Zhuzhou, Hunan Province
Zhuzhou is the second largest city in Hunan Province.
It is a large commercial and industrial centre and though not a place for tourists, it has a modern, not unpleasant feel to it. The air quality seems reasonable compared to many cities in China and there are also many attractive parks and a hilly countryside area on its outskirs.
Most international visitors to Zhuzhou will be there on business, but there are also some good Tai Chi teachers in the city who may be worth visiting.
Tai Chi in Zhuzhou
Ou Hai Bing is a Chen Xinyi Hunyuan Tai Chi teacher in Zhuzhou who is interested in teaching Western students as well as Chinese.
His Tai Chi is very high level but he is happy to teach beginners as well as advanced students.
He works on a tutorial basis, but this can be with a small group, up to 5 students together.
There are one or two other good teachers around Zhuzhou as well but I haven't met them yet.
Getting there
Zhuzhou is on the main train line between Zhengzhou and Guilin. It is about 8 hours from Guilin on a local night train, but some of the high speed trains will take less time.
From Changsha it is possible to travel by train or bus, taking about an hour.
Accommodation
For short term stays there are several business hotels to consider. Prices seem to start at about 160Y per night, though most are higher than this.
Check out websites like HostelBookers. Possible hotels are Yincheng Binguan, Jinjinhaiyue, Mingfeng Binguan and Full Hotel.
If you are staying longer for Tai Chi training, it is possible to rent a room by the month in a Luguan (Boarding House) for 20-30Y per day which is good value, though no doubt the accommodation will be quite simple.
Climate
Zhuzhou is probably quite hot and humid in the Summer (June-August), pleasant in the Autumn (September-October), cold in the Winter (November-February) and pleasant but wet at times in the spring (March-May).