Ma'anshan sits on the Yangtze River in eastern Anhui, so close to Nanjing that the two cities effectively form a single metropolitan agglomeration. The city achieved town status only in 1956 — built around the steel works that remain its industrial heart — yet the surrounding district has a much older story: the Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai spent his final years here and is buried at Caishiji, a cliff face above the river that has been a place of literary pilgrimage for over a thousand years. The Caishiji Scenic Area, reached by ferry from the city, combines the poet's tomb with river views and a collection of carved inscriptions.
The Ma'anshan Museum has close to ten thousand artifacts in its collection, with particular strength in items from the Chu and Han dynasties — the region was contested ground during the Three Kingdoms period, and battle relics turn up regularly in the fields around the city. The newer Yangtze River promenade offers a more contemporary take on the city's river heritage, with evening performances and illuminated walkways.
For families, Daqingshan Wildlife World keeps animals representing over two hundred species across a large campus north of the city. The Xiangquan Hot Spring Resort is the most polished leisure facility in the area — slightly overpriced but genuinely relaxing, particularly in winter when the Yangtze valley turns cold and damp.
High-speed rail puts Nanjing fifteen minutes away and Shanghai under ninety, which makes Ma'anshan a logical day trip from either city rather than a base for extended touring. The local dried tea snack, Caishiji cha gan, and Yangtze hairy crabs in autumn are worth seeking out.