For pure tourist spectacle, however, nothing beats the self-proclaimed "World's Largest Teapot" on the summit of the hilly town's highest peak, just opened to coincide with the Expo. Not literally a tea-serving vessel, the 73.8 meter-tall, clay-red structure currently houses a museum and several richly appointed rooms to while away the hours over cup after bubbling cup. If you're interested in a longer stay and a smashing sunrise view of the surrounding environs (as well as a great party-conversation-starter), you can settle into one of the teapot's hotel rooms, which range from 1680 yuan ($251.50) per night for a deluxe suite to 400 yuan for a business express room (or just 88 yuan per hour if all you need is a quick nap).

Returning to the (relatively) big-city environs of neighboring Zunyi, a town with an outsized reputation as the host of one of the most important events in the history of the Chinese Communist Party, you won't find nearly as much tea-worship, but definitely don't miss the Zunyi Conference Memorial Museum. It was here at a recently-restored lodge and Catholic church built by French missionaries that Mao Zedong was appointed leader of the Communist Party during the Long March in 1935 - a watershed moment that Zunyi residents observe with the requisite pomp and circumstance, including a 35-meter-tall monument in the center of town. Though the museum itself is a bit stodgy, showcasing such ho-hum items as the shoes worn by Long March soldiers (and be warned that all displays are in Chinese), it is an undeniable thrill to explore the site of such a pivotal episode in Chinese history.

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