Setting Out for Spring—2019, March, Self-Drive, Spring Outing (7) Dongchuan Red Land.

For northerners, spring touches a deeper chord. The vast land shifts from bleak desolation and howling north winds to late winter with little frost and ice, and warm spring breezes ushering in renewal. By the spring equinox, the thick scent of spring rushes in. The wind changes from biting to gentle, trees from bare branches to tender buds covering every twig, and flowers bud ready to bloom. As if overnight a spring breeze came, covering thousands of trees with pear blossoms. Traveling at this time is surely 'the best of spring days, where orioles sing among green and red for miles.' On March 20, my wife and I followed the footprints of spring and began our spring outing.

Day 1 (2019.3.20): 6:26, depart from Beijing Daxing, G4 expressway, arrive at Yinxu Ruins at 12:06 (odometer 495km). 12:40-15:20, lunch at 'Shengdeli', visit Yinxu Ruins. 15:48, Ma's Manor. 17:20, check in at Lavande Hotel (543km). 19:38, dinner at '76 Ren Laoshi Handmade Stewed Noodles'.

Day 2 (2019.3.21): 6:47, depart from Anyang Lavande Hotel, Nanlin Expressway, 8:17-12:10, Hongqiqu Youth Cave Scenic Area (631km). 16:59, arrive at Yuncheng Manxin Hotel (1050km). 18:33, dinner at 'Longxingmei Noodle House'.

Day 3 (2019.3.22): 7:46, check out and depart, 8:00-8:50, Colorful Salt Lake (1057km). 9:22-11:00, Xiezhou Guandi Temple (1082km). 11:56-12:43, lunch, Yongji Puji Temple (1150km). 13:10-14:26, Guanque Tower (1157km). 17:25, check in at Xi'an Aegean Sea Hot Spring Hotel (1327km). 18:45, dinner at 'Lintong Impression'.

Day 4 (2019.3.23): 8:10-12:08, Huaqing Palace. 12:50-15:10, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda (1396km). 15:41, check in at Ibis Hotel (1405km). 18:00-21:08, dinner at 'Liuxiang Noodles', stroll through Muslim Quarter.

Day 5 (2019.3.24): 8:50-11:55, Xi'an City Wall. 12:10, lunch at (Old Tongguan). 12:43, depart for Hanzhong. 16:30, check in at Hanzhong Binjiang Garden Hotel (1670km). 18:00-21:00, stroll along Han River, dinner.

Day 6 (2019.3.25): 6:22-7:50, walk along Han River. 8:42, check out. 9:19-13:50, Xiemaxiang, Hongfu Road, Hanshan Top, Yangchun Town, Nan Zheng Nanhu, enjoy rapeseed flowers (1750km). 14:00, head toward Guangyuan. 15:50, check in at Guangyuan Hilton Hampton Inn (1915km). 18:05-20:30, dinner, stroll.

Day 7 (2019.3.26): 8:28, depart. 9:16-12:08, Zhaohua Ancient Town, lunch at 'Zhaohua Flavor' (1946km). 17:08, check in at Leshan Golden Begonia Hotel (2389km). 17:30-21:10, confluence of three rivers, Leshan Giant Buddha, dinner at 'Leshan Flavor'.

Day 8 (2019.3.27): 6:50-8:00, walk by the river. 8:42, check out and depart (2406km). 9:41-14:25, Jia'yang Steam Train in Qianwei (2471km). 16:40, check in at Ya'an Yucheng Impression Hotel (2642km). 17:05, stroll, dinner at 'Fat Master Fish Restaurant'.

Day 9 (2019.3.28): 8:40, depart. 12:42-15:48, Qionghai National Wetland Park (2943km). 16:04-17:30, Lushan Mountain. 18:08, check in at Xichang Meili Landscape Hotel (2957km). 19:20, dinner at 'Niumuke'.

Day 10 (2019.3.29): 8:00, depart toward Lugu Lake (2960km). 13:45, Lugu Lake entrance at Yanyuan County (3201km). 14:30-15:18, Caohai, Walking Marriage Bridge (3205km). 16:03, Daluoshui Village parking lot (3221km), 16:20, check in at Mani Dui Hotel. 16:50-20:00, lakeside stroll, dinner.

Day 11 (2019.3.30): 6:50, take photos by the lake. 9:20-15:40, circle tour around the lake (3299km). 18:30-20:00, stroll, dinner.

Day 12 (2019.3.31): Play around Daluoshui Village and Lugu Lake.

Day 13 (2019.4.1): 9:30, head toward Lijiang, 14:00, check in at Shuhe Mozhu Washa Inn (3496km). 14:30-17:30, lunch at 'Small Pot Rice', visit Shuhe Ancient Town. 18:20-22:00, visit Lijiang Ancient Town, dinner at 'Next Door Old Wang'.

Day 14 (2019.4.2): 6:20-8:40, stroll in Shuhe Ancient Town. 9:26, head toward Panzhihua, 15:48, check in at Panzhihua Zhuxia Hotel (3763km). 18:20-22:00, stroll, dinner at 'One Bone'.

Day 15 (2019.4.3): 8:50, head toward Dongchuan Red Land. 15:02-18:10, visit Dongchuan Red Land, take photos (4165km-4205km). 19:26, check in at Dongchuan Century Lijing Grand Hotel (4249km).

Day 16 (2019.4.4): 7:50, head toward Bijie, 12:30-17:40, Baili Dujuan Scenic Area (4689km). 21:55, check in at Bijie South Excellence Hotel (4770km).

Day 17 (2019.4.5): 9:00, depart toward Longsheng, Guangxi, 15:49, Longji Rice Terrace ticket office (5351km), 17:38, Ping'an Village parking lot (5392km), 18:35, check in at 'Qixing Banyue Resort Hotel'.

Day 18 (2019.4.6): 6:30-8:00, take photos at Longji Rice Terraces. 9:40, depart for Dongjiang Lake, Zixing, Chenzhou, Hunan, 15:10, check in at Zixing Dongjiang Lake Qishi Hotel (5856km). 16:00-19:00, stroll, dinner at 'Upside-down Catfish'.

Day 19 (2019.4.7): 7:20-11:30, visit Dongjiang Lake, 12:10, head toward Yingtan, Jiangxi, 18:45, check in at Yingtan Fontainebleau Hotel (6451km).

Day 20 (2019.4.8): 7:00, head toward Jiande, Zhejiang, 11:00, Jiande Qili Yangfan Scenic Area parking lot (6785km). 11:40-13:35, play by Fuchun River, lunch at Kaiyuan Fangcaodi Country Hotel. 14:30, check in at Tonglu Daman Hotel (6841km). 18:00-21:40, Tonglu county town.

Day 21 (2019.4.9): 6:30-8:00, play by Fuchun River, 9:50-11:30, Daqishan National Forest Park. 18:20-21:10, stroll in Tonglu county town, dinner.

Day 22 (2019.4.10): 9:50-15:00, Fuchun River, Tianmu Stream, Fenghuang Mountain, Tongjun Cable Bridge, Binjiang Park, lunch at 'Mother-in-law'. 19:00-20:40, stroll in Tonglu county town, dinner.

Day 23 (2019.4.11): 9:00, head to Nanjing (6885km), 12:02, lunch at Yixing 'Dushunxing Zhenjiang Guogai Noodles'. 14:08, check in at Nanjing Orange Crystal Hotel Yixianqiao branch (7247km). (Need to do a lab test in Nanjing, see doctor two days later.)

Day 24 (2019.4.12): 8:45, head to Xinghua, 11:06-13:50, Xinghua Qianduo Scenic Area (7466km), 16:50, check in at Suzhou Geya Hotel (7696km), 17:30-21:20, Jinji Lake, dinner.

Day 25 (2019.4.13): 9:40-13:45, Jinji Lake. 14:20, check in at Lefuquan Suite Hotel. 17:40-21:30, Pingjiang Road, dinner at 'Dingshengxian'.

Day 26 (2019.4.14): 8:50, head to Tianmu Lake, 10:59-13:30, Tianmu Lake Shanshui Garden, lunch (7876km). 14:45, check in at Nanshan Bamboo Sea Inn (7921km). 16:20-19:30, Tianmu Lake Yushui Hot Spring.

Day 27 (2019.4.15): 9:17, head to Nanjing, 12:30, Nanjing Zhongshan Hotel (8056km). (Pick up lab results and see doctor at Nanjing General Hospital). 15:15, head to Xuzhou, 18:50, check in at Xuzhou Pengcheng Hotel (8394km).

Day 28 (2019.4.16): 5:40, depart for Beijing, 12:46, arrive home in Beijing Daxing (9076km).

Beijing – Henan – Anyang – Hongqiqu – Shanxi – Yuncheng – Yongji – Shaanxi – Xi'an – Hanzhong – Sichuan – Guangyuan – Leshan – Qianwei – Ya'an – Xichang – Lugu Lake – Yunnan – Lijiang – Sichuan – Panzhihua – Yunnan – Dongchuan – Guizhou – Bijie – Guangxi – Longsheng – Hunan – Zixing – Jiangxi – Yingtan – Zhejiang – Tonglu – Jiangsu – Nanjing – Xinghua – Suzhou – Liyang – Nanjing – Xuzhou – Beijing

From Panzhihua to Dongchuan Red Land, first take G5, exit at Taoyuan Toll Station, then transfer to the Jiaozishang Tourist Special Route. The total distance is about 400 km, and overall road conditions are good.

If going directly from Lijiang to Dongchuan Red Land, it is more suitable to go via Dali and Kunming, almost all highway, easier than via Panzhihua and saves a lot of time. The reason for taking the Panzhihua route was simply that we had never been to Panzhihua and wanted to have a look, plus we wanted to experience this mountain road.

Passing Yongren Service Area, we learned about the route of the Southern Silk Road. It turns out there is not just one Silk Road.

After Yongren Service Area, it started to rain, and at one point dense fog filled the air. After crossing the Maguohe Extra-large Bridge, the rain stopped, the sun came out, and clouds drifted among the mountains.

(From Baidu Image)

At 3 p.m., we arrived at Dongchuan Red Land.

Dongchuan Red Land refers to a nearly 100-kilometer radius red soil area centered on Huashitou in Xintian Township, Dongchuan District, Kunming. Due to the high iron content in the soil and the warm, humid environment, the iron in the soil oxidizes to form dazzling colors. Combined with varying mountain shapes and undulating terrain, plus the seasonal planting and harvesting of crops, the colors shift. From a distance, large patches of color combine into a colorful, magnificent sight, known as 'God's palette left on earth', especially favored by photography enthusiasts.

From the diagram above, it can be seen that Dongchuan Red Land is an area without an entrance ticket. The whole area resembles an irregular capital Y, with the Hongtuyinxiang Tourist Town at the center. Food, accommodation, and car rental are no problem. Luo xiagou, Lepu'ao, Huashitou, and other places have accommodation. For ordinary tourists (except photography buffs), a loop tour takes about 3-4 hours. If coming from Kunming and heading to Dongchuan city after visiting, it is recommended to first visit the Damakan direction and then head to Luoxiagou to avoid backtracking. In fact, the so-called scenic spots are representative viewing points, such as Luoxiagou for sunset, Damakan for sunrise, and Qicaipo for seven colors. There is no need to be rigid about these names, because all along the way, wherever you look, the scenery is beautiful.

Our tour route: Lepu'ao – Huashitou – Jinxiuyuan – Qicaipo – Damakan – Laolongshu – Luoxiagou – Dongchuan city.

The current season is not the most brilliant time, and the sky was a bit overcast, with thin mist drifting. The small village nestled in the mountain hollow, and the five-colored soil seemed to be covered with a veil.

Lepu'ao is a village name that is quite vivid: the small village sits in a mountain hollow, and the lines outlined by color blocks on the mountain resemble musical notation, combining color beauty with melodic beauty, playing a pleasant and moving movement.

The Huashitou village area belongs to Xintian Township, which plants about 200,000 mu of tartary buckwheat. As an economic crop, it combines food, medicine, and ornamental value, forming a tartary buckwheat industrial base. There is a roadside inscription praising tartary buckwheat called 'Ode to Tartary Buckwheat'.

Jinxiuyuan is the most spectacular: blue sky and white clouds above, colorful clouds flying below. Overall, it is magnificent and colorful, truly 'God's palette left on earth'.

The Qicaipo and Damakan section features rolling hills and crisscrossing ravines, forming strip-like colorful landscapes.

The weather in the mountains changes suddenly: sometimes drizzly and misty, sometimes bright sunshine. After the rain, a rainbow shot from the red land to the clouds, as if gathering the colors of the red land to scatter across the universe.

This old dragon tree is a thousand-year-old fir. It stands majestically on the mountaintop, lush and tall, regarded by locals as a sacred tree. It is said that the tree once withered for three years, then miraculously revived and grew stronger. Perhaps the red land nourished the old dragon tree to regain vitality, or the old dragon tree protects the red land to perform colorful charm. In any case, the old dragon tree has become a symbol of the red land, representing a bright future of favorable weather and abundant harvests.

Luoxiagou without sunset glow is still beautiful; the homes in the mountain hollow live in a colorful world, like a painting and a dream.

At 6 p.m., we bid farewell to Luoxiagou and headed to Dongchuan city. Rain fell intermittently; the road twisted and turned. Cooking smoke rose from the small mountain villages, and the red land was swallowed by the night.