Encountering a Pink Autumn in Youyang: Strolling through Peach Blossom Spring and Quietly Enjoying Gongtan Ancient Town!

Have you ever seen a pink autumn? At a glance, it's extremely romantic.

In Youyang's Dieshi Huagu, the pink muhly grass covers the mountains in full bloom.

The National Day holiday is a great time to take a stroll there—a niche route with few people and beautiful scenery.

Here is a two-day guide to exploring Youyang, Chongqing. Please save it.

Day 1: Depart from Chongqing—Dieshi Huagu—Stay at Youzhou Ancient Town

Day 2: Youyang Taohuayuan (Peach Blossom Spring)—Gongtan Ancient Town—Return to Chongqing

Starting from Chongqing, the first stop is Dieshi Huagu.

Address: Shanshuwan Village, Banxi Town, Youyang County, Chongqing. Ticket: 99 yuan. As far as the eye can see, it's all gentle pink. Standing in it, you can instantly take photos full of girlish charm. I believe this place will soon become the hottest check-in spot on your social media. However, note that the flowering period of pink muhly grass is from September to November, so plan your time well. The grass is delicate; please do not trample on it during your visit.

The scenic area mainly features stacked stone landscapes, covering over 3,000 mu. It is divided into two parts: the Stacked Stone Flower Valley and the Art Tribe. It is recommended to spend half a day here, as girls will need plenty of time for photos.

When the gentle wind brushes your cheeks and the pink grass sways, it feels like being in a fairy tale world.

Upon entering the scenic area, the first thing you see is China's largest stacked stone art gate, 13 meters high, 53 meters wide, and 19 meters deep. It is composed of core elements of Wu Nuo culture, including the statues of the Agricultural God on both sides, the Divine Bird facing the sun on top, and the Nuo God mask—very impressive.

The interior area mainly displays traditional Nuo culture, with 33 stacked stone attractions such as the Twelve Months Pillar Stone Array, Stacked Stone Demon Pit, General's Zip Line, Heaven-Made Match, and Twenty-Four Opera Gods.

This pink and tender color has a healing magic that makes every girl swoon. The misty flower spikes are dreamlike, like waves in a pink ocean.

The Stacked Stone Sacred Lake also catches the eye, like a mirror reflecting this magical beauty.

After enjoying the pink grass, you can drive directly to Youzhou Ancient Town.

Ancient town address: No. 34 Youzhou Ancient Town, North of Youyang City, Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County, Chongqing. Ticket: free.

This street is built along the mountain, 1.3 kilometers long, integrating Tujia and Miao architecture and folk customs. It is a window for tourists to experience the Tujia and Miao culture in southeastern Chongqing. It is also known as the Tujia "Along the River During the Qingming Festival." You can truly experience the daily life of the people living here.

We also saw a group of young women in ancient costumes, with various characters you only see in TV dramas, like Zhu Bajie, a beggar, a fairy, etc. It felt like time travel. When we asked, they were rehearsing for the Youzhou Ancient Town Lighting Festival.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays, a three-dimensional stage show will be held in Youzhou Ancient Town, turning every passerby into a participant. It will be very interesting.

There will be cute Pikachu, the Chang'e fairy patrolling, band performances, flash mob dances,不倒翁 (tumbling doll) interactions, etc. It will be lively and not to be missed.

After the show, you can stay overnight in the ancient town. Currently, this street is not overly developed, with little commercial atmosphere and few tourists. Accommodation is also inexpensive. We recommend staying at local guesthouses, which are very charming, and the local food is delicious—be sure to try it.

There are two Peach Blossom Springs in the world: one in your heart, and one in Youyang, Chongqing.

This scenic spot recreates the "Peach Blossom Spring" described by Tao Yuanming. It is a pure land away from the hustle and bustle of the world, well worth a visit.

Address: No. 232 Taohuayuan Road, Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County, Chongqing. Ticket: 100 yuan.

The scenic area takes Qin and Jin culture as the main theme, rural scenery as the carrier, and situational experience as the main axis. Through scene experience, cultural interpretation, and era restoration, it fully displays "Qin people, Qin style, Qin appearance, and Qin fun," creating in reality a pastoral life painting of the "Peach Blossom Spring"—secluded, peaceful, harmonious, with men plowing and women weaving. It is the world's only Qin culture experience scenic area.

The entrance is a large cave. Walking along the path, you enter a different world. Visitors can wear ancient robes and skirts, traveling back to the Qin and Jin dynasties through costumes. While reciting "The Story of Peach Blossom Spring," you can experience the "magical journey" of the Wuling fisherman discovering the Peach Blossom Spring in the "Taiyuan period of Jin."

Inside, attractions closely linked to Qin and Jin life include Rujin (Labyrinth), Qinyuefang (Qin Music House), Shouti Pavilion, Guiyuan Tianju (Returning to the Garden), Wanggui Corridor, Tao Gong School, Mingzi Hall, Gonggeng Garden (Farming Garden), Taozhi Fang (Peach Juice House), Qinqu Garden, Taoyuan Tea House, Jiushi Jiagu (Nine Families' Fine Grains), Mabu Memory (Linen Memory), and Daqin Shike (Great Qin Eater). They make you feel as if you are in a Qin village over 2,000 years ago, walking in the "Peach Blossom Spring" described by Tao Yuanming.

Here you can buy many snacks and souvenirs at reasonable prices.

When in Youyang, you must visit Gongtan! Many people first learned about this place from Wu Guanzhong's words: "It is a Tang street, a Song city, and the home of my grandparents." Just a few lines convey the simple charm of Gongtan Ancient Town.

It is located on the east bank of the Wujiang River where it meets the Apeng River, with a history of over 1,700 years. It is a very peaceful and primitive place.

Ticket: Ancient city maintenance fee: 16 yuan per ticket.

In this ancient city, Ran is the common surname. The Ran Family Courtyard here has a history of three hundred years. Many celebrities have come here to shoot TV series; the walls are covered with photos.

Every time I come, it feels like returning home. After all, my surname is also Ran. Maybe long ago, my ancestors had some connection to this place, and I feel an inexplicable closeness.

Looking closely at the house's design, the leisurely decorations, and the many old items displayed—such as wooden tables and stools, blue-and-white porcelain teapots, brass tobacco pipes—entering it feels like a Huizhou-style residence. However, unlike Huizhou-style houses, it is open on one side, with a stilted building extending to the street. The main house and side rooms are all in a through-joint structure, typical of Gongtan's architectural style.

After visiting the Ran Family Courtyard, continue along the blue stone path. The street is so quiet that only a few children painting are walking ahead. Time seems to slow down here. Stepping on the blue stones freshly kissed by the rain, there is an indescribable nostalgia.

The narrow paths between the stilted buildings are like picture frames of a landscape painting, outlining the natural beauty.

Bougainvillea blooming everywhere and some unknown green plants wind between the houses and stones, varying in height and density.

The golden osmanthus flowers knocked down by raindrops scatter on leaves and the ground, emitting a delicate and fragrant scent that delights visitors. It reminds me of the poetic line, "The osmanthus falls in the mid-autumn moon, its celestial fragrance drifts beyond the clouds." The small golden flowers look particularly charming.

The mist and clouds in the distance also dance with the wind, like a fairyland on earth.

When hungry, you can find a riverside restaurant and enjoy the most authentic Tujia cuisine. Recommendations: stir-fried small river shrimp, authentic Tujia braised pork, Wujiang fish, etc., all very appetizing with rice.

The kitchen is open along the river. Cooking in such an environment must be a very enjoyable process.

After eating and drinking, head to the observation deck, stop and feel the comfort and beauty here. Watching the slow boats glide across the jade-like Wujiang River is full of poetic charm.

If time permits, you can also sign up for the Wujiang Gallery cruise. The price is 158 yuan per person, and the tour lasts two hours. The boat passes by the old ancient town ruins, the Tomb of the Martyrs of the Wuling Mountain Bandit Suppression, the Tuotuozi Gorge, Monkey Mountain, Yuewozi, the century-old wind and rain covered bridge, the Apeng River...

This area is also known as "Thousand Li Wujiang, Hundred Li Gallery." The Qing Dynasty poet Weng Ruomei praised: "The landscapes of Shu are extraordinary; this should be ranked first."

Youyang is truly a hidden gem. If you want to escape the noise and crowds this Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day, come here to let your restless heart calm down and return to a true state of life. You will find unexpected surprises...

Chongqing—Youyang Dieshi Huagu—Youyang Taohuayuan—Gongtan Ancient Town

To go from downtown Chongqing to Youyang, you need to take a bus at the Sihui Hub Station. Other stations do not currently have this route. The earliest bus is at 8:30 AM, the latest at 6:00 PM. The fare is 110 yuan per person. The station has self-service ticket machines that accept Alipay and WeChat Pay. You can also book in advance on Ctrip to avoid running out of tickets.

There are five trains daily from Chongqing North Station to Youyang, taking about 5 hours. However, note that Youyang Railway Station is more than ten kilometers from the city center, so you need to transfer to another vehicle to reach the major scenic spots.