金华市

Why this place

Jinhua is a trading city — its small-commodities market is one of the largest in the world — and it is famous in China for its cured ham, which is used as a flavouring in high-end cooking nationwide. Behind it, the mountains hold a Taoist-Buddhist temple complex.

What to see

• The Jinhua ham shops and the old city quarter
• Shuanglong Cave and the Jinhua Mountain temples
• Hengdian, the film-studio town, east of the city — a full-scale replica of the Forbidden City where much Chinese television is shot
• The Yiwu market, if you want to see the engine of Chinese small-goods export

What to eat

• Jinhua ham (jinhua huotui) — a thin slice is a flavour, not a dish
• Jinhua hand-pulled noodles and the local rice cakes

Best time

March–May and October–November