Longwang Temple Palace (Qianlong's Travelling Palace)

Longwang Temple Palace, also called Qianlong's Travelling Palace, stands at 10 Gongxing Road in Zaohe Town, Suyu District, on the south bank of Luoma Lake in Suqian, Jiangsu, China. The Qing-dynasty complex began as a temple to the Dragon King, the deity believed to protect the nearby Grand Canal and its waters from flooding, and was expanded into an imperial lodging associated with the Qianlong Emperor's inspection tours along the canal. The site is regarded as one of the better-preserved Qing palace-style complexes in northern Jiangsu. Visitors enter through a gate and pass a sequence of halls, courtyards and side buildings with upturned eaves, painted beams, carved brick and stone details, and ancient trees. Exhibition rooms explain the history of the canal, the temple cult of the Dragon King and the imperial visits, mostly in Chinese. The compound is compact, and a visit takes about one and a half to two hours, including time to linger in the courtyards and look at the roof ornaments. The main hall and the rear palace courtyards offer the most photogenic views, especially when morning light crosses the tiled roofs. The palace stands beside the Grand Canal, and a short walk along the waterfront gives a sense of why the site mattered for flood control and transport. Crowds are thin on weekday mornings, while weekends and holidays bring local tour groups. The ticket office lists admission at about CNY 60 in older listings, with hours of 09:30-17:30 and last entry at 17:00; prices should be confirmed locally. Zaohe is about 23 km from Suqian Station, so most visitors arrive by taxi or Didi and can pair the palace with a lakeside stop at Luoma Lake. Food options in Zaohe are small local restaurants rather than visitor-oriented cafes.