I Nodded Off, and Autumn Arrived — A National Day RV Road Trip to Xinghua: 48 Hours Avoiding the Crowds

The unusual year 2020 is three-quarters over. What will the first holiday after the pandemic be like?

This hot topic has probably been going on since the end of August...

[One month before the holiday] Everyone is booking flights, train tickets, and hotels (the tourism industry finally sees a boom).

[Two weeks before the holiday] Hotels are running out, airfares are skyrocketing, train tickets are on waitlist.

[One week before the holiday] Me: still haven't decided on a destination (embarrassing!).

However, an advertisement for hairy crabs on my social feed reminded me: October is the season for eating crabs! So I immediately set my sights on the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai region, not too far, not too close, just right! So how to gracefully avoid the crowds during the long holiday? Simply refuse to go to big cities!

I gathered my friends and turned on human search engine mode — Xinghua, the hometown of crabs, was a perfect fit! And it would be a super cool RV trip!

As a northerner, I only knew about the famous Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs before, but I was also well aware of how 'deep the waters' are there. To avoid pitfalls, we did our homework this time and learned that true crab connoisseurs come to Xinghua.

During the National Day holiday, the 'Encounter Golden Autumn Crab Tasting Food Festival' was happening here — so even plump crabs have their own festival.

The snack street and stage were all set up, and we came specifically to 'join the crab fun'!

The food festival was held at Wujindang Wetland Park. If you still don't know where to go during the holiday, come here and take a look.

They say that nine out of ten crabs in the country come from Xinghua. I posted this question on Weibo, and many netizens disagreed: 'Obviously, all ten come from Xinghua!' Haha, it doesn't matter how many — the important thing is that we came to the right place: Xinghua!

At the food festival, there were many snack stalls themed around crabs, like crab roe buns, crab sticks, steamed crabs — you can have your fill! Of course, there were also many stalls selling freshly caught hairy crabs. Look closely, and they were indeed live crabs, some still blowing bubbles from the lake water. But early October is just the beginning of crab season. The crabs sold at the food festival were mostly under 250 grams. Netizens say the truly plump crabs come in late October. Although the crabs weren't huge now, every one I ate had roe and fat!

At the opening ceremony, I heard from the Culture and Tourism Bureau that the crabs here are naturally farmed in water, without any catalysts, so the flavor and texture are naturally more substantial. At the food festival, I noticed that different crab brands all share a common feature: they give their crabs an 'ID card'. Scanning the QR code on them reveals basic information about the crab.

The food festival also featured a demonstration of the proper way to eat crabs — the refined method!

As the saying goes, every profession has its specialization. Eating crabs requires special tools. After watching this whole crab-eating process, someone nearby said, 'In this time, I could eat ten crabs!' Haha, my friend immediately chimed in: 'That's the rough way!'

The most civilized way to eat a crab is to end up with 'a complete crab skeleton'. I recorded a whole mini-video for over ten minutes — what to eat and what not to eat, and I can refer to this video from now on!

During the National Day holiday, Wujindang Wetland Park also had an 'Aurora Show' light performance, with colorful neon lights dancing in a dreamy scene.

Starting from October 1st, I would scroll through Douyin and social feeds every day, seeing scenes of highways 'all red' nationwide, or videos of tourists shouting, 'I regret it! I want to go home!' Haha, a true and realistic portrayal!!! But in Xinghua, such a scene simply doesn't exist. Friends, applaud for me again!

Xinghua is not a big city — it only takes about 6 kilometers to cross the main urban area. Scenic spots are relatively concentrated.

As part of the Jiangnan water town region, Xinghua truly lives up to its reputation. On both sides of the road where we drove our RV, there were endless rice fields and pastoral scenery. From what I read, the spring Qianduo rapeseed flower fields are truly spectacular, no less than Wuyuan! Therefore, this place has been loved by literati since ancient times and is also the hometown of famous novels! Zheng Banqiao and Fan Zhongyan both shone in this land!

[Wujindang Bridge]

This is also called Qianduo Beautiful Road, named after the large rapeseed fields on both sides. In spring, I'll bring my drone here to take photos. In the dark, I could only take pictures of the bridge and streetlights.

Xinghua has a long history, and the city exudes the fragrance of ink everywhere. Confucianism has taken root and sprouted here.

Confucianism Street got its name from Fan Zhongyan's 'Confucianism Inscription' from the Northern Song Dynasty. Ancient residences, memorial archways, and classical gardens are adjacent to each other. In the light rain, Xinghua had a touch of ancient town charm. Compared to the well-known ancient towns of Jiangnan water towns, this place was truly a serene spot during the National Day holiday.

Walking into the Xinghua Literature Museum on Confucianism Street, you can learn how this place earned the title of 'Hometown of Chinese Novels'. The writers who emerged from here are numerous!

My travel companion put a lot of effort into the outfit for this trip. The drizzling rain and an oil-paper umbrella were a perfect match! It felt like walking in a painting. Hanfu enthusiasts will definitely get great photos here!

The small streets and alleys nearby look good no matter how you shoot them. Emotional scenes, ancient costumes and Hanfu — this is a treasure trove for posing. The best part is: no people! No people! No people!

[Xinghua Museum]

The Xinghua Museum is built in imitation of Ming and Qing architecture. As soon as you enter, you see a garden landscape, full of Jiangnan charm.

The museum's main theme is Zheng Banqiao, and it also includes displays of Xinghua's historical materials and introductions to other celebrities. It's a must-visit in Xinghua. I fell in love with it just for the environment and layout!

The goldfish in the pond reminded me of 'Chen Yangyu' (a character from a TV show).

The statue of Zheng Banqiao — many people come here for his fame!

The scene of the Zhaoyang War shows Xinghua's long history.

Returning to the backyard on the first floor, I found a hidden gem. Jiangnan's garden layout is truly exquisite. No wonder Emperor Qianlong made three trips to Jiangnan. Even hundreds or thousands of years later, this place is still dreamily beautiful, let alone the grand scenery of its time!

Qinmin Hall — looking at the background picture, you can guess this is where trials were held.

The back door of the Xinghua Museum is on an old street. Compared to the front door, it looks more like a scholar's residence.

Through the alley, there is a memorial archway with four pillars and four doors on the street-facing side. It's a pavilion-like building I've never seen elsewhere. Inside, looking up, you can see 47 plaques hanging inside and out!

Opening hours: 8:30–17:30

Ticket price: Free

[Jindongmen Old Street]

Besides the Xinghua Museum, Jindongmen Old Street is also a must-visit. It has a history of over a thousand years! The old street is still inhabited by residents, preserving the most authentic Xinghua market life. During the National Day holiday, there were only a few tourists. I prefer this semi-commercialized, simple state. Oh, the stinky tofu stall at the entrance of the street is absolutely delicious!

Zheng Banqiao's Former Residence, Zhao Haixian's Western-style Building, Cheng's Grand Commandant Mansion, and Ge Jiashe Memorial Hall are all on the old street. Due to time, we only went to Zheng Banqiao's Former Residence.

The residence was built in the Qing Dynasty. Banqiao lived here before becoming a presented scholar. The whole residence faces south with white walls and black tiles, including a gate hall, upper and lower rooms, a small study, and a small kitchen.

This is also a great place for Hanfu and ancient costume photography. The courtyard is serene yet simple, creating a poetic and picturesque scene.

At the back, there is a realm of poetry — perhaps missing a 'Xia Yuhe by Daming Lake' (a reference to a TV character).

Even rainy days can't resist its beauty!

Near the entrance of Jindong Street, there is an old pharmacy with a history comparable to Tongrentang. It still functions today, and the shop is full of the smell of Chinese medicine.

The Zhuangyuan Archway on Jindong Street.

Although we had an RV, considering everyone's different living habits, we decided to stay in a homestay at night. After all, it's a holiday — find an excuse to treat ourselves!

Xinghua city has many hotels, and during the National Day holiday, rooms were hard to come by. So we decided to stay in the suburb at Liuze Village. There are boats, water, and rice fields there. Any casual photo looks like a scene from Jay Chou's 'Rice Fragrance' music video!

The homestay had just opened on October 1st, so we were lucky to get a room. When night fell, we parked the RV at the village entrance, and a painted boat came to welcome us. I almost thought we were staying on an island!

The homestay had about a dozen rooms. Such a light luxury homestay is rare in Xinghua. Sitting in the leisurely courtyard, enjoy the first cup of milk tea of autumn (Where's the tea?!).

The homestay is by the water, and this season and climate are just right — the breeze is gentle.

The few of us had the whole courtyard to ourselves.

The homestay style is Japanese minimalist. If there are many people, you can choose a room with a kitchen. Almost every room has a bathtub.

There are also straw hats, a favorite prop for girls taking photos.

This homestay has a larger restaurant compared to others I've stayed in. It can seat several tables and has private rooms. The dinner here was the best meal we had during our Xinghua trip.

[Xinghua Liuze Village]

[During National Day: 1500 yuan/room; usual weekday: 700-800 yuan]

The next morning, we went straight to Dongluo Village. This is a relatively well-developed village in Xinghua. The village retains its original simple appearance, with some old buildings and houses freshly painted, making it a popular vacation destination for city dwellers. It's just one step away from becoming a 'internet-famous' spot. Before it gets too popular, come and save it!

The grand auditorium is a typical landmark of Dongluo Village, full of red revolutionary atmosphere from the Cultural Revolution period. Every brick and tile has been renovated on the original foundation. Now, inside the auditorium, there are graphic displays of Xinghua and Dongluo cultural tourism. On fixed dates, theater troupes are invited to perform for the villagers for free!

The scene from 'Rice Fragrance' — really, I nodded off, and autumn arrived. In the blink of an eye, autumn will be over. Cherish the remaining time of 2020!

This is a small museum in Dongluo Village, mainly displaying the village's appearance before and after the reform, along with some early cultural life.

If I had to pick my favorite part of the two-day trip, it would be Lizhong Water Forest Park. I'd give it 200 points out of 100!

Isn't it a fairy wonderland! Every scene is perfect for your fairy dress — a proper 'runaway princess from Disneyland' live performance.

This is a relatively famous scenic spot in Xinghua, and it had the largest crowd I saw during these two days. Still, it's nothing compared to netizens shouting with regret at other tourist spots!

This old man is truly a winner in life. He manually rows his boat, with cormorants (if I'm not mistaken) on either side. I wonder if he's about to pack up and go home. He is one of the highlights of the water forest.

Thousand-year-old vines intertwine on the lake surface, causing occasional ripples and reflections. We are all elves walking through here.

Lizhong Water Forest Park is incredibly photogenic. The wooden boardwalks, trees, and the misty forest are all material for your creativity. If conditions allow, bring picnic props or rent a boat to take a set of portrait photos here!

The misty forest is artificially created with timed mist sprays, about four times a day. Pay attention when entering. The mist creates an atmosphere more like a fairyland.

Another entertainment is a boat tour through the water forest, allowing you to get closer to nature.

[Ticket: 90 yuan including forest area and bamboo raft]

[Opening hours: 08:00-17:00]

This crab-themed trip is naturally inseparable from food. Besides the crabs we ate at the food festival at Wujindang Wetland Park, the following restaurants are also recommended:

① Gongjiji Private Kitchen (Xinghua city center)

Very authentic Xinghua cuisine. Don't miss the recommended dishes.

Braised mixed fish — very flavorful, with snails, crabs, river shrimp, and fish. The broth is both delicious and great with rice.

Stewed old duck with tangyuan — a large dumpling with vegetable filling, quite special.

Sanlintang pizhuang fish balls — the broth is very fresh.

Meat juice taro — my favorite, stewed just right. The taro is not too soft, a bit crispy, extremely tasty.

[Per person: about 80 yuan]

The restaurant at our homestay served exquisite dishes with careful plating. A good meal to reward ourselves for the travel fatigue.

Cucumber skin with dipping sauce — instantly whets the appetite.

Stir-fried river shrimp — super fresh.

Chopped pepper fish head — the river fish by the water is truly fresh.

Fried lotus root patties — appetizing snacks.

Fried shrimp with sugarcane — unique preparation.

The highlight: Xinghua hairy crabs. Every one was a female crab with very full roe. They also thoughtfully provided ginger soup. Satisfying.

[Per person: about 150 yuan]

The RV we rented this time was an SAIC RV80. Each can accommodate 3-4 people. We only stayed one night, and it's best to alternate with hotel stays. Women tend to use more water for showers, haha. The price during National Day was 1000 yuan/day, and we picked it up in Nanjing!

About the driver's license: A C-class license is enough, and you'll get used to it after a short drive.

Although not a large RV, the space is sufficient. Two can sleep on the top, two inside. The kitchen, living room, and bathroom are all equipped, meeting basic daily needs. But I still recommend alternating with hotel stays unless you're backpacking or a pure RV enthusiast. Men are more flexible.

D1: Pick up RV in Nanjing and drive to Xinghua (or take a high-speed train directly to Xinghua), arrive in the evening for a simple rest.

D2: Wujindang Wetland Park (in spring, go to Qianduo Beautiful Road to see rapeseed flowers) — Confucianism Street — Xinghua Museum — Jindongmen Old Street — Liuze Village homestay.

D3: Dongluo Village — Lizhong Water Forest Park.

[During National Day, excluding transportation, per person: about 1000 yuan]

Take advantage of autumn's fragrant rice fields and plump crabs — I'm here to recommend Xinghua to you! Miss it, and you'll have to wait a year!

Travelogue directory: 1. Nonsensical pre-trip notes; 2. Autumn is for eating crabs; 3. The 'sweetness' in Xinghua; 4. Living in the countryside, experiencing ink-wash life; 5. Clear water Dongluo Village; 6. Elves appear, Lizhong Water Forest Park; 7. Xinghua food guide; 8. About the RV; 9. 48-hour Xinghua itinerary guide.

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