Niubei Mountain - Tagong Grassland - Dagu Glacier - Bipeng Ravine - Jiuzhaigou Valley - Shenxian Gou (Fairy Valley) - Songpan (2022-01-09 to 2022-01-21)

Day 1, 2022-01-09: Shanghai - Chengdu

Wenshu Monastery was originally built during the Daye period of the Sui Dynasty (605-617). Yang Xiu, the Prince of Shu, named it Xinsixiang Monastery after a "sacred nun". In the fifth year of Huichang (845), Emperor Wuzong of Tang persecuted Buddhism, and the temple was destroyed. When Emperor Xuanzong ascended the throne (847), it was restored and coexisted with the world for over 800 years. In the first year of Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty (1644), it was completely destroyed. Legend has it that in the Qing Dynasty, someone saw a red light appearing at night. Officials were sent to investigate and saw an image of Manjushri Bodhisattva within the red light. In the 36th year of Kangxi (1697), funds were raised to rebuild the temple, and it was renamed Wenshu Monastery. Emperor Kangxi inscribed the characters "Kong Lin" (Empty Forest) and bestowed a seal bearing the inscription "Chi Ci Kong Lin" (Bestowed by Imperial Order: Empty Forest). Emperor Kangxi's calligraphy is still preserved in the monastery today.

Day 2, 2022-01-10: Pengzhen Old Tea House, Yingjing Earthenware Pot

On the old street of Pengzhen, the internet-famous spots are the tea house and the elderly people drinking tea.

Yingjing earthenware is located around the ruins of Yandao Ancient City, nestled between mountains and rivers, on the third terrace on the south bank of the Ying River, about 40 meters above the river. It faces Zhongjun Mountain to the south, Qingxia Dam to the north, Dagu Creek to the east, and the steep bank of the Ying River to the west.

The main raw material for Yingjing earthenware is clay, commonly known as white virtuous mud, which is yellowish-white, fine in texture, and highly cohesive. It is pollution-free, contains no toxic or harmful elements, and is ecological. This clay is unique to Guchengping in Yingjing, making it exclusive.

The production process of the earthenware pot is unique and distinctive.

Day 3, 2022-01-11: Lengqi, Niubei Mountain Sunset and Starry Sky

After breakfast, we set off and traveled via the Yaxi-Yakang Expressway, arriving at Lengqi Town at noon. At Changhaizi, we transferred to a scenic shuttle bus to reach the Niubei Mountain camp on the mountaintop. Due to snowfall, the mountain was foggy. We sat in the camp, quietly waiting for dusk.

Accommodation on Niubei Mountain was bitterly cold, beautiful to look at but uncomfortable to stay in. It was much worse than the pictures. It is not recommended to go in winter; the scenery is poor, and altitude sickness is severe.

The sunset glow on Niubei Mountain was very distant; the tour leader took photos with a drone.

Day 4, 2022-02-12: Niubei Mountain, Tagong Grassland

Because it snowed all night and the scenic area had no emergency measures, we were stuck on the mountain until afternoon before descending. We originally planned to go to Yuzixi but ran out of time, so we went directly to Tagong Grassland to check in. In the evening, we were specially arranged to stay near the best photography spot for capturing the starry sky over Yala Snow Mountain. However, due to altitude sickness, we went to bed early and did not photograph the stars.

Day 5, 2022-01-13: Yala Snow Mountain Sunrise, Moshi Park, Zhonglu Tibetan Village

The next morning, we went to Tagong Grassland to capture the sunrise over Yala Snow Mountain.

Yaks climbed to the mountain peaks, and the snowy mountains were right before your eyes and beneath your feet.

We passed by Moshi Park.

Continuing on, we enjoyed snowy mountain views everywhere along the way.

The road was lined with unique Tibetan-style villages. This area is one of the origins of Danba Jiarong Tibetan culture. We headed to the representative of Danba Tibetan villages—Zhonglu Tibetan Village—to deeply experience the rich Jiarong Tibetan customs and the Tibetan-style residential watchtowers.

The Tibetan village where we stayed.

Day 6, 2022-01-14: Zhonglu Tibetan Village, Yangrong Hade

In the morning, we photographed the dawn in the Tibetan village. After finishing, we headed north, passing through Jinchuan, and arrived at the Tibetan village of Yangrong Hade.

Yangrong Hade is surrounded by mountains on three sides and faces water on one side, with clear, murmuring streams. It sits at the foot of Dagu Glacier. The people here live in peace and comfort, as if in a paradise.

The homestay we stayed in was very warm, with air conditioning and electric blankets, and the room was spacious.

Day 7, 2022-01-15: Dagu Glacier, Guergou

After breakfast, we set off for Dagu Glacier, the stunning filming location for the movie "The Captain". This is the youngest mountain glacier in the world and also the snowy mountain that the Red Army crossed during the Long March. This newly popular spot is famous for the highest-altitude cable car in the world. We took the cable car directly up 1,500 meters to the top (cable car summit elevation: 4,860 meters) into the heart of the glacier, and visited the highest-altitude café in the world. Because of the high altitude, we didn't dare drink coffee, so we ordered a beverage and enjoyed the scenery while sipping it.

After visiting Dagu Glacier, we took a bus to Guergou to check in and rest.

Day 8, 2022-01-16: Bipeng Ravine, Taoping Qiang Village

Because Bipeng Ravine is nestled in a canyon, it is known as "Mini Jiuzhaigou". Entering the scenic area, we took a sightseeing bus through the primeval forest to White Dragon Waterfall, Zhuoma Lake, Three Trees, Moon Bay, etc. Bipeng Ravine is the back view of the Four Girls Mountain and is known as the "Southern Snow Country". The winter scenery features azure skies, steep snow-covered peaks, crisscrossing ravines, numerous glaciers, white icicles, water fir rime, cascading waterfalls, lakes and streams (due to the extreme cold, the lake surfaces were covered with thick ice, a vast expanse of white), and wetland meadows—natural scenery that makes people forget themselves.

We took in the primeval forest, sacred snowy mountains, towering peaks, stunning waterfalls, and ice-and-snow beauty all at once.

Although the lakes were frozen in winter, the scenery was still beautiful, and we thought about coming back in autumn.

Afterwards, we went to Taoping Qiang Village to check in.

The elderly in the village live leisurely, looking serious when playing cards. Some even worked as tour guides, speaking fluently about the village's history and interesting anecdotes—very entertaining.

Taoping Qiang Village, known as "the best-preserved Qiang architecture in the world", is a primitive Qiang village that maintains its rustic charm. The village is filled with yellowish-brown stone houses built tier upon tier along the steep mountain slope, with watchtowers standing among them. The Qiang village is a currently inhabited complex where watchtowers and residential buildings blend together, earning the reputation of "natural air conditioner". Its well-developed underground water network, maze-like interconnecting passages, and integrated watchtower-and-house architectural art are praised by Chinese and foreign scholars as "a living fossil of Qiang architectural art and a mysterious oriental ancient castle". Many households in the village have also installed solar panels.

In the morning, we took another stroll through the village, then set off for Jiuzhaigou, arriving at the entrance of Jiuzhaigou in the afternoon.

Day 10, 2020-01-17: Jiuzhaigou Valley (Full Day)

After breakfast, we departed from the hotel. We went directly into the winter fairy tale world of Jiuzhaigou Valley. We spent the entire day freely exploring within Jiuzhaigou.

Jiuzhaigou had been closed due to the 2017 earthquake and reopened this year. For the first time in over two years, Jiuzhaigou revealed its crystal-clear beauty once again.

Winter Jiuzhaigou is breathtakingly beautiful.

Spark Lake is mysterious and unpredictable; when the wind blows, ripples create shimmering "sparks" of golden light. Rhinoceros Lake, Crouching Dragon Lake, and other scenic spots are beautiful; the colorful Five Flower Pond is resplendent; Pearl Shoal Waterfall resembles a huge crystal curtain, giving one the feeling of "rolling silver flowers beneath one's feet, embracing ten thousand pearls." Five Flower Lake is the pride of Jiuzhaigou, known as "the essence of Jiuzhaigou" and "a unique wonder of Jiuzhaigou".

Every step brings a new view, every scene is captivating. Words like "too many things to see", "reluctant to leave", "lingering with each step", and all other praises pale compared to seeing it with your own eyes. The afternoon sun was warm; involuntarily, we squinted our eyes, quietly gazing at everything before us—a feeling of pure happiness.

I still want to come again in winter.

Day 11, 2022-01-19: Shenxian Bay (Fairy Bay), Songpan Ancient City

Originally we planned to go to Mouni Valley, but by a twist of fate we arrived at Shenxian Bay, and what we saw was unexpectedly shocking and delightful.

Circles of snow-covered ground formed the winding road, like a paperclip. Our off-road vehicle could only crawl at 15-20 km/h, slowly climbing.

After taking photos, we proceeded to Songpan Ancient City to check in. The night view of the ancient city was brightly lit.

Songpan Ancient City, known as "the gateway to western Sichuan and a thousand-year-old ancient city", is a highland ancient city in western Sichuan that has weathered many vicissitudes and holds ancient legends and classic stories. Here, the Min River rushes through the city, inner and outer city walls are connected, craftsmen's names are carved on bricks, and the west gate is built beyond the sky. It also carries the cultural accumulation of Han-Tibetan integration. The city walls are entirely built of blue bricks, solid and strong, with a thickness of 12 meters—the thickest in the country. The tops of the city gates are arched with stone strips, forming a semicircular shape. The foundation stones are engraved with various decorative patterns, showing great craftsmanship. It is also an important historic post station for the "tea-horse trade" between the Tibetan, Qiang, Hui, and Han peoples. The ancient city has no high-rise buildings and little modern construction. Instead, we see local houses of western Sichuan, distinctive Hui architecture, and Tibetan and Qiang dwellings. The exterior walls always exude the unique flavor of the region or ethnicity. Here you find classic masterpieces of ancient Chinese urban architectural art and the largest extant ancient city gates among other cultural relics, allowing you to savor the charm of the ancient city. The homestay was also very grand, like stepping into an old mansion with double-eaved upturned eaves, hollow-carved flower-patterned windows and doors, delicate and exquisite. Yet the interior facilities were very modern, with underfloor heating, making it very comfortable.

Day 12, 2022-01-21: Songpan Ancient City - Chengdu - Shanghai

End of the pleasant trip, returning to the comfort of home, looking forward to new journeys.