Explore Sun Quan's Hometown: See an Ancient Town, Taste Local Delicacies, and Wander in the Landscapes of 'Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains'

Finally the May Day short holiday has arrived, so it's time to go out and explore. Traveling across provinces is too much trouble, so why not find a relaxing place near Hangzhou to stay for a couple of days? My target: Longmen Ancient Town, about an hour's drive from Hangzhou.

Longmen Ancient Town is a national first-class scenic spot along the 'Fuchun River - Xin'an River - Thousand Island Lake' tourism route. Legend has it that this is the hometown of Sun Quan, the King of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. When the famous Eastern Han scholar Yan Ziling visited Longmen, he praised: 'The mountains and waters here are beautiful, surpassing Longmen in Lvliang', and the ancient town was named after this remark. The renowned painting 'Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains' also drew its inspiration from this very landscape.

On the old street of the ancient town, there are shops, and the air is filled with the aroma of fried gluten balls and rice wine. Elderly folks sit at the alleyways chatting. I've always believed that the original residents are the soul of old streets and ancient towns, and Longmen fits this criterion perfectly: lively, vivid, with a delightful touch of everyday life.

This long old street has historically been a place where merchants gathered and shops lined the street. Most shops feature a front store with a workshop or living quarters behind, exuding the unique charm of a Ming and Qing dynasty mountain town street.

Gluten balls are a specialty snack of Longmen Ancient Town. The gluten here is not simply hollow gluten.

The lady running the stall skillfully makes and fries the gluten balls while telling me the recipe in detail: one hundred jin of wheat flour yields only thirty jin of gluten. Then the gluten is stuffed with a mixture of diced bamboo shoots, mushrooms, vegetables, and meat, formed into meatballs, and deep-fried until cooked.

I bought one on the spot to try it fresh. The gluten was crispy and the meatball savory and fragrant. After finishing one, I decisively bought another!

In early May, flowers are everywhere, and little daisies bloom splendidly.

Walking through the ancient town, hydrangeas, lupines, snapdragons, Chinese roses, and roses are visible at every turn.

At a corner, there is an old well, and on the wall is painted a scene of early life: women washing clothes by the well, men carrying water home. You can almost hear the crisp sound of pounding clothes.

Around four in the afternoon, the sunlight turns golden, and tourists gradually disperse. In my eyes, this is when the ancient town begins to reveal its most moving and authentic side.

No wonder they say you must see an ancient town at dusk and dawn to truly experience it!

I ducked into a shop selling miniature landscapes. The moneywort and small calamus were lush and endearing, and the little tea pets were adorably naive.

The old street gradually emptied of people. Where the sunlight touched was warm golden, while the shadows were a tranquil ashen blue.

Longmen Creek runs through the town. The water varies in depth, murmuring as it flows. Occasionally, women descend the stone steps to wash clothes by the creek. The whitewashed walls and black-tiled old houses are reflected in the water. Standing on the bridge and looking around, it's truly a scene of little bridges, flowing water, and homes, and we tourists become part of the picture.

Some house's stone guardian lions have been moved to the roadside. Those two lions, supposed to be majestic, somehow look merry and honest instead.

The loquat tree at someone's doorway is laden with fruit.

The well-off country life is delightful. A house, land outside, and a couple of fruit trees by the door.

The old houses here habitually use cobblestones for the outer walls, looking rustic and sturdy, with a distinct mountain village charm that hits you instantly.

By the bridge, an ancient large camphor tree stretches horizontally, its dense foliage almost covering the entire river channel. In the pavilion at the bridgehead, a few elderly people are chatting about everyday life.

This is the most common scene in Longmen Ancient Town: leisurely, comfortable, relaxed, made even warmer by the setting sun.

On a stone bench for resting by the roadside, someone is drying bamboo shoots.

Yanchi Pond is the core area of Longmen Ancient Town. Its clear water mirrors the old houses full of Jiangnan charm. So I think Huang Gongwang had good reason to choose Fuyang as the prototype for 'Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains'!

The sunset glow grows deeper, spilling into the deep lanes. The best time of day is about to arrive.

On this day, it also happened to be the opening ceremony of Fuyang District's 'Fuchun Mountains Residence, Flavorful Mountain Villages' promotion and the Rural Flower Festival. With the pandemic gradually stabilizing, people's lives should slowly return to normal.

Niubawan (Eight-Bowl Beef Feast) is a renowned delicacy in Longmen Ancient Town. The people of Longmen are generous and hospitable. Whenever there are honored guests or important occasions, they will cook a large table of dishes, with the main dishes being bowls of beef. That's the origin of 'Niubawan'. In the past, you could only eat it on-site; you couldn't take it away. Now, Niubawan comes in portable packages, so you can bring it home!

I also stumbled upon a matchmaking event. Young men and women gathered together, looking for their destined other half.

Fold a paper airplane and let it fly. Who will pick up whose? Is there fate tied in those simple words?

I think this is when you see if someone's handwriting is good and if they have substance! So even in the digital age, essential cultural cultivation is still necessary.

There are several other places worth visiting near the ancient town.

I drove to Dazhang Village in Changlv Town.

The name 'Changlv' (Evergreen) sounds poetic, evoking lush bamboo forests, flowing streams, mountain mists, and wind brushing through treetops. The village is entirely composed of Qing dynasty old houses, a large-scale and well-preserved architectural complex rarely seen.

There are many old houses, with traces of the past still on the walls. Now they seem charmingly interesting.

Changlv Town is the 'Hometown of Basketball' in Zhejiang Province, with a long history of basketball. From the early 'straw shoe basketball team' to today's 'one team per village', everyone in Changlv understands and loves basketball.

This fighting spirit seems to have been cultivated long ago, evidenced by this production competition board.

A long alley runs through the village. The houses on both sides, though aged, are kept very tidy, with flowers placed at every doorstep or windowsill.

A cute little girl, unafraid of strangers, eyes wide with curiosity as she gazes at us.

An old-style tailor shop. Even with the door closed, you can almost hear the soft hum of the sewing machine.

A well-preserved old house, with laundry hanging from a bamboo pole at the door and a bamboo tray drying freshly steamed peanuts and bamboo shoots. The kind old grandmother smiled and said, 'Have some, they're delicious!'

Grabbing a few to taste: the peanuts are savory, the diced bamboo shoots chewy, perfect snacks with drinks.

This square courtyard is called 'Taimen' here. Flowers, plants, tables, and chairs are casually arranged, with wooden floors, doors, and windows.

I'm no stranger to such old houses; I was born and raised in a similar large residence and have deep feelings for them. Those gray-black tiles and wall corners grow spring weeds, are misted by summer drizzles, gather autumn leaves, and drip melting winter snow.

To me, old houses are the scent of tobacco from my grandfather's pipe, the sweet caramel in my grandmother's hand, my parents calling me to eat, the time and memories of childhood.

On the old street, there is also the site of a Ming dynasty free school, typically sponsored by the government or wealthy local families to teach literacy and principles. Most residents of Dazhang Village are surnamed Zhang, descendants of Zhang Heng, the top scholar in the second year of the Jiayou era of the Northern Song dynasty. Since Zhang Heng's son, Zhang Yunwen, the Hangzhou prefect, settled in Changlv in the early Southern Song dynasty, it has a history of over eight hundred years.

In many mountain villages in Zhejiang, the literary tradition is actually very strong. Many large families uphold the family motto of 'farming when sunny, reading when rainy'. If you see a sweeping, elegant piece of calligraphy quoting Tang or Song poetry in a weathered, dim hall in a mountain village, there's no need to be surprised.

That includes encountering this free school here.

Changlv is crisscrossed by streams and rivers, with small bridges everywhere, serene and peaceful. At the bridgehead stands a tall paulownia tree, past its flowering season but with vigorous branches. A single glance is as moving as a painting.

Changlv also has a hidden scenic gem, Huangdan Staircase, known as 'Little Yandang Mountain', with an ancient mountaineering path stretching 4200 meters. Many people drive here on weekends to climb and take in the views.

The Staircase is part of the Xianxia Mountain range, with steep terrain and bizarrely shaped rocks. There are many waterfalls and rocky pools in the mountains. In winter, icicles on the Staircase are a spectacular sight.

The best scenery is on the perilous peaks.

Huanshan Township is located in the southwestern part of Fuyang District, Hangzhou, 15 kilometers from the district government seat. It is just off the Hangzhou-Qiandao Lake Expressway at the Zhongbu section. Huanshan is named after Huanshan Village, as the township is surrounded by mountains on all sides.

In Zhujiawu Village in Huanshan Township hides a free gem that even locals may not know about: the Memorial Hall of Qing dynasty seal engraving master Hu Zhen, and the Hu Clan Ancestral Hall, rooted in filial piety and righteousness. Zhejiang's rural tourism development is arguably top-notch nationwide. Surrounded by green mountains and shaded by trees, the tidy houses and villages make you want to settle down and never leave...

This museum commemorates Hu Zhen, a Qing dynasty seal engraving master of the Zhejiang School. The main building is a wooden, antique-style structure. The museum houses seals carved by Hu Zhen and the 'Eight Masters of Xiling', as well as collections from the Xiling Seal Society and Fuchun Seal Society.

Hu Zhen was obsessed with seal engraving from a young age and later studied under Qian Song. Because of war, he made a living selling calligraphy. Despite a life of adversity, he never gave up his ideals and eventually became a master.

By the small bridge at the entrance, adorable little stone lions.

The Hu Clan Ancestral Hall is a typical Huizhou-style building, which relates to the 'origin' of the Fuchun Hu family. According to the 'Record of the Fuchun Hu Clan Ancestral Hall', 'the Fuchun Hu family has lived in Wuyuan for generations'. The Hu ancestors were originally from Wuyuan, Jiangxi, which historically belonged to Huizhou.

The Hu Clan Ancestral Hall, also called 'Baoxun Hall', was first built during the Jiaqing era of the Qing dynasty and renovated during the Guangxu era. The Hu family's honest and simple family traditions and culture nurtured talents like the filial son Hu Qian and seal engraving master Hu Zhen, making them a prominent local family.

In the incense burner in the courtyard, densely packed incense sticks are placed.

Shangguan Township is the 'Hometown of Rackets' in China, with hundreds of racket production and accessory enterprises of all sizes. Every year, 100 million rackets flow from here to all corners of the world. From early bamboo badminton rackets to today's complete racket industry chain including badminton rackets, tennis rackets, ping-pong paddles, and beach paddles, it has become a national gold-standard brand in over forty years.

The famous Shangguan Racket Industrial Park, of course, must be visited.

In the exhibition hall, rackets of various materials and manufacturing equipment are dazzlingly displayed.

Even the ceiling features a grid pattern resembling a racket's strings.

A bright lounge area.

Buy a racket to take home and exercise!

Chinese village-made rackets go from here to the world.

Dashan Temple Reservoir gets its name from Dashan Temple, built in the Ming dynasty, where eminent monks once lived in seclusion. Through centuries of changes, the ancient temple still exists. However, due to time constraints, we only visited the reservoir part.

The reservoir is not large, surrounded by green mountains and bamboo groves, with rippling blue waves. The early summer breeze is refreshing and delightful.

From this angle, the reservoir is heart-shaped! If couples come here, they can really flaunt their love!

But from an aerial view, it actually looks like this...

Yet this pleasant green is truly easy on the eyes!

Many wild strawberries grow by the reservoir, the same 'raspberries' Lu Xun mentioned in 'From Hundred-Plant Garden to Three-Flavor Study'. My friends picked quite a few—so sweet and delicious!

When in Longmen, you must try the famous Niubawan (Eight-Bowl Beef Feast).

The following pictures show, in order: oxtail soup, beef broth, shredded beef, and tripe—all part of the Niubawan.

The gluten balls are also a must-eat! However, this dish is called 'Eastern Wu Duo', a combination of stinky tofu and gluten. Those who love it shouldn't miss it.

What's the best food in a mountain village? Of course, bamboo shoots. But bamboo shoots are something hard to cook well at home—no matter how you prepare them, they always seem astringent. So when you have the chance to visit the mountainous areas of Zhejiang, eat as much as you can. Even the serving dish is a cute, rustic bamboo-joint shape—couldn't be more fitting.

If you visit Dazhang Village in Changlv, I recommend a restaurant called 'Huishi Canteen'. Why this name? Because Changlv is also an old revolutionary base!

Since most residents of Changlv are surnamed Zhang, the restaurant features 'Mama Zhang's Home Cooking', an authentic farmhouse flavor.

Don't miss the following dish: 'Farmhouse Three Delicacies'.

Clear-braised duck. The duck seems lightly cured, with a special fragrance, and the meat texture is different from fresh duck—perfect with rice.

Small fish caught in mountain streams, deep-fried until crispy and boneless.

To make touring the ancient town easier, I chose the 'Radisson Manor' at the entrance of the ancient town. After dinner in the evening, you can easily take a stroll on the old street—very convenient.

The lobby is spacious enough, and the breakfast is good. Overall, a great experience.

The guest rooms are sizable, and each has a door on the balcony leading outside.

If you drive, I also recommend a homestay, Changlv Mountain Residence. It's a Chinese garden-style architecture, extremely quiet in the mountains. The hosts are excellent cooks. Even if you don't stay overnight, coming here just for a meal is worthwhile.

The common space is large enough to brew some kung fu tea.

The homestay has 11 rooms in total. This is an upstairs suite with a sitting room, simple rustic style.

Zhejiang allows green health code passage. If you're from neighboring places like Shanghai with your own city's green health code, it's the same.