Yangzhou (扬州) has long been a poetic muse for Chinese literati (文人骚客) throughout history. Its urban image has been gradually shaped and enriched through generations of poetic writings and recitations, which have endowed the city with a distinctive cultural atmosphere. Famous lines such as “To Yangzhou in misty March blossoms (烟花三月下扬州)” and “Twenty-four bridges with moonlit night (二十四桥明月夜)” have not only constructed the cultural memory of Yangzhou, but also contributed to shaping the public’s travel expectations and spatial imagination of the city. In recent years, these literary images have been increasingly transformed into tangible, visitable cultural landscapes, becoming an integral part of Yangzhou’s tourism experience. This paper is grounded in YiFu Tuan’s（段义孚） theory of Sense of Place and examines how Yangzhou revitalizes its classical poetic heritage to promote literary tourism. Focusing on the intersection of literary landscapes and urban space, the study investigates how literature actively participates in shaping the city’s image, evoking a sense of local identity, and energizing cultural tourism. The findings suggest that Yangzhou, as a representative “poetic city,” presents a unique and locally grounded model for integrating literature into everyday urban life— offering valuable insights for other cultural cities seeking to merge cultural heritage with tourism development.