A Day Trip Guide for Changzhou and Taixing Connected by a Bridge

🏞️ Twin Cities Linked by a Bridge’s Charm The Changtai Yangtze River Bridge is about to open. Before it does, unlock a one-day "bridge scenery" tour of Changzhou & Taixing! Tour route: Changzhou Desheng Island - Weitang Ferry - Taixing Provincial Yangtze Wetland Park - Xunwei Garden (Qixu Store) - Taixing Qingyun Zen Temple - Taixing Park - Taixing Sun Yat-sen Memorial Tower - Xianhe Bay Park - Renhe Building - Qixu Ferry - Return 🌾 Changzhou Desheng Island | A Pastoral Poem on the City’s Edge As the last original river islet in Changzhou, Desheng Island hides the secret breath of the Jiangnan water town. Rice paddies and lotus ponds intertwine, colorful mural-decorated farmhouses dot the landscape, and every snapshot looks like a healing scene from "Little Forest." From the island’s embankment, the steel frame of the Changtai Bridge and the ecological farmland create a fascinating dialogue across time and space. 🌿 Taixing Yangtze Wetland Park | The Rebirth Legend of a Shipyard Ruin The 3,000-acre wetland spreads like a green carpet along the riverbank, where the former shipyard ruins have transformed into a birdwatching sanctuary. From the observation deck, the full panorama of the Changtai Bridge construction is visible, and when river gulls skim past the bridge piers, it feels like witnessing the reconciliation of industry and nature. For lunch, dine on Qixu Street nearby, ordering spicy kidney slices, sweet and sour pork ribs, Lipu taro casserole, and stir-fried chives with bamboo shoots—a small happiness for the taste buds. 🛕 Qingyun Zen Temple | The Zen Code of a Millennium-Old Temple Founded in the Southern Song Dynasty, Qingyun Zen Temple’s white walls, red pillars, and gray tiles carry the historical pulse of Taixing. The temple’s thousand-year-old ginkgo tree echoes the ancient pagoda, and the copper bells hanging from the main hall’s eaves gently ring in the breeze, evoking a sense of time’s swift passage. 🚲 Taixing Old Town | A Folded Time and Space Urban Scroll Feel the local leisure at Taixing Park by the Tai Canal, where a solemn monument quietly guards the lush fitness area and children’s playground. Under the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Tower, a linear park connects the Taixing Museum, library, and memorial hall. The bamboo forest secret spot in Xianhe Bay is perfect for ancient-style photo shoots, and the aroma of Huangqiao sesame cakes wafts from the stall in front of Renhe Building. 🥟 A Culinary Finale | Carbohydrate Comfort Therapy Before heading back, make a final stop at Renhe Building. The crab roe soup dumplings require "gentle lifting and slow moving"—sip the broth first, then enjoy the filling; Xuanbao small wontons have thin, translucent skins and shrimp roe broth so fresh it’s astonishing. Paired with a plate of hot shredded tofu, you might unexpectedly meet fellow locals at the next table, sharing new hopes for the bridge’s opening. At this moment, the warmth of everyday life feels cozier than chicken soup. 💡 A Thought The not-yet-open Changtai Bridge is much like those unfulfilled expectations in life. The meaning of setting off early may be learning to discover blooming flowers on another path while waiting. It turns out that pursuing passion is never limited to one route. For a Changtai self-driving day trip, we recommend you come and experience it too!