Hunan · Shaoyang Longhui

When it comes to Hunan, beautiful mountains and clear waters, rich products, and outstanding people... have long become the most powerful labels! But when it comes to Hunan tourism, many people may still be stuck in the impression of red tourism, at least that’s what I think! This trip to Shaoyang, Hunan gave me a new impression of Hunan. It was not about dressing up in military uniform to review history and follow the path of the Red Army; nor was it about tasting the traditional food of the year and recalling the bitterness and sweetness... Hunan is It is a fertile land with unique geography and landforms, rich local customs, and modern entertainment projects that you can play all day long without getting tired of. It will make you fall in love with Hunan spicy food... all of this is also Thanks to the country's vigorous poverty alleviation policy in Hunan, poverty alleviation and tourism are perfectly integrated, and beautiful rural model villages are blooming everywhere! Let every tourist who is close to Hunan have more spiritual yearning!

Shaoyang Longhui has a wide range of natural landscape resources such as mountains, water, waterfalls, lakes, and forests, including the national-level scenic spot Huxing Mountain-Huayao Scenic Area, the former residence of Wei Yuan, a national key cultural relic protection unit, and the Hunan Hundreds of tourist attractions, including the Provincial Beautiful Rural Demonstration Village and the Provincial Tourism Poverty Alleviation Demonstration Village, Xiangjia Village, are unique and picturesque. Let’s start with describing one by one what I discovered during this trip!

Xiangjia Village, Yankou Town, Longhui County, Shaoyang, Hunan Province, is a "Hunan Province Beautiful Countryside Demonstration Village" and a "Hunan Province Tourism Poverty Alleviation Demonstration Village". The Niutianling Observation Deck is located at the commanding heights of the Niutianling tourist landscape, with an altitude of more than 700 meters. It is the best location for viewing. But the aerial photography from 500 meters above the ground overlooking the entire Xiangjia Village is even more exciting! Absolutely shocking! The peaks and ridges are green, the mountains and rivers complement each other, and the scenery is infinite!

Some people say that Moon Lake looks like a bull’s head, and it does look like it from this perspective! Echoing the name "Niutianling", it demonstrates the "pioneer cattle" spirit of Xiangjiacun's selfless dedication, hard work and forge ahead. The island is full of cherry blossom trees that can be claimed. Imagine that when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom in March, it will be very beautiful!

There is a Niutianling Cultural Plaza with a unique airplane shape design, located on the Niutianling observation deck, more than 700 meters above sea level. It is a cultural square with an area of ??about 2,000 square meters that integrates leisure viewing, camping experience, culture, sports and entertainment. There is a bronze "pioneer ox" at the east end. This is the iconic attraction of the cultural square and a must-see!

There are more check-in points... This rainbow slide is very popular among young people and children. Its length, drop, and undulations are all outstanding, and it is safe. It is one of the few slides I have ever played. Yes, you won’t get tired of the rainbow slide even if you slide it more than a dozen times.

The Internet-famous train is also very popular among tourists, and they can travel around the mountain for a week. Special suggestion: When you first arrive here, take a comfortable train and listen to the tour guide explain the distribution of the scenic spots and various recreational facilities, so that you know it well, and then go for free activities, you will have a more complete experience!

It is about 3 kilometers from the entrance of Xiangjia Village to the top of the mountain, which fully proves a truth: if you want to be rich, build roads first! A mountain road built so perfectly can really bring some excitement to the driver. Although the road is winding and the slopes are undulating, it is very safe to drive on the two-lane road! People and lanes are separated, and there are several small pavilions at the top of the mountain, which are good places to shade from the sun. Sitting in the pavilions, you can enjoy the scenery of the mountains and rivers!

There are four parent-child, children's and water parks, which fully meet the needs of family travel and entertainment. Playing in the water in summer is no longer just for children. Adults prefer places with water to cool off + have fun + learn water skills. Having fun is the most important thing! Effectively cultivate the hands-on ability and creativity of young children, which is not only conducive to the healthy growth of children but also enhances the relationship between children and parents.

I have loved football since I was a child. When I saw such a football field during aerial photography, I was so excited that I quickly flew up to inspect the area. The original Xiangjiacun Development Center has four obstacle courses for youth A, B, C, and D, as well as sand pools, tree pools and other venue facilities, including high-altitude projects, semi-altitude projects, field projects, and themed projects using the natural environment. This expansion center is the outdoor base camp with the most fashionable concepts, the most advanced equipment, the most complete projects, and the heart-pounding fun that I have seen.

You have to taste the food at Niutianling Farmhouse in Xiangjia Village. The ingredients are all self-produced agricultural and sideline products that are pollution-free and pollution-free, including native chicken, native duck, native goose, fragrant pork, beef and mutton, etc., as well as various kinds of food. Plant seasonal vegetables. The main special dishes include: chestnut steamed chicken that has been passed down for a century, fried bacon with bamboo shoots, oily but not greasy fragrant pork, steamed goose with rice noodles and a series of farm stir-fries.

Huxing Mountain Dahuayao Scenic Area is located on an alpine platform with an average altitude of 1,300 meters. The highest temperature in summer is 27 degrees. It was awarded the country's best tourist resort for summer vacation and coolness by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. This is also the main venue for the just-held 2020 Hunan Province Summer Rural Culture Tourism Festival. The main ethnic group living in the scenic area is the "Huayao". Their religious beliefs, customs, language, clothing and other cultures are all unique and ancient. The rugged and unique folk customs and national culture and art as well as the gorgeous patterned clothing are unique.

There is an ancient forest with more than 320 trees in Chongmutang Village that are more than 100 years old, of which 28 are more than 300 years old. The oldest tree is more than 1,000 years old. It is surrounded by water, green hills and White oaks are the most numerous, growing tall and short, evergreen all year round, and there is a monument to the forbidden forest in the ninth year of Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty and the wonder of ancient trees that "different trees grow from the same twig, and bamboo grows in the belly of the tree".

This king tree is over a thousand years old. Normally, the king tree does not bear fruit, but once it does, the village's harvest that year will not be good. Therefore, villagers have always formed the habit of going to the woods to worship the tree king during festivals or major events and pray that the tree king will not bear fruit. From this we can see the villagers' admiration for this ancient forest!

Walking straight down the platform, I accidentally discovered a pair of "couple trees" grown from two trees of different species. The two trees are connected at the base, like a pair of lovers embracing each other tightly. According to legend, the intermarriage between the Yao and Han people was also inspired by these two trees and was accomplished! Therefore, the local people have a complex about the ancient trees, and it once became a place for Huayao young people to sing and have a date.

Wei Yuan’s former residence is located on the sandbank of Xuetang Bay, Simenqian Town, Longhui County, Shaoyang, Hunan. It is a wooden structure courtyard with two upright and two horizontal sides. There is a wooden structure trough door in front of the courtyard, and it is surrounded by dry earth walls. Surrounded by it, an independent courtyard is formed. The surrounding environment is leisurely and tranquil, a kind of pastoral life that makes people yearn for.

In 1794, Wei Yuan, a famous patriotic thinker, historian and writer in modern Chinese history, was born here. Today, the former residence of Wei Yuan has been announced by the State Council as a national key cultural relic protection unit and the first batch of patriotic education bases in Hunan Province. Above the lintel hangs a wooden plaque with gold characters on a black background that reads "Former Residence of Wei Yuan", and on both sides are the couplets written by Wei Yuan, "The sandbank returns to the clear water, and the bright moon shines on the golden pool."

The former residence of Wei Yuan was built around the early Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. The two main houses and the left wing are both bungalows, with single eaves hanging from the top of the mountain and covered with small green tiles. The main room is five rooms wide and two rooms deep; the left wing is five rooms wide and two rooms deep. The right wing is a two-story building with seven rooms in width and four rooms in depth. The five rooms on the ground floor are all barns, with stairwells at both ends.

In the showroom on the first floor, the promotional board tells the story of Wei Yuan's experience and life works (including "Shengwu Ji", "Gu Weitang Collection", "New Edition of Yuan History", "Original Meaning of Laozi") with pictures and texts. ", "Old Poetry", "Spring and Autumn Fanlu Notes" and other books), there is a bust statue of Wei Yuan, and on the wall behind it is a world map, taken from his book "Hai Guo Tu Zhi".

The main building is complete, and it is rare that the old objects in each room are so completely preserved. The layout of the pavilions is also very elegant, and the window grilles and bed flowers are extremely exquisite! The wooden figures have not been chipped away, they have been well protected and passed down! Enshrining the soul tablets of the deceased in the entrance hall is a local custom in Hunan that has been preserved to this day.

The second floor is a reading building, and the three rooms in the middle are lecture halls. The tables and stools in the lecture hall are still neatly arranged. The two ends are study rooms. Wei Yuan spent his childhood and study in this building. Teenage years. The stories of "Occasionally going downstairs, the family dog ??chases and bites me" and "I am obsessed with reading, and I eat rice dumplings dipped in ink" happened on this building. From the tables and chairs used for studying and the manuscripts, books and other items left behind, we can perceive Wei Yuan's life scenes and social background in different periods.

Longhui Wangxi Waterfall Group is a natural village of Huiyao Bay Yao in Huxing Mountain, which is located in the village. It is also one of the main landscapes of Huayao National Tourist Scenic Area. Deep in the mountain village, it is currently in the national Under the policy of vigorous poverty alleviation, the houses have been gradually demolished and renovated. The neat rows of houses with ethnic characteristics that we see now are all renovated. Nanzhu is spread all over the mountains and forests, and its coverage rate is high. It has also become the best place for people to travel and cool down in summer.

If you want to see the spectacular waterfalls, you need to climb a mountain. The cobbled ground along the way is undulating in an orderly manner with few steps and the guardrails are very safe. It makes people feel relaxed when climbing and can also enjoy the scenery while climbing. While walking, I admired the bamboo sea scenery on the roadside. It was so wonderful and amazing!

Halfway through the journey, there is a glass platform built on the cliff. It can cater to the needs of Internet celebrities and have such a landscaping. It is also in line with the taste of contemporary young people. The photos taken , the characters seem to be walking in the clouds and mist of the mountains... There is a slide going up, and you can see the waterfall directly at the bottom, but there is also a trail on the left. Although it will be a bit slow to go down the mountain, the scenery that cannot be missed is also here. on the road.

Going up the river are Xianniu Lake, Jinzi Lake, Huiwan Lake, Tiger Leaping Cliff, and Dragon Crossing the River. They are all close to each other. The walking distance is less than 10 minutes. The height of the waterfalls ranges from more than ten meters to 10 meters. They vary over hundreds of meters and are different from each other, each with its own characteristics. From a photography point of view, slow-motion photography is the best way to present the most beautiful waterfalls.

Due to time constraints, I only visited two waterfalls this time, but I was still attracted by the beautiful scenery and couldn't leave... The shutter, the angle, just wanted to present the most beautiful picture! It was so dark that we started going down the mountain. It was a thrilling trip. There were no tigers in the mountains. Later, I heard that wild boars would come out at night. I was so frightened that I broke into a cold sweat afterwards. So this can be regarded as travel experience. Try to set aside a lot of time for fun during the day, and try not to stay too long in scenic areas with forests after dark. Safety first.

Although it has passed the season when flowers are blooming all over the mountains and plains, when you arrive at Longyao Valley, you can see seasonal flowers and plants planted on both sides of the road. When the wind blows, they shake their heads and tails, like wagging and shouting. It is very friendly to welcome visitors from afar.

Overlooking the entire scenic area, the size is shocking! The several large windmills in the distance add a lot of beauty!

There are mountains, water, and things to play! This must be the favorite place for young people nowadays. Of course, it would be even more perfect if you could stay in a wooden villa for one night and welcome the rising sun the next morning! If you look closely, the scenic spot is also under construction, and self-driving campsites and cabins are also planned. I’m looking forward to it!

The first “5D Glass Magpie Bridge” in Longyao Valley in Longhui, Hunan was officially opened in July 2019, and has since become one of the must-visit places for Internet celebrities! Therefore, tourists come here one after another to experience the thrill and excitement of walking on the glass trestle... experience it with your loved ones on the bridge and take photos together!

No matter whether you look at this curved glass water slide from bottom to top or from top to bottom, it first gives people a slight sense of fear psychologically, and because of this, it makes people want to Break this psychological fear and have the desire to try it! The moment I got on the kayak, it felt like I was being forced to ride on a roller coaster. In fact, I felt relieved...just let it go! Don't hold it in, shouting it out is a release! The experience of letting go of yourself wholeheartedly is only a matter of a moment.

What makes me most happy about this trip is that I can see such a boutique B&B. It is located on the top of tens of thousands of acres of terraced fields on the back of Xuefeng Mountain in Hunan Province, which is more than 1,000 meters above sea level. It looks like the Big Dipper descending to earth, with seven buildings. The alpine villa faces south and faces north, and is called Xingkongyunshe. Open the window and enjoy the fairyland-like scenery of the terraced fields and sea of ??clouds! I also hope that more boutique B&Bs like this can be built in rural tourism in Hunan. It is important to attract attention!

Overlooking the terraces, there are words such as "Starry Sky Cloud House" and "Terrace Farm". Such high-altitude visual design is also thoughtful. It is not only a kind of sentiment, but also visually gives people With a sense of belonging! When I get here, what can I see, what can I do, what can I feel... everything is there!

Most people who like to travel want to find a sense of integration when they like to stay in B&Bs! Integrate into the local life, culture, and food... and add an unrepeatable touch to your life experience. There are 4-6 rooms in each small villa. Except for the first floor, there is an independent bathroom. It can still meet the needs of most tourists. It is suitable for a large family or a group of friends to stay on weekends. Because this B&B is rare in this area of ??Hunan, reservations have been scheduled for two months...

Longhui Baishuidong Village is the settlement of Huayao, a unique and important branch of the Yao people in my country. It is also a national-level scenic spot integrating natural ecological scenery and Huayao folk culture. Under the conditions of the right time, location, and people, you can indeed enjoy the magnificent sunrise, terraced fields, and sea of ??clouds. There are old roads and new roads. If you are traveling by car and your driving skills are good, you can try taking the new road. , the road is well built, but the twists and turns are particularly challenging!

The terraces are located among the undulating mountains, so it will take some time to wait for the sun to rise, but as long as you wait patiently, you will cheer for the moment when the light and shadow of the golden mountain gradually appear! Like a shy girl, she slowly lifts her veil to let you appreciate her beauty...

There are several viewing platforms in the village that are great! In some places, you can climb up to see the original Yao village-style houses and buildings distributed in layers of terraces; in some places, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the terraces from the landscape platforms built by Yao people, and have the opportunity to taste the characteristics created by Hunan's landscape and climate. Food - sour beans, rice noodles/noodles, will make you remember this place in your taste!

There are also sign-up offices for local photographers associations, folklore associations and other organizations here to facilitate members to come and collect photos. In the exhibition room, some handmade goods and clothing that reflect local folk customs are displayed. Photos of celebrities are hung on the wall. Long tables and chairs are set up. Conferences must also be held here frequently.

You can also rent traditional costumes of the Yao people to take beautiful photos. There are both men and women, and the Yao beauties will help you dress them up. The particularly beautiful Yao costumes are all handmade. If you really find one that you particularly like, it is recommended to buy it as a souvenir, because I have such a hobby of traveling and love handicrafts from all over the world. add! Like to collect!

No meal is complete without spicy food. I believe that friends who like Hunan will also fall in love with the spicy food in Hunan. Chili peppers are included in almost every dish in Hunan. Those who can tolerate spicy food love it, and those who cannot tolerate spicy food will gradually fall in love with it! Among the traditional food in Longhui, I want to say that it is not only spicy, but also many dishes with local characteristics that are worth trying.

In addition to the well-known bacon, rice noodles, etc., Longhui native chicken, native duck, and tofu prepared in different ways are all local specialties that can be eaten, and the taste is really different from other places! Compared with northern tofu, one bite is smoother, more tender and juicy. The soybeans are good, the water is good, and it is traditionally made manually. The most important thing is that Hunan people have enough patience to make tofu... So why can we eat real stinky tofu in Hunan? , and the reason why food eaten elsewhere is not authentic!

Regarding the staple food, I especially recommend the freshly steamed handmade steamed buns. They look a bit like Shandong steamed buns, but the noodles are thinner, the honeycomb holes are smaller, and they taste like cakes. , dip it into the condensed milk in the small plate, and your love for eating steamed buns will instantly turn into a love affair! A steamed bun with four petals, an irresistible rhythm...

When traveling to Hunan, you must visit the scenic spots. If you are driving by yourself, you can visit some particularly beautiful villages with small buildings on the road. Because you are most likely going to a beautiful rural model village, where the folk customs are simple, the ecological environment is good, and many tourist attractions can be discovered! What a beautiful scene to take pictures of!

A small mountain village realizes its road to prosperity because of a bridge! This is Zhongzhou Village. I heard from friends who went to inspect it before that the people in this village are all smiling and very simple... This time I came here too, and it was true! Although there are some problems with language communication, I know from their actions and smiles that they welcome us, and they will take me to villages, and they will not refuse in front of the camera...

Shan Beauty, water, and people are even more beautiful! This is my evaluation of the beautiful rural model village in Hunan! It is also the unremitting efforts of local villagers for several generations, coupled with the country's vigorous poverty alleviation policy, that have enabled some poor villages in Hunan to embark on the road to prosperity... In my opinion, these places are the hidden "paradise" in Hunan tourism. It’s up to you to discover!

Longhui County has a short history (the county was established in 1947), but it has profound cultural heritage and rich intangible cultural heritage. As of 2017, the county has 4 projects included in the national intangible cultural heritage list (Tantou woodblock New Year paintings, Huayao cross-stitching, Huayao Wuwa folk songs, and Tantou handmade papermaking techniques), and projects in the provincial intangible cultural heritage list. 4 (Huayao "asking for official conversion", Huayao wedding customs, Qijiang charcoal flower dance, Wangxing Tower custom of writing books), 16 projects on the municipal intangible cultural heritage list (Bajiao Lou Paper, Gaoping Sanhe Tang, Meishan Paper Horse...), there are 19 projects included in the county-level intangible cultural heritage list (Badu Chisel Flowers, Longhui Couplets, Qingmei Mountain...).

This time we visited "Tantou Wooden Wooden New Year Pictures" and "Tantou Handmade Paper Frying Technique". Tantou New Year pictures are the only handmade woodblock watermarked New Year pictures in Hunan Province. They are produced in Longhui Tantou Town, Baoqing (now Shaoyang), Hunan Province. Longhuitantou New Year paintings were formed in the Li Shimin era of the Tang Dynasty and have a history of more than 1,300 years. "Mouse Marriage", "Qin Shubao." "Yu Chi Gong" and "Harmony to Auspiciousness" are classics among Tantou New Year paintings.

From the selection of papermaking raw materials, paper manufacturing, brushing, to engraving, seven printings, and seven hand-paintings, the production of a New Year picture requires more than 20 processes. The Tantou New Year paintings are also very particular about the water used in coloring. They use local groundwater, add pole water (water filtered out when folk make tofu), white clay and other secret ingredients to make the colors high in purity, bright, with appropriate permeability, and can be preserved. long time. I believe you will be like me and can’t help but want to buy a few to take home and collect. The price of 40 yuan for a piece of Mouse Marriage is very affordable! The collection album is only 1,400 yuan, and it contains many classic works!

With its fiery red and bright colors and rough and exaggerated shapes, Tantou New Year pictures reflect the simplicity, simplicity, health and optimism of farmers, their thoughts, emotions and social phenomena, and have a profound impact on my country's art creation and folk art. Development has certain practical and theoretical value. The carving skills of the molds used for painting are also unprecedentedly detailed! The craftsman spirit is worthy of admiration!

After talking about beach New Year pictures, it is natural to trace the source of the paper. ! I think this is what most people want to hear... In December 2014, the handmade papermaking technique of Tantou, Longhui County, Hunan Province was included in the fourth batch of national intangible cultural heritage representative projects, and the inheritor is Li Zhijun, a native of Zhentaolin Village, is the 46th generation inheritor of "Tantou Handmade Papermaking". His training center has also been rebuilt on the original site, making the production room safer and more standardized.

The raw materials of Tantou handmade papermaking technique are taken from the unique bamboo that grows all over the mountains and plains in Hunan. The production process requires more than 20 steps, which is quite cumbersome. Li Zhijun demonstrated to us the most important process - papermaking, which is a key step in turning pulp into paper. Papermaking uses a rectangular "curtain" similar to a screen. The papermaker pushes the curtain forward, then sinks it, and then gently lifts it back. The curtain is evenly covered with a thin layer of pulp. , and then lift it up from the curtain to become a piece of paper. Put the pieces of paper on the container to become a paper embryo, and then go through processes such as sun-drying and finally become pieces of finished paper.

Tantou handmade papermaking technology has been mature at least since the Ming Dynasty, and it was at its peak during the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. At present, the main purpose of Tantou handmade papermaking is to provide raw paper for Tantou New Year pictures and fragrant powder paper. It is also regarded as a treasure by calligraphy masters and is exclusively supplied with special paper. His training center has also been listed as "Calligraphy Creation Base" and "Longhui Artists Association Sketching Creation Base".

Coinciding with the opening of the Hunan Province Summer Rural Culture Tourism Festival in 2020, the humanities and landscapes encountered during this trip appropriately demonstrated the unique charm of Longhui Huayao folk customs and the gorgeous landscapes Scenery!

Suddenly, I fell in love with this place!

Longhui is a city you can come back to again and again!

I believe there will be new discoveries and new feelings every time...