8:30-11:30 | Phoenix Mountain Park (Free) Dazhou's urban green lung, climb Phoenix Tower for panoramic views:

Phoenix Tower: Iconic building, summit views of Zhou River winding through the city and Ba Mountains stretching into the distance
Red Army Pavilion: Commemorating the Red Army's Long March through Dazhou
Phoenix Mountain Tea Garden: Sample local green tea

12:00-13:00 | Lunch: Dazhou Noodles + Shadow-Play Beef Old noodle house in Tongchuan District, mixed sauce + beef noodles, Shadow-Play Beef as side dish, ¥15-25/person.

14:00-16:30 | Dazhou Museum (Free) Understanding Dazhou's past and present:

Ba Culture Hall: Cong People's ancient kingdom history, Ba weapons + pottery
Red Culture Hall: General Zhang Aiping's life, Fourth Front Red Army's battles in Dazhou
Qu County Han Tower Special Exhibition: Han Dynasty stone tower models + rubbings

17:30-19:30 | Zhou River Riverside Walk along the Zhou River watching sunset, golden light reflecting on the water, green willows lining both banks.

🚶 Day 2: Hundred-Li Gorge (Full Day Nature Adventure)

7:30-17:30 | Hundred-Li Gorge (Ticket ¥80, Xuanhan County, ~2h from city) "Eastern Sichuan's First Canyon," ~35 km of magnificent gorge:

Morning (One-Line Sky + Karst Caves):

One-Line Sky: Cliffs on both sides nearly closing together, looking up reveals only a sliver of sky, narrowest point only 2-3 meters wide — overwhelming and awe-inspiring
Karst Cave Group: Multiple caves to explore, stalactites in bizarre shapes + underground river flowing, under headlamp light it feels like entering the center of the earth

Noon: Farmhouse lunch in the gorge: Dafeng mutton + Qu County daylily + wild greens, ¥25-40/person

Afternoon (Cliff Walkway + Waterfall):

Cliff Walkway: Wooden path built against the rock face, hundred-foot abyss below — a test of courage
Fairy Waterfall: Cascading 30+ meters, mist and cool spray
Gorge Rafting (summer): ~1.5 hours rafting through the gorge, thrilling

💡 4-5 hours of walking in the gorge, must wear sneakers and bring water. Summer: watch for slippery surfaces. Bring a jacket (cool inside the gorge).

🚶 Day 3: Zhenfo Mountain + Qu County Han Towers + Departure

8:30-11:30 | Zhenfo Mountain (Ticket ¥40, Dachuan District) Rare Confucian-Buddhist-Taoist three-religion-in-one ancient building complex, national key cultural relic:

Dehua Temple: Qing Dynasty complex with exquisite wood and stone carvings, arguably the peak of Eastern Sichuan architectural art
Jade Buddha Temple: Buddhist hall housing a Burmese jade Buddha
Three-Religion Culture Exhibition: Understanding the unique fusion of three faiths on one mountain
Lush forested mountain, serene and pleasant

💡 Zhenfo Mountain's architecture is far more impressive than expected, called "Eastern Sichuan's Little Forbidden City" — worth savoring slowly.

12:30-14:30 | Qu County Han Towers (Free, Qu County Tuxi Town) China's most complete surviving Han Dynasty stone tower group — 6 sites, 7 towers, national treasure:

Feng Huan Tower: Exquisite carvings, representative work of Han Dynasty stone art
Shen Prefect Tower: Clear inscriptions, extremely high historical value
Han towers were标志性 structures placed before Han Dynasty tomb spirit paths; Qu County has the most in all of China

15:00+ | Departure Shopping: Shadow-Play Beef (must-buy!), Juyuan Black Chicken (vacuum-packed), Qu County daylily, Seven-Star pepper. Dazhou Station departure.

💰 Budget Reference (3 days/person)

Item	Budget	Comfort
Accommodation	¥200-350	¥400-700
Food	¥150-250	¥300-500
Tickets	¥120-150	¥120-150
Transport	¥150-300	¥300-600
Total	¥620-1,050	¥1,120-1,950

💡 Practical Tips

Shadow-Play Beef: Dazhou must-buy souvenir, old brand "Chuanhanzi" most authentic
Hundred-Li Gorge: Wear sneakers! 4-5 hours of gorge walking, surfaces slippery
Zhenfo Mountain: Severely underrated architectural treasure, reserve 2-3 hours to appreciate
Qu County Han Towers: Free but scattered, hire a car to connect them (¥150-200/day)
Juyuan Black Chicken: Most authentic in Wanyuan Juyuan Town; city restaurants have it but slightly inferior
Dazhou Noodles: Most authentic before 9am, later the broth loses concentration

Sources: Ctrip, Mafengwo, Dianping