Suzhou (苏州市) is the most populous city in Jiangsu province, with a population of about 12.8 million people. Located in eastern China , it was historically an important economic, cultural, and scholarly centre, particularly during the Song dynasty and Qing dynasty . Suzhou is also famous for the Classical Gardens of Suzhou (苏州园林), a collection of historic gardens recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . These gardens have been developed over nearly a thousand years and showcase traditional Chinese garden design. They feature carefully constructed landscapes that mimic natural scenery—rocks, hills, and waterways—along with strategically placed pavilions and pagodas. Today, there are 69 preserved gardens in Suzhou. According to UNESCO, these gardens “represent the development of Chinese landscape garden design over more than two thousand years” and are considered the “most refined form” of this art.

Nantong  南通市  is located on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, near the river mouth. It is an important centre for the textile industry and important port city.  On Langshan  狼山  ("Wolf Hill") is the site of a Buddhist temple dedicated to a Song dynasty monk. The monk had legendary powers over water demons, so sailors pray to him for protection on their voyages. 

Xi'ning  西宁市 is the capitol city of Qinghai Province. It was a commercial hub along the Northern Silk Road's Hexi Corridor for over 2000 years. It was also used as a stronghold of the Han, Sui, Tang, and Song dynasties' resistance against nomadic attacks from the west.  Xi'ning hold several site of religious significance to Muslims (Donnguan Mosque) and Buddhists (Ta'er Monastery).  The World Health Organization listed Xi'ning as having the second worst air quality among eleven western Chinese cities, including Beijing (2011).