内江市

Why this place

Neijiang was the centre of Sichuan's sugar industry and was one of the richest towns in the province in the early twentieth century — the wealth funded the artists and scholars who came from here, including the painter Zhang Daqian.

What to see

• The Zhang Daqian memorial and museum, in a garden setting
• The ancient sugar-cane mills and the old sugar workshops of the county
• The Tuo River and the old canal-side town

What to eat

• Sichuan sweet dishes and the local sugar-derived specialities
• Neijiang is known for its 'zhacai' pickled vegetable, one of the best in China

Best time

March–May and September–November