Yangjiadeng

Yangjiadeng

Yangjiadeng

In Lishan Township, Yangjiadeng is an oval-shaped small island covering over 100 acres, surrounded by water on three sides and a mountain on the other. The Yangchang River, together with the Xibu River, flows slowly around the island, with two natural barriers of green bamboo and willows lining the banks. Flowers bloom all year round on the island, and this serene, otherworldly village lies as if cradled in a garden, earning it the reputation of the “Garden Treasure Island Yangjiadeng.”

Yangjiadeng gets its name from an ancient stone stairway consisting of 108 evenly sized steps carved from bluestone, renowned for its additional side steps. It was historically the only passage connecting the village to the outside world. The ancient steps are still in use today, worn concave and smooth by generations of footsteps. As you carefully tread along the stone stairway and glance down, you’ll see shimmering ripples, swaying mountain reflections, and graceful aquatic plants — a constantly changing kaleidoscope of scenery with every step.

After crossing the stone steps, you can take a boat ride around the village. The outer ring is lined with willows, the inner with bamboo, their branches intertwining and drooping over the river. When the mountain wind blows, layers of emerald waves crash against the treasure island. The highlight of boating here is gliding through the hanging willows and dangling bamboo. The boatman might pluck a willow leaf, place it in his mouth, and play a melodious mountain tune.

The island is home to about a dozen households, their homes arranged in a long, strip-shaped village of grey-tiled houses made of blue bricks — simple and time-worn. The farmsteads are embraced by blooming flowers: winter jasmine and Bauhinia in spring; kapok and French orchids in summer; osmanthus and dragon chrysanthemums in autumn; wintersweet and salvia in winter. There are over 30 types of flowers in total, including 12 varieties of chrysanthemums alone in autumn. Most remarkably, there are two osmanthus trees that bloom all year round, their branches always full of flowers. An interesting sight is the summer water lilies, which open punctually at 7 a.m. every day, regardless of weather, and slowly close at 5 p.m. Stepping into the farmhouse, you’ll find a contemporary rural style — bright windows, neat and tidy interiors.

The rural homes are designed in a modern countryside style, with bright windows and clean, orderly interiors.

On the right side of the treasure island, hundreds of meters above the ground, winds a 700-meter-long ancient canal built during the Ming Dynasty. It channels crystal-clear mountain spring water, ensuring drinking water for the entire settlement and the irrigation of over 50 acres of rice fields. This magnificent feat of ancient rock-carving and water diversion has benefited generations. On the left side of the treasure island, villagers have cultivated a 70-acre fruit and flower mountain on a rugged hill. In May, there are cherries; in June, plums; in July, waxberries; in August, pears; in September, persimmons; in October, oranges — plus loquats, pomegranates, chestnuts, and more. In spring, peach and pear blossoms paint the mountain in hues of pink and white; in summer, pomegranate flowers bloom like trumpets alongside wild azaleas covering the hillsides; in autumn, chrysanthemums of red, orange, yellow, white, and purple compete in fragrance across the slopes. Among the floral sea, two ornamental peach varieties stand out: one called “bicolor peach,” which blooms both red and white flowers, and another called “red peach,” with red trunks, red leaves, and crimson blossoms, turning the hillsides vivid red.