Hundred Flowers Azalea Scenic Area

　　  Scenic spot location: Pudi Township, Hundred Flowers Azalea Scenic Area, Bijie City, Guizhou Province

　　  The Hundred Flowers Azalea Scenic Area is located at the border of Dafang and Qianxi counties, 155 kilometers from the provincial capital Guiyang. It is the largest known primeval azalea forest in China to date, covering a total area of 125.8 square kilometers, from which the scenic area gets its name.

　　  On the narrow hills stretching approximately 50 kilometers long and 1.2 to 5.3 kilometers wide, there are 23 varieties belonging to 4 genera—including Rhododendron delavayi, Rhododendron lutescens, Rhododendron liliiflorum, Rhododendron williamsianum, and Rhododendron irroratum—covering 4 out of the 5 subgenera of azaleas in the world. Most remarkably, some trees feature “one tree, different flowers,” meaning a single tree blooms with several different varieties, with the most spectacular cases displaying up to seven types.

　　  Guided tours of the Hundred Flowers Azalea usually take place in March and April each spring and generally require two days.

　　  Legend has it that long ago, the regions of Dafang and Qianxi were very desolate. A Yi couple lived on one side of the mountain, and a Miao couple lived on the other. Year after year, they worked diligently, hoping to leave a happy life for their descendants. Unfortunately, they fell ill from overwork and passed away one after another. Their children buried them under this barren hillside. Years later, their remains turned into inexhaustible coal, while beautiful azalea flowers grew above ground. The descendants of these couples inherited traits from their ancestors—the men, with hearts as warm as coal, and the women, with faces as beautiful as azaleas.

　　  The Hundred Flowers Azalea forest belt, located at the border between Dafang and Qianxi counties, is the largest known primeval azalea forest in China. On the approximately 50-kilometer-long narrow hills, 23 varieties—including Rhododendron delavayi, Rhododendron lutescens, Rhododendron liliiflorum, Rhododendron williamsianum, and Rhododendron irroratum—are distributed. The “Yi Flower Insertion Festival” and “Miao Flower Hill Jumping” events are held on the large central lawn within the flower area in both Pudi and Jinpo.

　　  Food/Accommodation/Shopping: There are many lodging options in Qianxi County, such as Shuixi Hotel, Hongyan Hotel, Liancheng Hotel, and Xinyu Grand Hotel, with standard rooms priced between 80 and 200 RMB. Guesthouse prices range from 10 to 20 RMB per person, and there are numerous small hotels near the bus station.

　　  Local delicacies include tea snacks, sticky rice wrapped tofu, and grilled skillet dishes. Specialized tourism products include mountain stone potted plants, tree stump potted plants, root carvings, batik, and embroidery. Transportation: It is about 120 kilometers from Guiyang to Qianxi County, taking three and a half hours by car, with fares around 15–20 RMB per person. Taking a taxi costs approximately 150 RMB. From Qianxi County to the scenic area’s Jinpo Township, there are an additional 27 kilometers. Buses depart daily from the county station to the area, with minibus fares at 5–10 RMB and microbus fares at 20 RMB per vehicle.

　　   Guizhou Bijie City