[2025 Tongcheng Attraction] Travel Guide for Zhonghua Guyao No.1 Village (Updated May)

Stepping into Xian'ning Ancient Yao Village is like walking into an ancient painting. Every stone and every leaf whispers stories of the past. ⛰️ Neichong Yao Village is located at the southern end of Yaogu Mountain in Daping Township, Tongcheng County, Xianning City, Hubei Province. It is located at the junction of Chibi, Chongyang, Tongcheng, and Linxiang in Hunan Province, and is the birthplace of the Chinese Yao people. It is the first ancient Yao village in China. Main attractions: ❄️ Yao Ancient Street It used to be a 600-meter-long commercial street built along the creek, but now it is a replica. It was early in the morning on a non-holiday, so the street was empty. It is said that during holidays, the street is crowded and lively. ❄️ Yao Wang Millennium Square The most prominent feature of the square is a large installation called "Bronze Drum and Horn." The bronze drum is a musical instrument used by the Yao people for gatherings, wars, large festivals, and celebrations, often used in conjunction with the horn. The horn has 12 sections, symbolizing the 12 branches of the Yao people. ❄️ Ancient Yao Culture Exhibition Hall The exhibition hall is divided into two parts: "Ancient Yao History" and "Ancient Yao Heritage," which recreate the life scenes of the Yao people, including their clothing, tools, and customs, showcasing the folk customs of the ancient Yao people from different perspectives. ❄️ Yao Medicine Valley Hiking Yaogu Mountain is the northern extension of the Mufu Mountain range, also known as Longjiao Mountain. It spans the provinces of Hunan and Hubei, encompassing the counties of Tongcheng, Linxiang, Chongyang, and Chibi. The mountain is rich in various precious medicinal herbs and is praised by Li Shizhen as a "medicine treasure trove." Li Shizhen once collected herbs on Yaogu Mountain for half a year and wrote the book "Compendium of Materia Medica," leaving behind the saying "Yaogu Mountain has all the herbs except licorice and coptis." There is a "Danggui Bridge" on the mountain, symbolizing the hope for the return of medicine and the Yao people. The ancient Yao relics characterized by stone stacking culture can be seen everywhere on Yaogu Mountain. Yaogu Mountain has the most primitive and complete stone stacking cultural relics preserved in the Jiangnan region. There are also some attractions related to the legend of Yaogu on the mountain. The final destination should be the Yixiantian Waterfall, but due to weather conditions, the mountain road was closed. The entire hike takes about an hour round trip. There are residents and homestays in the scenic area. Many families grow loofahs, and there are ginkgo trees with ginkgo nuts scattered all over the ground. On the way back, I had a large bag of ginkgo nuts and a few loofahs on my RV. ❄️ Bonfire Party and Yao Song and Dance Performance Maybe because it was not a holiday, I couldn't experience these activities.

Dear friends, today I want to take you to a mysterious and beautiful place - Yao Village in Yaogu Mountain, Tongcheng, Xianning, Hubei. It is not only a living history of Yao culture, but also a treasure trove of natural scenery! 🏞️ [Explore Yao Village] Imagine walking on the stone road of Yao Village, with ancient Yao buildings on both sides, as if traveling through time and space, opening a thick history book. Every brick and tile here tells the wisdom of the Yao people living in harmony with nature. 📷 [Yao Costume Experience] Here, you can also rent traditional Yao costumes for only CNY 20 per person, and experience the Yao culture, taking beautiful photos at a touching price! 🚗 [Transportation Guide] It takes about 2.5 hours to drive from Wuhan. Navigate to "The First Ancient Yao Village in China" to reach this paradise. Moreover, admission and parking are free! 🏡 [Accommodation Recommendation] At night, we recommend you stay at "Yangxin Valley Eco Homestay", a bird's nest tree house on the mountainside, where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery and get close to nature. At night, look up at the stars and enjoy a quiet night in the mountains and forests. 🍲 [Food Recommendation] In the evening, there are also singing and dancing performances by Yao youth in the square, and the farmhouse dishes here are also not to be missed. Especially the taro, it is simply delicious, even the peppers in the dishes are freshly picked from the vegetable garden in front of the store, very fresh! 🌬️ [Cool Weather] The weather is cool, it is a good time to travel, hurry up and bring your family and friends to Yaogu Mountain Yao Village to feel the charm of Yao culture and the gift of nature!

🌈 Introduction: Inner Chong Village is the first ancient Yao village in China. It is located at the junction of four counties: Chibi, Chongyang, Tongcheng, and Linxiang (Hunan). It is 25 kilometers away from Tongcheng County. The village preserves historical relics of the Yao people, including ancient wells, altars, terraced fields, stone tombs, stone temples, and stone pillars. 🌈 Highlights: Village Museum, Medicine Valley, Eagle's Beak Cliff Waterfall. My favorite is to slowly climb the mountain from Medicine Valley to see the waterfall, and then sit on the corridor bridge after descending the mountain to drink tea and enjoy the breeze. It's so comfortable! Hahaha... Tip: Since the entrance ticket is free, the campfire party and dance performances at night have also been canceled. However, the evening breeze is gentle, and it is more relaxing and comfortable to take a walk in the square! 🌈 Transportation: From Wuhan, take the Wusheng Expressway by car. The journey is 200 kilometers and takes 2.5 hours. 🌈 Entrance Ticket: Free. Self-driving parking is also free. You can make an appointment on the official WeChat account. 🌈 Surroundings: Inner Chong Village is close to Jiugong Mountain in Tongshan County and Yanglou Cave in Chibi City. You can visit them along the way. 🌈 Food and Accommodation: There are many food and accommodation options in Tongcheng County, and the prices are also cheap. It is recommended to stay in the scenic area. The Yao wife's home offers good value for money for food and accommodation, and it is clean and comfortable. Tip: Due to the off-season, few breakfast shops are open. You need to drive 3 kilometers to the town to solve it.

⛰💦Yaogu Mountain·Guyao Village is located at the northern foot of Yaogu Mountain (Longjiao Mountain), a remnant of Mufu Mountain at the junction of Hunan and Hubei. At present, the scenic area still preserves the historical relics of the Yao people, such as ancient wells, altars, terraces, stone tombs, stone temples, stone pillars, etc., which precipitate the cultural atmosphere of the ancestors of the Yao people. It is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction integrating ancient Yao culture, traditional Chinese medicine culture, red culture, ecological leisure and folk customs. 🔘Yaogu Mountain⛰ It is named after its rich Chinese herbal medicine resources and is known as the "Natural Medicine Storehouse of Jiangnan". Going deeper along the winding mountain path, you will encounter various precious medicinal materials growing there. Following the footsteps of local Yao pharmacists, you will learn to identify herbs, understand the Yao medicine knowledge, and more deeply appreciate the concept of harmonious coexistence between man and nature. 🔘Guyao Village🍃 The traditional Yao village lies quietly in the mountains. The Yao dwellings are built against the mountain, with wooden frame structures, green tiles and white walls, like a flowing landscape painting, exuding a simple yet elegant atmosphere everywhere. 🌟The villagers still retain many traditional customs, wearing colorful Yao costumes, and inheriting the ancient Yao songs, Yao dances, Yao medicine culture📚. Here, you can gain an in-depth understanding of the living customs and traditional crafts of the Yao people, and feel the primitive, simple and indomitable national spirit. 🛬【Game guide】: Recommended visit time: 1 - 2 days. Day 1: After arriving at Yaogu Mountain and Ancient Yao Village, visit the Ancient Yao Cultural Exhibition Hall to learn about the Yao culture. Then enjoy the singing and dancing performances at Yaowang Millennium Square and feel the enthusiasm of the Yao people. In the evening, you can taste local specialties such as Yao bacon, wild mushroom soup, etc. 😋 Day 2: Wander in the ancient Yao village and explore the beautiful scenery hidden in the alleys. You can buy some Yao ethnic souvenirs as a souvenir. Finally, we returned with a lot of good memories. 🚗 ⛺【Local must-visit】: 🌟Ancient Yao Culture Exhibition Hall🎪: Here, you can learn about the long history and rich culture of the Yao people. Exquisite Yao costumes, ancient musical instruments, and unique handicrafts, each one speaks of the wisdom and diligence of the Yao people. 👘 🌟Yaowang Millennium Square💃: The Yao ethnic group's song and dance performances on the square are definitely not to be missed. The actors are dressed in gorgeous Yao costumes, singing and dancing, allowing you to feel the enthusiasm and vitality of the Yao people. 🎶 🌟Characteristic Yao Village Houses🏘: Stroll through the alleys of the ancient Yao village and admire the unique Yao village houses. The wooden houses, stone roads, and carved doors and windows exude an ancient atmosphere everywhere. 📸【Photo check-in】 Yaowang Millennium Square, the red walls of General Li Temple, and the rippling Yaochi are all great places for taking photos. 🏡【Accommodation experience】 I recommend the "Yangxin Valley Ecological B&B", a bird's nest tree house on the mountainside where you can look up at the starry sky at night. 🚗Transportation: Directly navigate to the First Ancient Yao Village in China, it takes about 2.5 hours from Wuhan to Ancient Yao Village 📝Note tips: ✔It was expensive before!! But now it’s free! Drive directly there, parking is also free, suitable for all ages. ✔It's very cool here. It is said that the average temperature throughout the year is around 17 degrees. The forest is dense, which is suitable for summer vacation. There are mountains and water, and you can also go rafting and take your kids for a walk. The water quality is super good. ✔A lot of Yao culture is preserved here, and there is also a museum that is free to visit, which is worth a visit. ✔Walking further in is a secret hiking area hidden in the canyon, where "the mountains are all green and the fragrance of medicine can be smelled from a hundred miles away". It is suitable for hiking and climbing, and it is cool and healing to follow the stream all the way up. There is a waterfall on top, with few people and beautiful scenery, don't miss it. ✔Don't miss the secret hiking place hidden in the canyon. Li Shizhen wrote the famous story here: "The whole mountain is green, and the fragrance of medicine can be smelled for a hundred miles." It is suitable for mountain hiking. Going up along the stream is not too high, not tiring and cool. There is a waterfall above, and you can enjoy the beautiful scenery alone with few people. ✔Water is 2 yuan, renting Yao costumes is 20💰, the prices are touching, the elderly in the village are very simple, 🚻 is also very clean, you can travel easily, come on a Yao cultural tour~ ✔Bonfire party from 7 to 9:00, experience Yao ethnic song and dance ✔🅿Parking is very convenient. You can park halfway up the mountain without having to climb back and forth.

Where kids don't want to leave after playing Halfway up the mountain, the forest log cabin nests are fairy tale-like, staying in the scenic area designed as a 'cute house' that's fun and photogenic!! Push open the window to see the lush forest landscape The unique valley terrain is cooler in summer, and the waterfalls and streams along the way are simply treasures for fishing, shrimp catching, and stream trekking. It's a great summer retreat About the location Self-drive 2 hours to Neichong Yao Village, Tongcheng County, Xianning City $Starting from 400+ per person Homestay highlights 1️⃣Unique design of the cute house, 360° forest view from the observation terrace, strong design sense, good privacy 2️⃣Accommodation includes scenic area tickets. This place is less crowded and a good place to play in the water, the stream is cool and suitable for fishing, shrimp catching, and stream trekking 3️⃣Pet-friendly, pets can be brought along without extra charge 4️⃣Here you can experience a slow life, it's a place for nurturing the soul, and at night you can see the starry sky About the room types, there are a total of 8 rooms Viewing/Naked Heart/View Stop/Cute House Villa, two of each, all with one 1.8*2m king-size bed, equipped with a living room and a terrace Open view with forest landscape, smart home) Homestay experience: butler service Breakfast delivered to the room Nearby attractions The homestay itself is in the ancient Yao village scenic area, which is divided into two phases: The first phase has a reservoir, lake heart pavilion, General's Temple, wetland park, ancient Yao culture museum, and ancient Yao millennium square The second phase you can climb mountains, play in the water, catch small fish, and visit the One-Line-Sky waterfall Tongshan Hidden Water Cave 1.5 hours Jiayu Honey Spring Lake Resort 1 hour, Jiayu Never Sleep City 1 hour Two-day one-night travel strategy DAY1 You can check in first, and play in the first and second phases of the ancient Yao village scenic area (you can prepare a small bucket, fishing net, and stream trekking shoes, etc.) DAY2 You can pass by Xianning Jiayu to check in at Honey Spring Lake Resort or Jiayu Never Sleep City

🔺Unexpectedly, there's a mysterious thousand-year-old Yao village hidden within 2 hours of Wuhan!! 🔺Streams, waterfalls, forests, mountain climbing for oxygen, learning about ancient Yao history, between deep mountain valleys, where it's less crowded, scenic, and quiet, 🔺This underrated Xianning secret spot is like a treasure of nature. - 📍Address: Tongcheng Yao Mushroom Mountain Ancient Yao Village, Xianning, Hubei Province (Navigation🧭: The First Ancient Yao Village in China) - ✅It's inconvenient to take a taxi here, so self-driving is necessary. Summer is coming, remember to prevent mosquito bites, oh, we often drive outdoors, and little mosquitoes will take the opportunity to sneak into the car, this year we have a fixed amount of forest area mosquito repellent spray. It's a summer essential, it's flameless and electric-free, it won't continuously evaporate, and it's safe to use for repelling mosquitoes inside the car. The bottle is very compact, doesn't take up space in the car, and one spray can last 24h. (And one more thing! Mosquitoes are the most annoying animals!!) - ⚠️Travel tips 🔸Free scenic area🆓! Drive directly, free parking, suitable for both the elderly and children~ 🔸The forest is dense, suitable for summer retreat, there are mountains and water, and you can also go stream trekking, take a walk with kids and play in the water, the water quality is quite good. 🔸There's a lot of Yao culture preserved here, and there's a museum inside that's also free to visit, worth checking out. 🔸Don't miss the hiking secret hidden in the canyon, where Li Shizhen wrote the famous saying 'The mountains are all green, and the scent of herbs can be smelled for miles', suitable for mountain hiking, walking up along the stream, not too high, not tiring and cool, with waterfalls above, few people to enjoy the beautiful scenery alone. 🔸The place is very simple, water costs 2 yuan, renting Yao ethnic clothing is only 20💰, great for taking beautiful Yao photos, 🚻clean, easy to travel and enjoy~

The first ancient Yao village scenic area in China is located at the northern foot of Yaogu Mountain (Longjiao Mountain), which is part of the Mufu Mountain range on the border of Hunan and Hubei. The Hangrui, Jinggang'ao, and Wushen highways pass by the territory. 'Yao people come out from Wuchang Prefecture, surrounded by green mountains for leisurely tours, farming on Longtou Mountain is good, and people of all ages live and work in happiness without worries.' Whenever this mountain song echoes through the clouds, the unique romantic story of the Yao people unfolds... Close appreciation of Yaogu Yao Pond, each season has its own beauty Tread on the ancient streets of Yao Township, retracing the path of life of the mountain people Visit Yao Wang Gan Nian Square, Wetland Park, Ancient Yao Culture Exhibition Hall, Bronze Drum Bull Horn, and General Li's Temple in succession, to experience the unique culture of the ancient Yao, and finally, also enjoy an incomparable night light show with that special someone. Recommended self-driving: The first ancient Yao village in China Tourists from Wuhan can take the Wushen to Hangrui Expressway, and after getting off the expressway, drive to National Highway 353, then take the 001 Township Road to reach the ancient Yao village, about a two and a half hour drive Accommodation: Recommended: Yangxin Valley Eco Homestay, located halfway up the mountain, with a bird's nest appearance that has a strong sense of design, is an excellent place for nurturing the heart and calming the mind Yao Township Ancient Street Homestay, good environment and favorable price. Specialty Food: Rice bubble tea, an ancient hospitality tea in the Tongcheng area, can relieve hunger and aid digestion Chrysanthemum bean tea, popular in the border areas of Hunan, Hubei, and Jiangxi, anti-inflammatory and cooling, with a good taste. Warm Tips: The temperature in the scenic area is lower than other regions in autumn and winter, tourists need to prepare warm clothing in advance, carry sun protection items in summer to avoid sunburn, and pay attention to driving safety when self-driving