Xuzhou Travel Guide — Best Time, Things to Do & Where to Stay

Why Xuzhou

Xuzhou, historically known as Pengcheng, is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Jiangsu province, China. Positioned at the intersection of four provinces—Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan, and Anhui—it occupies a natural geographic opening between the North China Plain and the Shandong Hills. The city functions as a major national transportation hub where the north–south Beijing–Shanghai axis meets the east–west Land Bridge corridor. Recognized as a provincial sub-center of Jiangsu and the central city of the Huaihai Economic Zone, Xuzhou recorded a population of approximately 9.08 million during the 2020 census.

The region possesses a deep history dating back to early cultures such as Dawenkou and Liangzhu, as well as the ancient polity of Dapeng during the Shang dynasty. Xuzhou is notably distinguished as the ancestral home of the Han dynasty imperial family and is defined by its rich Han archaeological heritage. Notable historical features from this era include the Shizishan tomb, which contained gold-threaded jade burial suits. Over the centuries, the location served as a strategic seat for various rulers, including functioning as the capital of Western Chu under Xiang Yu in 206 BCE and serving as one of the earliest recorded sites of a Buddhist community in China.

Throughout the imperial period, Xuzhou was a vital transit node connected to Grand Canal logistics and local river systems. Early water navigation required managing river obstructions such as the Xuzhou and Lüliang Rapids, while local hydrological instability brought recurring floods from the Yellow River. In response to an eleventh-century deluge, the local prefect Su Shi directed the construction of the defensive Su Embankment on the city's western perimeter. Beyond its historical role managing granaries and a national customs barrier, the surrounding area emerged as a prominent metallurgical center at the Liguo Industrial Prefecture during the Northern Song dynasty.

In the early twentieth century, the construction of the Tianjin–Pukou and Longhai railways reinforced Xuzhou's strategic position as a primary rail junction. Previously functioning as a regional coal-mining hub, the city has transformed its industrial base toward heavy machinery manufacturing and new energy sectors. Following the environmental rehabilitation of its former mining territory, Xuzhou received the United Nations Habitat Scroll of Honour award for ecological restoration.