Dad, Where Are We Going? Season 4 is finally back! This season’s star dads and cute kids each have their own unique charm, bringing plenty of exciting moments!
The scenic beauty of each filming location has also become a major highlight of the show. The first stop of this season’s Dad, Where Are We Going? took us to the beautiful northern Xinjiang.
The second stop heads southward to a mysterious village called Hongshilin Village, located in the northwest of Guzhang County, Xiangxi Prefecture, Hunan Province. The village sits atop high cliffs along the banks of the You River. For generations, the You River has flowed day and night, cutting through the mystical Xiangxi region and nurturing generation after generation of Tujia people. What makes Hongshilin Village so mysterious is not only the ancient military outpost of the 800-year-old Tusi Kingdom in western Hunan — Laosiyai — but also the breathtaking red stone forest that has withstood 500 million years of wind and water erosion, standing firm as the seas dried up and the stones remained.
This time, our reporter visited the location firsthand and is taking you all to see where the second stop of Dad, Where Are We Going? Season 4 was filmed~
Drunk on the Beauty of Hongshilin and the You River Gallery
On the way to Hongshilin, you can choose to drive along winding mountain roads or take a waterway. The Hongshilin You River Gallery offers a view where mountains reflect on the water, and water enhances the mountains, enveloped in mist, like stepping into a fairyland on earth.
▲Dad, Where Are We Going? Season 4 behind-the-scenes still · The village chief takes care of two kids alone — whose are they?
The Former “Little Nanjing” · Laosiyai
Hongshilin’s Laosiyai was once a place of great wealth. Though the grand mansions have now become ruins, they offer a rawness unlike other ancient towns. There is no commercial vibe here—only elders, children, and farm animals.
▲Dad, Where Are We Going? Season 4 behind-the-scenes still · The star dads look on adoringly as Qingqing says something — what could it be?
Here, enjoy a fine pot of ancient Guzhang Maojian tea with the weathered elders, play around with the lively children along the country paths, and savor an authentic rustic meal.
A Fairytale of the Sea in the Stone Forest
The red sea of stones was formed five hundred million years ago through tremendous geological movements.
▲Dad, Where Are We Going? Season 4 behind-the-scenes still · Are the cute kids pondering life within the Ordovician seabed of Hongshilin?
This area was once a sea. Now, in addition to the colorful red stone forest, time has left behind various fossil imprints, as if telling us a fairytale from the ancient ocean.
▲Dad, Where Are We Going? Season 4 behind-the-scenes still · The cute kids are running joyfully — did they find some treasure?
The Ancient Yangtze Sea, Ordovician Seabed, Heaven/Earth/Human Pools, Hailong Gorge, Wild Boar Gorge, Treasure Flat, Lucky Gate, and Kiss Gate… Hongshilin features a variety of spectacular stone forest formations, hence these beautifully evocative names that showcase its unique and enchanting charm.
▲Dad, Where Are We Going? Season 4 behind-the-scenes still · What are Zhang Lunshuo and Koala studying among the red rocks?
Hongshilin Under the Starry Sky
The Hongshilin Hotel is far from the hustle and bustle of the city. In your room, you can hear the sounds of insects and birds in the mountains. On clear summer nights, you can even see a sky full of stars — a dreamlike experience.
▲Dad, Where Are We Going? Season 4 behind-the-scenes still · What is Alalei holding?
Stay tuned for Dad, Where Are We Going? Season 4! The Hongshilin episodes on October 28th and November 4th are definitely worth looking forward to~