荆门市

Why this place

Jingmen holds the Xianling Tomb, built for the father of the Jiajing Emperor — a man who was never emperor but was posthumously promoted, so his tomb was built as an imperial mausoleum. It is the only Ming imperial tomb in central China.

What to see

• The Xianling Tomb, a UNESCO site and the only Ming imperial mausoleum outside Beijing and Nanjing
• The Zhanghe River and the surrounding reservoir scenery
• The Hubei-style old towns of the Jianghan plain

What to eat

• Hubei freshwater fish and the local rice dishes
• Jingmen is known for its 'Panlong' cuisine and its pickled vegetables

Best time

March–May and October–November