"Ten years since my last trip to China... back then it was all business. This time, I came to Yangzhou to visit dear friends now living in Germany.

In preparing for this trip, I revisited the ancient teachings of Yang Zhu (杨朱), who wrote:
“人人不损一毫，人人不利天下，天下治矣”
”If everyone does not harm a single hair, and does not seek to benefit the world, then the world will govern itself."

If any place deserves to be called ancient, it’s Yangzhou. When this city first rose, Rome was drafting their first laws, the Maya were counting the sun, Alexander the Great was still generations away from his Egyptian campaign, and Jainism was only beginning to flower in India. For 2,500 years, Yangzhou has stood in one form or another.

Through the Tang and Qing dynasties, Yangzhou flourished: first as a center of poetry and trade along the Grand Canal, then as a wealthy seat of salt merchants and scholars. It was a place where calligraphy, cuisine, and commerce wove seamlessly into daily life. Now, under President Xi Jinping’s leadership, Yangzhou is seeing renewed attention as a cultural treasure. With investments in preservation, restoration, and national heritage initiatives, the city is reclaiming its historical brilliance while embracing the pulse of modern China.

When we arrived, I found a city of concrete and steel, electric cars and high-speed trains, neon signs and traffic horns, busy shopping malls, and the rhythms of modern life. A city so old, yet it feels so new... that’s modern China. The shops are thriving, the streets are alive, people are in motion. Change hums everywhere, constant, vigorous, and bold.

Set Yang Zhu's single hair (一毫) aside... the full coif has been finely groomed."

Edward Keller

"The Park CVover half a Mountain, prepared for a lot of walk. 7 hours cover over 20,000 steps"

William Wong

"In Yangzhou, you can get a free admission ticket to any memorial hall by presenting valid identification.

The entire memorial hall is small and can be visited in about half an hour."

ZY Chen