It is a pity that Huai’an has been overshadowed by the hot travel spots of Nanjing, Shanghai and Hangzhou. Huai’an was once one of the truly significant cities in China and it has preserved much of its ancient history. It is exciting to go there to see authentic ties to China’s majestic past alongside aspects of a vibrant modern city of about 5 million people.

I am writing this article for one and only one reason – to encourage you, if you come to China, not to neglect seeing the amazingly meaningful city of Huai’an. Huai'an invites you to step back in time and experience China’s rich history while enjoying its current vitality and hospitality.

You can start with the Grand Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage site constructed around 600 AD. At over 1,100 miles (about 1,800 km) long, it is the longest and oldest human-made canal in the world. It brought food to northern cities like Beijing to allow the continued development of China over the centuries. The canal intersected the Huai River at Huai’an allowing the shipment of grain between the agriculturally rich Yangtze and Huai River valleys to more northern parts of China.

I think it would be fair to say that the Grand Canal was kind of like the Eerie Canal in US history many centuries later, which bridged the Great Lakes and New York. Just as the Eerie Canal allowed food from the Midwest to get to the large cities of the Eastern Seaboard (for consumption and export), so the Grand Canal bridged China along a North-South axis, allowing for the continued growth of the northern cities.

Huai’an was one of the major hubs along the Grand Canal and salt was also mined and sent northward from this city. Huai’an was a vital hub of commerce for centuries and produced some of China’s most competent administrators and civil servants. I would recommend visiting the China Water Transport Museum which is dedicated to the history of water transport in China, with a special focus on the Grand Canal.

It showcases the engineering marvels and historical importance of the canal, which played a crucial role in China's development. There are also boat trips up and down a stretch of the canal nightly, where you see its ancient stone walls.

Huai’an also gave us one of China’s four major cuisines, Huaiyang cuisine, renowned for its light, mild and slightly sweet flavors, elegant presentation, and the preservation of the natural taste of ingredients. The cuisine often features freshwater fish and seafood due to the region's proximity to rivers and a major lake. Some famous dishes include Braised Shredded Chicken with Ham and Dried Tofu, Yangzhou Fried Rice, and Minced Crab Meat and Pork Balls. You can visit the Huai’an Cuisine Museum where they even offer cooking classes for those who wish to learn to cook these dishes.

If you go to Huai’an for the cuisine, I would highly recommend the Ruandou Eel. This dish is considered a major highlight of Huaiyang cuisine, with eel and sliced garlic as the main ingredients. It is very soft and tender and the eel, pepper and garlic merge to create an unbelievably delicious taste.

Because Huai’an chefs, through the ages, have put an emphasis on the aesthetic presentation of their food, Huaiyang cuisine is often a popular choice for government banquets and other important events. The cuisine has a long history, dating back to the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC - 9 AD).

Now, in recent world history, few people have been as important to their country and the world as Zhou En Lai, the first premier of China. You may recall the famous image of President Richard Nixon shaking Zhou’s hand on the tarmac of Beijing’s international airport in the early 1970s.

This began an era of cooperation and mutual understanding between China and the USA. It lead, ultimately, to Deng’s opening-up of China’s economy. Zhou was an essential figure in the history of modern China, one of China’s most important historical figures, as he helped plan China’s economic development. He was also, by most accounts, a very decent man who is universally loved by the Chinese people and who was admired around the world.

Zhou’s father was a civil servant and the house and complex where he grew up has been preserved. What I think is most fascinating about the house is that it allows a traveler to get an idea of what life was like for the son of a government official during the Qing Dynasty –the last dynasty in Chinese history–just before the Revolution of 1911.

The Zhou Enlai Memorial, in another location, is a good place to learn about Chinese history from the Qing Dynasty until the recent past. Zhou Enlai was born at a time when China was ready for change and he participated in much of the struggle that occurred to establish a new nation. You can follow Zhou from his childhood in Huai’an to his studies abroad (he met Deng Xiao Ping in Paris), his early involvement in the Chinese Communist Party, his part in helping create the People’s Liberation Army and his contributions to the new nation of China.

He is the perfect figure to follow if you want to learn about Chinese history from the end of the very corrupt Qing Dynasty until the end of the Maoist Era (Zhou and Mao both died in 1976). The Memorial is a sprawling complex, a meaningful memorial of a great statesman and good man.

Finally, have you heard of the famous Chinese novel Journey to the West? It is a hilarious epic comedy based on the true story of a 7th century monk’s journey to India to obtain important Buddhist texts. It is one of the most popular books in the history of China and literally everyone in China knows the story. There have been movies, TV shows and cartoons based on this novel. The author Wu Cheng’en was also born in Huai’an and you can visit his residence from the 16th century. This is also a good way to learn about life in the Ming Dynasty.

If you love to travel to learn and to find ways to connect with the past, then Huai'an is more than just a city, it's like a living museum that offers a deep connection to China's impressive past and its dynamic present.

The residents of Huai’an are kind and welcoming and will be thrilled if you come to their city to learn about their past and to see what they are up to now. You will be greeted and treated as a VIP. Huai’an awaits your arrival!