Enjoy the Pink Muhly Sea, Explore a Paradise, and Visit Gongtan Ancient Town | The Best Way to Explore Around Chongqing

As Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day approach, it's the best season for travel. Are you still struggling with where to go?

Recently, we took a self-driving trip to Dieshi Huagu (Stacked Stone Flower Valley) in Youyang, Chongqing. The pink muhly grass is in full bloom. The mysterious stromatolites combined with the sea of pink muhly grass are so eye-pleasing! The blooming period lasts until November! Hurry up and enjoy the flowers!

After visiting Dieshi Huagu, you can also visit Taohuayuan (Peach Blossom Spring) scenic area, stay a night in Gongtan Ancient Town, take a boat trip along the Wujiang Gallery, and taste local Tujia specialties... This itinerary is full and fun, making it the best way to explore around Chongqing in autumn.

D1: Chongqing - Lunch at a farmhouse near Dieshi Huagu - Visit Dieshi Huagu - Youzhou Ancient Town - Night tour of Youzhou Ancient Town - Stay in Youzhou Ancient Town

D2: Visit Taohuayuan - Gongtan Ancient Town - Tour Gongtan Ancient Town - Stay in Gongtan Ancient Town

D3: Cruise the Wujiang Hundred-mile Gallery - Return to Chongqing (If short on time, you can tour the ancient town and Wujiang Gallery on the afternoon of D2, and return to Chongqing in the evening)

Seeing these photos, are you tempted?

Then let's go together!

Flowers Blooming on Stones, a Sea of Pink Muhly: A Popular Check-in Spot Around Chongqing

In 2017, the Youyang Paleontological Survey Team discovered Cambrian stromatolite fossils about 500 million years old near Banxi Town, Youyang. The area is considered "the largest in southern China." Stromatolites are fossils formed by the binding and precipitation of seawater materials during the life activities of single-celled cyanobacteria.

It was due to the emergence of stromatolites that the oxygen content in the Earth's atmosphere increased dramatically, laying the foundation for the evolution of life. Youyang is the starting point of "oxygen" in Chongqing.

Dieshi Huagu is located in Banxi Town, 12 kilometers south of Youyang County, Chongqing. It has a mild climate, no severe cold in winter, and no intense heat in summer. The terrain is mainly mountainous and hilly, with many rocks and undulating surfaces, creating the Dieshi Huagu scenic area with stone as its skeleton and flowers as its appearance. The park is dotted with stacked stone wonders and countless beautiful flowers.

The scenic area selects rare flowers from New Zealand, Mexico, Argentina, and other places, and plants them together with excellent Chinese flower varieties among the stacked stones, adorning the weathered stromatolites with gorgeous attire.

Dieshi Huagu covers an area of over 3,000 mu and is linear in shape, divided into two parts: "Stacked Stone Flower Valley" and "Land Art Flower Zone." It features the Twelve Zodiac Pillar Stone Arrays, Stacked Stone Magic Pit, Zipline Canyon Scenic Area, Three Emperor Platform, Wu Nuo Altar Site, 24 Opera Deity Bonfire Platform, etc. It is the world's only stacked stone art themed park and Wu Nuo culture exhibition park.

At Dieshi Huagu, visitors can appreciate various novel and precious flower species—Mexican feather grass, pink muhly grass, chenopodium, chrysanthemums, etc. Immerse yourself in the passage of time, listen to the voice of art, overlook the mysterious ancient sculptures, and feel the wisdom of ancient artisans.

The stromatolites scattered everywhere in Dieshi Huagu are uniquely shaped and artistic. Now the park is full of pink muhly grass, absolutely stunning! The mysterious stromatolites combined with the sea of pink muhly make autumn in Youyang truly beautiful! The pink muhly bloom lasts until November.

Autumn is deepening at Dieshi Huagu, with sea of pink muhly among the weathered stacked stones. It has become a popular check-in spot in Chongqing! Come and check it out!

Self-driving: About 3.5 hours from downtown Chongqing to Dieshi Huagu. The scenic area is about 5 minutes by car from the Banxi exit on the Chongqing-Hunan Expressway.

Beautiful Night in Youzhou Ancient City

It was drizzling when we arrived at Youzhou Ancient City. The Wuling Mountain area is rich in specialties. Eating in Youyang allows you to experience the spicy and fresh flavors of Bayu and the green ecology of the Wuling Mountains. This is a gathering place for the Tujia and Miao ethnic groups, and Tujia cuisine is very delicious. After tasting a meal of local specialties, you'll feel fully revived.

Youzhou Ancient City is 1.3 kilometers long, featuring Tujia stilted buildings. The antique architecture exudes charm in the night. After a day of autumn rain, the stone slabs are slightly white, and the ancient city is quiet and peaceful. The rows of shops and gradually lit red lanterns bring the ancient city to life.

The ancient city at night is livelier than we imagined—flash mobs, acrobatics, bands, and parades—lots of fun!

Under the command of the city lord—"Open the city gates!" The horn sounds, full of ceremony.

Cute Pikachu, the one standing in the center is definitely a drama queen.

Those familiar old songs hit the heart directly.

The clown is not ugly; his kung fu is impressive!

Who said you need to go to Xi'an to see the "Doll that never falls"? Now Youzhou Ancient City also has beautiful ladies!

Let's hold hands too! "Click"—quickly post a moment on WeChat :)

Walking in the ancient city at night, we encountered parade teams, ethereal ladies, and the "kung fu" of Wong Fei-hung. At this moment, we really felt like we had time-traveled :)

During National Day, the ancient city has many related activities, which might bring you a unique and unforgettable holiday memory.

There Are Two Peach Blossom Springs in the World: One in Your Heart, One in Youyang, Chongqing

In the Taiyuan period of Jin, a man from Wuling made a living by fishing. As he followed the stream, he forgot the distance. Suddenly he came upon a peach forest, which spread for hundreds of steps along both banks. There were no other trees, and the grass was fragrant and beautiful, with falling petals like brocade. The fisherman was very surprised.

He continued forward to see where the forest ended. The forest ended at the source of the stream, where he found a mountain with a small opening that seemed to have light. He left his boat and entered the opening. At first, it was very narrow, barely enough for one person. After walking dozens of steps, it opened up into a wide and flat area with neat houses, fertile fields, beautiful ponds, and mulberry and bamboo groves. Paths crisscrossed, and the sounds of chickens and dogs could be heard. People were busy working and wearing clothes that looked like those of outsiders. The elderly and children were all happy and content...

This description in Tao Yuanming's timeless masterpiece "The Story of Peach Blossom Spring" must have sparked the imagination of countless readers. What kind of wonderful utopia is this? Where exactly is it?

—More than 1,600 years later, the Youyang Peach Blossom Spring scenic area has created the world's only Qin culture experiential scenic area—Youyang Taohuayuan.

The national 5A scenic area—Youyang Taohuayuan takes Qin culture as its main thread, pastoral scenery as its carrier, and scenario-based experience as its axis, fully displaying a peaceful and harmonious pastoral life of men farming and women weaving.

The utopia area includes spots closely related to Qin-Jin life elements, such as Entering the Labyrinth, Qin Music Hall, Riddle Pavilion, Return to Gardens and Fields, Forget-to-Return Corridor, Mr. Tao's Academy, Son-Naming Hall, Farming Garden, Peach Juice Workshop, Qin Fun Garden, Taohua Tea House, Nine Families' Grains, Hemp Cloth Memory, and Great Qin Eatery. It feels like you are in a Qin village from over 2,000 years ago, walking in Tao Yuanming's "Peach Blossom Spring." You can also change into Qin costumes for a time travel experience.

Wear Qin-style clothes, taste Taoyuan food, brew a pot of eagle tea, warm a cup of peach blossom wine... For a moment, you can't tell whether you are in the present or in the Qin dynasty...

(1) Youyang is a 40-minute drive from Qianjiang Wuling Mountain Airport, which has scheduled flights to Chongqing, Beijing, Shanghai, Kunming, Xi'an, Haikou, Hangzhou, Chengdu, and other cities.

(2) Youyang is a 1.5-hour drive from Tongren Fenghuang Airport, which has scheduled flights to various cities nationwide.

2. Train/High-speed rail:

(1) The Chongqing-Huaihua Railway passes through Youyang. The Peach Blossom Spring scenic area is a 30-minute drive from the train station.

(2) Youyang to Tongren High-speed Rail Station and Huaihua High-speed Rail Station are a 2-hour and 2.5-hour drive, respectively.

3. Expressways:

(1) Chongqing to Youyang: 4 hours by car;

(2) Enshi to Youyang: 2.5 hours by car;

(3) Zhangjiajie to Youyang: 2 hours by car;

(4) Fenghuang to Youyang: 2 hours by car;

(5) Wulong to Youyang: 2 hours by car.

Gongtan Ancient Town: The Home of Grandparents

Gongtan Ancient Town is located in Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County, Chongqing, on the east bank of the Wujiang River at its confluence with its tributary Apeng River. It is an ancient town with a history of 1,800 years. The culture of trackers, docks, salt merchants, and religion bears witness to Gongtan's history.

Since ancient times, Gongtan has been a water transport hub and distribution center for Sichuan salt, mountain products, local specialties, and general goods. On this path of about two kilometers, thousands of merchants, boatmen, and porters gathered. The stone slabs were polished smooth, reflecting the prosperity and peak of all trades at that time.

It is said that during the Guangxu period, at its height, over a thousand porters shuttled between boats and salt warehouses every day. It was they who brought Gongtan its glory.

Along the streets are antique wooden stilted buildings. Climbing the steps to the higher parts of the ancient town, overlooking the cliff, you can enjoy the scenery of the Wujiang River. The flagstone streets are dark green like jade, connecting the whole town—this is the Blue Stone Street. Films and TV dramas such as "Bandit Suppression in Wuling Mountains," "Zhao Shiyan," and "Eccentric An Shimin" have taken scenes here.

On both sides of Blue Stone Street, there are stilted inns, simple and elegant. I held my camera, stepped on the smooth stone slabs, going up and down, weaving among the Tujia stilted buildings. Street-facing shops, locals cooling off, children playing, tourists stopping...

The folk customs, folk operas, songs, dances, and handicrafts of the Tujia and Miao ethnic groups are preserved. Wu Guanzhong praised Gongtan Ancient Town: "It is a Tang street, a Song city, the home of grandparents."

The thin mist over the Wujiang River dissipates, a small boat gently sways on the green river, and a few singers with guitars awaken sleeping notes by the riverbank...

Gongtan Ancient Town is like this—otherworldly, determined to "be a worldly person who asks nothing."

I really like Gongtan Ancient Town. I've lost count of how many times I've visited.

Choose a riverside cottage, brew a pot of tea, or hold a cup of coffee, and quietly feel the ancient town...

I always feel that an ancient town is truly alive only when it has original residents living there. Gongtan is such an example.

From the mysterious Wujiang scenery to the ancient town's charm, from folk music telling poetry and distant places to long-standing cultural heritage, Gongtan Ancient Town comforts every weary soul and guards their brilliant dreams.

Walking on the riverside plank road, ancient town streets, or taking a boat trip, the music of folk singers drifts into every corner of the streets and alleys, as if every note dances in the air. They seek musical inspiration in Gongtan, letting folk music wander in the rustic and simple landscape. Come here and encounter these soul singers. A simple folk song seems to tell the thousand-year story of Gongtan.

Gongtan is by the river, so its river fish are famous. When it comes to the ancient town's cuisine, Wujiang fish is a must-order. In addition, stir-fried old bacon with fern, stewed pig trotters with wind-dried radish, spare ribs with long beans, fragrant mushroom balls, cold tofu, bean curd pudding, etc., are all worth trying.

As a famous historical and cultural town in China, Gongtan Ancient Town has long been marked by history. Even the preserved old objects in the ancient town are astonishing. Completely different from highly commercialized ancient towns, Gongtan has the true flavor of old streets. From the dock, following the long bluestone steps into the ancient town, looking at the wooden stilted buildings, I sighed that Gongtan is a dream, and the past has lasted over a thousand years...

According to records: Gongtan Ancient Town has a surviving stone street about three kilometers long, more than 150 unique firewalls, over 200 ancient and quiet courtyard houses, and more than 50 stilted buildings of various forms. It is a well-preserved large-scale Ming and Qing architectural complex with unique local characteristics. Industry experts and scholars believe that Gongtan Ancient Town can be compared to the world heritage site Lijiang Ancient Town.

"A dream of Gongtan, a thousand years of enchantment." If you have time, you must stay a night in Gongtan Ancient Town. Under the moonlight and the decoration of lanterns along the streets, Gongtan shows a unique beauty, more peaceful and full of classical charm.

At this time, the blue Wujiang River falls asleep, and passersby become the protagonists of the night. Hand in hand with your lover, walking on the stone roads of the ancient town, it's infinitely romantic...

What are you hesitating about such a Gongtan Ancient City? Hurry up and pack your bags, and get ready to go!

A Thousand Miles of Wujiang, a Hundred Miles of Gallery

The Wujiang River originates in Weining, Guizhou, flows into Gongtan Town, Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County, Chongqing, then passes through Wulong and extends to Fuling, Chongqing, where it empties into the Yangtze River. Its total length is 1,070 kilometers. It is said that the 60-kilometer section from Youyang, Chongqing, to Pengshui is the essence of the Wujiang Gallery, known as "A Thousand Miles of Wujiang, a Hundred Miles of Gallery!"

When you arrive at Gongtan Ancient Town, you must take a boat trip on the Wujiang River. The Wujiang Gallery unfolds a long scroll before us with its rich ink-wash landscapes, near-pristine ecology, and simple and honest ethnic customs dominated by the Tujia people.

The annual cargo throughput of Gongtan Dock is over 5 million tons, with convenient water and land transportation. Since ancient times, it has been a passenger and cargo transfer point for Sichuan (Chongqing), Guizhou, Hunan, and Hubei, known as "Wealthy Gongtan."

Taking a cruise, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Apeng River and the Wujiang River along the way. The round trip takes about two hours.

The river is swift, the mountains are majestic—every mile a different scene, with charming landscapes.

There are many sights worth seeing on both sides of the Wujiang River. If you have time, you can explore slowly and appreciate them carefully.

When music meets the misty Wujiang Gallery, the ancient streets, myriad shops, and shimmering Wujiang River... are adorned with countless human wonders.

1. Self-driving: Take the Yu Xiang Expressway from downtown Chongqing to Pengshui, then via Pengshui Town directly to Gongtan Town, Youyang County. Alternatively, take the expressway through Pengshui and Qianjiang to Gongtan. This route allows stops along the way with many scenic spots; it takes about 5 hours.

2. Train: Take a train from Chongqing North Station to Youyang Railway Station, then transfer for 10 yuan to Gongtan. The train ticket is 54 yuan, and the journey takes 5 hours.

3. First go to Pengshui (there is a long-distance bus from Chongqing Nanping Hub Station to Pengshui daily, 75 yuan), then take a boat or speedboat from Pengshui to Gongtan.

4. Take train K73 from Chongqing to Shanghai for 33 yuan to Pengshui Station. After visiting Ayi River or Mowei Mountain, take a boat from Pengshui Wanzu Dock to Gongtan the next day (98 yuan, subject to seasonal fluctuations), enjoying the Wujiang Gallery scenery along the way.

A high-speed railway is under construction near Gongtan, so it may soon be convenient to reach the ancient town.

Accommodation: There are many homestays in Gongtan. During off-peak seasons, no reservation is needed, and bargaining is possible. It is recommended to choose a riverside inn for a better view.

Note: The ancient town has many steps, which are not suitable for suitcases. It is advisable to travel with a backpack and wear comfortable and convenient shoes.