[2025 Chizhou Attraction] Travel Guide for Xinghua Village Scenic Area (Updated Jun)

🌄 **Chizhou | Buddhist Wonderland + Poetic Landscapes: An Immersive Guide to Anhui's Hidden Gem** **🌟 Highlights** ✔️ **Mount Jiuhua**: A sacred site for Buddhists, with 99 temples nestled amidst a sea of clouds, and the Hall of the Meat Body Buddha, where a millennium-old mystery unfolds. ✔️ **Xinghua Village**: The "place where the shepherd boy points" in Du Mu's famous poem, where thousands of apricot blossoms transport you back to the Tang Dynasty in spring. ✔️ **Guniujiang National Park**: The last primeval forest in East China, boasting emerald pools that rival Jiuzhaigou. **🗺️ Must-See Itinerary** **Day 1: A Buddhist Encounter**: Jiuhua Street → Zhiyuan Temple → Baisui Palace Cable Car (CNY 160) for a view of the natural Reclining Buddha → Tiantai Peak for a panoramic view of the sea of clouds (for those with stamina!). **Day 2: A Poetic Stroll**: Cycling around Pingtian Lake, the "sister lake of West Lake" → Photo ops amidst the fluttering wine flags of Xinghua Village → A nighttime cruise along the Qiupu River, the "River of Poetry," illuminated by enchanting lights. **📸 Picture-Perfect Spots** 1️⃣ **Tiantai Temple's Hanging Plank Road**: Capture drone shots of the sea of clouds enveloping the red walls and golden roofs, creating a scene straight out of a Buddhist wonderland. 2️⃣ **Longmen Pool in Guniujiang**: At noon, when the sunlight hits just right, capture the mesmerizing Tiffany-blue waters. 3️⃣ **Mu Zhi Lou in Xinghua Village**: Don a Hanfu, grab an oil-paper umbrella, and pose alongside the inscribed poetry steles. **🚗 Transportation Tips** ▫️ High-speed Rail: Chizhou Station → Mount Jiuhua Scenic Area Bus (CNY 12/person, 50 mins) ▫️ Self-drive: Anhui's "Sichuan-Tibet Highway" (Chizhou section), challenge yourself with the hairpin bends of Shitai Tianlu Road. **🍜 Culinary Delights** √ Jiuhua Vegetarian Cuisine: Fermented Bean Curd Braised Pork (vegetarian version!), Guanyin Tofu √ Qiupu Fishing Village: Two Ways with Mandarin Fish (Stinky Mandarin Fish + Milky Fish Head Soup), approx. CNY 60 per person. **⚠️ Insider Tips** 🔸 Mount Jiuhua entrance fee: CNY 160, scenic area bus: CNY 50 (mandatory, private cars restricted). 🔸 Avoid stepping on the thresholds when visiting temples! Circle the Hall of the Meat Body Buddha clockwise three times as a sign of respect. 🔸 Wear water shoes and bring a waterproof phone case to Guniujiang (the pools are too tempting!). **✨ Captivating Caption** "When the morning bells of Mount Jiuhua disperse the sea of clouds, and the fishing fires of the Qiupu River illuminate the Tang poems, this is not just Jiangnan, but the poetic and Zen-like landscape etched in the soul of every Chinese." 🔔 **Follow me to unlock more hidden gems!**

**🏞️ [2-Day Chizhou Itinerary] Jiuhua Mountain + Pingtian Lake: Explore Poetic Southern Anhui for Just ¥500 per Person!** --- ### **🚗 Itinerary at a Glance** **Day 1: Pilgrimage to Jiuhua Mountain** • Morning: **Jiuhua Street** → **Meat Body Hall** (where the real body of Kṣitigarbha is enshrined) • Afternoon: **Baisui Palace Cable Car** (¥55 one-way) → **Tiantai Peak** summit (overlooking the sea of clouds) • Must-try: **Vegetarian buffet** (¥30/person, most authentic at Jiuhua Villa) • Overnight stay: **Minsu at the foot of the mountain** (¥150+/night, including pick-up and drop-off) **Day 2: Countryside Scenery** • Early morning: **Cycling around Pingtian Lake** (bike rental ¥20/hour, enjoy the beauty described in Li Bai's poems) • Morning: **Xinghua Village** (check in at the poetic scene of "Shepherd Boy Pointing") • Afternoon: **Guniujiang** (Little Jiuzhaigou of Southern Anhui, with refreshing pools and waterfalls) • Before leaving: Buy **Jiuhua Huangjing** (a nourishing local specialty) --- ### **⚠️ Essential Tips** ✔️ **Transportation**: Chizhou High-Speed Railway Station → Jiuhua Mountain Scenic Area Bus (¥12/person) ✔️ **Tickets**: Jiuhua Mountain ¥160 (including scenic area bus), Guniujiang ¥100 ✔️ **Avoid scams**: Don't easily believe the "exorbitant prices for consecrated items" at incense shops ✔️ **Hidden perk**: Chance encounters with egrets at Pingtian Lake during sunset --- (Actual expenses: Jiuhua Cable Car round trip ¥100, vegetarian meal ¥30, minsu ¥80/person) --- **📌 Important Notes** • Shorts/slippers are not allowed in temples on Jiuhua Mountain • Guniujiang has the strongest water flow during the rainy season (June-July) • Look for the "Jiuhua" geographical indication when buying Huangjing

Chizhou is a city full of natural beauty and historical culture. Here's a travel guide to Chizhou to help you better plan your trip. Best time to visit Spring (March-May): Chizhou has a pleasant climate in spring, suitable for outdoor activities. Autumn (September-November): The weather is crisp and clear, making it a good time to enjoy the natural scenery. Recommended attractions Mount Jiuhua Scenic Area: A national 5A-level tourist attraction, famous for its grandeur, wonder, spirituality, and beauty. Guniujiang Scenic Area, Shitai County: Located in Dayan Township, Shitai County, Chizhou City, Anhui Province, it is known for its grandeur, wonder, and danger. Nuoxian Town: Located at Building 35, Block M, Binhe Community, Maya Subdistrict Office, Guichi District, Chizhou City, Anhui Province. Qiupu River Scenic Area: Known as the "River of Poetry" because Li Bai wrote 17 poems during his five visits to Qiupu. Xinghua Village: Famous for the poem "Qingming" written by the Tang Dynasty poet Du Mu when he was the governor of Chizhou. Recommended food Jiuhua Vegetarian Cookies: Golden in appearance, crispy and sweet. Shitai Cured Meat: Bright red color, fragrant aroma, and rich taste. Dongzhi Rice Dumplings: Small and exquisite, thin skin, full filling, and delicious taste. Guichi Fish Cakes: Tender, delicious, and nutritious. Qingyang Hairy Tofu: Delicate texture, rich flavor, and fragrant aroma. Accommodation recommendations Chizhou Zhuxi Inn: Located in a lush bamboo forest, the fresh air around is refreshing. Grand View Garden Homestay: Known for its unique Huizhou architectural style, the Ming and Qing style buildings make you feel like traveling back in time. Huan Yuan Homestay: Focuses on combining modern and traditional elements, with eco-friendly materials used in the rooms, showing elegance. Transportation guide Airplane: Choose Jiuhua Mountain Airport. Train: Chizhou Station and Chizhou East Station. Local transportation: Buses, taxis, ride-hailing services, etc. Travel tips Check the opening hours and ticket information of the scenic spots in advance. Pay attention to weather changes and take sun protection or warm measures. Pay attention to food hygiene and personal taste when tasting food. Detailed information about Chizhou's attractions is as follows: I hope this guide can help you have a pleasant journey in Chizhou!

Chizhou is a treasure land with countless natural beauties and cultural relics. Here you can see the picturesque landscapes, the accumulation of thousands of years of culture, the poetic rivers, and the natural secrets that make you feel relaxed and happy. Let's go to Chizhou together. 1⃣Jiuhua Mountain is one of the four famous Buddhist mountains in China. It has many peaks and strange rocks. The nine main peaks are like nine lotus flowers, with various shapes and charms, forming a fresh and natural landscape painting. It is known as "the most beautiful in the south of the Yangtze River"💰160 Jiuhua Street, Qingyang County, Chizhou City 2⃣Guniujiang Famous for its grandeur, strangeness and danger, it was called "Western Huangshan" in ancient times. The area is surrounded by green mountains and clear waters, with ever-changing clouds and mists. It is gentle in its steepness, tranquil in its beauty, and elegant in its fantasy. The ecological environment is extremely beautiful, and the natural scenery is grand, strange, secluded and beautiful. 💰100 (ticket + uphill scenic shuttle) 📍Guniujiang Scenic Area, Shitai County, Chizhou City 3⃣Jiuhua Tianchi Scenic Area The scenic area has a primitive natural ecology and unique landscapes, including canyons, streams, waterfalls, bamboo forests, strange trees and rocks, high mountains and flat lakes. The wonder of "Sky River Hanging Green Water" in the area is known as the "Ali Mountain" in Jiangnan💰80 Tianchi Avenue, Guichi District, Chizhou City 4⃣Qiupu River Scenic Area The first scenic spot in Chizhou City that focuses on outdoor activities includes Qiupu River Rafting, Qiupu Fishing Village and Baizhang Cliff. The "Poet Immortal" Li Bai visited Qiupu River five times and wrote 17 poems. It is known as the "River of Poetry". In addition to outdoor activities, there are also free cultural activities such as Qiupu Stone Museum and Li Bai Poetry Gallery. West side of Provincial Highway 221, Shitai County, Chizhou City 5⃣ Xinghua Village Known as the "No. 1 Poetry Village in the World", the village is lush with trees, apricot blossoms in the forest, small bridges and flowing water, and wine flags appearing. The Qinglian Pavilion, the Buddhist Art Hall, the Poetry Platform, and the Six Dynasties Corridor all reveal the artistic conception of the village and the fragrance of poetry. Free Xinghua Village Cultural Tourism Zone, Guichi District, Chizhou City 6⃣Pingtian Lake Scenic Area It consists of three major scenic areas: Qishan Scenic Area, Pingtian Lake Scenic Area, and Pingtian Lake Southern Wetland Park. Qishan's thousands of strange rocks are like natural bonsai. Pingtian Lake has a yacht pier, coffee bar, music square, waterfront beach and lake viewing pavilion, etc. 💰 Free Pingtianhu Road, Guichi District, Chizhou City 7⃣Xianyu Mountain Scenic Area The majestic Xianyu Canyon, the winding and ever-changing natural caves such as the Red Army Cave and Bieyi Cave, the primeval forest with towering ancient trees, and the Dashan Selenium-rich Village, which is known as "China's No. 1 Selenium-rich Village"💰70 Xianyu Town, Shitai County, Chizhou City 8⃣Penglai Fairy Cave A magical cave landscape, where stalactites are in various shapes and beautiful. Walking along the trail in the cave, you can enjoy various strange stalagmites, stone curtains and other landscapes💰60 In Du Village, Renli Town, Shitai County, Chizhou City

📍【Jiuhua Mountain】 Recommendation index: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 💰Tickets: 160 (half price for students) ✅Recommended reasons: The sacred site of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva! A visual feast of seas of clouds and wondrous pine trees. The first choice for 99% of tourists coming to Chizhou. Burning incense and praying here is incredibly effective. Remember to have a bowl of vegetarian noodles for 15 yuan. ❌Points to avoid: So many steps you'll question your life choices! Wear sneakers! Non-Buddhist enthusiasts might find it a bit monotonous. Remember to bargain at the guesthouses at the foot of the mountain. 📍【Guniujiang in Shitai County】 Recommendation index: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 💰Tickets: 108 including shuttle bus ✅Recommended reasons: Anhui's "Little Jiuzhai" is real! The emerald waters of the pools are breathtakingly beautiful. No filter needed for photos! The 3-hour hike is not tiring at all. Great for kids! ❌Points to avoid: Choose restaurants with high ratings! A certain farmhouse restaurant charged me 38 yuan for a plate of stir-fried vegetables. 😭 📍【Pingtian Lake】 Recommendation index: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 💰Free! ✅Recommended reasons: The ultimate romantic spot for sunset bike rides! Cycling around the lake is super relaxing. Wear a white dress and take "seaside" photos. Visit Wanghua Tower in the evening to watch the sunset paint the sky and understand the meaning of "water and sky merging into one." ❌Points to avoid: Don't rent bikes for 30 yuan/hour! Scan the QR code at the entrance and rent a shared bike for 1.5 yuan. 📍【Xinghua Village】 Recommendation index: 🌟🌟 💰Tickets: 88 ✅Recommended reasons: The Qingming Festival destination from ancient poems. Great for taking photos in Hanfu. ❌Points to avoid: Highly commercialized! For the same price, Suzhou gardens are a better option. Even locals say, "Go to the countryside to see flowers, it's much better." 📍【Penglai Fairy Cave】 Recommendation index: 🌟🌟🌟 💰70 yuan ✅Recommended reasons: The longest cave in East China! Spectacular karst landscape. A perfect summer escape from the heat. ❌Points to avoid: Damp and slippery! Mostly frequented by elderly tour groups. Not recommended for those with poor physical fitness. 💡【3 Hard-Learned Lessons】 1⃣The high-speed train arrives at "Chizhou Station," not "Jiuhua Mountain Station"! A taxi to the scenic spot costs upwards of 70 yuan. 2⃣Attractions in Shitai County are scattered. Driving or chartering a car is recommended (around 200 yuan per day). 3⃣Must-try foods: Small rice cakes (1.5 yuan/each), stinky mandarin fish, Lingyang tofu hot pot

Chizhou Xinghua Village is located at No. 108 Xinghua Village Avenue, Guichi District, Chizhou City, Anhui Province Outside the Xiushan Gate of Chizhou, the seven-character quatrain by Lin Gudu, a famous scholar from the Ming Dynasty from Fuqing, Fujian (styled Ran Yu, also known as Mao Zhi, and later called Ru Shan), expresses the pride of the people of Chizhou for Xinghua Village over the millennia. The poem says: 'The county tower rises high beyond Xiushan Gate, ancient relics of today cannot be discussed. Du Mu in his time had famous verses, singing alone outside the city of Xinghua Village.' Du Mu, a poet from the late Tang Dynasty, with his widely cherished poem 'Qingming,' captured the intoxicating rain, flowers, and wine of the Jiangnan region during the Qingming festival, as well as the fame of the age-old Xinghua Village. Another story: On the eve of New Year's Day 2010, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce ruled that 'Xinghua Village' would be split in two, with 'liquor' in Shanxi and 'play' in Anhui. Xinghua Village Scenic Area

It's only after arriving that one realizes, this is the legendary Xinghua Village. Du Mu's poem says: 'During Qingming time, rain drizzles endlessly, and travelers on the road feel their souls breaking apart. Where to find a tavern? The shepherd boy points to Xinghua Village far away.' The place that gained explosive popularity from a Tang Dynasty poem is Xinghua Village, with many places claiming to be the authentic one. Anhui Chizhou has the greatest possibility because Du Mu once served as a magistrate there. Scenic Spot Recommendations Located in Xinghua Village, Chizhou City, Anhui Province, it is a thousand-year-old village adorned with apricot blossoms. Here, you can find picturesque apricot forests, simple Hui-style architecture, a long-standing culture of liquor, and the honest charm of rural life, all coming together to form a romantic scroll of spring apricot blossoms that makes one linger and forget to return. Every spring, the apricot blossoms of Xinghua Village bloom as promised, with pink and white petals covering the branches, like clouds and rosy clouds falling on the village. Strolling, cycling, and taking photos among the sea of flowers, or sipping tea, drinking wine, and reciting poetry, one can feel the romance of spring.

🚗Transportation: Self-driving ✅Tour Route: - Day 1: Apricot Flower Village - Jiuhua Tianchi - The various flowers of Apricot Flower Village bloom at the end of March, dazzling and splendid, and you can enjoy a free visit for about 1 hour. - In the afternoon, head to Jiuhua Tianchi, which is not far away, half an hour's drive. Purchase a ticket for the mountain bus to see the spectacular Tianchi Waterfall and the newly opened Nuoxian Town, featuring all-day live performances. - Day 2: Baishiling + Xihuangshan - Guniujiang - Morning: Baishiling is free of charge, where the ancient village and the rapeseed flowers complement each other, filled with pastoral scenery; then go to Xihuangshan, where there is a large camping site at the entrance, you can visit the tea garden, and the surrounding food and accommodation are convenient. - Afternoon: Visit Guniujiang, where the water is beautiful and sparkling on sunny days, and the scenic area has two routes, with the right side inhabited by picturesque Huizhou-style villages. 🏛Accommodation: - You can stay at the Twelve Hours in Nuoxian Town that night, a courtyard-style hotel with rooms named after solar terms. - The next day, you can enjoy afternoon tea at the Sunflower Hotel, which has a large backyard with rapeseed fields and an orchard, offering a pleasant environment. 🥢Dining: - The food is mostly home-cooked dishes with fresh seasonal ingredients, and you can try the fish soup.

If you are coming to Anhui for a tour, I sincerely recommend you to take a look at Chizhou. Chizhou not only has the beautiful landscape of southern Anhui, but also has rich intangible cultural heritage such as Nuo Opera and Qingyang Tune, which can be said to be very characteristic. Without further ado, here is a detailed travel guide to take you around Chizhou‼️ 【Recommended Tourist Spots】 1️⃣Jiuhua Mountain: One of the four famous Buddhist mountains, the dojo of Jizo Bodhisattva. It's a good place for pilgrimage and Buddha worship, and you can also climb the mountain to enjoy the beautiful scenery (Tiantai Mountain, Hua Tai). For specific strategies, you can go to see my last note, which has detailed itinerary➕transportation➕food.——【Play 1-2 days】 2️⃣Guniujiang: The water is very green, small Jiuzhaigou (picture 3️⃣ is the original picture without filter). You can go upstream and see the waterfall. Longmen Pool is the largest and the water is the clearest and most beautiful. It will be congested during holidays, it is recommended to take a bus to Shitai County and then take a bus to the scenic area.——【The scenic area is not big, play half a day, ring line 3 hours】 3️⃣Pingtian Lake: A free 4A-level scenic spot in Chizhou city, where you can ride a shared electric bike around the lake to relax. There are many people flying kites on Lianhua Tai, and the sunset is beautiful in the evening.——【Play 1 hour】 4️⃣Jiuhua Tianchi: The scenery is similar to Guniujiang——【Play half a day】 5️⃣Xinghua Village: The village in the poem 'The shepherd boy points to Xinghua Village' is it, you can go and see it on the way, it is not recommended to go specially, go to the free one and don't go to the one that charges. 【Specialty Food】 Dongzhi Rice Dumplings, Stinky Mandarin Fish, Shitai Yipin Pot, Shitai Qiupu River Fish, Old Chicken Soup, Gaozi Baba PS‼️Anhui people love to eat pots, which is a cooking method that combines stir-fry and hot pot. It is divided into dry pot and soup hot pot. It's very comfortable to eat while it's hot. 【City Food】 I have also compiled a list of old-fashioned foods recommended by locals. Friends who take the high-speed rail to Chizhou can go and taste them. They are all concentrated in Chizhou city (Guichi District), and it is more convenient to go from the high-speed rail station👇🏻 1️⃣Xiaoba (usually eaten for breakfast): Father and Son Xiaoba, Happy Breakfast, Three Sisters Breakfast 2️⃣Beef noodles (some shops only open in the morning): Guangyou Ramen, Wu Kechang Ramen, Minglong Ramen, Afa (opposite Shangzhidu), Guikefang (but the attitude is quite bad) 3️⃣Fried noodles: Xiaoxiang Noodle House, Xiaoba Noodle House, Fat Uncle 4️⃣Barbecue: Xingheyuan Barbecue (the sign does not have a name, the location is opposite the city fire brigade), Liu's (opposite Jiulong Times), Tiger 5️⃣Fried skewers: Chanzui Duck, Zhen De Wei 6️⃣Duck neck: Wangji Spicy Neck Wang

Anhui Chizhou Xinghua Village is located to the west of Chizhou city, with ancient wine shops and famous wine production. Xinghua Village extends south to Qishan Lake, north to Bodingshan, east to Ximen Suspension Bridge, and west to the edge of Qiupu River, with apricot blossoms flying like rain, spanning ten miles. The Xinghua Village of the past had hundreds of acres of apricot forests, with flowers as beautiful as clouds. There was also a Huang Gong wine shop in the village, which was quiet and elegant, with the fragrance of strong wine. When Du Mu, the governor of Chizhou at that time, visited this place, he left behind the poem: 'In the Qingming season, the rain is pouring, and the pedestrians on the road are like souls. Ask where the wine shop is? The shepherd boy pointed to Xinghua Village.' This poem has been passed down through the ages. Since then, Chizhou Xinghua Village has become a famous village throughout the ages.