2023 Summer Vacation: 3-Day Self-Driving Tour of Southern Anhui Sichuan-Tibet Highway, Huangshan, Moon Bay, Taohua Tan, and the Former Site of the New Fourth Army Headquarters

At the beginning of May this year, I drove with my parents to Yunnan and Guizhou. It took 14 days and covered over 7,000 kilometers round trip. I felt too tired! So I decided to go somewhere closer for summer vacation. After thinking it over, I decided to go to southern Anhui. Because my son learned a text describing Huangshan last year and yearned to visit it. Also, at the beginning of July last year, just after summer vacation started, I wanted to drive the Southern Anhui Sichuan-Tibet Highway. However, due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuxi, our residential community was classified as a medium-risk area and later upgraded to a high-risk area. We were locked down for more than ten days. After the lockdown was lifted, we dared not go out. Helplessly, we had to cancel the accommodation we had booked earlier on Ctrip. This time, we continued this unfinished and much-anticipated journey.

We set off from home a little after eight in the morning. Entered the S48 Xiyi Expressway from the Wuxi West Toll Station. During these few days of travel, the weather was great! But it was also extremely hot! After returning, my arms were sunburned, turning black and purple.

S48 Xiyi Expressway turned to G25 Ninghang Expressway, then to G4012 Lining Expressway. We exited at Ningguo at a quarter to eleven.

We passed through downtown Ningguo to buy bread. At first, my wife said she wanted to buy some in Wuxi and bring it along. She said that things in a small county town wouldn't suit her and our son's refined tastes. I said, "Don't worry! I've done my research. This bakery is the best in Ningguo, with several chain stores. I guarantee it'll be delicious! Besides, the weather is so hot; if we bought it in Wuxi early, it would go bad."

Sure enough, the bread from this shop was very tasty. We bought over 100 yuan worth of bread and cakes, and ate all of them over the next few days of the trip. My son exclaimed how delicious they were! But they were also expensive. Similar bread was even pricier than bakeries in Wuxi.

After buying bread, we also got three portions of beef mixed noodles from the shop next door. The three of us each had a portion, plus a box of pork floss cake, and my son also devoured a large piece of bread pizza. After eating, we drove through downtown Ningguo, crossed the Fenghuang Bridge, entered Gangkou Road, and soon arrived at the eastern entrance of the Sichuan-Tibet Highway in Ningguo. I decided to enter from the east in Ningguo and exit from the west in Jingxian.

After entering, there was a self-driving consultation service station by the roadside. The local government really put effort into attracting tourists. This road is called S345. The initial part after entering was relatively flat.

Soon, there was a three-way intersection at Qinglong Township Government. We turned left there to continue on S345. A few kilometers ahead was Chujiatan Visitor Center.

Driving forward from Chujiatan, we reached Qinglong Bay. On the Ningguo section, there were rest stops every few kilometers. Chujiatan and Qinglong Bay were the two largest ones. Parking was easy and free.

After parking, we enjoyed the beautiful view of Qinglong Bay Reservoir from the observation deck. After finishing at Qinglong Bay, we drove a few kilometers ahead. On the left side of the road, there was a Xie Dai Villa. Driving in and up a mountain road led to Huiyun Zen Temple.

Continuing along S345, we arrived at the Hongshanlin Scenic Area. You need to buy a ticket to enter. It's basically a view of red sequoia trees growing in water.

Along this section of road, there were many places for rafting. There were also many small streams where you could park by the roadside and play in the water.

We arrived at Fangtang Township. After passing Fangtang, continuous uphill winding roads began. The moment to test driving skills had arrived.

After half an hour of continuous uphill and downhill sharp turns on mountain roads, my wife felt extremely uncomfortable! She vomited at the observation deck. My son also felt unwell.

After she vomited, we rested for a while. I went down to enjoy the scenery.

We reached Banqiao, the border between Ningguo and Jingxian. This area was part of the Southern Anhui Revolutionary Base. The stretch from Fangtang to Banqiao had many guesthouses. Almost all roadside houses had turned into guesthouses, some even installed car charging stations. Many guesthouses had a smiling inflatable God of Wealth waving to attract tourists at the entrance.

At Banqiao, there was a three-way intersection with a bronze statue of a New Fourth Army soldier in the middle. Turning left entered Taoling, Jingxian, and started the most scenic section of the Southern Anhui Sichuan-Tibet Highway: Liudao Bay. Turning right led to Shuimo Dingxi.

At the former site of the Southern Anhui Special District Soviet Government in Taoling Village, Jingxian.

The mountain road of Taoling Liudao Bay was very narrow. When two cars met, they had to stop and slowly inch past each other. Since today was Thursday, a weekday, traffic wasn't too heavy, and there was no congestion. If you come on weekends or holidays, this section often jams for several kilometers. Therefore, it's not recommended to come on weekends or holidays, especially during the peak summer vacation. Just after entering Jingxian, there was a warning sign from Jingxian traffic police, suggesting off-peak travel for Liudao Bay.

We arrived at Xingfu Road Observation Deck.

This observation deck had about ten parking spaces marked.

Building this "Heavenly Road" in Southern Anhui back then was truly not easy!

Viewing the beautiful scenery from Xingfu Road Observation Deck.

Finally, we reached Liudao Bay Observation Deck. This observation deck was at a curve, with no parking spaces due to space constraints. On weekends or holidays with heavy traffic, you'd have to park at a large visitor center platform a few hundred meters ahead.

Today it was okay to briefly park on the road for a while. We quickly got out to take photos. Couldn't stay long, or it would block traffic.

After taking photos, we drove a little further down to the visitor center. There was a large parking lot. There were also many parking spaces along the roadside. There were restrooms and many stalls selling food, drinks, and local specialties, all run by local villagers. The Southern Anhui Sichuan-Tibet Highway becoming a hit has boosted local development.

We had to go a few hundred meters ahead to the visitor center. Only from there could you see the magnificent winding Heavenly Road of the Southern Anhui Sichuan-Tibet Highway. You couldn't see it from the Liudao Bay Observation Deck; that deck was just a photo spot.

Further down was the Sidwan Observation Deck. It was also nice to look from there.

After passing Erdaowan, several cars ahead suddenly slowed down. When we passed by, we saw two big fat monkeys in a tree by the roadside. The photo through the windshield wasn't very clear.

Further down, the road became gentler and wider. Two large vehicles could pass without having to stop and inch past each other.

After descending the mountain, there was a Sinopec gas station. This station, like the later ones in Huangshan, sold pure gasoline, unlike other parts of Anhui that used ethanol gasoline. No worries about filling up on a road trip.

At Suhong Village, there was a three-way intersection entering S208. Turning left went to G205 National Highway, Jingde, and Huangshan. Turning right went to downtown Jingxian. At this point, S345 ended.

Turning left and driving a short distance, we entered G205 National Highway.

At the intersection of S208 and G205, there was an iconic archway. A sign indicated that this was the western entrance of the Southern Anhui Sichuan-Tibet Highway in Jingxian. We entered from the eastern entrance in Ningguo at around noon, and now it was 3:00 PM. We had driven nearly 100 kilometers. Including three rest stops at observation decks and refueling, it took three hours without traffic.

After entering G205, we soon arrived at Langqiao Town.

At Langqiao, we entered S11 Wu-Huang Expressway from the south of Jingxian.

After dozens of kilometers, we transferred to G3 Jingtai Expressway at Tanjiaqiao Junction. Once on the expressway, my wife and son felt much more comfortable and soon fell asleep.

Soon after getting on Jingtai Expressway, we exited at Tangkou. This was the south gate of Huangshan. If we were going to the north gate, we would have turned north toward Jiuhuashan at Tanjiaqiao Junction.

I hadn't been here in over a decade. Tangkou had changed a lot and was very prosperous! The last time I visited Huangshan was in 2009, during a veterans' event organized by my work unit, also in early August. At that time, the Jingtai Expressway hadn't opened yet. The tour bus first went to Hangzhou, then transferred to G56 Hangrui Expressway, taking a full eight hours. We left Wuxi at 1:00 PM and arrived at Tangkou after 9:00 PM. The next day, we encountered thunderstorms and heavy rain on the mountain. Now several new roads have opened, and it only takes about four hours to drive from Wuxi to Tangkou. Just off the expressway, there are several large parking lots at 30 yuan per day. If you're not staying overnight, coming during summer vacation, weekends, or holidays, you won't find a regular parking spot in the morning.

The hotel we stayed at was right next to the transfer center. We dropped off luggage and had dinner.

Local specialty: braised chicken with stone ear. The black pieces were stone ear, similar to fungus, grown on cliffs. The chicken was very bland with almost no flavor. The landlady said: "Guests come from all over the country, tastes vary, so we have to keep it light." The next day on the mountain, we chatted with other tourists about last night's meal, and everyone said the food here was average. That's typical for scenic area restaurants; just enough to fill your stomach. However, Huangshan scenic area was well-managed with clear pricing for meals, accommodation, and shopping, and prices were not too high.

In the morning, we checked out and left the car in the hotel parking lot. We would come back to get it after descending the mountain in the evening. Staying overnight solved the parking problem for the next day. But today was Friday, a weekday, so walking to the transfer center, the parking lots still seemed to have spaces. If it were Saturday tomorrow, coming in the morning, parking would be uncertain.

It took about seven or eight minutes to walk to the transfer center. We arrived at 7:00 AM. At the entrance, we first swiped our ID cards to verify if we had made a reservation and purchased tickets. If you hadn't booked tickets on the official WeChat account, you could buy them at the window. Now Huangshan limits daily visitors to 50,000, divided into time slots. Our reservation was for the 7:00-8:00 AM slot. On weekends or holidays, without an appointment, you wouldn't be allowed in because no tickets would be available at the window.

This summer vacation (July 1 to August 31), minors under 18 get free admission. With my veteran preferential treatment card, I got a half-price ticket. Full ticket price: 190 yuan. Yuping Cable Car one-way: 90 yuan. Yungu Cable Car one-way: 80 yuan. Children under 1.5m get half price. Scenic bus one-way: 19 yuan, children 9 yuan. These can be purchased in advance on the official account; on-site, you just need to swipe your ID card. However, the return scenic bus ticket must be bought at the on-site window.

During summer vacation, there was no empty day at Huangshan. Even on Friday, there were many people. First, we queued to take the scenic bus.

After crossing the overpass, we had to check which direction the cable car ticket we bought was for. On our official account, we bought tickets for the front mountain Yuping cable car. The channel for the back mountain Yungu cable car seemed almost empty. Everyone followed the regular route: up via Yuping cable car in front mountain, down via Yungu cable car in back mountain.

Finally, we reached the ticket checkpoint.

Although it seemed crowded today, it went quite fast! We boarded the scenic bus in about twenty minutes.

After about ten minutes on the scenic bus, we arrived at Yungu Cable Car.

We started queuing again.

At the ticket checkpoint, we swiped our ID cards again. Those with half-price tickets also had to show their documents to the staff.

About to take the cable car.

The cable car took ten minutes to reach the mountain top.

Today wasn't bad. We left the hotel at 7:00 AM sharp. Including waiting and riding the scenic bus and cable car, we reached the summit at 8:25 AM. It was noticeably cooler on the mountain. First, we went to see the Welcoming Pine, climbing a steep uphill path called Haohan Slope.

We arrived at the Welcoming Pine. It was crowded. We had to climb onto a big rock nearby to take photos.

After seeing the Welcoming Pine, there were three directions: one was the descending route, which could take you down via Jiyu Bei; another was to return to Yuping Cable Car Station via Haohan Slope; we took the other direction through East Sea toward Guangming Peak.

We saw porters carrying loads. Water on the mountain cost 8 yuan per bottle, and Mizone was 15 yuan. All supplies were carried up by porters, so prices were several times higher than below, which was understandable.

Along the East Sea, we enjoyed beautiful scenery. There were people everywhere, but no crowding.

Coming out of East Sea, we saw the "Mobile Phone Stone." A tour guide nearby said: "This is the Panasonic mobile phone, but the copyright belongs to China."

Side view of the Mobile Phone Stone.

"The Tortoise and the Hare" - this was Lotus Peak.

We reached a fork. At this time, queuing for the popular Lotus Peak would take over three hours. If we could get there by 7:00 AM, it might take about an hour. Actually, you only got to stay for a few seconds at the top, take a photo, and then move on. Because after National Day, Lotus Peak would be closed for five years for renovation, so many people came. We didn't bother queuing.

We continued forward. Looking into the distance, the winding mountain road was full of people.

We reached Yixian Tian (A Line of Sky). Here, we had to wait patiently and pass one by one. If you had leg problems, you could bypass the steep climb by taking another path around the mountain and still reach the other side.

After passing Yixian Tian, we reached Aoyu Peak. From here, it really looked like a big fish. It also carried a turtle on its back.

From Aoyu Peak, looking north, we saw the pool called Tianhai. The mountain's water supply came from Tianhai.

From the Aoyu Peak observation deck, you could see the complete Lotus Peak from all angles, so there was no need to queue for hours. But to get onto that observation deck, you had to climb a sloping stone ramp, which was very slippery!

We arrived at Baiyun Hotel. Here was a fork: one way went to Xihai Grand Canyon, where there was a sightseeing train that could take you down to the north gate of Huangshan; the other went to Guangming Peak.

Staying overnight at Baiyun Hotel was expensive. The cheapest standard room during summer vacation weekends was nearly 2,000 yuan. This was a bustling area on the mountain, with a large platform, shops selling food and drinks, and large restrooms. Some people who wanted to see the sunrise but couldn't afford to stay overnight spent the night in the restroom. A notice at the restroom door said: "The mountain climate is changeable at night. For safety, please do not stay overnight here."

We rested here for a while. Each of us ate a Snickers bar. Then we ate the small hot dog bread we had bought in Ningguo yesterday. Climbing consumed a lot of energy, so we needed to replenish frequently.

We decided not to go to Xihai Grand Canyon. It was a bit of a pity! This was my second visit, and I still hadn't visited Xihai. But it's okay; next time we'll enter from the north gate and explore Xihai separately.

From Baiyun Hotel, it wasn't far to Guangming Peak Meteorological Station.

From the station, we looked back at Aoyu Peak. The weather was great today! Excellent viewing conditions.

If you stayed overnight on the mountain, a small cliffside platform in the photo was the best spot to watch the sunrise. However, most of the time, Huangshan was covered in clouds and fog. Only one-third of the year offered clear sunrise views.

At Guangming Peak, there was another fork: one way to Feilai Shi and Paiyun Ting; the other was a shortcut directly to Xihai.

We continued walking a long way to see Feilai Shi. This section was relatively flat and mostly downhill, so it was easy.

We arrived at Paiyun Ting. Here, there was a Paiyun Hotel, which cost even more per night than Baiyun Hotel.

There was a buffet in the hotel, and across from it was a supply station. Before coming, when I bought tickets on the official account, I also purchased a family meal package of three portions for 143 yuan. It could be redeemed at any of the five supply stations on the mountain using a voucher code. Earlier at Baiyun Hotel, I saw many tourists eating instant noodles and self-heating hot pots. I had considered bringing them, but they took up too much backpack space. Besides, it was so hot and we sweated a lot; eating instant noodles or hot pot could cause internal heat. Eating rice was more refreshing.

It was almost 1:00 PM, about the time I had estimated to reach Paiyun Ting for lunch.

There were three meal options, but here only shredded pork with rice was available. It came with a small box of soup. The food was freshly cooked on the mountain, tasted okay, and was clean. Earlier on the mountain road, I saw that the rice, vegetables, dried tofu, etc., in these boxed meals were carried up by porters. We must not waste food! After eating, we had a box of six carrot bread rolls. By then, I had almost finished the five bottles of water in my bag. I bought another bottle of water and a Mizone at the supply station. These days were so hot, even on the mountain; we sweated a lot and needed to drink plenty of water.

Feeling full, we set off. We arrived at Xihai Hotel. There was a large platform here, and the hotel also had a buffet. Outside, there was a supply station.

Passing Xihai Hotel, we reached Tuanjie Song (Unity Pine). When Jiang Zemin visited Huangshan, he led everyone to sing "Unity is Strength" under this big pine tree, hence the name.

From Tuanjie Song, we looked into the distance at Feilai Shi. The ending scene of the TV drama "Dream of the Red Mansion" with the talking stone was probably filmed here.

Next to Tuanjie Song was Dawang Song, really tall and straight! There was a fork here: one way to Houzi Guanhai (Monkey Gazing at the Sea) at Beihai, the other to Guangming Peak. If we hadn't gone to see Feilai Shi earlier at the Guangming Peak fork, we could have taken the shortcut to get here directly.

We arrived at Beihai. Going to Houzi Guanhai required a long, steep uphill climb. At that point, my son refused to climb, but his mother kept educating him to persevere.

I also repeatedly comforted him, saying we were almost there. After coaxing for a long time, we finally climbed up. My son saw the beautiful view of Houzi Guanhai that he had read about in his textbook.

After coming down from Houzi Guanhai at Beihai, I bought my son a can of Want Want milk for 15 yuan to reward him for persevering to see the view.

Walking further brought us to Mengbi Shenghua (Dream Writing Brush). This section was relatively easy to walk. At the restroom halfway, there was a water dispenser providing warm water at 40 degrees. The two bottles I bought at Paiyun Ting were empty again, so I refilled them with warm water here. It was pleasant to drink. Huangshan Scenic Area did well in this regard.

The roads on the back mountain were noticeably gentler and easier than the front mountain. After Mengbi Shenghua, Shixin Peak and Shisun Jiang lay ahead. By then, our physical strength was almost at its limit. We thought, forget it! We wouldn't go to Shixin Peak and Shisun Jiang. The climb would involve many more mountain paths. It was 3:40 PM. After 5:30 PM, the cable car would stop running, and we would have to walk down for three and a half to four hours. Near the cable car entrance, the road started to queue up, but it was only a few dozen meters.

Following the crowd, we saw the cable car station after a few minutes.

I had already bought downhill tickets for Yungu Cable Car on the official account in advance. Otherwise, we would have wasted time buying tickets at the window.

Swiped ID card to pass the gate.

After descending, we were on the back mountain. We walked a few hundred meters to take the scenic bus, passing the Geological Museum.

In front of the Geological Museum was the walking trail entrance.

We bought tickets on-site, waited a bit, and then took the bus down.

After the scenic bus passed the Huangshan Archway, we exited the scenic area.

All day's tour ended. We started from the hotel at 7:00 AM and finished at 4:45 PM.

We went up via Yuping Cable Car in front mountain, climbed Haohan Slope, saw the Welcoming Pine, East Sea, Mobile Phone Stone, the Tortoise and Hare, Yixian Tian, viewed Lotus Peak from Aoyu Peak Observation Deck, Tianhai, Baiyun Hotel, Guangming Peak, Feilai Shi, Paiyun Ting, Xihai, Tuanjie Song, Dawang Song, Houzi Guanhai at Beihai, and Mengbi Shenghua.

Returned to the hotel parking lot. Same route as yesterday: G3 to S11, then exit at Jingxian South Langqiao, go to G205 National Highway. Once on G205, we reached the western entrance of the Southern Anhui Sichuan-Tibet Highway again. I asked my wife and son if they wanted to go for another spin. They said the mountain roads made them want to vomit.

We drove straight on G205 to downtown Jingxian. Along the way, we passed a rice paper factory, which also had a rice paper museum.

We arrived at the hotel at almost 7:00 PM. We dropped off luggage and went to eat nearby. This restaurant was also quite good locally, with great cooking and generous portions—at least a third more than similar restaurants in Wuxi. A dish of beef with king oyster mushroom had an abundance of beef, and the spring rolls were huge. The people here were truly generous!

Yesterday, we walked 30,000 steps climbing Huangshan. Waking up this morning, my legs didn't feel too bad.

We left the hotel at 8:00 AM. Originally planned to go to Taohua Tan first, then return to the county, drive east to Xuancheng to get on the expressway, and stop at Moon Bay to play in the water along the way. But then I thought, today is Saturday, and Moon Bay would be very congested in the afternoon. Better to go early while it's still early, even if it means more driving.

Out of the county, we turned right onto G205 in the direction of Xuancheng. Then turned onto S208 to reach Moon Bay. This was also the northern entrance of the Southern Anhui Sichuan-Tibet Highway in Jingxian.

After entering S208 from G205 and passing Moon Bay Water Park, traffic slowed down. It took over twenty minutes to reach the village entrance. Parking inside was difficult, causing congestion behind. It was only 8:40 AM, and it was already so jammed.

After entering, we found a parking spot near Yulin Dam. Just as we parked, a local villager auntie came to collect 15 yuan parking fee, saying it was unlimited time. These were private parking spaces built by villagers in front of their homes.

Driving straight along this road ahead would lead to Moon Bay Rafting Scenic Area. Further ahead, you could reach Shuimo Dingxi, and eventually arrive at the three-way intersection with the New Fourth Army statue we saw yesterday; one way led to Taoling Liudao Bay, the other to Ningguo.

We drove through the water to cross the dam and could park in the opposite parking lot.

We bought a large water gun nearby. My son had a great time playing here. It was so hot today – already 35-36°C at around 9:00 AM – so playing in the water was perfect.

After playing, when we went out the same way, the reverse traffic entering the village was already backed up as far as the eye could see. Further ahead, we saw traffic police already controlling the flow. They were stopping cars and directing them to park on the side, not allowing them to go further. It was wise to come to Moon Bay early! Having traveled extensively, I have a good knack for predicting travel conditions.

From Moon Bay, we returned via the same route to G205 National Highway, heading west toward downtown Jingxian. After passing the city, we turned onto S322 and then S217, passing by the Southern Anhui Incident Martyrs Cemetery. Then there was a section under construction that was hard to drive.

After an hour, we crossed the Qingyi River Bridge on S217 and immediately turned right. We drove along X063 by the river. Both sides of this road were under widening construction, but it didn't affect traffic too much.

There were parking spots and an observation deck by the river. The scenery here was beautiful, especially the reflections of houses in the Qingyi River, with blue sky, white clouds, and trees. The Qingyi River, a tributary of the Yangtze River, was so serene. Li Bai once came here by boat along the Qingyi River.

A few minutes past the observation deck, we arrived at the town area.

The scenic area parking lot was on the right side of the road, not very conspicuous. Earlier, when coming from the town, I saw several parking lots near the Taohua Tan archway. During peak times, you'd have to park there.

After parking, we walked down a slope to the visitor center. Tickets: 65 yuan for adults, 32 yuan for children. Veterans with preferential cards get free admission but must buy a 10 yuan ferry ticket.

You could also park on the square in front of the visitor center. The scenic area entrance was the archway gate in the picture.

Inside, there were cartoon statues of Wang Lun and Li Bai.

Walking through a corridor, we passed a large wheat field.

We arrived at Wenchang Pavilion. The stairs inside were not open for climbing.

Next to Wenchang Pavilion was a large lotus pond.

We reached the Dragon Boat Square.

The people of Taohua Tan Town loved dragon boat racing. Usually, the boats were stored here. They were pulled out for training and competitions.

In front of Dragon Boat Square was the "Number One Ancestral Hall in China."

A pair of stone lions at the hall entrance was distinctive, with a lion head and a dragon body.

The Zhai family was a prominent clan. The plaque was written by the Ningguo prefect for the Zhai family during the Qing Dynasty.

Coming out of the ancestral hall, we walked a short distance to Nanyang Old Street.

The commercial atmosphere wasn't too strong, but there wasn't much to see either.

At the end of the old street was the ancient ferry. Here, we had to check tickets again.

There was a square at the ferry with statues of Li Bai and Wang Lun. When Li Bai was about to leave Taohua Tan, he heard singing from the shore. Wang Lun had come to see him off here. This gave rise to the timeless poem "To Wang Lun."

We took a boat to the other side. There was also a rafting dock nearby, it seemed 128 yuan per person, taking a bamboo raft around the Qingyi River.

The ferry left when full, taking a few minutes to reach the other side.

After landing, on the left was a hillside with the Wang Lun Temple. It was too hot, so my wife and son didn't want to go. They went to play in the water by the river near the ferry, while I went up to look.

Going up, I looked at the beautiful scenery of the Qingyi River.

Wang Lun's tomb was well maintained. For centuries, the local people have deeply remembered Wang Lun. In modern terms, Wang Lun had exceptional vision in attracting investment! He brought the top influencer of that time, Li Bai, who then wrote a poem that became known to every household, making this remote mountain village in southern Anhui known worldwide. Even now, over a thousand years later, the local people still benefit from this effect. This Taohua Tan Scenic Area attracts a large number of tourists, directly creating jobs for the people of Taohua Tan Town and greatly boosting the economic development of this remote mountain village. Magistrate Wang Lun was definitely a competent county head who benefited the people.

After coming down the hillside, I went to the river to play in the water with my son. I saw a guy swimming in the river. That is not recommended! For safety, the scenic area had posted obvious warning signs prohibiting swimming in the river.

We took the boat back to the other side. We passed through the old street to take the electric cart. It wasn't far to walk out, but it was extremely hot, 38°C!

The electric cart cost 10 yuan per person, with the same charge for adults and children.

We rode the electric cart to the entrance of the scenic area. The scenic area was actually not big, with not many highlights. Exploring it all took at most two hours. Due to its fame, it was rated 4A.

After Taohua Tan, we returned the same way towards Jingxian. At a three-way intersection, there was a prominent New Fourth Army sculpture and sign. Turning left led to the former site of the New Fourth Army Headquarters in Yunling Town. The road to Yunling was quite well built.

After entering the town, we turned into Dongnanju Road and arrived within a few dozen meters. The parking lot was large and free.

It was very hot! We saw a large group of young party members from state-owned enterprises conducting a branch activity here.

Free admission. First, go to the visitor center to scan a QR code with Alipay to register, then the staff would give you a paper ticket. It should be noted that you can only scan with Alipay, not WeChat.

In front of the visitor center, on the Iron Army Square, there was a statue of General Ye Ting.

From 1938 to 1941 when the Southern Anhui Incident occurred, this was the core location of the New Fourth Army and the Southeast Bureau.

Inside, a staff member would ask for your ticket. This place was both the New Fourth Army Headquarters and the Southeast Bureau office.

After the Battle of Wuhan ended in 1938, with Wuhan falling, the Yangtze Bureau was dissolved. The Southeast Bureau, under the Yangtze Bureau, moved from Jiangxi to Jingxian, taking over most of the functions of the former Yangtze Bureau. Until the Southern Anhui Incident in 1941, the Southeast Bureau was merged into the Central Plains Bureau.

American journalist Agnes Smedley had visited here and stayed in this attic room.

General Ye Ting's dormitory.

After visiting Zhongmo Garden, next to it was Daifudi.

A bronze sculpture at the entrance of Daifudi recreated a touching scene: before the Southern Anhui Incident, when the New Fourth Army evacuated Yunling, the local people reluctantly bid farewell to the soldiers, showing the deep bond between the soldiers and the people.

In 1938, the New Fourth Army headquarters lived and worked at Daifudi for half a year before moving to the adjacent Zhongmo Garden.

We finished the circuit and returned to the parking lot. We drove about a kilometer to a repair workshop, which was the New Fourth Army's arsenal. Unfortunately, it was not open to visitors. Further ahead was a large auditorium. I am quite interested in red revolutionary historical sites. I have visited many places before, such as the Red Detachment of Women Memorial Park in Qionghai, Hainan; the Yan'an Revolutionary History Memorial Hall; Zaoyuan; Yangjialing; Pagoda Hill; the Huangpu Military Academy in Guangzhou; the Grand Marshal Mansion; Sun Yat-sen's former residence in Zhongshan; Mao Zedong's former residence in Shaoshan, etc. I plan to visit more red revolutionary historical sites in the future.

After leaving the New Fourth Army site, we did not return to Jingxian to take G205 to Xuancheng and then the expressway. Checking the map on my phone, we took village roads to Nanling, then entered G318 National Highway, and finally onto S11 Expressway.

We passed through Red Tourism Town. My son played with a machine gun on an armored vehicle and exclaimed how much fun it was.

Soon we entered Nanling territory. The village roads were in good condition. At one point, two concrete pillars were built at the entrance of a village, allowing only small passenger vehicles to pass. This effectively protected the road from heavy trucks.

We turned onto G318 National Highway. I told my son that this road was the real Sichuan-Tibet Highway. It goes all the way from Shanghai to Lhasa. In Sichuan, it passes through Ya'an, Erlangshan Tunnel, Garzê, Litang, Qamdo, Nyingchi, and finally to Lhasa. I must drive it one day.

After a few kilometers on G318, we got on the expressway.

Just as we turned onto the Xiyi Expressway, we saw home wasn't far. But after passing Yixing West, heavy traffic began. Checking the map, there was nearly 20 kilometers of dark red line. We decisively exited at Qiting and drove over ten kilometers along S342.

We re-entered the expressway at Caoqiao; the road was clear all the way. We arrived home at 7:30 PM. The return trip of 300 kilometers took five hours. The day before, climbing the mountain didn't make my legs ache, but after driving for so long today, my calves were slightly sore the next day.