Chaozhou

Chaozhou is one of the birthplaces of Teochew culture, with an exceptionally well-preserved old town. Guangji Bridge spans the Han River, and Paifang Street links historic memorial archways with arcade shops.

Here gongfu tea is not a performance but daily life — alleyway tea houses, the morning bell of Kaiyuan Temple, hand-pulled teapots and embroidery workshops.

Chaozhou rewards a slow pace: the bridge and city wall in the morning, a long Fenghuang Dancong tea session in an alley in the afternoon, an evening stroll along the Han River as the lights come on.