Sister Sunny's Non-stop Travels – First Trip of 2023: Embracing Spring in Lishui

The pandemic, plus three years of pregnancy and raising a baby, forced my travel steps to pause, but my heart always yearned for freedom and faraway places. Now that a dream has ended, I can hit the road again and feel the beauty of the world. It’s wonderful. This time, Sister Sunny and Uncle Liu have a little cutie by their side. From now on, we’ll keep traveling with her~ This is Little Shutter’s first real trip after birth. Before setting off, this old mother was a bit anxious: Would she be good in the car? Would she adjust to sleeping and eating? Would the trip be too tiring for her? … I even started reading all kinds of tips for traveling with a baby a week in advance and drew up a list of everything to pack… It turns out a child’s adaptability far exceeds your imagination. When we came back, I told Uncle Liu, ‘Well, your daughter is going to be the next globetrotter!’ With only a short weekend, we locked our self-drive destination within the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai area. We happened to see that Lishui, Nanjing, was holding a plum blossom festival, so Uncle Liu and I instantly agreed: Let’s go there and embrace spring! Lishui District is the southern gateway to Nanjing, East China’s second-largest city, and the birthplace of the hundred-li Qinhuai River. It’s known as Nanjing’s back garden. So, follow my steps and meet spring in Lishui!

Before the trip, I gathered all sorts of guides and listed seven things I wanted to do in Lishui:

1. Admire plum blossoms on Fujiabian Plum Mountain

2. Watch a fireworks show

3. Pick clean, elevated strawberries

4. Experience rural scenery at Qianmo Huakai

5. Receive Red education at Red Lixiang

6. Broaden my horizons at Zhou Yuan, China’s largest private collection museum

7. Stay with my child in a nature-close homestay and enjoy family time

The two-day Lishui itinerary is as follows:

Day 1: Fujiabian Agricultural Eco-Park (plum blossom viewing, strawberry picking) – Yu Yuan

Day 2: Qianmo Huakai – Zhou Yuan – Red Lixiang

If time allows, you can also visit Shijiu Lake, Wuxiang Mountain, Wuxiang Water Town, the film and TV city, Shishanxia Village, etc. All great places for photos and fun~~~ Now let’s start our trip to Lishui, Nanjing

Introduction: Fujiabian Agricultural Eco-Park is the largest fruit plum garden in the Nanjing area. The park includes Meixiang Garden, Shenshan Lake, Qinglong Mountain, Bamboo Sea, and a central popular science zone. It features ten miles of plum ridges, hundreds of flower species, a thousand acres of bamboo forest, ten thousand acres of tea orchards, a ten-thousand-chicken orchard farm, and a ten-mile plum blossom avenue. Activities: Admiring plums along the avenue, climbing Plum Mountain to see blossoms, appreciating ancient architecture at Yu Yuan, strolling around Shan’ao Village, night plum viewing, and fireworks show.

Address: Fujiabian Village, Honglan Town, Lishui District, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province

Duration: One day

Rating: Four stars

Walking into the eco-park, you’re greeted by a straight Plum Blossom Avenue lined with pink plum trees. We went when the flowers were in full bloom; I guess in another week they’d be even more spectacular. The avenue is quite long, and cars aren’t allowed, so it takes about fifteen minutes to walk to the scenic spots. So friends with kids, remember to bring a stroller or pack light!

Here’s the “Beautiful Lover’s Tunnel” with a realistic railway track, where the plum blossoms form an arched tunnel on both sides. I so wish I could ride a train through this sea of plum flowers.

We arrived early, so there weren’t many people taking photos yet. Quick, snap a picture with Little Shutter! While she’s still willing to pose with me, I must record these precious moments. Looking back at her newborn photos, this old mother can only marvel at the magic of time.

There are also a telephone booth and a mailbox nearby for photos~ Tourist shots, get!

Against the plum blossoms, even the street signs look lovely. There’s also a snack street here with some snacks and entertainment. Cotton candy and balloons are standard for kids.

Walk along the avenue until the first fork, then turn left for Plum Mountain. From the foot of the mountain, the hillside is covered in white plum blossoms. The weather wasn’t great that day, but the haze made the distant pavilion and observation deck misty and mysterious, adding extra charm.

Climbing Plum Mountain isn’t hard; it takes just over ten minutes on a well-paved path. Along the way, white plum trees flanked us, their fragrance drifting over. Only up close did I understand why the ancients loved plum blossoms so much.

Under the plum trees lies a tea garden. The green leaves keep the plum blossoms from looking monotonous.

I even spotted some little cuties hiding under the plum trees! My child was genuinely happy to see these small animals! She must have seen so many things on this trip that she only knew from picture books before. Every time I encounter a scene like this, I feel the trip was totally worth it.

The plum blossoms are blooming, signaling winter’s end and spring’s arrival.

I found a single pink plum tree, and against the white blossoms, that pink looks so fresh. Let me take a picture with it~

The tea garden has crisscrossing paths; you can wander deeper inside.

It’s been so long since I’ve embraced nature like this~~ Right now, freedom and the breeze are all in my arms, and I’m so content~

Looking from the other side of the mountain, I see white walls and gray tiles—rows of Huizhou-style buildings set off by white plum blossoms, like a painting. That’s Yu Yuan, where we’ll go next.

Never tire of photographing plum blossoms.

The observation deck is just ahead~

Finally, we reached the highest observation deck and looked down. The view was stunning! Those winding roads seem long, but walking them isn’t bad. Friendly reminder: I saw many visitors pushing strollers uphill. The paths here are narrow and mostly cobblestone, so strollers aren’t very convenient. We carried our baby up.

My wish is to see many, many flowers with you~~ Oh, no, let’s see countless beautiful sights through spring, summer, autumn, and winter together!

After the observation deck, we didn’t retrace our steps. There’s another path leading directly to Yu Yuan, about a ten-minute walk.

On the way down, I saw a girl doing calligraphy and arranging flowers. Sometimes the most ordinary things become a unique landscape in the eyes of those who appreciate beauty. I really have a soft spot for people who love life.

If time allows, you can also have a fireside tea session in the plum garden.

Coinciding with the Lishui Plum Blossom Festival, we could enjoy a spectacular fireworks display—one of the things I was most looking forward to! P.S. Schedule: On the opening day, February 14, and on the weekends of February 17–18, February 24–25, and March 3–4, seven fireworks shows will be held at the Plum Blossom Square in Fujiabian Science Park. Each lasts about 10 minutes, usually starting at 7:00–7:30 p.m. If you want to see the fireworks, go early~~ There are also temporary sales points on site, so visitors can buy and set off fireworks right there.

I have to say, plum blossoms at night have a special charm.

The contrast of warm and cold tones gives them yet another kind of beauty.

Besides plum viewing, the snack street was packed. Nighttime at Fujiabian is definitely livelier than during the day.

I thought the fireworks would be at 7:30, but they started early at 7:00. Uncle Liu didn’t even have time to set up his tripod… The Plum Blossom Square was so atmospheric!

The fireworks burst into lovely shapes in the sky, delighting me who hadn’t seen fireworks in a long time. The crowd also let out surprised cheers—everyone was immersed in a sea of joy~~

I thought Little Shutter would be thrilled by the fireworks, but the loud bangs scared her into my arms. When you’re older, Mommy will take you to Disney to watch fireworks!

Let’s welcome a beautiful spring with a dazzling fireworks display.

Introduction: Yu Yuan is located in Lishui District, Nanjing. It nestles against hills and embraces waters, with exquisitely carved ancient architecture fully restored in Ming and Qing styles. The ancient stage, Zeng Family Compound, Zhou Bangyan Memorial Hall, Jimei Pavilion, and Lanyue Tower surround a clear pond like an unfolding ink-wash scroll. White walls, dark tiles, and classic horse-head walls reflected in the water create a dreamy scene.

Address: Next to Fujiabian Agricultural Science Park; you can walk from Plum Mountain

Duration: One hour

Rating: Three stars

Yu Yuan, this quaint traditional architectural complex, was opened to the public as a Jiangnan ancient village after a series of preservation, development, and utilization projects by Lishui Industry Group, with protecting the buildings and promoting architectural culture as its mission.

Right behind it is Plum Mountain, with plum blossoms in full bloom, making Yu Yuan especially vibrant.

The buildings here are mostly large, deep courtyard homes, clustered by clan. Houses face south with central symmetry, often multi-story, centered on courtyard units with water-collecting skylights. The architectural elements are distinctive.

Strolling around, you’ll notice that every structure showcases traditional Chinese craftsmanship like carving, giving you a constant sense of antiquity and rich culture.

As sunlight spills down, these old buildings suddenly seem to come alive.

Imagine living in one of these houses, opening the door to a sea of green and flowers all over the mountain—such a scene would intoxicate many~

Every corner has its own beauty.

It’s said that the ancient stage now hosts drama performances daily. Friends who enjoy opera can check it out~

Introduction: Fujiabian’s strawberry gardens are famous around the area. There’s a huge strawberry garden perfect for bringing kids to experience picking. The cultivation method is unique—unlike regular strawberry fields planted in the ground, the elevated strawberry garden uses a three-dimensional growing system. You can pick strawberries without bending over.

Address: Fujiabian Premium Strawberry Garden (huge parking lot at the entrance)

Duration: Half an hour

Cost: 50 yuan/jin for picking to take home

Rating: Four stars

The strawberries here truly live up to their reputation. As soon as you enter the parking lot, strawberry cartoons and sculptures set the mood right away~

Walking into the strawberry garden, the sweet scent hits you, and even your clothes smell of strawberries~

The last time I took Little Shutter strawberry picking, it was in a regular greenhouse with muddy ground that easily dirtied shoes. This time we chose this special elevated strawberry garden on purpose. The strawberries grow in mid-air, and the ground is very clean—perfect for parent-child outings~~

Look, the harvest of a strawberry fanatic~ My little girl, not even two, is already my capable helper in many ways. This old mother is very pleased.

The strawberries here grow on two levels, making photos very photogenic, with fresh vibes everywhere~~

A little tagalong~~~~

There are two payment options: you can eat while picking, or weigh afterward and pay. We chose the latter.

In the greenhouse we visited, many strawberries weren’t fully ripe yet and weren’t very large. So it was mainly about the experience.

Little Shutter looks so tiny here~

Look, she’s even showing off now.

I love the way you run and laugh here. Although she doesn’t have as many chances to be in nature as I did growing up at my grandmother’s in the countryside, I hope to do my best to let you blend into nature, get close to it, and love it—so you can be a free and happy person.

The strawberries she picked herself must be especially sweet~~ P.S. She said she likes green strawberries best, because only the green ones are sweet…

When we weighed them, we saw boxes of white strawberries being packed. I hope that in the near future, green strawberries will also become very sweet, and Little Shutter’s dream will come true~~

Introduction: Qianmo Huakai includes a tourist service commercial block, an agricultural R&D area, an outdoor leisure camp, a Grain Stack Center restaurant, a flower terrace viewing area, and agricultural greenhouse picking areas. The main transport is a small train that runs through the park’s key areas, making it a good family experience.

Address: No. 111 Baizhu Road, Baima Town, Lishui District

Suggested Duration: 2–3 hours

Rating: Three stars

Early in the morning, we arrived at Qianmo Huakai. Just inside the gate is a row of bamboo.

Once inside the park, it felt like we’d traveled back to ancient times.

This is Fish Market Street, with rows of black-awning boats on the canal and a bar street built in ancient-style wooden buildings—the full flavor of a Jiangnan water town right before your eyes. On the bridge, girls danced gracefully, as if we’d returned to a bygone era. Very charming.

Every corner makes a great photo~~

This is also the commercial leisure area, with trendy snacks, tea and coffee bars, handicrafts, etc. Window shopping and photo ops are also a way to have fun here.

Besides a street of casual snacks, there’s an animal park that kids love best.

It’s rare to see a peacock displaying its feathers even at a zoo, so we were lucky to witness it here.

This white bird with its train fanned out—does anyone know what it is? Could it be a white peacock?

And these big fellas came up to us curiously as soon as we approached.

There’s also a large grassland, with yurts, a horse ranch, etc. It really feels like stepping onto the Mongolian steppe for a second.

They also offer horseback riding for those who enjoy it.

Let Little Shutter get up close with Prince Charming~~

Next moment, we’re on the Inner Mongolian prairie. Imagining this place lush green in summer, I’m really looking forward to bringing my child to experience nature outdoors~

This huge circular plaza is called Carnival. In peak season, you can drink tea, enjoy the scenery, and watch equestrian shows during the day. At night, there are bonfire parties, torch festival performances, and more, with a strong village vibe.

Walking along the paths, you see pigeons perching on rooftops, not afraid of people at all—scenes of harmony between humans and animals everywhere. This old mother’s inner monologue: While I can still carry you, let me hold you a few more steps……

Introduction: Zhou Yuan is the largest private collection museum in China, located in Baima Town, Lishui District, Nanjing. It was built by Mr. Zhou Hetong, a British-Chinese. The compound consists of the Imperial Kitchen, Shangshu Study, Yangxin Hall, Taihe Study, Baohe Study, Shilong Hall, Thousand Buddha Corridor, etc. Themed on Buddhist culture and Huizhou architecture, it houses a vast collection of stone carvings, wood carvings, jade carvings, antique beds, classical furniture, Buddha statues, murals, and other comprehensive ancient cultural artworks.

Address: No. 88 Baiyuan Road, Baima Town, Lishui District

Suggested Duration: 1–3 hours

Rating: Four stars

Zhou Yuan is only about a two- or three-minute drive from Qianmo Huakai, so these two places fit well in the same half-day.

As soon as we entered, we saw this beautiful architecture.

Zhou Yuan is Mr. Zhou Hetong’s private club. The architecture follows traditional Chinese palace style, reflecting the owner’s extraordinary bearing as the “Badminton King.”

The main building, Shilong Hall, features a five-bay double-eave hip roof, magnificent and resplendent. Each building is adorned with hand-painted Hexi colored paintings and decorative patterns, stunning and brilliant.

Standing in this corner, for a moment I felt transported into a palace.

Every brick, tile, and eave is worth admiring.

Zhou Yuan’s collection focuses on jade carvings and rosewood furniture, displaying nearly ten thousand treasures collected by the owner’s family over five generations and a hundred years.

Here is the Thousand Buddha Corridor, 318 meters long, enshrining mainly stone Buddha statues in various shapes, all vivid and lifelike. These 1,300 statues from different periods, sects, and styles come from all over China and a few from overseas, representing a great assembly of Buddhas from the Buddhist world. The corridor’s ceiling features exquisite Suzhou-style paintings with varied themes from Confucian classics and Taoist legends.

At the end of the corridor, we reached a vast stone carving array—a truly spectacular sight!

No wonder people say, “Not coming is a pity, coming is a shock.” I was truly awestruck!

This is the Blessing Bell. Next to the stone array is the Hundred Beds Museum, housing over 120 beds collected from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Among them is a “Bed King” covering 30 square meters, said to be made by the Imperial Workshop in the late Qing and used by the last emperor, Puyi, when he lived in Tianjin. With superb materials and exquisite carving, it is a rare treasure for studying late Qing furniture-making art.

Not far away stand grand Huizhou-style mansions.

Black tiles, white walls, horse-head-shaped gables, and blue brick gate covers… Wandering through Zhou Yuan, surrounded by five distinctive Huizhou buildings, every brick and tile carries a profound sense of history.

I really like this understated color scheme, as elegant as an ink-wash painting, tinged with history. Every wall seems to tell an ancient tale.

The outer wall of the Zhou family compound is impressively grand and exquisite!

Just before leaving, Little Shutter spotted this little pig—so cute!

Introduction: Lixiang Village has a profound historical background. During the Anti-Japanese War, it was the seat of the Soviet-Jiangsu Party Committee, the Southern Jiangsu Administrative Office, the 16th Brigade of the Sixth Division of the New Fourth Army, and other leading Communist Party and government organs in southern Jiangsu. It was the command center of resistance in southern Jiangsu and is called “Little Yan’an in Southern Jiangsu” by historians. Senior New Fourth Army generals like Chen Yi, Su Yu, Tan Zhenlin, Jiang Weiqing, and Zhong Guochu fought and lived here. It is now an educational base for Party member and cadre training.

Suggested Duration: 2–3 hours

Rating: Four stars

At the village entrance, the striking characters “Red Lixiang” in vermillion, along with the phrase “Eternal Original Aspiration” on the nearby grassland, instantly evoke a sense of history. It is indeed called “Little Yan’an in Southern Jiangsu.”

The houses, built with blue bricks, mountain stones, or fish-scale tiles, remain as they were, transporting you back to the 1930s and 40s.

Every time I visit a village, I love the locals’ natural, relaxed way of life. They’re so friendly, always smiling. At moments like these, I think of my grandparents and my hometown folks.

Wow, these are my favorite old objects. I remember I once really wanted a pig trough. Uncle Liu’s grandpa actually found one for me and moved it back. I have no idea how the elderly man managed to carry it onto a tricycle and transport it all that way. Whenever I think about it, my heart softens. So every time I move, I take that pig trough with me. Seeing it reminds me of Grandpa, who was so kind to me without expecting anything in return.

With such a quaint old shop, of course I need a photo. Every little shop is a shining memory in a child’s childhood!

This was once the seat of the Soviet-Jiangsu Party Committee, the Southern Jiangsu Administrative Office, and the 16th Brigade Headquarters of the New Fourth Army. While stationed in Lixiang, the Party and government organs held a series of important meetings like the Southern Jiangsu Civilian Work Conference, issued policy directives like the Southern Jiangsu Administrative Program, and commanded numerous battles against Japanese and puppet forces. It left behind an epic, stirring legacy of arduous struggle and heroic deeds by the Party and the people during the War of Resistance. To this day, many educational revolutionary sites remain.

Not only are the residents friendly, even the cats and dogs are super warm! Look at this tabby cat—it followed me from the moment we entered the village, meowing all the way. It felt like meeting an old friend after a long time.

If I ignored it, it would throw a little tantrum, baring its pointy little fangs~~ Grumpy-cute, incredibly adorable!

Youngsters, gotta keep striving!

Strolling through the lanes and alleys, red marks are everywhere. There’s the former residence of Li Jianzhen, Lishui’s first female county Party secretary and also the first in CPC history (who later became head of the Guangdong Provincial People’s Congress after liberation); the former residences of Jiang Weiqing, Secretary of the Soviet-Jiangsu Party Committee, and Zhong Guochu, Commander of the 16th Brigade of the New Fourth Army; as well as the underground communication hub and the Party and government organ site (the Li Ancestral Hall). These seemingly ordinary sites reveal the hardship and cruelty of the struggle, and the determination and tenacity of the older generation of revolutionaries, offering great inspiration and education.

The renowned Marshal Chen Yi also stayed here. As commander of the New Fourth Army detachment, Chen Yi visited Lixiang three times to guide local resistance efforts, and his temporary residence is still preserved.

Look, there’s also this super enthusiastic golden retriever. Unlike the cat that followed me, this one walked ahead of me, guiding the way, as if it knew where we were going—hilarious!

Watching it sway along, you can’t help but be charmed. I love the animals here; they add so much life and vitality to Red Lixiang.

This time we stayed at the Nanjing Zhushang Yunxiang Hotel that Uncle Liu found, a hidden retreat nestled at the southern foot of Wuxiang Mountain in Lishui District, Nanjing, surrounded by lush trees. The hotel is huge, covering over 1,000 acres—essentially an entire mountain, with bamboo forest on one side and peach groves on the other. Rooms are hidden amid jade-green bamboo, incredibly serene, and the mountain air is superb. Service was attentive; they prepared steamed egg custard for our baby every morning, and when we were late for dinner due to the fireworks show, they specially cooked noodles for us. Most of all, I recommend the farmhouse cuisine here, likely quite famous in Nanjing. The restaurant was fully booked on weekends, requiring reservations with the butler. The parking lot was full of cars from downtown Nanjing coming for the food. The butler said the vegetables, chickens, ducks, and fish are all raised on site—free-range chickens—and their peach gum is also highly recommended. However, we had two regrets: we missed the hotel’s frequent activities like bamboo shoot digging, dumpling-making, and holiday events like Women’s Day. Also, the hillside peach blossoms hadn’t bloomed yet, so we couldn’t see that beautiful sight.

Rating: Five stars

Average price: 500–900 yuan/room

The hotel grounds are filled with towering trees.

The rooms are nestled in the woods, spaced out nicely for good privacy. On misty mornings, the mountains are shrouded in fog, making you feel like you’re in a fairyland.

Each room has floor-to-ceiling windows; pulling back the curtains reveals a sea of green, truly living in nature.

We stayed in a family suite with a king bed and tatami area, perfect for families with kids. The room was spacious, about 70–80 square meters.

There’s also a swimming pool that opens in summer.

Breakfast every day was hearty and healthy.

After meals, we strolled around the hotel. The vast bamboo groves fit the hotel’s name perfectly: Bamboo Above Clouds.

From an aerial view, the hotel rooms are hidden among the trees.

We even spotted a colorful frog in the hotel pond—so close to nature.

The restaurant’s dishes exceeded my expectations. I thought that as a homestay-style hotel, the food would just be fresh farmhouse fare with average taste, but every single dish was surprisingly delicious. No misses at all.

It’s truly one of the most highly recommended farmhouse restaurants I’ve ever tried.

Beneath ancient pines and green bamboos, winding paths lead to hidden spots.

As dusk fell and the lights came on, the atmosphere was perfect—like stepping into a fairy tale.

Goodnight, mountain forest, and our little cottage~~

Our two-day Lishui, Nanjing tour ended perfectly. Little Shutter’s first trip far from home was super smooth. Many say that children this young won’t remember, but the joy she experienced in the moment is irreplaceable. I hope that little brain can hold onto more curiosity and passion, and together with Mom and Dad, keep moving forward, discovering more beauty around us.