Hengshui

Hengshui lies in southeastern Hebei on the North China Plain and is best known for Hengshui Lake, one of the largest freshwater wetlands in the region and an important stopover for migratory birds. The city gives its name to Hengshui laobaigan, a famous clear baijiu liquor with centuries of brewing tradition. It is also celebrated for two distinctive folk crafts: inside-painted snuff bottles and the bright woodblock New Year prints of nearby Wuqiang. In recent decades Hengshui has become known across China for its intensely competitive high schools. Bicycle and rubber manufacturing anchor the local economy, and high-speed rail links the city to Beijing, Jinan and Zhengzhou.