Changsha - Zhangjiajie - Fenghuang Ancient Town in Western Hunan

First of all, this is a travel note I wrote on QQ before. Now I'm posting it on Ctrip, hoping to share it with everyone.

Changsha, Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang Weight-Loss Trip (1)

I just got back from a meeting in Changsha and took the opportunity to go on a weight-loss trip. Travel companions: 5 people (2 men, 3 women). Transportation: bus, train. Essential items: clothes, ID (student ID, ID card. On this trip, the student ID saved two of us nearly 600 RMB). Most importantly, "money".

Chapter 1: The Journey. July 21, 1:00 PM, my girlfriend and I took a bus from Changzhi to Zhengzhou with a nervous heart. Before leaving, I had checked some local conditions and knew we were heading to one of China's four furnaces, Changsha. I'm afraid of heat, so I was a bit anxious. After a 4-hour bus ride, we arrived in Zhengzhou. As soon as I got off the bus, my heart suddenly raced, letting me experience a preview of the furnace. In the bus, the air conditioning shielded me from the outside temperature. This dry heat made me feel suffocated, my breathing rapid. I quickly took out essential balm and applied it to my temples and nose, and my heartbeat calmed down (you must bring essential balm in summer; it repels insects and relieves heatstroke). Since three of our five companions had arrived earlier, we agreed to meet at a spot. My girlfriend and I waited at a Dicos near the train station. With air conditioning, we felt much better. At 6:00 we met up, entered the station, and waited. The train was delayed 20 minutes. Around 7:00, we boarded the T81 express sleeper to Changsha. Because we booked late, we only got tickets for a train arriving at 3:00 AM.

Chapter 2: Changsha Huaya Grand Hotel. July 22, I thought it wouldn't be too hot when getting off at 3:00 AM, but I was completely wrong. As soon as we exited the station, a wave of heat hit us, giving me an early taste of the warmth of Changsha people. The square outside the station was filled with people sleeping everywhere, lying horizontally and vertically. Maybe sleeping on the ground is cooler, and more importantly, it saves accommodation costs. What impressed me about Changsha Station was the two cursive characters "长沙" (Changsha), vigorous and powerful, as if about to float. Later, a station worker told us the station was unsafe, with many pickpockets and, more terrifyingly, people who use knockout drugs, sneaking up to inject you in the butt, making you dizzy and follow them, then you lose your property and dignity (luckily we looked like people who wouldn't be molested). We met someone who seemed like a station worker, who warmly led us to their office to rest. With air conditioning inside, we couldn't wait to barge in. But there's no free lunch; it was a railway travel agency that recommended their special quality travel routes. In the following days, we joined their tour and had a rushed trip through Hunan. Since we were there for a meeting, as soon as dawn broke, we took a bus to our destination—Huaya Grand Hotel. Although the roads in Changsha are wide, there were too many cars, causing frequent traffic jams. Our meeting accommodation was in a 5-star hotel. There are many big hotels, but few like Huaya that also include a large green ecological park. We checked in, registered, got meal tickets, and had 4 days' worth of meal tickets. If you didn't have a ticket and wanted to eat in their restaurant, each meal cost 50 yuan, which was very uneconomical. Only three of us were attending the meeting; the other colleague and I brought our families, so we had no meal tickets. Before coming, we thought we could share rooms, but the meal cost was a problem—there were no restaurants near the hotel. Fortunately, one of the meeting organizers was someone I met briefly in Kunming, Yunnan two years ago, so I brazenly asked him for a meal ticket. He only agreed to give one, so the five of us shared four meal tickets, taking turns eating. The hotel's buffet was pretty good, with a variety of dishes and fruits. The only regret was no noodles. We northerners love noodles, and this trip made me miss my mother's various noodle dishes—pulled noodles, he le noodles... From then on, I developed a habit of drooling whenever I think of noodles. Embarrassing. After breakfast, there was a total solar eclipse that day, so we walked around the green ecological park in front of the hotel to watch it. We didn't realize how big it was until we went in. This ecological park is called Huaya Park, covering an area about the size of a dozen football fields. Inside, there are small bridges, flowing water, fishing, boating; ancient towering trees, magnificent buildings, bamboo groves, peach groves, pomelo groves, ginkgo groves distributed throughout, with over a hundred ancient trees over 1600 years old, embodying the ecological theme of harmonious development between humans and nature. (This is copied, not an advertisement) More spectacularly, all animals are free-range: koi, rabbits, ducks, peacocks, guinea fowl, sika deer. I casually caught a few rabbits; they weren't afraid of people. Ducks were surprisingly large. Guinea fowl roamed in flocks everywhere. Peacocks weren't afraid either, but they didn't have many feathers—probably plucked by people. There were also high-altitude suspension bridges, oversized bonsai, artificial rocks and flowing water everywhere, dazzling and mesmerizing. It took us over 3 hours to tour once. Since Changsha couldn't see the total solar eclipse, we only saw a partial eclipse. In the afternoon, we took a bus to Changsha's pedestrian street, called Huangxing Pedestrian Street. It sold the same things as other cities. We shopped until past 7:00 and got hungry. Online recommendations said there was a snack street nearby, so we asked around and found it in an alley: Huogongdian (Fire Palace). It was very crowded. After waiting a long time, we got a table and ordered a bit of everything. Rich enough. Started eating. Big trouble. We northerners aren't used to such spicy food. After eating the spicy crayfish, our mouths couldn't open—completely numb from the spice. Fortunately, the soup wasn't too spicy. This meal showed us the Hunanese skill with spice. But Huogongdian's stinky tofu was quite flavorful. After dinner, we continued shopping. Toread (outdoor brand) had a promotion—3 to 5 percent off. I bought a travel backpack, original price 790, got it for 356. Later I checked Taobao; the cheapest was 661. Good deal. (Photos of the beautiful Huaya Park will be attached later.)

Changsha, Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang Weight-Loss Trip (2)

Chapter 3: Shaoshan Day Trip. Shaoshan is the hometown of Chairman Mao and also of Liu Shaoqi. People say it's a place where true dragons and emperors are born. When in Changsha, you must visit the places where Mao and Liu once lived. We joined the railway travel agency's tour. The conference venue also had dedicated travel services, but the prices were higher. Shaoshan day trip cost 60 RMB, no meals. The travel agency picked us up from the hotel in the morning. Since we were individual tourists, everyone on the bus was temporarily assembled. A reminder: be mentally prepared when joining an individual tourist group. We boarded the travel agency's bus at 7:00, then they drove us around the city to pick up others. There were people who called to book that morning, people who forgot their cameras, etc. It was almost 10:00 and we were still driving around the city. Later we even returned to our hotel to pick up a few more people, finally departing at 10:00. Everyone on the bus protested loudly, but it was useless. After about 3 hours, passing by the hometown of Comrade Lei Feng, we arrived at the hometown of Comrade Liu Shaoqi—Huanminglou. The natural scenery of Huanminglou is quite ordinary. It became a famous tourist spot because it was Liu Shaoqi's hometown. On November 24, 1898, Liu Shaoqi was born to a household in Tanzichong, Huanminglou. It was a typical farmhouse, a wood-and-earth courtyard with a pond in front, surrounded by woods. The courtyard had over 30 rooms, including living quarters, farm tool rooms, pigpens, heating rooms, and a study for children. 500 meters away, at Beichongweitang, there is the Liu Shaoqi Memorial Hall, displaying over 800 cultural relics and documents, including books and daily items he used. Transportation: tourist buses are available from Changsha, Xiangtan, and Shaoshan to Huanminglou. From Changsha, it's convenient, with the fare around 20 RMB. Admission: 18 RMB.

Then we headed to our main destination, Shaoshan Village. Shaoshan is the hometown of the great leader of the Chinese people, Mao Zedong, and also the place where he lived, studied, worked, and engaged in revolutionary activities in his youth. Comrade Deng Xiaoping said: "Without Comrade Mao Zedong, the Chinese people would still have been groping in the dark for a much longer time." I was born in 1977, a year after Chairman Mao's death, but for people of my generation, Mao's thoughts and deeds still deeply influenced us. "The scenery of the north, sealed in ice for hundreds of miles, snow flying for thousands of miles..." Mao's poems still float in my mind. The center of Shaoshan Village is a circular square. In the center, the bronze statue of Mao, with a base height of 10.1 meters, gazes quietly into the distance. Mao's former residence—Shangwuchang—is an ordinary Jiangnan farmhouse, a "one-load-of-firewood" style house, with a total floor area of 472.92 square meters, covering 566.5 square meters. It faces south with its back to the hill and front to water. In front, the Lotus Pond and Nan'an Pond adjoin each other, green water shimmering, rippling in the breeze. Looking out at the green mountains, backed by green bamboo, the green water, pine trees, and bamboo make this ordinary farmhouse look vibrant. Clearly a place of good feng shui. In April 1929, the Kuomintang reactionaries confiscated all of Mao's houses and property in Shaoshan. The house and furniture were severely damaged. After liberation, the people's government repaired it many times, basically restoring its original appearance. In 1950, it was opened to domestic tourists as a revolutionary memorial site. Two years later, it was opened to foreign guests. In March 1961, the State Council declared it one of the first batch of key cultural relics protection units. The plaque "Mao Zedong's Former Residence" in gold letters on a black background was personally inscribed by Deng Xiaoping, then Chairman of the Central Military Commission, on April 2, 1983. There is an anecdote about Deng Xiaoping's inscriptions: Both Liu Shaoqi's and Mao's former residences have inscriptions by Deng, but Liu's has "Deng Xiaoping" signed below, while Mao's does not. The reason: Deng Xiaoping said, "Compared with Chairman Mao, I am not worthy of signing." Another major scenic spot in Shaoshan Village is the Shaoshan Mao Zedong Memorial Hall, facing the square. In a corner of the memorial hall, a black door slowly opens. In the living room, several young men in long gowns are heatedly discussing current affairs and politics, passionately talking about the future of the Chinese nation. The scene seems familiar. Looking closer, the building is clearly a Shanghai shikumen old house, and those discussing are none other than Mao Zedong, Dong Biwu, Chen Tanqiu, He Shuheng, and other representatives of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China. This is the most distinctive feature of the renovated memorial hall: using multimedia technology to let visitors step into history. The shikumen is a newly built "house" with actors performing scenes. As for the founding ceremony scene, Mao and other national leaders stood on Tiananmen Gate, facing countless crowds. Listen carefully, a faint sound of cheering from the sea of people—is it a historical replay? Actually, the memorial hall is playing a recording. The combination of motion and stillness, sound and image, makes the atmosphere of that founding day feel present. Look closely, the first exhibition hall introduces Mao's birth and youth. The dome is painted gray-black, like a gloomy sky. As you move through the exhibits with time, the dome gradually brightens. In the founding ceremony hall, the "sky" is red. But I think the most brilliant and worth seeing is the Mao Zedong Relics Hall, which contains Chairman Mao's extended Hongqi (Red Flag) bulletproof limousine, his clothes, and items he used. However, because the travel agency delayed our departure, we didn't have time to finish viewing—a real pity.

Now for some pleasant parts, then some unsatisfactory ones. On the way to Mao's memorial hall, the guide took us to a place called Maozhengong Shrine, saying it was worth visiting, and charged each of us 10 yuan admission (not included in the itinerary). Inside, we queued to bow collectively to Chairman Mao, then each person got a gold-colored plaque, saying if you engrave your birth date on it, you will receive blessings from Chairman Mao, but you have to pay a fee, starting at 50 per person. I had experienced a similar scam in Yunnan, so I didn't take it. Many roadside shops also use Chairman Mao's name to sell things. What would Chairman Mao think in heaven? But even after his death, he brings many benefits and practical gains to his hometown people—that's a great contribution. That's influence.

Changsha, Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang Weight-Loss Trip (3)

July 24, Chapter 4: Changsha Day Tour. Because of the previous day's delay, everyone was unhappy, so today we emphasized punctuality with the travel agency. We planned to join a tour to Zhangjiajie on the evening of the 24th, so we checked out early in the morning. We only used 3 of the 4 meal tickets—what a pity. Before 8:00, the travel agency's car came. Again, they drove us to pick up other guests. No choice, we were individual tourists. But with yesterday's lesson, we didn't waste too much time picking people up. The guide introduced today's route: Tianxin Pavilion—Baisha Ancient Well—Hunan Provincial Museum—Yuelu Mountain (Aiwan Pavilion, Yuelu Academy)—Orange Island. Cost per person: 70 RMB (no meals). First stop: Tianxin Pavilion. Located on the southeast corner of downtown Changsha, Tianxin Pavilion is a city gate tower of old Changsha. It is an important landmark and the only remaining city symbol of old Changsha. Because of its high terrain, it was a strategic point, a place contested by military powers. During the Taiping Rebellion, the Western King Xiao Chao Gui attacked Changsha from here. Cannon holes remain on the city wall. In 1905, Sun Yat-sen and Huang Xing sent Chen Jiading, a member of the Tongmenghui, back to Hunan to organize its branch; the secret headquarters was once inside Tianxin Pavilion. On July 27, 1930, Peng Dehuai led the Red Army into Changsha and also gave a report at Tianxin Pavilion. In 1938, during the "Wenxi" fire of Changsha, Tianxin Pavilion was reduced to ashes. The "Wenxi Fire," also known as the Great Fire of Changsha, was the largest man-made fire in the city's history, causing destruction comparable to Stalingrad, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki during World War II.

On November 8, the Japanese invaders entered northern Hunan and bombed Changsha and Hengyang. On the 9th and 11th, Linxiang and Yueyang fell one after another, and the Chinese and Japanese forces faced off at the Xinqiang River. Changsha's situation was grim. The Republic of China government lacked confidence in defending Changsha. Chiang Kai-shek proposed a "scorched earth" strategy, burning Changsha to prevent the Japanese from obtaining any supplies. Hunan Provincial Governor Zhang Zhizhong, after receiving a telegram, conveyed Chiang's idea in a meeting on November 10 (or 12) and organized arson teams. When the fire was set at Tianxin Pavilion in the southeast of the city, the whole city was set ablaze. In the early hours of November 13, 1938 (around 2:00 AM), a fire broke out at a military hospital outside Changsha's South Gate (whether intentional signal or accidental remains a mystery). The arsonists thought it was the signal and set the whole city on fire. The fire lasted five full days and nights, destroying nearly all of the 2,500-year historical wealth of the ancient city. This devastating fire, rare in Chinese and world history, has become a historical relic, but its lesson is profound. The Nanjing Massacre by the Japanese shocked the world, but no one expected so many innocent compatriots to die in a fire caused by a group of negligent officials!

While listening to history, we climbed the pavilion to overlook new Changsha, hoping it becomes better and better. The 2D laser photography inside Tianxin Pavilion was pretty good—high-tech is awesome.

Second stop: we also went to Changsha City Museum, but it wasn't interesting, so skip it. The highlight was the Hunan Provincial Museum. Visiting it was planned before coming to Hunan. I thought it wouldn't be too crowded, but there was a long queue, which surprised me. Since the museum became free, travel agencies have treated it as a "scenic spot"; virtually every tourist coming to Changsha via travel agency visits it, so it's always crowded. Though it was very crowded, it's a good thing. The museum's main attraction is the "Mawangdui Han Tomb Exhibition," showing life in the Han Dynasty over 2,000 years ago. In April 1972, archaeologists excavated a Han tomb over 2,100 years old at Mawangdui in eastern Changsha, unearthing a large number of precious artifacts. The most important was a well-preserved female corpse with flexible skin and lifelike appearance: "The corpse is well preserved, the whole body moist, subcutaneous tissue soft and flexible, joints still movable. Eyelashes and nose hairs remain, the eardrum of the left ear is intact, fingerprints and toe prints clear." The discovery shook the world. Research indicates the tomb owner was the family of Li Cang, the Marquis of Dai and Chancellor of the Changsha kingdom, living during Emperor Wen of Han's reign. The world-shocking female corpse was Li Cang's wife, Xin Zhui. Archaeologists reconstructed her appearance scientifically and made a wax figure displayed in a case. Xin Zhui in the case has clear eyes, light makeup, and wears gorgeous silk clothes—even by today's standards, she could be called a beauty. At the excavation, when the coffin lid was lifted, people saw that Xin Zhui was wrapped in layers of colorful silk and linen, intact and new, with nine silk bands from head to foot, and a silver-painted yellow silk gown and an embroidered silk gown covering her. She lay peacefully among the splendor. Due to internal pressure changes, her mouth was wide open and eyes staring, quite inelegant, unlike the reconstructed wax figure. The corpse is now preserved in a special case in a deep underground area with a glass cover. This is the most crowded spot. I squeezed through with great effort. Looking at the 2,000-year-old corpse, people commented, finding it incredible. How did our ancestors have such advanced preservation techniques?

The female corpse brings strong shock, but not only that—everything from the Mawangdui Han Tomb is astonishing. The tomb yielded a large number of silk and linen fabrics, not only in quantity and variety but also of fine quality, like a masterpiece. I had seen many examples from various dynasties in Beijing museums, but none as exquisite as those from Mawangdui. The "plain silk single garment" in the display case caught my eye. The label said it is 1.60 meters long, with sleeves spanning 1.95 meters, and weighs only 48 grams—less than an ounce. Two such garments were found. Can you imagine how ethereal it would be to wear a garment weighing less than an ounce? Actually, the Han people already compared thin silk to cicada wings. For nobles at that time, wearing such light silk was common, reflecting highly developed silk technology in early Western Han. The tomb also contained many daily items of the owner, various and complete: delicate bamboo fans, colorful "Nine-child Zulian" (lacquerware), unique movable tables, etc., covering all aspects of daily life. My favorite was the painted "Nine-child Zulian"—a set of cosmetics for women. A total of 500 lacquerware items were found, mostly wood-bodied, a few bamboo-bodied, colorful and rare, representing the highest level of Han lacquerware. The colors are mainly black and red, with red patterns on black or black patterns on red, mostly dragon, phoenix, and geometric patterns, often inscribed with "Marquis Dai's household," indicating they were made for the Marquis's family. This Nine-child Zulian is bright and light, with red, white, and gold diamond-shaped cloud-dragon patterns, 0.352 meters in diameter and 0.208 meters high, a two-layer box with lid. Inside the lower layer are nine small boxes of different sizes, one large with nine small, hence the name. What interested me was a pair of similar-sized combs and fine-toothed combs in one small box. Especially the fine-toothed comb; I lingered there a long time. Because ancient people rarely bathed, they needed to "filter out" dirt from hair, using the fine-toothed comb. It was extremely fine, with teeth so closely spaced they were practically airtight—amazing! The staff said such craft is beyond modern ability. Indeed, in the craft display, I saw a replica of the comb for sale, far inferior, mainly because the teeth spacing was too wide. The staff admitted they couldn't match the ancient level. On one wall of the exhibition hall, there is a large colorful painting labeled "Daoyin Tu" (Guiding Exercise Chart). It shows men and women of different ages in various postures, mostly imitating animal movements. I couldn't figure it out until a guide explained that it's equivalent to today's "Radio Calisthenics Chart," teaching people to exercise. "Daoyin" means guiding qi and blood and stretching limbs. Our ancestors knew about fitness 2,000 years ago—that's remarkable. Researcher Zhou Shirong of the Hunan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology studied this chart extensively and wrote a book "Mawangdui Qigong" (1991), which won a national bronze award and a provincial first prize. The ancients left us inexhaustible wealth.

As I toured, I marveled at the quantity and quality of the Mawangdui artifacts—absolutely exquisite. No wonder the Hunan Provincial Museum exhibits them separately, occupying four halls. Although I had heard about the Mawangdui artifacts before, seeing them in person was overwhelming; the elegance left me speechless. In front of them, language seems powerless. Seeing them live is incomparable to reading materials. So, if you have a chance, you must go see them. The day I arrived in Changsha was also the opening day of "Phoenix Dance—Chu Culture Special Exhibition." I felt very lucky to catch such a rare exhibition. It was jointly organized by four museums: Hunan, Hubei, Henan, and Anhui, and was a major exhibition at the Hunan Provincial Museum. But since we were with a tour group, the guide kept urging us. After seeing the Mawangdui exhibition, I only quickly glanced at the Chu culture highlights. By this time it was noon, and the guide led us to Changsha snack street for lunch. We had visited it on our first day and eaten at Huogongdian, so we didn't go to the snack street; instead, we ordered food at a restaurant outside. The taste was okay. In the afternoon, we went to Yuelu Mountain.

Yuelu Mountain is located on the west bank of the Xiang River in Changsha, a famous scenic area, covering 553.3 hectares, with the highest peak at 300 meters. It has deep valleys, lush trees, and beautiful scenery. Among the layered green peaks are the former residences of Tao Kan (Jin Dynasty), Pei Xiu (Tang Dynasty), Zhu Xi (Song Dynasty), and the tombs of modern revolutionaries like Huang Xing, Cai E, Chen Tianhua, Jiao Dafeng. Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism coexisted here for a long time, leaving many relics. Main sights include Yuelu Academy, Lushan Temple, Sui Dynasty Relic Pagoda, Yunlu Palace, Yu Wang Stele, Aiwan Pavilion, etc. Yuelu Academy, one of the four great academies in Chinese history, is the origin of Hunan University, a national key cultural relic. It is located at Baohuang Cave on Yuelu Mountain and has lasted over a thousand years. Yuelu Mountain is huge; to reach the top, you need to take a minibus (15 RMB per person). We thought it unnecessary and just walked around the foot. Not far, we reached Aiwan Pavilion. It is said that when Mao Zedong was studying in Changsha, he often came to Aiwan Pavilion in the rain to ponder his own and the country's future. Aiwan Pavilion is just a pavilion. We took some photos, then turned back to the gate of Yuelu Academy. We didn't go inside—entrance fee is 30 RMB per person, but free for Hunan University students. In the afternoon, the rain got heavier. We hurriedly boarded the bus and went to Orange Island for a quick tour. We also stopped at a souvenir shop and bought some local products (overpaid). The guide dropped us at the train station, where we waited for the travel agency's car to take us to Zhangjiajie. We waited from 5:00 PM until almost 8:00 PM. Waiting is really painful and agonizing. But what can you do? We were individual tourists.

Changsha, Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang Weight-Loss Trip (4)

July 25 & 26, Chapter 4: Zhangjiajie Two-Day Tour.

In the northwest of Hunan Province, there is a beautiful and magical place called Zhangjiajie. Here, in the deep valleys, countless clusters of towering strange peaks and rocks rise straight up, sharp-edged, as if cut by knives and axes, full of masculine strength, resembling people or animals, like swords or halberds, forming a unique quartz sandstone peak forest and canyon landform. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, together with the connected natural reserves of Suoxiyu, Tianzi Mountain, and Yangjiajie, forms Wulingyuan, the core scenic area of Zhangjiajie. Like Yellowstone National Park in the USA, it features quartz sandstone peak forest and canyon landform. For details, see http://bbs.wayup.hexun.com/msnviewarticle.aspx?aid=34472537&bid=123

Tourists who have visited Zhangjiajie may have heard this rhyme: "Zhangjiajie's scenery captivates to death; not going makes you miss it to death; going exhausts you to death; going again makes you inhuman." There's some truth. On the morning of the 25th, we prepared to climb. But the guide, Xiao Li, said the original route wouldn't let us see the real beauty, and asked for 150 RMB per person to take us on the Bailong Elevator straight up to Yuanjiajie. At first we refused—I had checked online and knew you could go up without the elevator. But Xiao Li insisted that if we didn't pay, he wouldn't lead us. Forced, we paid up. This was just the beginning of our frustrations. We took a bus to the entrance of Wulingyuan. My girlfriend and I had checked beforehand and knew that this summer, Zhangjiajie offered free admission to college students under 24. So I borrowed 2 student IDs and corresponding ID cards. I just wanted to try my luck, and surprisingly, we got through smoothly, saving a sum of money (Zhangjiajie ticket 248 per person). Inside the park, we queued for shuttle buses (free). But I warn those with heart conditions or fear of thrills: be mentally prepared before boarding. Since all roads are winding mountain roads, the bus keeps turning. Even scarier: the drivers drive extremely fast, almost like racing. Every time we got off, we saw vomit everywhere from people unable to adapt. The bus took us directly to the entrance of Bailong Elevator. As soon as we got off, the view stunned us. Facing nature's extraordinary craftsmanship, we felt the insignificance of humans. Rows of towering stone pillars seemed to grow from the ground, yet graceful and pleasing, temporarily making us forget the earlier unpleasantness. Under the guide's urging, we quickly took some photos, queued, and entered the elevator. The Bailong Elevator's main equipment was researched and built by a famous German elevator company, costing 180 million RMB. It holds Guinness World Records for "highest, fastest, and largest capacity elevator." In just 1 minute 58 seconds, it takes you to a poetic paradise, overlooking the magnificent Yuanjiajie peak forest, known as Zhangjiajie's "back garden." Yuanjiajie is another concentrated scenic area in Wulingyuan World Natural Heritage. Previously, visitors had to walk a dangerous mountain path for over 3 hours, or take a winding road of over 170 km taking more than 5 hours. After the elevator was built, the time was shortened to 1 minute 58 seconds—a miracle. Without much sensation, we arrived at Yuanjiajie. Another shuttle bus took us to our second destination: Yuanjia Village.

Yuanjia Village is a private building within the core scenic area of Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan, originally a local landlord's compound, preserved as a tourist attraction. It retains the architectural style of the Tujia people, with upturned eaves, strings of corn and chili hanging under the eaves. The Tujia are hospitable and like to treat guests with homemade wine, singing before drinking. So when we entered, we saw a small table full of wine. After the sisters sang a toast, each tourist tasted a cup. The alcohol content was low, maybe a few percent—pleasant, nothing much. I had heard of the three Tujia specialties: "corpse-leading, crying marriage, and poisoning"—still unsolved mysteries. This was the poison bug used by sisters for love spells. Xilankapu (brocade) is a Tujia specialty, hand-woven by women with colorful threads for marriage, intricate and time-consuming. Yuanjia Village keeps the Tujia architectural style, with upturned eaves, a plaque reading "Yuanjia Villagezai" in the middle, red lanterns on both sides, and golden dried corn hanging on the gate. As we arrived, villagers played suona and beat drums to welcome us—quite lively. Inside the gate, a fierce tiger lay in front, with a child and a giant ape beside it. This is the Tujia totem: they traditionally "regard the tiger as father and the ape as mother." The village displays the Tujia history, customs, and artifacts, such as different self-defense weapons for men and women (some strange shapes—I wouldn't know how to use them); ritual tools and spells of the Tima (shaman); drugs and tools used for leading corpses; poisons used by Tujia women for love spells (they catch venomous creatures, feed them with their own blood, then kill and dry them, grind into powder, and give to their beloved men; if the man betrays, his whole body ulcerates—horrible). Tujia girls learn brocade and embroidery from childhood. The most primitive rice-grinding and oil-pressing techniques, homemade wine, ginger candy, tobacco, smoked bacon, and rock ear (a type of fungus)—all features of Tujia culture. In a suite of rooms, the main hall has spirit tablets and armchairs; the side room holds a sedan chair for the bride. In the main room, a bride with a red veil is sitting, waiting for marriage, with a girl accompanying her crying. Obviously, a groom is missing. The guide invited male tourists to act as the groom. Everyone laughed. Before I knew it, the guide caught me and made me the groom. The guide said that Tujia brides like bespectacled brothers, and laughter grew louder. They put a hat on me and draped a red flower. Suddenly the bride started crying, covering her face with a handkerchief, and the accompanying girl also cried loudly. The guide explained that crying marriage is actually "bitter with laughter, laughter with tears." It's quite difficult! The crying tune was strange, and due to dialect issues, the guide had to translate so we could understand what they were chanting. After a short crying, the guide said, "Shouldn't our groom say something?" Some tourists started teasing. I didn't know what to say. The guide told me to comfort the bride. After a moment, I said softly, "Don't cry," which drew more laughter. The guide asked me to gently lift the veil. I did so slowly, revealing the bride. She was quite pretty. I stood aside looking at her; she blushed and lowered her head. Fun. Then the guide took us to more folk attractions, including a Tujia swing game: a rope tied around the buttocks, the other end fixed to a post. Usually played by four people. We chased each other and had fun, but our butts hurt afterwards. Before we knew it, it was noon. We had lunch arranged by the guide (among all the meals on this trip, the ones in Zhangjiajie were the worst—later visitors be mentally prepared). After a short rest, we took a bus to the next stop, Tianzi Mountain. Another bus ride, same speed, same vomit everywhere. I salute the Zhangjiajie drivers—both men and women drive like lightning. Because we were tired from the morning, we only briefly visited Tianzi Mountain. The scenery wasn't as good as Yuanjiajie. Then it was time to go down. There were two options: cable car or walking. We chose the latter, and it proved correct. The cable car seemed easy and quick, but those who chose it spent nearly 3 hours waiting in line—wasting both money and time. We walked through Zhangjiajie's beautiful scenery with excellent air quality. A deep breath felt refreshing. Along the way, we drank local specialty kudzu root soup. We also caught some huge cicadas and experienced local carrying chair. Before we knew it, we reached the foot. When we called, we found out they were still waiting for the cable car. We waited at the bottom for a full 2 hours before they came down. A correct choice equals saving money.

Changsha, Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang Weight-Loss Trip (5)

July 26, Day 2 in Zhangjiajie. After a night's rest, some of our members could barely walk, limping downstairs. But for a vigorous man like me, yesterday was just a warm-up; today was the real start. We followed the same route into the mountains, passed the ticket inspector again (Zhangjiajie tickets are valid for 2 days, so the second day we still needed to be checked). By now, I had gotten used to the drivers' rhythm, and we swayed all the way to our destination: Golden Whip Stream. http://baike.baidu.com/view/110570.htm. Since today involved no climbing, it was very relaxing. With yesterday's lesson, we ignored the guide's urging and strolled at our own pace, enjoying the beautiful scenery and fresh oxygen. Our mood was as bright as spring. We splashed in the water, took silly photos—much better without constraints. The only regret was no commentary (if you have a guide, insist on explanations, or you'll miss many stories). After about 2-3 hours of free time, we reached the end. The guide said those with energy could climb Huangshi Village, http://baike.baidu.com/view/1046272.htm. The view from Huangshi Village is similar to Yuanjiajie, just on the other side of the mountain. Yuanjiajie is higher. We climbed for half an hour, then met others from our group coming back, who advised us to turn back. We heeded the advice and didn't go further. We lingered for a short while at Golden Whip Stream Square, then reluctantly left beautiful Zhangjiajie. Premier Zhu Rongji said, "There are immortals on the top of Zhangjiajie." This is truly a place where immortals dwell. Too bad the weather was clear, so we didn't see the sea of clouds. Zhangjiajie, I will come to see you again. Next time I won't be human—I'll be an immortal. A few suggestions: 1. Always ask your guide for commentary—it's his duty. 2. Ask his full name and guide registration number. 3. Argue firmly against unfair arrangements; guides fear complaints (they get fined). 4. When the guide takes you to shopping stores, look but don't buy. One of our tourists couldn't resist and bought a bunch of stuff, then found the same items downtown at less than half the price. 5. Be mentally prepared for climbing. Zhangjiajie is huge; it takes at least tens of minutes by shuttle bus from one spot to another, and hours on foot. 6. If on a tour, don't rush; having fun is the gain. I also mentioned that there are some conscientious guides in Zhangjiajie. All kinds of guides, licensed and unlicensed, add up to about ten thousand. Licensed guides not only get no daily allowance but also have to pay the travel agency, so they have to find ways to make you spend money. Their methods: 1. Ticket price differences—they can get discounted prices. 2. Accommodation and food prices—the contract may specify two-star hotels and 8-dish-1-soup, but they can arrange familiar farm stays with just enough to eat, since the menu isn't specified. 3. Shopping stores—they get commissions from what you buy, but prices are much higher than downtown. Two stores to mention: "Tujia Sister" (using Song Zuying's name to cheat) and a tea shop. Don't be fooled. All these items are available in Zhangjiajie city at much lower prices. 4. Adding paid attractions not in the contract, like our 150 RMB for Yuanjiajie, which included the elevator and Yuanjia Village. The elevator costs 57, and they buy tickets for Yuanjia Village at 25, making 78 profit per person. We originally planned to go to Fenghuang after the tour in the afternoon, but the guide Xiao Li didn't arrange it well, so we had to stay an extra night in Zhangjiajie city. But we gained something from it. Truly, "blessings come in disguise." After waiting hours, he finally arranged accommodation and luggage. We went out and found a "Local Duck Hot Pot" restaurant. Since Zhangjiajie is close to Chongqing, the food is mainly spicy and numbing. Our group of 5 (2 men, 3 women) ordered a duck hot pot and set a record by eating 25 bowls of rice (free). After dinner, we found a small local product shop near the accommodation. We walked in and found it cheaper than any shop we'd visited. So we chatted with the owner, who was friendly and generous. He introduced himself as a part-time guide but hated the black-hearted guides who cheat tourists. As we talked, he revealed some inside stories about local guides. Before leaving, he gave me a small Fenghuang souvenir bag. His shop's products were indeed reasonable. If any friends go there, I can recommend him as a guide—very reliable.

Changsha, Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang Weight-Loss Trip (6)

July 27: Mengdong River Rafting. This was the most thrilling and fun activity of our trip. I recommend everyone to try it if you have a chance. Mengdong River Rafting is known as "the best rafting under heaven." It starts at a place called Hanigong, over ten kilometers from Wangcun Ancient Town. The overwhelming green, chirping birds, ethereal water sounds mix with the canyon wild wind, penetrating every inch of your skin. Sunlight slips down ancient vines with halberd-shaped leaves, suddenly hit by protruding rocks, twisted through dense branches, like ancient coins jumping on the greenish-blue river, shining with an ancient luster. Sandy beaches, pebbles, mugwort, cattails, fishing songs, and wild currents remind you in the simplest, most direct way: get on a rubber raft, drift towards mystery, towards places where thoughts haven't reached. http://baike.baidu.com/view/413791.htm. We prepared early and waited in the hotel lobby for the tour group to pick us up. After previous waiting experiences, we prepared for a long wait. Unexpectedly, before 7:00, someone called us. That surprise lifted our spirits. On the bus, we nervously guessed what unexpected things lay ahead. The guide told us the deepest part of Mengdong River reaches 5 meters, making us northerners who can't swim feel insecure about our safety. After a stretch of smooth road, we entered Mengdong River area. Narrow roads, continuous turns. When the bus turned, we looked down into bottomless cliffs, breaking out in cold sweat. After about half an hour of torment, we were near the end. The guide stopped at a parking point for us to "sing" (use the restroom). On the bus, the guide had assured us that Mengdong River rafting is very safe; everyone must wear a life jacket, which can support up to 150 kg. Also, we were told to prepare for a "water fight"—self-defense and counterattack. Required to bring our own weapons. So at the stop, we bought a water gun and a water scoop. It turned out to be somewhat useful. But our equipment was insufficient (the water gun cost 15, the scoop 5—basically robbery). Many people rented raincoats, but they were basically useless. After all the hassle, many of us had only two eyes exposed. At the destination, we scrambled to get life jackets, most of which were worn by previous people and wet. We managed to find two relatively dry ones. Once on, we felt chilled. I doubted whether such a light life jacket could support my weight. Each raft carries 12 people. We formed a group and set off (advice: if you want to raft and have a water fight, team up with strong young men—great advantage). Usually there are two boatmen, sometimes one. Ours had two young guys, one at the front, one at the back. They said they are paid per person (3 RMB per person) and can do at most three trips a day. Honestly, the scenery on both sides is indescribably beautiful. Specific introduction: http://www.xxzl.com/news/315.html. But there were annoyances. Shortly after we started, several people on rubber rafts followed us, continuously spraying water (from a kind of "water cannon"—a thick tube). The force was immense, painful when hitting the body, especially sensitive parts like the face. At first, we thought they were hired by the company for water fights, but later realized they were selling water cannons. Our raft had only two small water guns and one scoop. We were defenseless, so we compromised and bought two water cannons. That was a loss—each water cannon cost 20, but after landing, they can't be taken away, and we could only sell them back for 0.5 yuan each. Outright robbery! But to fight back, I had to pay. With cannons, we had confidence, attacking every raft we saw. It was satisfying to see opponents cowering. Bullying the unarmed felt great. But it didn't last. We met a team with even better equipment and combat power of 20000: all men in their 20s, each with a cannon—12 cannons. They attacked everyone, regardless of gender or age. We couldn't even lift our heads. Finally, we surrendered. After the battle, one of our group's glasses had been knocked off, lost. (If you wear glasses, remove them or tie them on; best strategy: put your head between your legs and take the beating.) Midway, huge waves drenched us completely (raincoats useless). We picked up several fish along the way. They said the fish starved to death because the water was too clear and had no food. First time hearing that. The trip lasted about 3.5 hours, with continuous streams and waterfalls along the way. Very exhilarating. We passed a large waterfall where Song Zuying filmed an MTV—very beautiful. Before boarding, the guide warned not to bring valuables, including cameras, so we could only admire the sights regretfully. (Later I thought it was a trick: cameras can be sealed in plastic bags, no water problem. They wanted us to buy photos taken by locals for 20 each—another robbery.) After a thrilling journey, we reached the destination. We exchanged all our weapons for 2 RMB and two bowls of ginger soup to prevent colds. Water gun (15) + water cannon (20) + scoop (5) = 2 bowls of ginger soup (2 RMB). I was impressed by the locals' money-making wisdom. But the joy was priceless. I'll come again, but next time with 11 fierce men.

Changsha, Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang Weight-Loss Trip (7)

July 27: Furong Town, Fenghuang. After the exciting Mengdong River rafting in the morning, we changed out of wet clothes and headed to the next destination—Furong Town. Furong Town is a small village in western Hunan, originally called Wangcun. It got its name from the movie "Furong Town" (Hibiscus Town) filmed there. The village is surrounded by water on three sides and backed by a mountain. If you come from a big city by water, the contrast is overwhelming. After winding through the clear green water, the boat finally docks at a small ferry. Stepping into Furong Town from outside, you cross just a few steps in space, but decades in time. I think director Xie Jin must have searched far and wide to find this place, attracted by its detached, unworldly feel. Outside, electronic watches run fast, but Furong Town uses its own time. At the dock, the lowest point of the village, stone paths wind upward. Climbing up, every turn brings new surprises. Walking on the ground, you go up and down stone steps. Houses along the stone paths are built mainly of brick, wood, and stone. They are old, with mottled bricks, aged wood, smooth and clean stones. The layout of houses and streets is well-proportioned. Big city visitors will find their competitive hearts calm, their tempers cool, gradually appreciating the place. It's a very quiet small village, inhabited by Han, Miao, and Tujia people. Through open doors, you see them leisurely playing mahjong, weaving cloth, selling crafts. In the early morning, they scrub toilets, sweep doorways. In the alleys, you rarely meet more than three or five locals. A special sight: many thread-like objects hanging like curtains—these are homemade air-dried noodles by the local Tujia. When tired of walking, you sit down at a small shop. You might be attracted by a sign reading "Rice Tofu." The famous rice tofu shop owner will greet you, claiming it's the shop where Liu Xiaoqing made rice tofu in "Furong Town." Rice tofu is made from rice, carefully prepared, cut into 1 cm cubes, drained, served with scallions and chili sauce—fragrant and smooth, slide down without chewing. There's also homemade Tujia sweet rice wine, delicious and low-alcohol, a great natural drink. And plump river snails, as big as a cup mouth. When three or five eat together, only the sound of sucking, bowls emptied quickly. Everything in Wangcun is poetic: clear streams, old men quietly pondering at their doors. Tourists come in batches, look at the movie sets, take photos, and appreciate Xie Jin's insight. We arrived at Furong Town at noon. The guide first arranged lunch. Here I must praise our guide: after the difficult meals in Zhangjiajie, this was the most satisfying meal of the trip. We ate at the most famous restaurant in town—the main branch of "World's First Snail" (it has three branches; the main branch has the best environment and food quality). The meal was abundant. Memorable dishes: stir-fried river shrimp, stir-fried river snails, and a few others whose names I don't remember. After a hearty meal, we explored on our own. Furong Town is small but commercialized; many sellers are not locals. The sold items are similar. We bought local ginger candy and kiwifruit (recommend buying ginger candy in Furong Town—freshly made, good taste, fair price: 2 bags for 10 RMB, full. We bought Qiu's ginger candy, strong ginger flavor, especially good for men's health). We passed the rice tofu shop where Liu Xiaoqing filmed; took a photo, but I didn't like the rice tofu taste. After a few hours, we were "sold" to the next destination—Fenghuang (as individual tourists, be prepared to be sold several times).

Changsha, Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang Weight-Loss Trip (8)

Night of July 27. We were again transferred to another bus heading to Fenghuang. Before coming, I had been looking forward to experiencing the ancient, unique minority customs of western Hunan. Especially Fenghuang, described in Shen Congwen's writings as poetic and dreamlike, like a fairyland. Fenghuang's tourism slogan is tempting: "I have been waiting for you for a thousand years." I don't know if all tourist bus drivers here have hot tempers; they sped on winding mountain roads, making everyone's heart race. Watching cars pass by, we silently prayed to God. After over 3 hours of thrilling but safe driving, we arrived before 8:00 PM. It is said Fenghuang's most beautiful view is at night. The driver parked in front of a large bridge and let us walk onto the bridge to take photos. In the distance, under dim lights, it looked lively. We took some photos, then checked into the hotel. I thought, coming such a long way, it would be a pity not to see Fenghuang's nightlife. So I roused the other four. We took a taxi (starting fare 4 RMB) to the center of Fenghuang Ancient Town—Hongmen (Rainbow Gate). It was very lively, with crowds, hawking, shouting—like a big market. This ancient town, called by New Zealand writer Rewi Alley one of China's most beautiful small cities, was built during the Kangxi era. This "pearl of western Hunan" is truly small—only one proper east-west street. http://baike.baidu.com/view/1600.htm. Two years ago, I went to Lijiang in Yunnan, and the two places feel similar. But Lijiang is noisier. Fenghuang is like a mini Lijiang. Bars line the streets, all kinds of people mingle. But in Lijiang, you can have antiphonal singing; Fenghuang's Tuo River is wider, so people on opposite banks probably can't hear each other. The commercial atmosphere is too heavy; the original beauty is hard to feel. The ancient town is small; we walked around in less than 2 hours. The items sold are similar, nothing special. In the end, the most distinctive were the elderly women selling things, so I snapped a couple of candid photos, making one old lady shy. We also noticed that the elderly women here look very young, many with baby faces and good skin—enviable. Before 11:00 PM, we returned to the hotel. The next morning, the guide woke us up early to see Fenghuang's morning scenery. Honestly, the morning Fenghuang gave us some physiological response. The sky wasn't fully bright. Only a few dozen of us wandered through the town, feeling like swimming in the river of history. We visited a few former residences, took photos of characteristic local architecture. By the time the sky was fully bright, we had almost finished. After breakfast, the guide took us to a spot outside Fenghuang—an ancient Miao village for a "consolation trip." Why consolation? Because the original residents there are very poor. According to Miao customs, we held an antiphonal singing competition with Miao girls at the village entrance, then beat the drum and entered. The Miao village is small, with many wood-and-earth buildings and old facilities. After visiting several homes, we went to the square to watch a folk performance, including dances by Miao girls. We participated in a competition: three people stepping on a single wooden shovel. After several rounds, I teamed up with a father and son from Northeast China and unexpectedly won first place. According to the rules, winners receive prizes: two small silver bracelets each. But a Miao girl, while we weren't paying attention, smeared stove ash on our faces. According to Miao custom, only winners deserve this treatment—it brings good luck. It can't be wiped off immediately, only before boarding the bus. So I foolishly walked around with black fingerprints on my face, enduring curious and strange looks from passersby until I got on the bus. Then I discovered the father and son had already wiped theirs off. Only I was left making a fool of myself. The children there have a strong commercial sense. They constantly pulled us to buy the little things they made. One teacher from our group took a photo of twin brothers, and then the two kids demanded money. Such a commercial society. After leaving the Miao village, the bus didn't return to Fenghuang but went directly to Jishou. There we had lunch, and then the group split. We went back to Changsha directly, arriving after 8:00 PM. We deposited our luggage and went out shopping. Our train was after 1:00 AM. There are several luggage storage counters at the train station; you must compare prices because the differences are outrageous. We strolled on Huangxing Pedestrian Street again, went to the New World Department Store we visited last time, bought a discounted Toread backpack, then returned to the station and embarked on the return trip. Throughout the journey, there were thrills and disappointments, happiness and anger. Mostly, it was exhausting. Recommendation: For first-timers, joining a tour group saves time and trouble, but you must clarify the agreement and dare to fight for your rights with the guide. Given a chance, I will go to Zhangjiajie and Mengdong River rafting again, and this time I'll bring a bunch of strong men.... (Weight at departure: 136 jin; weight at home: 129 jin).

Also, there are too many photos, so I'll only post a few classic ones. Sorry if it's too long!