Measuring the Land with Wheels, Driving a Hongqi Across Four Cities, Pursuing Dreams with Hope

In the blink of an eye, half of 2020 has passed. We cannot restart the past, but we can seize the present. We cherish the present more, and we revere and protect nature even more—every mountain, every river, every blade of grass, every tree. We only wish for the land to be safe, and for all people to be at peace.

I really like a passage by Zhou Guoping: 'Writing is a conversation with your own soul, through which you turn external life experiences into inner spiritual wealth'; faith is a conversation with the God in your heart, through which you accumulate 'heavenly wealth'; 'reading is a conversation with the great souls of history, through which you take possession of the spiritual wealth created by humanity.' 'These are three essential conversations in life. And all three take place in solitude.'

Travel, on the other hand, is like a fourth conversation. It does not happen in solitude, but rather in encounters with the unknown world and conversations with interesting souls. I was fortunate to take part in the Hongqi HS5 anniversary event, joining an interesting convoy to explore the mountains, rivers, and landscapes of our motherland, using wheels as a brush and the earth as paper to paint a magnificent picture and celebrate the spirit of China.

At seven in the morning in Chongqing, sunlight had already spread across the land. We gathered at the Hongqi 4S store in Chongqing. The Hongqi HS5 cars parked at the entrance glowed with a charming golden light under the sun.

This national brand that makes us proud—Hongqi—has become more down-to-earth and youthful in recent years. Its brand philosophy of 'Chinese-style new noble minimalism' has sparked a wave of new Hongqi national trend fashion.

The Hongqi HS5 that accompanied us throughout the journey, as an SUV, has an imposing appearance. Its sleek side profile and majestic family-style grille made me, a lover of good looks, fall in love at first sight.

In the scorching heat of Chongqing, where is a good place for a self-drive trip? Perhaps a rural countryside tour is a good choice.

Exploring Tongnan's hidden gems---

Tongnan District is in the northwest of Chongqing, with a long history and is known as the hometown of Chinese folk art and culture. Tongnan has cultural attractions such as the Great Buddha Temple, Shuangjiang Ancient Town, and the Chen Tuan Hometown Scenic Area. But our destination today is very niche, not a typical scenic spot.

(Passing by the Dafosi Great River Bridge, I quickly snapped a photo from the car)

Tongnan District features a shallow hilly topography with flat terrain, a subtropical humid monsoon climate, mild weather, abundant heat, and is suitable for farming all year round. Our destination for today—Liangjiang Organic Farm—is located here.

Tongnan Tai'an Villa, reminiscent of Jiangnan----

On the way, we had lunch at Tongnan Tai'an Villa. Strolling around the villa, I realized it felt like the beauty of a Jiangnan garden had been transported to Tongnan.

Poetic and picturesque, rustic elegance, silent poetry, three-dimensional paintings—the aura of literati permeates the villa, exuding a strong Eastern charm everywhere.

Car owners strolled in pairs on the bluestone paths, winding paths leading to secluded spots, connecting the landscape with pavilions, time and memory.

After spending a long time in the concrete jungle of the city, coming to the farmstead to hear birds sing, enjoy beautiful scenery, and breathe fresh air made everyone exclaim: This is the rural life so many people dream of!

Tongnan Tai'an Villa Tips:

Location: No. 1 Society, Guanba Village, Tai'an Town, Tongnan District, Chongqing

Special recommendations: Besides dining, there is accommodation for business, meetings, or leisure. The villa offers bonfire parties, self-service BBQ, mazes, DIY handicrafts, agricultural picking tours, science education, etc. It is the only five-star rural hotel in Tongnan District, Chongqing.

Liangjiang Organic Farm----

From Tai'an Villa to the Liangjiang Organic Farm, we had to take a narrow country road where two cars find it hard to pass each other. Fortunately, the Hongqi HS5 has a 360-degree reverse view, making it easy for even female drivers to handle various road sections with style.

Driving slowly, we enjoyed the rural scenery. The farm was hidden in these pastoral paintings. Surrounded by the Qiongjiang River and nestled against green mountains, it is named 'Liangjiang' (Two Rivers) because the Fuchun and Qiongjiang Rivers flow through Tongnan.

According to staff, this is not a dedicated tourist spot. It is generally only open to their VIP customers or friends who book in advance, so many people don't know about it—it's definitely a private niche attraction.

'Healthy soil + ample sunlight + clean air + ecological water source = healthy food + healthy body.' This is the planting philosophy of Liangjiang Organic Farm.

Perhaps the start of 2020 has given us a lot to reflect on. Nowadays, we yearn more for clean air, a healthy environment and food, and a return to a simple, unadorned life.

Even in my daily urban life, I try to find healthy ingredients. The car owners picked vegetables here, and they could take the produce home. But most fruits and vegetables were not yet ripe—it seems that good things require patience and cannot be rushed.

Strolling, listening to the gentle breeze, plants mingling with sunlight, on soil free from pesticides and chemical fertilizers, the energy of the season gestates in the green fruits—a longing for ripeness.

Humans and nature are meant to be a harmonious community with a shared future. I hope that pure land can spread and be protected, allowing the breeze and colorful butterflies to freely carry seeds, letting them grow healthily. After all, isn't human health also inseparable from the close relationship between life and nature?

Address: Longmiao Village, Baizi Town, the land of fish and rice in Tongnan

Zunyi is one of the first batch of national historical and cultural cities, with world cultural heritage Hailongtun and world natural heritage Chishui Danxia. So we started the Hongqi Zunyi stop HS5 convoy self-drive tour with the theme 'Exploring History and Culture.'

Passing by the Red Army Martyrs Cemetery, the convoy was neatly lined up, majestic in red.

Our destination was the world cultural heritage site Hailongtun, located 20 kilometers northwest of downtown Zunyi on Longyan Mountain. In 2015, as one of the three major Tusi sites in China, it was inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Along the way, the convoy traversed cities, fields, and muddy paths. The Hongqi HS5 handled all these road conditions well. With five driving modes—Eco, Comfort, Sport, Off-road, and Snow—paired with intelligent adjustable shock absorbers, it offers driving pleasure.

Before going to a place, I like to do some research to better understand my destination. Hailongtun was awarded 'Top Ten Global Archaeological Discoveries' and praised by archaeologists as 'China's Machu Picchu.' It was built 200 years earlier than Machu Picchu.

The Hailongtun Tusi site has distinct northern Guizhou cultural characteristics and is one of the five major cultural icons of Guizhou Province.

Besides the Tusi ruins, the scenic area also features the Bozhou Tusi City, which recreates the prosperous commercial scene of the Ming Dynasty. Taking photos here is quite unique.

Walking along the streets of the Tusi City, you can see various Zunyi specialty snacks. Our convoy had a delightful long-table feast at this 'Winnowing Basket Rice' restaurant.

Car owners chatted while eating, and cars are always an inseparable topic for car enthusiasts. Nowadays, the Hongqi car is getting better and better in terms of craftsmanship and handling, and its status in consumers' hearts is rising. New Hongqi is currently the unique luxury car brand in China, earning unanimous praise from car owners.

For Chinese people, Hongqi is not just a famous car brand; it is also a strong responsibility and a historical mission.

Hongqi has always been positioned as high-end, but in recent years, it has shown a clear trend towards youthfulness, and prices have gradually become more affordable.

Today at Hailongtun in Zunyi, adults and children used their imagination and paintbrushes to create new 'HS5s'; who knows if among these young sprouts of the motherland there will be outstanding car design masters who will continue to pass on our Eastern aesthetics and solid manufacturing craftsmanship.

Car owners also poured this Chinese-style new noble sentiment into their brushes. Every focused gaze, every stroke of the brush seemed to carry a sense of responsibility.

The Zunyi stop's self-drive tour did not arrange too many scenic spots, but we had time to feel the car owners' sense of home and country, chat with them about work and life, and listen to their stories about the past and their expectations and confidence in the future of China's automotive industry.

Address: On Longyan Mountain, Shuanglong Village Group, Hailongtun Village, Gaoping Town, Huichuan District, Zunyi City

Opening hours: 8:30-18:00 (last admission: 16:30)

Transportation: Hailongtun is only about 20 kilometers from downtown Zunyi, a half-hour drive.

By bus within Zunyi: Take a bus from Maocaopu Bus Station to Gaoping Town, then transfer to a bus from Gaoping Town to the scenic area.

After returning, we also made a special visit to what is said to be the oldest landmark in Zunyi. A stainless steel sculpture nearly 12 meters high, with four people holding up a golden ball, named 'Morning Light' (Chenguang), stands at Dingzikou in the urban area of Zunyi. It is likened to holding up the sun of tomorrow, symbolizing the hard work of the Zunyi people, and has become a city landmark of Zunyi, carrying the emotions of many Zunyi residents.

There is always a meeting, just to arrive at the scenery with you

When we arrived in Changsha, a passing shower had just ended. The city embraced me warmly, with a sense of humidity and warmth. Changsha is an ancient city with a history of over 2,000 years, and its most famous food culture makes people yearn for it.

As for the origin of Changsha's name, the most popular theory is 'the land is named after the star.' There is the Zhenxing star Changsha in the sky, reflected on earth, giving rise to Changsha city.

The people living here are optimistic and positive. My first meeting with the Changsha stop Hongqi car owners kicked off with a free-spirited enthusiasm, like the red chili peppers Changsha people love—satisfying and exhilarating.

For the Changsha stop's city self-drive tour, we started from Huogongdian on Pozijie. Passing through the red memorial archway, there was a hidden world inside—a two-story building that can accommodate many diners. According to local car owners, their big buns and pig blood vermicelli are not to be missed, along with various steaming pastries and snacks, and all kinds of rice noodles.

Huogongdian, as a one-stop taste experience center in Changsha, is definitely worth a visit.

If you want to eat to your heart's content in Changsha, you need to plunge deep into the city and take time to search for delicious food.

In the south, everyone's hometown has a famous mountain. Hengyang has Mount Heng, Shaoyang has Langshan, Xiangtan has Shaoshan, Yongzhou has Jiuyi Mountain, and Changsha has Yuelu Mountain. In spring, a gentle breeze brushes the face and branches turn green; in summer, layers of green hills provide dense shade; in autumn, you can appreciate the red leaves; in winter, you can see rime. Yuelu Mountain has a reason to visit in every season.

Here, there are relics of monks, the ashes of generals, and ancient stone tablets. There is a certain historical heaviness, but also a rare tranquility. It is a check-in spot for tourists from all over, and even more so a coordinate of youth for Changsha people.

This event naturally couldn't miss the backyard of Changsha people—Yuelu Mountain. Car owners held a mountain climbing competition here. Some walked quickly, wanting to reach the top first to overlook their hometown;

Others strolled slowly, feeling the lush greenery returned by nature. Compared to the city's heat, the coolness and breeze in the mountains are always precious. Children blew bubbles, chasing and playing... Here, there is no urban hustle and bustle; the clock seems to tick slower than elsewhere.

Love in the old days was slow, so slow it took a lifetime to wait for someone, so slow a lifetime was only enough to love one person. We always envy the love of the older generation—they could hold hands and accompany each other for a lifetime. On the steep mountain path, a couple held hands, struggling to climb, supporting each other. This should be the most ordinary and beautiful form of love.

And choosing a car is actually like choosing a partner—it must be calm, safe, and trustworthy, just like the Hongqi HS5 that has been with us all along.

Orange Isle Bridge---

Orange Isle Bridge is a river-crossing passage connecting Yuelu District and Furong District across Orange Isle in Changsha City, and it is also one of the landmarks here. Unfortunately, Orange Isle Bridge is closed to parking on weekends, so we could only look from afar. The panoramic sunroof of the Hongqi HS5 gave us a pleasant surprise—the blue sky and white clouds were within reach, forming a unique picture of Changsha with the distant buildings. One side is green mountains, the other is city—this is Changsha's unique temperament.

Du Fu River Pavilion---

While traversing Changsha, a building with carved beams and painted pillars came into view.

This is the Du Fu River Pavilion built by the people of Changsha in memory of the poet Du Fu. It stands by the Xiangjiang River, with the bustling city behind it. It forms a cultural belt with Tianxin Pavilion, Yuelu Mountain, and Yuelu Academy.

'Wind and rain ask about those years, wandering in Xingcheng, a guest's resentment once inscribed at the riverside pavilion.'

'Mountains and rivers leave traces, why distinguish between Xiang and Shu, the soul of poetry still lingers at Huanhua Creek.'

The poet Du Fu, in his later years, stopped twice in Changsha, once stayed at the riverside pavilion, and left over fifty poems in Changsha. It is a point of contact between Huxiang culture and Du Fu's all-round engagement, an inseparable bond with Du Fu.

Location of Du Fu River Pavilion: It faces Xiangjiang Avenue to the east, with a square and steps at the entrance; to the west, it faces the Xiangjiang River, with the main building 5 meters from the riverbank, and the first-floor terrace extends 5 meters over the Xiangjiang River.

Hunan University---

Hunan University is located on the banks of the Xiangjiang River at the foot of Yuelu Mountain, renowned as a 'millennium academy, century-old prestigious university.' Some people stay in Changsha perhaps because all their youth is here.

A single admission notice brought countless students from different places to Changsha.

'After studying in Changsha for four years, I stayed and fell in love with this place.'

Starting from the Xinmin School site, followed by Hunan Normal University, Hunan University, and Central South University—just a few bus stops record the most beautiful youth of a group of people.

If you have time, you can wander around the university town, as if you were a student again. There are youth, growth, and struggle, as if you never left.

The regrets of youth bring us back here again.

Super Wenheyou—A 'Magical Streetscape' Created by Memory

It is a city memory, a magical streetscape, a city IP museum that can be eaten.

Crossing through time takes just a moment. The five or six-story streetscape space can immediately immerse you in a drama. Each floor has different memories of Changsha: an art gallery, a dance hall, a seafood shop, an old barbershop...

The most bustling street is 'Yongheng Street,' where various classic Changsha snacks gather. Culture and cuisine combine, memory and present collide, and the warm human connections of the past are felt at every turn.

When in Changsha, you must not miss the spicy crayfish, stinky tofu, and Changsha's unique 'Tea Yan Yue Se'.

Changsha's summer is filled with the aroma of spicy crayfish, which is the 'happy source' for Changsha people in summer. Although Chengdu also has spicy crawfish, the taste of Changsha's spicy crayfish differs slightly from Chengdu's preparation. While indulging, I discovered that the spicy crayfish uses my favorite basil for seasoning—no wonder it has a very unique flavor.

Changsha stinky tofu is the most famous 'IP' in the stinky tofu world. Here, stinky tofu is 'dark cuisine.' Previously, I thought Changsha's stinky tofu would have a very strong smell, but that's not true. Made from soybeans, it has no pungent fishy smell; instead, it has a rich marinade aroma. With fiery red chili peppers, translucent white garlic juice, and amber-colored sesame oil—it's simply amazing!

Changsha specialty milk tea shop: Tea Yan Yue Se. Just a cup of milk tea, but it has its own character, only available in Changsha. Shops can be seen everywhere in Changsha, and almost every shop requires a queue. Recommendations: Youlan Latte, Shengsheng Oolong. They have a pure milk aroma, perfectly balanced, not too sweet at all. Even I, who don't usually like milk tea, was attracted. For those who prefer pure tea, try the Zhai Tea series, which can be refilled 2-3 times—very friendly indeed (per person: 15 yuan).

The most valuable thing about Wenheyou is not its unique architectural scenes or distinctive street snacks, but the most unique memories that remain in everyone's heart.

May we all cherish a memory that will never fade in our hearts.

Fuzhou's Emperor Cave Grand Canyon is a must-see attraction in Fuzhou. My companion and I set off from Changsha to Fuzhou to join the convoy. To meet the team in time, we traveled into the mountains overnight, experiencing rain, mountain fog, and landslides. Two girls were extremely nervous on the dark, deserted mountain road. We were grateful to the kind driver who safely delivered us in the early morning.

In the deep night, we couldn't see anything in the scenic area. But when we pulled back the curtains the next morning, we found a natural landscape of layered green mountains. Raindrops pattered outside the window, and the plants, washed by the drizzle, appeared especially lush and vibrant. I couldn't help opening the window, and a gentle breeze rushed in, instantly refreshing me.

The Hongqi HS5 owners were not affected by the rainy weather. They prepared umbrellas and set out with bright smiles to explore the mysterious canyon. People can influence and encourage each other; this optimism and open-mindedness kept us laughing and chatting all the way.

It is said that many historical figures, nobles, and generals once took refuge here. It is the most typical and best-preserved canyon ecological scenic area discovered in Fujian Province to date. It is also a natural wonder of China, a human landscape wonder of Fujian, and a new benchmark for Fuzhou's original ecological attractions.

The landscape and cultural scenery here are extremely rich. Waterfalls plunge down, magnificent to behold. Original ecology scenery, She ethnic culture, and other humanistic relics are integrated. While enjoying the scenery, younger travelers can also learn many legendary stories about history and culture. Both adults and children enjoyed themselves.

Inside the Emperor Cave, there are murals of the King of Min, a naturally formed dragon chair, and the sound of a hundred-meter waterfall cascading down. Car owners couldn't help exclaiming in awe.

Turning around, I found a cave. Approaching it, the scenery was no less impressive than the famous 'African Cave' in Morocco. I couldn't help but marvel at the beautiful mountains, rivers, and fairylands everywhere in our magnificent China, feeling a surge of pride.

On the way back, we encountered a gravel road after a landslide. The shock absorption performance of the HS5 chassis was fully demonstrated, steadily navigating the rainy mountain road.

The all-new four-wheel drive system with intelligent control greatly improves off-road performance, perfectly balancing power and fuel efficiency, and enhancing driving comfort.

Leaning against the car window, watching the distant scenery, I played a song by Xu Wei, 'Travel.' The Bose sound system with 12 speakers perfectly integrated hearing and vision, allowing us to fully enjoy the joy of driving and riding in surround sound.

The evening wind blows through the pines, the wind chimes ring like a heavenly sound. Standing in the quiet place of the city, let all the noise drift away. Only the green mountains hide in the white clouds, butterflies fly freely in the clear stream. Watch the sunset bloom on the horizon, a flock of birds returning westward. We always have to say goodbye, gather and part again, always walking on a long road.

Lying in the car, smelling the fragrance of the earth baptized by rain, closing my eyes, the laughter of childhood sounded in my ears.

Let the four-city journey with the Hongqi HS5 end with Xu Wei's 'Travel.' The convoy wound through the idyllic mountains, wheels as brushes, earth as paper—that is the spirit of China.

Grateful for dreams, for reality, for the spiritual strength that supports us all the way.

Cheers for China, we are the best! We deserve the spotlight!

Travel Notes Directory:

1. [Foreword]

2. Stop 1: [Chongqing · Exploring Hidden Gems]

3. Stop 2: [Zunyi · China's Machu Picchu--Hailongtun]

4. Stop 3: [Changsha · The Collision of Traditional Changsha and Trendy Changsha]

5. Stop 4: [Fuzhou · Grateful for Dreams and Reality]

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