Shangqing Ancient Trail

Shangqing Ancient Trail

Shangqing Ancient Trail

Starting and ending (via) points: from Shangzao in Pingshui Town, Keqiao District, Shaoxing City to Qingtan in Wangtan Town.

Total length: 21 km

Overview and main features: This is a historic forest hiking trail that combines the Rizhu Ridge Ancient Trail, Taoyan Ridge Ancient Trail, and Wanshou Mountain Ancient Trail. The Rizhu Ridge Ancient Trail starts at Suosiqiao in Meiyuan in the north, runs south through Rizhu Ridge, and ends at Shangzhu in Zhujia Village. Historically, it was a vital route for local mountain dwellers traveling to Pingshui and Shangzao for market trade, as well as one of the key overland passages connecting Shaoxing to Taizhou and Wenzhou, earning it the nickname “the Tea-Horse Road of Shaoxing.” The ridge features historical relics such as Xiamaqiao (Dismounting Bridge), Yishiping (Deliberation Terrace), Rizhu Yunti (Rizhu Cloud Ladder), and Taipingjing (Peaceful Well). Today, the stone steps of the ancient trail are largely intact, accompanied by murmuring streams, lush forests, and beautiful bamboo, offering stunning scenery. The Taoyin (Yan) Ridge Ancient Trail gets its name from Tao Hongjing, a Taoist philosopher and medical scientist of the Southern Qi and Liang dynasties, who once lived in seclusion here. The trail was initially built during the Southern Dynasties and completed during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It winds up the mountain with grand momentum. The path is paved with stones of varying sizes, featuring a variety of designs such as stepped sections and flat stone sections between steps, all of which are well-preserved and retain an ancient charm. The trail starts in the north at Jinyu Village in Pingshui Town and ends in the south at Xinlian Village in Wangtan Town, boasting over 1,400 stone steps. Along the way, there are legendary spots such as “Rice Grain Stone,” “Fairy’s Footprint,” and “Spring Water Grove,” as well as terraced fields left from the Agricultural Learning from Dazhai period. Historically, Taoyin Ridge was a key route from Shaoxing to Jidong, Wangtan, and Shengzhou, as well as to the northern villages, Gula, and Chongren, making it widely renowned. It is one of the few remaining ancient station trails in the mountainous southern region of Shaoxing. Surrounded by mountains, with steep ridges and red maple leaves, the scenery is exceptionally beautiful. In 2012, both of these ancient trails were listed as cultural heritage protection units of Shaoxing County. In recent three years, they have been fully restored, attracting numerous hiking enthusiasts and citizens from within and outside the province.

Source: Zhejiang Provincial Forestry Bureau

Pingshui Town: Located in the southern part of Shaoxing County, Pingshui Town is just 15 km from the city center. It governs 28 administrative villages and 1 neighborhood committee, covering an area of 173.22 square kilometers with a population of 71,000 (including 16,000 migrants). The town boasts beautiful natural scenery, a pleasant ecological environment, and profound cultural heritage. It serves as a vice-city in the southern part of the county, a provincial-level central town, and one of the county’s five new-type towns. Pingshui Town has been honored by higher authorities as a “Nationally Recognized Beautiful Environment Town,” “Provincial Eco-Town,” “Provincial Bamboo Shoot Hometown,” “Provincial Health Town,” and a “Provincial East Sea Pearl Project,” and has been repeatedly awarded by the county party committee... More detailed information about Pingshui Town++

Further Reading:

· Top Ten Scenic Ancient Trails in Zhejiang