Huangshan | Exploring the Great Rivers and Mountains of Our Motherland - Huangshan Chapter: Huangshan Car Rental Self-Drive Tour

📍 Huangshan · 👁 1 reads · ❤️ 79 likes

Due to the pandemic, international travel has been impossible in recent years. So, after discussing with my best friend, we decided to focus on domestic destinations and spend three to five years exploring the great rivers and mountains of our motherland. In 2020, we visited Guiyang, Guilin, and Yunnan. This year, the Huangshan self-drive tour was actually our first trip.

We always use the same car rental company, Mohai, for every trip. The main reason is that their cars are very new and the service is excellent. I highly recommend choosing a big brand like this when renting a car, as the car condition, service, and after-sales support are more reliable.

Since we were climbing Huangshan, we prepared quite a bit. Beef jerky, compressed biscuits, and Snickers bars were our "three-piece hunger relief kit." Their characteristics are high calories and small size.

We brought a hiking backpack, a water bottle, an umbrella, a raincoat, and a power bank.

Masks, disposable toilet seat covers, and alcohol wipes were also packed.

Actually, we not only climbed Huangshan; we also visited many attractions in Huangshan city. From my personal perspective, I recommend spending at least 4 days in Huangshan because there is so much beautiful scenery here.

The first picture is of Hongcun. We also watched the Hongcun A-ju performance. The entire performance is set against the background of Huizhou culture, telling the story of the diligence, intelligence, and hard work of Huizhou women. The story is very vivid and full.

Xidi is definitely a very famous attraction. If Hongcun is a painting, then Xidi is a book. What is contained here is the fame of ancient Chinese architecture. Here, there is also the most beautiful village in all of China.

Qiyun Mountain is also a very famous peak, said to be one of the three major mountains in southern Anhui. If you have time, you must climb it.

Here are Chengkan, Qiankou Folk Houses, and Jinzi Ancestral Hall. Chengkan is a Bagua village. Zhu Xi once praised it, calling it the number one village in Jiangnan. This place has 99 alleys, and walking inside feels like entering a maze.

Qiankou Folk Houses contain a huge number of Ming and Qing ancient buildings, all salvaged from various places in Huizhou. Because of this, the historical significance of these houses is profound, and many of the structures here are highly representative.

Jinzi Ancestral Hall is the largest ancestral hall discovered within ancient Huizhou and holds an important position in Anhui. Jinzi Ancestral Hall is not very large; basically, you can finish visiting it in about thirty minutes.

After arriving at Huangshan North Station by high-speed rail, we went directly to the car rental store in the parking lot to complete the pickup procedures. This time we rented a Bora, with 4 days of rent including insurance costing 746 yuan, which was quite reasonable.

After picking up the car, we drove to Hongcun. Since we had learned about the Hongcun A-ju performance in advance, the afternoon itinerary was mainly focused on watching the show, and all other arrangements had to be adjusted accordingly.

It had just rained when we arrived at Hongcun, which was the best time to visit the attraction. The scenery was beautiful, the air was fresh, and we didn't get wet. The buildings in Hongcun are almost all in Huizhou style, and the alleys in the village crisscross, making it feel like we could get lost at any moment.

Afterward, we drove to the Hongcun A-ju performance venue. The venue is not inside Hongcun; it's about a 5-kilometer drive from Hongcun. The performance is outdoors and very interesting.

The whole show lasted one hour and was divided into five parts, each with a distinct performance style.

I never expected that the one-hour show would skillfully use sound effects, lighting, movements, and many other elements, making the entire performance extremely vivid.

The next day, we set off very early for Xidi. Before departing, we had breakfast near the hotel. The breakfast prices here were indeed expensive. Overall, I think Hongcun has some shortcomings in management. Although I know that meals in scenic areas are expensive, this was a bit outrageous.

After driving to Xidi, we could clearly see the style of ancient residential architecture. Unlike Hongcun, when we arrived at Xidi, we first went to the Hu Wenguang Memorial Archway. Here we saw a very prominent archway. According to locals, there were originally many archways in Xidi, but only this one remains.

If time permits, I highly recommend hiring a guide. Xidi is a book, naturally containing a lot of knowledge, which is exactly what we tourists need to explore.

We saw the Zhuimu Hall. I looked it up online to see why Li Shimin was worshipped here. In fact, Hu Changyi himself was the son of Li Ye. Historically, he changed his name and came here to avoid being killed by Zhu Quanzhong.

After leaving Xidi, we continued driving to Qiyunshan Town. The two places are not far apart; it took about half an hour by car.

When we arrived in town that day, we drove directly to the homestay. There were many homestays here, all nestled by the mountains and rivers, with beautiful scenery. The whole town was very small. After returning to the homestay to rest for a while, we strolled around town and bought some snacks.

The next day, we started exploring Qiyun Mountain in earnest. Waking up early in the morning, the scenery of Qiyun Mountain was breathtaking. The mist enveloped everything, making it feel like a fairyland.

Some of the steps on Qiyun Mountain were quite steep, making the climb very strenuous. The weather in August at Qiyun Mountain was still very hot, and as we climbed up and down, we were drenched in sweat. Although the scenery on the mountain was beautiful, there were also many mosquitoes and insects. Luckily, we had prepared mosquito repellent; otherwise, I felt we wouldn't have been able to complete the entire journey.

Thus, we successfully visited Qiyun Mountain. There are several very famous rocks here. We passed by Qizhen Rock, Zhonglie Rock, Shouzi Rock, etc. Each rock represents a piece of history.

Shouzi Rock was inscribed by Zhu Xi. Because of this rock, there is a saying: "Take a walk on Qiyun Mountain, and you'll extend your life by ninety-nine." Since we came to Qiyun Mountain, we probably have gained longevity.

After leaving Qiyun Mountain, we immediately drove to Chengkan. We entered Chengkan from the south gate. Due to the pandemic, there weren't many people here. We first took some photos at the entrance and then went into the scenic area.

Overall, I think Chengkan is very similar to Hongcun. The scenery here is also stunning. The ponds and bridges complement the Huizhou architecture, creating a beautiful ancient architectural painting.

I only found out after arriving that "Dad, Where Are We Going?" was once filmed here.

We visited many ancestral homes. For example, Yanyi Hall is a very worthwhile ancestral home to visit. It was originally the residence of Luo Pin (one of the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou). Don't underestimate this wooden house; its fire prevention is excellent. The house was built with bricks, stones, and wood, effectively preventing fires.

Travel Directory

1. Transportation:

2. Preparation

3. Impressions of Huangshan

4. The Beauty of Hongcun

5. Xidi: Stories about History

6. Qiyunshan Town

7. Climbing Qiyun Mountain

8. Chengkan: The Charming Feng Shui Bagua

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