A Painting of Rain and Sunshine in Varying Shades — 2021 Sichuan, Chongqing, Enshi 16-Day Travel Diary ● Land of Six Springs

June 23, 10 a.m. The China Eastern Airlines plane landed on time at Chengdu Shuangliu Airport. Our Shanghai family and friends group began our second trip of the year.

Due to road repairs and mountain landslides, we only visited the 2000-year-old Taoping Qiang Village today. The Qiang people are known as living fossils of ethnic groups. They have no written language, relying on spoken language, music, dance, and opera to pass down history and culture. Taoping Qiang Village, with its peacetime-and-warfare-integrated architectural layout and perfect underground water network, has protected the safety and development of generations of Qiang people. Amazingly, in the past 100 years, it experienced three major earthquakes, especially the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Apart from some damage inside the nine-story watchtower that served as a lookout, the other buildings were basically intact. In the evening, we stayed at the Lixian Ding Shang Yun Jian Tent Manor. Since the car couldn't reach the hotel entrance, almost all the hotel staff came down the mountain to help us carry luggage and delivered it to our room doors – very attentive service. The manor has 18 tent-style glass houses, located halfway up a green mountain, surrounded by lush trees and flowing water – very relaxing.

▲This is where the Qiang king used to sit. Of course, the person in the photo is not the Qiang king.

June 24. The road grades in the Aba region of Sichuan are being comprehensively upgraded. Since the originally planned route was completely closed, we had to make a detour. To pass through when the road opened, everyone gave up the hotel breakfast. After eating breakfast in Wenchuan at 8:30, we hurried toward the second soon-to-close traffic junction in the direction of Maoxian. Unexpectedly, near Hongyuan, at nearly 3 p.m., we encountered the third road closure. At that time, we hadn't had lunch. According to the traffic department's advice, our dinner might be after 8 p.m. The tour guide and driver dealt with the traffic police multiple times. The traffic police even came onto the bus to see if we were all elderly, and then made an exception to let all vehicles pass more than an hour early, including 6 tour buses. Almost the whole day was spent on the tour bus. There was only one scenic spot: the watershed between the Yangtze River and the Yellow River – Chazhen Liangzi Mountain. Stepping onto the 4345-meter peak, you could see neither the Yangtze nor the Yellow River. Of course, at the foot of the mountain, two clear streams flow into the distance. Today's journey was all uphill. At 3500 meters, there are dense forests. Above 3700 meters are green alpine meadows, with herds of yaks playing and chasing on the prairie. Tonight's hotel is the Hongyuan Liwan Hot Spring Resort Hotel. The room facilities are good, with an oxygen-enriching device, but breakfast is average.

June 25. When we visited northern Shaanxi this spring, we wanted to see the First Bend of the Yellow River. But due to an unfavorable itinerary, we couldn't. Only when planning this trip did we realize the real First Bend of the Yellow River is at the core of the Hongyuan Prairie in Sichuan. The Yellow River flows from Gansu into Sichuan, forming the only county named after the Yellow River in China – Maqu County (Tibetan: Maqu means Yellow River). At Tangke Town, it forms a huge first bend. Opposite this bend is Gansu Province. After turning, the river enters Qinghai Province (see photo 1). We took a 14-section escalator, traveling 538 meters, to a small hill over 3600 meters high. This is the best viewpoint for the First Bend and also a platform to appreciate the Hongyuan Prairie. Unfortunately, at the summit, heavy fog locked the mountain, and we couldn't see anything. Some people commented on the 99 bends of the Yellow River: The First Bend shows the mother river's peace and calm; Hukou shows her boldness and passion. In the afternoon, at Zoige Flower Lake, we viewed most of the lake. Perhaps due to cold weather, the Gesang flowers that usually bloom from mid-to-late June to early July were almost invisible. However, everyone was still excited about the vast expanse of one of China's three largest wetlands – Flower Lake. Wild ducks drew ripples on the clear water. If cruise boats were allowed, letting colorful boats drift on the lake would be such a beautiful picture. Today on the national highway, our tour bus was intercepted by multiple groups of yaks and sheep. The person leading the herd looked so mysterious. In the evening, we stayed at Ruoergai Western Pasture Guge Dynasty Hotel. The room conditions are good, with oxygen filling the room.

June 26. On the national highway to Huanglong Scenic Area, there is a vast grassland. Our bus drove for 10 minutes without seeing the end. There must be tens of thousands of yaks on the grassland – a memorable scene. On a patch of grass, a few relatives rode horses and exclaimed how enjoyable it was. Huanglong Scenic Area is well-known to everyone, famous for its "four wonders": colorful ponds, snow-capped mountains, canyons, and forests. We took the cable car up the mountain and spent over 4 hours walking the 3.6-kilometer mountain path. From sunny to cloudy to moderate rain, we witnessed various styles of "Huanglong" – all beautiful. Today holds special significance for our group's average age of 68. We had been traveling on the plateau at around 3500 meters for three consecutive days. On the first night, many of us experienced altitude sickness. Fortunately, we encouraged each other; on the second night, we didn't drink any alcohol and tried not to shower or took quick showers. Finally, all relatives enjoyed all the beautiful scenery along the regular route in Huanglong, passing the big test. Tomorrow, we will only pass through the plateau, and from then on, our journey will be smooth sailing. In the evening, we entered Jiuzhaigou Jinlong International Holiday Hotel at an altitude of over 1000 meters. Everyone laughed continuously and raised glasses to celebrate, scoring at least 85 points on the big test.

▲Colorful Lake at 3900 meters altitude.

June 27. According to the tour guide, before the earthquake, Jiuzhaigou had over 100,000 visitors daily. I don't know how many came today. Official statistics show about 7,000-8,000 visitors per day in previous days. The beauty of Jiuzhaigou is known to all; it's a world-famous attraction. The great writer Wei Wei commented: "Natural beauty, beautifully natural; heaven on earth, earth in heaven." The tour guide said Jiuzhaigou's weight can be described this way: it feeds half of Sichuan's tour guides and half of the tour drivers. Legend has it that Jiuzhaigou may be upgraded to a city. I came here in 1991. At that time, a round trip to Jiuzhaigou took a week. When the bus finally returned to Chengdu, the brakes were almost failing, startling everyone with cold sweat. Of course, the management level of Jiuzhaigou today is incomparable to 30 years ago. At Jiuzhaigou, I suddenly recalled a past event: in the early 1980s, the husband of a female colleague in my office was a painter. He went to Jiuzhaigou to sketch. When he returned, perhaps he had sold his paintings, and his waist was wrapped with bundles of renminbi tied with a belt. The scenic spot in photo 6 is called Mirror Sea. The angle is almost identical to a photo I took at Moraine Lake in Canada. Moraine Lake is recognized as the most photogenic lake in the world, and Mirror Sea is no less. Yet Mirror Sea is just one of the 108 lakes in Jiuzhaigou! The Jiuzhaigou Jinlong International Holiday Hotel is considered good locally. Breakfast is abundant, but unfortunately there is no air conditioning in the room, so the washed clothes couldn't dry.

▲Group photo of the family and friends group – just a small team of 12.

June 28. Maoxian, as a key transportation hub from Chengdu to Hongyuan or Jiuzhaigou, had multiple traffic jams due to road construction today. Some waiting times were up to an hour, and some even caused traffic accidents, with vehicles queuing for over ten miles. This raises questions about the management of the county's relevant departments. Should the provincial departments go down to investigate and guide? Due to traffic jams, we only glanced at Songpan Ancient City and gave up other attractions. We didn't arrive at Qingcheng Mountain Daonong Hotel until nearly 7 p.m. The room conditions made even us seasoned travelers give a thumbs-up. Dinner was at the popular Qingcheng Dao. Tables were scattered in a small garden – elegant. The 400-yuan chicken dish (one chicken, four ways) and the nearly 400-yuan cold-water fish whetted everyone's appetite. We even drank six bottles of rice wine.

June 29. A few years ago, we visited the back mountain of Qingcheng Mountain, a leisure area. Today, we came to the front mountain, a Taoist holy site. Before the main gate, there is a memorial archway inscribed: "First Mountain of Western Sichuan." The right couplet reads: "Viewing the thirty-six peaks, rain and sunshine, thick and thin, a painting without rules"; the left couplet: "Having a hundred and eight scenes, walking and chanting, pausing and stepping, Du Fu's poems." This is the scenery of Qingcheng Mountain as seen by immortals. In modern martial arts novels, the martial arts of Zhang Daoling, the founder of Taoism, are unfathomable. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Saint Zhang (Zhang Tianshi) established a thatched hut here to preach Taoism and later became immortal in the mountain. Today, we only walked to Shangqing Palace. The couplets on both sides of the palace gate read: "Looking at Shangqing, graceful like a cloud-dragon; viewing Damian, beautiful like a colorful phoenix." Famous painters such as Zhang Daqian and Xu Beihong created a number of stunning works at Qingcheng Mountain. After climbing, we sat in a teahouse beside Ciyun Pavilion Square, drinking tea and chatting – leisurely and carefree.

▲Two live peacocks!

June 30. Today is the 8th day of this trip. We finished our tour in Sichuan and took a train to Chongqing. The first stop was Dazu Rock Carvings. Since the late Tang and early Song dynasties, over about 250 years, more than 70 rock carving sites with 100,000 statues have been formed in the Dazu area. They are created based on Buddhist scripture stories, showcasing the highest level of rock carving art of the time, praised as "the humanization of gods, the deification of humans." Today we visited the Baodingshan rock carvings. A 500-meter cliff face is a scroll of Buddhist culture. Among them, the Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara statue is a national treasure of national treasures, magnificent (see photo 10). Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (see photo 8) is praised as the "Eastern Venus." So, who is the "Eastern handsome man" among bodhisattvas? Of course, Manjushri Bodhisattva. In the Baodingshan carvings, there is a rare character (see photo 11). Can my friends guess it? Tonight's hotel is the famous Kaiyuan Guantang Hotel. Perhaps due to more rain, even the blanket had a damp smell. Breakfast was quite good; this was the first time on this trip we had freshly brewed coffee.

July 1. Today I wore a red T-shirt to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. The Tiankeng (natural pits) and Three Natural Bridges in Wulong, Chongqing, are only over 3,000 meters long, but have many attractions. Besides the three natural bridges – Tianlong, Qinglong, and Heilong – which are the largest in Asia, over 200 meters high and 100 meters wide, there are also Thumb Cave (haha, I named it), Pillar Supporting the Sky, Carp Leaping over the Dragon Gate, Divine Eagle Tiankeng, and more. Waterfalls and flowing water add a dynamic atmosphere to the majestic tiankeng. This is the only outdoor filming location for Zhang Yimou's film "Curse of the Golden Flower" (see photo 2) and one of the filming locations for "Transformers 4." I wonder if my friends guessed yesterday's character? This complex character is composed of "rich," "Buddha," and "forest." Some explain: Only by cultivating in deep mountains and old forests can a monk attain high virtue. Tonight's hotel is Huazhu? Fairy Mountain Night Banquet Inn. Since it is right next to the scenic area service center, it is very convenient. Otherwise, it's average.

▲Divine Eagle Tiankeng

July 2. In August 1994, Chinese and British explorers entered Wulong Tiankeng and Difeng (ground fissure) for investigation. Although most of the exploration projects failed, both Chinese and foreign explorers agreed that Wulong's tiankeng and difeng are "world-class." The Wulong Difeng, also called Longshuixia Difeng, has a tour route of over 2,000 meters. We were the first batch of visitors to enter the difeng scenic area today. Luckily, as soon as we entered, the rain miraculously paused. Perhaps because of the current rainy season, the roar of waterfalls echoed in the canyon. A huge inverted triangular rock was wedged in a narrow crevice. I pretended to push it with all my might, but unfortunately, even with the guide almost on the ground, she couldn't capture my "strongman" pose. In the afternoon, we went to Changshou Lake, which is Chongqing's central park. Over 60 years ago, to build a hydropower station, this artificial lake, the largest in southwest China, covering nearly 66 square kilometers, was formed. This is also the birthplace of the novel "Red Crag." In 2005, during an aerial photography, it was discovered that some islands of Changshou Lake form a huge "Longevity" character – amazing. A legend attracted me: In ancient times, an official encountered heavy rain during a private visit and rested in a roadside inn. He saw the opposite house decorated with lanterns and colored banners, and a man over 90 came to celebrate his grandfather's birthday. Then a man in his 40s and a child also came to celebrate their grandfather's birthday. The official was greatly surprised and visited the house. The host found the visitor's speech unusual and brought out the Four Treasures of the Study, asking the guest to write an inscription. The official wrote: "Flower eyes occasionally text." The host didn't understand. The official then used these four characters as the first character of each line of a poem: "Hua jia liang lun ban, yan guan qi dai sun; ou yu feng yu zu, wen xing bai shou xing." The inscription read: "Student of the Son of Heaven, Teacher of the Son of Heaven." It turned out the official was the emperor's teacher and the prime minister. Later, the emperor issued an edict naming the place Changshou County. We came here to absorb the longevity aura. The Changshou Lake Villa we stayed at had outdated facilities but an excellent environment. Perhaps because no tour groups were staying, the waiter even refused to let the tour guide have breakfast, causing a stir.

▲Stepping onto the Magpie Bridge, full of vigor.

▲Going forward hand in hand, sharing weal and woe.

▲Growing old together, without regrets.

▲Fish paste at dinner, delicious.

July 3. Today we visited the Bai Mansion (Baigongguan) and Zhazidong prison. The revolutionary martyrs' unwavering faith and fearless heroism deeply moved us. Many martyrs sacrificed themselves while hearing the rumbling of our People's Liberation Army's artillery – truly moving! Ciqikou Ancient Town has a history of over 1,000 years. It used to be: "Thousands of people bow with folded hands during the day, ten thousand lanterns light up at night." Now it is a Bayu ethnic cultural tourism attraction. We didn't walk far but bought a lot of fried dough twists and other snacks, some even shipped directly home. The designer of Liziba Metro Station surely didn't expect that the metro passing through here would become an internet sensation, forcing city managers to expand the Jialing River waterfront platform to satisfy the countless fans taking photos. We also took that metro line, which runs on the 6th floor, to experience the train passing through high-rise buildings. In the evening, we originally wanted to go to the "La San Cheng" hotpot restaurant owned by Sha Yi (actor). Unfortunately, even though we lined up before 5 p.m., we wouldn't get a table until 8 p.m. Later, we went to "Brother Zhou" and spent 68 yuan to get a private room. Brother Zhou's hotpot restaurant has three halls, two rows of private rooms, and over 90 tables, all full, with many people waiting outside. It is said that Brother Zhou has 18 branches in Chongqing, serving about 100,000 diners per month. Chongqing people love hotpot just as much as Chengdu people. The front desk of the Hey! Hotel is on the 3rd floor, and the door faces the street. The 1st floor of this building is the front desk of another hotel, also facing the street. The hotel facilities are very new and in good condition.

July 4. Chongqing used to have two river-crossing cable cars: the Jialing River cable car built in 1982 and the Yangtze River cable car built in 1987. At that time, both were means of transport for locals, known as "air buses." Now, Chongqing people no longer take such cable cars; they have many bridges across the river. And the "air buses" are now crowded with outsiders like us, using them as platforms to enjoy the beauty of Chongqing (see photo 1). However, crossing the river takes only 4 and a half minutes. Originally, we wanted to go to the high Loquat Mountain (Pipa Mountain), a viewpoint for Chongqing scenery. But there was no parking space, so we had to give up. The Mountain City Walkway is like Shanghai's alleyways, but here it's a slope by the river. As the former wartime capital, there are buildings such as embassies and generals' villas. Now, of course, there are many small shops. The total length is only 1,700 meters, with the flavor of old Chongqing. Although still under renovation, it's still worth walking. There is a commentary: "Let us remember the city's history and continue the city's cultural lineage in the time precipitated by 'old objects.'" The night's hotel, Lavande Hotel, is near Chongqing Railway Station, almost newly renovated. The room is not large, but facilities are user-friendly.

July 5. In the morning, we took a bullet train from Chongqing to Lichuan, Hubei. In the afternoon, we visited Tenglong Cave. The Qingjiang River forms a waterfall with a drop of about 30 meters at the entrance of Tenglong Cave. The roaring river and waterfall mingle, reminding one of Hukou Waterfall on the Yellow River. The cave entrance is over 70 meters high, with a hall over 200 meters high. Inside the cave, there are five peaks and ten halls. The grand cave with its myriad strange sights stunned even us who have seen many show caves. The reflection in the water (see photo 5) left me almost speechless when I took the picture – "Worth it, worth it!" So beautiful. The guide said it took the People's Liberation Army only 8 days to liberate Enshi, but 5 days to capture Tenglong Cave, showing the complexity of its terrain. Tenglong Cave is nearly 60 kilometers long, but we only visited a little over 5 kilometers. Recognized as one of the world's super caves, Tenglong Cave was rated a 5A scenic area at the end of last year.

▲Overturned palette

▲The view outside our hotel, Nvzhai Resort.

▲A dish at dinner: the unique local stone crevice fish, tender; the broth with matsutake mushrooms, fresh.

July 7. Suobuyi Stone Forest is a typical karst landform, 460 million years old. Unlike other stone forests, 80% of its rocks are covered with vegetation, ranking first among stone forests in China, known as "crowned stone forest." We visited Lianhua Village (Lotus Village). It is said: "Using stone lotuses as flowers, green trees as springs, like white lotuses born in emerald springs, lotuses swaying, fragrance spreading miles." Due to rain, the stones turned darker, but their forms remained. When we reached the place called "Frogs Crying to Heaven" (see photo 4), thunder and heavy rain struck. We took shelter at a small shop there. Half an hour later, the place where we stood became a pool, and rainwater from the mountain path was rushing down violently. Our leader shouted, "Charge out!" So we braved the pouring rain, stepped through the rising water, laughing and taking photos while quickly leaving. By then, few dry spots remained on our clothes; continuing to sightsee was impossible. Only one option: eat and return to the hotel.

▲A narrow slit of sky (Yixian Tian)

July 8. In the morning, we visited Enshi Tusi City, rebuilt in 1998. It is a symbolic building of China's Tusi culture. Tusi were local feudal lords. The Jiujin Hall building is a small Forbidden City. The entire city is rooted in traditional Chinese civilization. The gate tower has 4 stories, symbolizing the four seasons; 12 pillars represent the 12 months; 24 beams represent the 24 solar terms. Outside the gate are guardian deities. The plaque "Ren Min Ai Wu" (Benevolence to the People, Love for All Things) above is decorated with two dragons playing with a pearl. A couplet reads: "Learning integrates ancient and modern, talent becomes sharp; Thoughts enter wind and rain, spirit becomes refined." The parents' residence has a granary below, meaning "clothes and food are parents"; the concubine's residence has a treasury below, meaning "a golden house hides a beauty." Besides educating children, the Tusi also had his own study. The couplet at the study door (see photo 9) reads: "Read the true scriptures to establish ambition; think deeply into the discourse to cultivate oneself." Today is the 16th day of our family and friends group trip. We are already on the train back to Shanghai. Over these 16 days, some things are worth recording – one is the big hurdle of this trip: Huanglong Scenic Area. After three consecutive days on the plateau around 3,500 meters, some of us, including me, had been taking "Rhodiola rosea" for three weeks, so altitude sickness was mild. Others who hadn't prepared experienced altitude sickness and felt stressed. The guide described it objectively: "Every year at Huanglong, someone leaves their ID card behind!" In such an atmosphere, you also have to sign a liability waiver with the travel company. Fortunately, our group members are all experienced travelers, with strong psychological adjustment abilities. We succeeded in passing through with reason and perseverance, feasting our eyes on Huanglong. Another incident is a bit funny: From Chengdu East to Dazu Rock Carvings is only one stop. Since one train ticket was in another carriage, we asked a relatively younger and more resourceful friend to sit there. When everyone got off, we didn't see that friend. The guide rushed to that carriage, calling his name. The train departed, still no sign of him. At this moment, the gold-medal guide, college student Xiong Yi, demonstrated her professionalism: she told the friend to immediately find the train conductor, explain the situation, and ask for help. And she kept tracking his progress. As a result, the friend not only got a note from the conductor but also followed the conductor to a free return train. In less than 4 hours, the friend safely rejoined the group – a close call but safe. Travel is not always smooth. It requires calmness, flexibility, and relying on a good travel company and an experienced guide.