Zaozhuang

Zaozhuang sits in the far south of Shandong on the border with Jiangsu, straddling the Grand Canal and the reed-filled expanses of Weishan Lake. It grew as one of China's oldest coal-mining centers, and its Zhongxing company was among the country's earliest modern industrial enterprises. The city is best known for Taierzhuang, where a rebuilt canal town commemorates the 1938 Battle of Taierzhuang, a pivotal Chinese victory in the war against Japan, and honors the legendary railway guerrillas of Weishan Lake. Fiery Zaozhuang spicy chicken is a signature dish of the local table. The Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway stops here, putting both cities within a few hours. Coal, chemicals and, increasingly, tourism drive the economy.