Tongling Travel Guide: Bronzes, Tianjing Lake and the Old Port of Datong
Tongling means "copper hill", and the city on the south bank of the Yangtze in Anhui has mined and smelted copper for about 3,000 years, since the Shang and Zhou. That history is the reason to stop. See it in the free city museum's bronzes, walk round Tianjing Lake in the centre, then take a bus to Datong, an old Yangtze trading port, and a ferry to the half-abandoned island of Heyuezhou. Two high-speed lines meet here, so it is an easy break between Hefei, Nanjing and the mountains of southern Anhui.
Getting in and where to stay
Tongling station is on the Nanjing–Anqing high-speed line and the older Nanjing–Tongling and Tongling–Jiujiang railways. Tongling North is on the Hefei–Fuzhou high-speed line, the one that continues to Huangshan. Check which station your ticket names. The city is also on the Beijing–Taipei and Shanghai–Chongqing expressways.
Stay in Tongguan District near Tianjing Lake: the museum, the lake and restaurants are close together, and buses leave from the centre for Datong.
Places worth visiting
Tongling Museum
The city calls itself China's "ancient copper capital". In the Eastern Han the state set up a copper office here. The Tang ran official mines at the Tongguan field, and the county took the name Tongling in the Southern Tang. Modern industrial mining began under Japanese occupation in 1938 and expanded after 1952. The museum at 1506 Babao Road tells this story with local bronzes; look for the taotie-mask jue and jia wine vessels. It is free, open Tuesday to Sunday 09:00–17:00 and closed on Mondays.
Tianjing Lake
In the middle of town, on the north side of Changjiang West Road, Tianjing Lake covers about 80 hectares. It takes its name from a well on a small island said to "reach heaven above and the sea below". The scenic area adds a copper culture garden, a Jiangnan culture garden and a lakeside square. It is free and open all day; walk it at dusk.
Datong and Heyuezhou
Datong, a riverside town southwest of the centre, was once one of the busy trading ports on the lower river and is now a national historic town. Its old riverside street has been restored. A short ferry crosses to Heyuezhou, an island whose old commercial town was largely abandoned and is now partly ruined. The island's public areas are free; the ferry may charge, and it stops in floods, high wind and typhoon warnings. Tongling has a national reserve for the Yangtze's freshwater porpoises, and you may see them from the ferry if you are lucky.
The Yangtze bridges
Tongling is a crossing point on the lower Yangtze, and its cable-stayed road and rail bridges are part of the skyline. Across the river lies Zongyang County, which joined Tongling in 2015; its Fushan hills are known for quiet valleys and volcanic rock.
When to come
April to June and September to November are best for walking. Summer is hot and humid, the plum rains come in June, and the river is high in July and August, when the Heyuezhou ferry may stop. Winters are damp and grey but museum-friendly.
Eating in Tongling
Eat Yangtze fish and river food on the Datong waterfront, and Anhui home cooking in town. Tongling white ginger, a pale, mild pickled ginger, is the local speciality to take home.
How to arrange the route
- Day 1: arrive, the museum in the afternoon (not Monday), Tianjing Lake at dusk.
- Day 2: bus to Datong, ferry to Heyuezhou if it is running, back for an afternoon train.
Go on south to Chizhou for Jiuhua Mountain, or east to Wuhu.
What to cut if short on time
With half a day, do the museum and Tianjing Lake. Datong needs a separate half-day, and the island depends on the ferry, so cut it in bad weather. Do not try to add Jiuhua Mountain on the same day.
Things to confirm before you go
- Museum hours, and that it is not a Monday.
- Heyuezhou ferry times and whether it is running.
- Which station, Tongling or Tongling North, your train uses.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tongling worth a stop?
Yes, for half a day to a day if you are interested in China's copper and bronze history or want a quiet Yangtze town between Hefei, Nanjing and Huangshan.
Is the Tongling Museum free?
Yes. It is open Tuesday to Sunday, 09:00–17:00.
Can I reach Jiuhua Mountain from Tongling?
Yes, but stay in Chizhou or at the mountain; it is too much for an afternoon add-on.
Sources
The facts in this article were checked against the following sources, retrieved September 22, 2026, and rechecked on October 21, 2026.
- Tongling https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongling
- 铜陵市 (Chinese Wikipedia) https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/铜陵市
- 天井湖 (铜陵) (Chinese Wikipedia) https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/天井湖_(铜陵)
- 大通镇 (Chinese Wikipedia) https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/大通古镇
- 枞阳县 (Chinese Wikipedia) https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/枞阳县
- Tongling Museum opening information (Tongguan District government) https://www.tltg.gov.cn/openness/OpennessContent/show/1015259.html
- Datong ancient town visitor information (Qunar) https://sight.qunar.com/3018546487
Opening details are from 2026 listings; check before you go.
All photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under CC licenses or public domain; re-use requires attribution.