Summer, the most passionate season of the four, is also the season when travel truly blossoms. In the Northern Hemisphere, summer is the hottest time of the year. Summer makes the sunshine grow increasingly intense, and the surging heat waves in the air leave us city dwellers nowhere to hide. Even when we look up at the sky, all we see is the blinding glare of the scorching sun.
Shout, roar, “I’ve had enough!” That’s right, how can we stay cooped up in this concrete jungle during the blazing summer? Why not take your loved ones to a place with beautiful mountains, clear waters, and a refreshing climate for a pleasant and cool holiday?
But where should we go for a vacation this summer of 2015? We want natural scenery, we want beautiful landscapes, we want health and happiness, and we want HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY!
Well then, today we’re bringing you a wonderful new vacation experience — “Ride, Play, and Enjoy” in Yixian County, Huangshan.
Yixian County in Huangshan, Anhui, has long been known as a “Land of Peach Blossoms” and a “Village in a Painting.” Here, the landscape and culture blend seamlessly, and nature and humanity complement each other. Yixian is one of the birthplaces of “Huizhou Merchants” and “Huizhou Culture,” and it is also a provincial-level historical and cultural city in Anhui Province. With its many mountains, rivers, and forests, the county boasts a forest coverage rate of 84.6%, and the average temperature in its hottest month (July) is only 27.1°C, making it perfect for a cool vacation. Even better news is that starting June 28, 2015, the Beijing-Fuzhou High-Speed Railway was fully operational, bringing Huangshan within a 5-hour high-speed rail reach from Shanghai. The shortened travel time gives people in the metropolis more opportunities to get close to Huangshan and Yixian!
Alright, enough talk — let’s begin our special “Ride, Play, and Enjoy” journey!
Ride
The 2015 Skoda HEROS China Cycling Series — Huangshan · Yixian Granfondo — will be held on July 18–19 in Yixian. This is a race that’s completely different from traditional competitions (for the average person). “Granfondo” is the phonetic translation of the Italian word “Granfondo,” meaning “a long distance,” or in cycling terms, a marathon. Although the Granfondo is a competition, it places greater emphasis on challenge — or more precisely, the personal challenge each rider faces, a challenge against distance. This isn’t just a simple athletic contest. Some riders compete to cross the finish line first, but most come here to enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings and the joy of cycling. Everyone strives toward their own goals and takes pride in their efforts, allowing everyone to live a healthier lifestyle. That’s the whole essence of the Granfondo.
Let’s join the Granfondo journey to experience the healthy, joyful freedom of cycling while also enjoying the comfort and relaxation of a vacation.
Travel
Yixian County has long been praised as the “Treasury of Ancient Eastern Architectural Art” and a “Microcosm of Traditional Chinese Culture.” It is home to a large number of Ming and Qing dynasty residences, ancestral halls, memorial archways, and gardens, as well as the world cultural heritage sites of the ancient villages of Xidi and Hongcun. Tao Yuanming once traveled here and wrote the immortal masterpiece “The Peach Blossom Spring,” while Li Bai also composed a poem praising it: “Yixian, a little Peach Blossom Spring, with misty beauty stretching for miles, land rich in spiritual plants, and people still clad in ancient attire.”
Visit the ancient villages of Xidi and Hongcun, and savor the ancient charm of Huizhou
Starting from the county seat of Yixian and cycling about 10 kilometers northeast, you’ll arrive at the world cultural heritage site of Hongcun. Located at the southern foot of Huangshan Mountain in Hongcun Town, it is famous for its pastoral scenery, ancient village layout, exquisitely crafted Huizhou-style residences, and rich historical and cultural heritage. UNESCO experts have highly praised it as “unique in the world.” Overall, Hongcun is an extraordinary ox-shaped ancient village in the Peach Blossom Spring of ancient Yixian, combining the charm of mountain forests with the features of a water town, and is known as the “Village in a Painting.” Every household in the village is connected by waterways, with clear springs flowing gently past each home. The layered buildings and lake-and-mountain scenery complement each other, creating picturesque views everywhere. The village preserves over 140 well-maintained Ming and Qing dynasty residences, with famous attractions including: Spring Dawn at South Lake, Reciting at the Academy, Lotus in Moon Pond, Ox Intestine Water Channels, Twin Streams Reflecting Blue, Ancient Trees in Front of the Pavilion, and Sunset at Leigang. Notable ancient residences such as Shuren Hall, Taoyuan Residence, Jingxiu Hall, Deyi Hall, and Biyuan remain perfectly preserved to this day.
After fully experiencing one of Southern Anhui’s most representative Huizhou-style villages, we’ll head to another world cultural heritage site and national 5A-level scenic spot — the ancient village of Xidi. Located about 8 kilometers southeast of the county seat, Xidi currently preserves 124 well-maintained Ming and Qing dynasty residences, 4 ancestral halls, and 1 memorial archway. It is known as the “Museum of Ming and Qing Dynasty Residences” and the “Village in a Peach Blossom Spring.” About 4 kilometers northeast of the ancient residences of Xidi lies the stunning Yuanyang Valley Natural Scenic Area. The valley is flanked by towering cliffs, and while the outside world basks in midday sun, inside the valley the clouds part to reveal sunlight. The valley is winding and deep, with diverse shapes, steep cliffs, crystal-clear pools, swirling mists, and endless illusions, making you feel as if you’ve stepped into a fairyland. (Let’s go exploring, everyone!) Yuanyang Valley is beautiful on the surface and even more stunning within, combining natural landscapes with ecological resources. Its most distinctive feature is the series of deep pools in the valley, where the clear stream water seems dyed by the green mountains on both sides, appearing pristine and emerald green. Pairs of mandarin ducks are often seen swimming together on the water, which is why it has been called “Yuanyang Valley” (Mandarin Duck Valley) since ancient times. This is definitely a cool world and a great place to escape the summer heat. Of course, it’s also the perfect spot for couples and lovers seeking true love to find inspiration in ancient love legends. Come on, let’s go discover that timeless love story together!
Breathe fresh air in Wuxi Mountain and relax at Bishan Bookstore
For those of us living in cities, breathing air with high PM2.5 levels under the smoggy sky constantly harms our lungs.
It’s time, friends, to head to Wuxi Mountain Nature Reserve. With a forest coverage rate of 92.8%, it’s known as the “Land of Peach Blossoms in Ancient Yixian, and the Best Scenery of Wuxi.” The beauty of Wuxi Mountain lies in its numerous waterfalls and springs; its beauty lies in its spectacular rock formations and ever-changing mists. Rest quietly in the serene forest, where the air is filled with negative ions generated by the potential difference of turbulent flows. The unique alpine meadows are also rare natural oxygen bars. Here, you’ll feel the breeze refreshing, the air clean, exhale the impurities, and inhale the freshness. It’s a gift from nature that the city cannot provide, giving our damaged lungs a chance to recover and rejuvenate.
In addition, Wuxi Mountain is also the core production area of Huangshan Maofeng, one of China’s top ten famous teas. While you’re enjoying the scenery, don’t forget to bring back some Huangshan Maofeng from Wuxi Mountain to share tea and conversation with family and friends.
When you’re tired of hiking, tired of cycling, or just don’t feel like doing anything, haha, I recommend the perfect place to rest and daydream — Bishan Bookstore in Bishan Village, Yixian.
Bishan Bookstore is located in a historic protected building, an old ancestral hall. It’s the eighth branch of Nanjing Pioneer Bookstore, which has been featured on CNN and hailed as “China’s Most Beautiful Bookstore.” With the rich aroma of coffee blending with the scent of books and the cultural ambiance of the historic architecture, reading, chatting, or even just daydreaming here is a pure delight. You really should experience it, don’t you think?
Play
Peach Blossom Spring Rafting
Cycling in the summer, though surrounded by layered mountains, beautiful waters, and scenery, is still an activity that makes you sweat. What could be more exhilarating than playing in the water? Just thinking about it is intoxicating.
Alright, I’ll fulfill everyone’s wish and go for a spontaneous rafting adventure!
The Peach Blossom Spring Rafting trip is six kilometers long and takes about 1.5 hours to complete. The starting point is at the foot of the scenic Shishan Daifeng Peak, and the endpoint is at Shimen Yuanyang Bay upstream of Yuting Town. Hop on a bamboo raft and float along the crystal-clear river, passing through streams and shoals. Though the journey is generally smooth and safe, there are a few shallow rapids and elevation drops that add excitement and more fun. Splashing around, singing mountain songs, gazing at the lush bamboo forests, and watching the fish in the clear waters — the white-walled, gray-tiled Huizhou ancient villages and the dense green mountains form one stunning scroll of Peach Blossom Spring landscape after another. If it weren’t for your clothes and camera, you’d almost feel like you’ve traveled back to the world of “The Peach Blossom Spring.”
