Flowers and Jiangnan, March on Earth ‖ Falling in Love with Spring, Starting from Xinghua's Bright Rapeseed Flowers

📍 Queenstown · 👁 2 reads · ❤️ 31 likes

In the March spring breeze, there is the vitality of growing grass and flying birds. When the mood brightens with the warm spring sun, and when the wardrobe is filled with ethereal little white dresses, floral skirts, clean white shirts, and jeans, I become more and more eager to go into nature to meet spring, and to encounter a romantic flower event in spring.

Perhaps because I'm used to the spring in the north, I always feel that the spring in Jiangnan is more poetic, and that in the misty March, one must visit Jiangnan to feel complete. This time, I followed my heart, hmm, and happily decided: off to Jiangnan!

"Encountering rapeseed flowers is when you truly know you're in spring." While searching for destinations, I came across this phrase, and my heart trembled slightly. Yes, among all the spring flowers, none is more radiant than rapeseed flowers. And when it comes to rapeseed flowers, one can't help but mention the Qianduo Scenic Area, renowned as 'China's Most Beautiful Rapeseed Flower Sea.' Target locked, tickets booked, off to Xinghua to enjoy the rapeseed flowers!

Day 1: Arrived in Xinghua. Stayed at: Xinghua Zemu Yunju Homestay.

Day 2: Qianduo Scenic Area — Xinghua Museum — Jindongmen Historic Block. Stayed at: Xinghua Zemu Yunju Homestay.

Day 3: Xinghua Morning Tea — Lizhong Water Forest Scenic Area — Return.

1. Clothing: Before traveling to a city, I always check the local weather to prepare my clothes. I had planned to wear a dress, but during the days in Xinghua, the highest temperature was only 13-14°C, so I brought sweaters, hoodies, jeans, and a thick coat. Girls, check the weather before you go and dress accordingly for the weather and scenes.

2. Documents: Need I mention the essential ID card? If you plan to drive, remember your driver's license.

3. Others: Camera, memory card, charger, umbrella, makeup bag, etc. During the pandemic, personal protection is essential; mask and disinfectant wipes are must-haves. When arriving in Taizhou, you need a green Su Kang code to exit the station.

After meeting up with my friends at Taizhou Station, we headed to Xinghua Zemu Yunju Homestay. By the time we arrived at the homestay, it was past 10 p.m. My first impression of the homestay was the excellent service. After checking in, the auntie not only helped carry our luggage to the room but also brought us fruit and pastries. The weariness from the journey was instantly lightened by such warm hospitality.

It wasn't until the next morning that I got to see the true face of the homestay. The homestay is situated by the river, and a not-too-large courtyard encloses a wonderful world. The design blends rustic logs with modern simplicity, romantic and full of pastoral charm. I walked out to the riverside; several painted boats were moored at the bank, and under the sunlight, the river surface shimmered, offering a panoramic view of the Lixia River scenery. When I looked up, I noticed the rapeseed flowers blooming beautifully in the distance, a brilliant golden sea that was truly delightful. This scene was like a poem and a painting; or rather, it was itself a landscape poem and a pastoral painting.

From chatting with the auntie, I learned that the homestay has only 15 rooms, each carefully crafted. Room types include Twilight Fresh Garden View King Room, Secret Canopy Exquisite King Room, Light Luxury Business Elegant Twin Room, and more. There's also a restaurant in the homestay called Yuanwei Liuze Restaurant. The ingredients are sourced daily from villagers, fresh and healthy. We had breakfast there, and I especially recommend the egg pancake; it's not greasy at all and super delicious.

Our itinerary was packed, so we headed straight to the scenic area after breakfast. If there's nothing to do, sipping tea, reading, fishing, or boating at the homestay to steal a half-day of leisure would surely be very enjoyable.

It was my first visit to Qianduo Scenic Area, yet I felt like we were old acquaintances, because I had seen her beauty many times on social media before we met.

"Let's go up to the observation deck to see the flower sea," said the tour guide. We walked to the observation deck, which has several levels; the higher you go, the broader the view. Looking down from the deck, I couldn't help but exclaim: Qianduo Scenic Area truly lives up to its reputation as one of the world's four great flower seas. Although not yet in full bloom, the area was already brimming with vitality. Under the sun, the rapeseed flowers were dazzling and radiant. The spring breeze blew, and golden waves surged across the mound fields, a magnificent sight.

Unlike the rapeseed flowers I had seen before, the Qianduo rapeseed flowers grow in water. The guide told us that because Xinghua's terrain is low-lying and the farmland is prone to waterlogging, the local people dug up the mud from the water in low-lying areas and piled it up piece by piece, forming the mound fields we see today—like small islands in the water. The mound fields, clear water, and rapeseed flowers complement each other, creating the most irreplaceable and beautiful scenery of spring.

Then we walked along the flower-lined paths. The rapeseed flowers in Qianduo are quite tall; at 1.63 meters, I was almost buried in the flower clusters. Walking there, I felt as if I were in a golden fairy-tale world, on a magical journey. The rapeseed flowers, in clusters, stalks, and mounds, with flowing bright golden hues, enchanted the eyes and soothed the soul. In the flower sea, as busy as the hardworking bees were the tourists taking photos. I joined them, capturing the precious moments of my encounter with the Qianduo rapeseed flowers.

There are waterways in the rapeseed flower sea, and you can take a boat through it. Viewing flowers from the water is a unique experience. The painted boat moved slowly, the spring water flowing gently. Sitting by the window, the spring breeze caressed my hair, bringing wafts of fragrance, and I felt completely refreshed.

As I left Qianduo Scenic Area, I looked back. I thought, if rapeseed flowers had eyes, they would surely understand the love and reluctance in my gaze. I waved goodbye, looking forward to meeting them again next spring.

Travel tips:

① Address: East end of Dongwang Village, Ganggu Township, Xinghua City, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province.

② Tickets: Listed price: ticket + boat ticket 100 CNY/person; online ticket: ticket + boat ticket 90 CNY/person.

③ Transportation: You can take a bus from Xinghua to the scenic area. Self-driving is recommended.

④ Best viewing time: The full bloom period of Xinghua Qianduo rapeseed flowers is around Qingming Festival, lasting roughly until May Day. Those who want to see the flowers should time their visit well.

⑤ Photo spots: Be sure to go up to the observation platform for a more magnificent view of the rapeseed flower sea. Any path among the flowers is beautiful for photos. Also, viewing rapeseed flowers by boat offers a unique feeling.

⑥ Clothing and props: Girls can choose light-colored dresses, and use props like hats to strike better poses and get more photogenic shots.

The best place to understand a city is naturally its museum.

Even before entering Xinghua Museum, I was attracted by its appearance with pink walls, black tiles, and horse-head walls. Stepping inside, it felt like entering a classical garden! White walls with black tiles, carved beams and painted rafters, small bridges over flowing water, and lush bamboo and trees—such an elegant museum that I wouldn't get bored spending an entire afternoon there! While the museum's high aesthetic appeal drew me in, it was its substance that truly captivated me.

In fact, Xinghua Museum can also be considered the Zheng Banqiao Memorial Hall and the Shi Nai'an Memorial Hall. Previously, I only knew that Zheng Banqiao was one of the "Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou," but I hadn't known he was actually from Xinghua. And I only knew of Shi Nai'an's literary achievements, but I hadn't known that his Water Margin was written during his seclusion in Xinghua to avoid war.

At Xinghua Museum, through those texts and historical materials, I learned about the legendary life of Zheng Banqiao, the "Triple-Supreme Talent" (supreme in poetry, calligraphy, and painting), heard the story of how Shi Nai'an wrote Water Margin, and listened to the long-standing development history and brilliant humanistic history of Xinghua. Walking into Xinghua Museum, I understood and fell in love with this city.

A side door of the museum leads directly to Liyuan Boat Hall. Liyuan Boat Hall was once the private garden of Li Xiaobo, a wealthy merchant in the Qing Dynasty. "Look, doesn't it resemble a boat?" As soon as the guide spoke, everyone agreed that it indeed looked like a boat, and the name "Boat Hall" was both apt and vivid. The ground was covered with moss, and towering ancient trees added more charm to the hall. Inside, everything from the enamel glass to the nanmu floor-to-ceiling lotus doors showcased the owner's status and position.

Xinghua County Office is not far from Liyuan Boat Hall. The Xinghua County Office is a thousand-year-old ancient county government building, and Fan Zhongyan once served as county magistrate here for three years.

The layout of Xinghua County Office is almost the same as other county government offices I've visited, with the main gate, ceremonial gate, and great hall arranged in order, showing very strict organization. Gazing at the plaque "A Clear Mirror Hanging High" in the Qinmin Hall, and listening to the guide tell of the various achievements of Fan Zhongyan during his tenure as Xinghua county magistrate—building sea dykes, establishing schools, and promoting education—I couldn't help but be lost in thought.

Another memorable thing was the monkey-faced lion statue at the entrance of the county office, cute and super adorable.

Travel tips:

① Address: Xinghua Museum is located on Pailou Road, Xinghua City, Taizhou, Jiangsu. The Four Memorial Archways, Liyuan Boat Hall, and Xinghua County Office are all near the museum.

② Tickets: Xinghua Museum is free. Liyuan Boat Hall and Xinghua County Office charge admission; online, a combo ticket for both is 17 CNY.

③ Transportation: These places are all in downtown Xinghua, easily accessible by bus or taxi.

When traveling in Xinghua, you must not miss the Jindongmen Historic Block, which has nearly a thousand years of cultural heritage. We deliberately set aside some time for it.

Jindongmen Old Street is a main street in the block. "Why is it called Jindongmen Old Street? Because it's located on the east side of the ancient city of Xinghua, and since the Ming and Qing dynasties, it has been lined with shops, commercially prosperous, earning a fortune daily—hence the name." After hearing the guide's explanation, I suddenly understood.

I found that Jindongmen Old Street is different from those imitation ancient towns and streets—its sense of age is visible to the naked eye. The street is not wide, even somewhat crowded and shabby, but that doesn't affect my fondness for it at all. Every shop seems to have a history, such as the grocery, tung oil store, pewter workshop, and plaque shop. The shop owners generally don't actively solicit customers; they busy themselves with their own work and only greet them with warm smiles when customers come in. The street is full of shops, yet there's no strong commercial atmosphere, only a rich sense of everyday life.

The Jindongmen Historic Block preserves many famous historical relics and ancient buildings, and Shangchizhai is one of them. Anyone who has been to Jindongmen will remember it. Shangchizhai is a century-old traditional Chinese medicine shop, built during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, and this old building still stands on the street after weathering the years.

Before entering Shangchizhai, we could smell the strong aroma of medicine. Once inside, everyone almost exclaimed "Wow!" simultaneously. Golden plaques filled the room, high black-lacquered counters, wooden drug drawers, small steelyards for weighing medicine, grinding grooves, pestling barrels... To this day, everything in the shop still maintains its traditional style. The front is the shop, and the back is a workshop, and there's even a living spring inside Shangchizhai! I have to admit, such a Chinese medicine store is truly rare.

On the old street stands a memorial archway called Zhuangyuan Archway. This single-gate, double-pillar stone archway was erected by later generations to commemorate Li Chunfang, a top scholar (zhuangyuan) who came from Xinghua.

Zheng Banqiao's former residence is also located on Jindongmen Old Street. In the main hall of the residence are displayed a statue of Zheng Banqiao, the furniture he used, his biography, and research materials. The side room is a study, with the four characters "聊避风雨" (a shelter from wind and rain) in Banqiao style embedded on the door lintel, and inside are displayed contemporary calligraphy, paintings, carvings, and various crafts.

Zheng Banqiao's former residence is the type that is small but beautiful. The courtyard is quiet and elegant, with sparse orchids and bamboo, full of poetic charm. Visiting his residence, I understood the meaning of his saying: "A room does not need to be large to be elegant, and fragrance does not need to be strong to be smelled."

Travel tips:

① Address: East side of the ancient city of Xinghua, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province.

② Tickets: Attractions like Shangchizhai, Zhuangyuan Archway, Zheng Banqiao's Former Residence, and Zhao Haixian Western Building are all in the Jindongmen Historic Block. Jindongmen Old Street is free, but some small attractions charge admission.

③ Photography: The old street is perfect for Hanfu portraits; lovers of Hanfu should not miss it.

On the last morning, I woke up to find it raining. Looking at the wet ground, I thought of a line by Wei Yingwu: "It steals in with the wind by night, moistening all things softly." The rain in Jiangnan is not annoying at all; it's rather charming. I even began to feel grateful for the rain, for it allowed me to meet a misty, rainy Jiangnan. After freshening up, I headed to Langting Hotel in a good mood for morning tea.

The day of a Xinghua local begins with a delicious morning tea. The bustling scene at Langting Hotel showed me the charm of Xinghua's morning tea, and the lively atmosphere convinced me we had come to the right place.

When the dishes were served, we were amazed again: blanched shredded dried tofu, crab roe buns, shaomai, sugared ginger, beef vermicelli, egg and scallion pancake, jellyfish... My friends joked, do Xinghua people treat morning tea as lunch? So, can you imagine how lavish the morning tea is?

My favorite was the crab roe bun. Crab roe buns are a classic Xinghua delicacy. They are large and generously filled; the bun skin is dyed golden by crab oil, just looking at it whets the appetite. With one bite, the fragrance of crab meat and pork fills your mouth, leaving a mellow aftertaste. It's no exaggeration that after finishing one, you can't help but want a second. Guess how many crab roe buns I ate?

The blanched shredded dried tofu also won unanimous praise from my friends. From cutting to blanching, to the seasoning and plating, every step is meticulous, which is why the dish is so tender, smooth, and flavorful. The taste is savory with a slight sweetness, but not cloying, which suited my palate.

Crab roe buns, blanched shredded dried tofu, and fish soup noodles are known as the "three treasures of morning tea." It's a pity I didn't get to try the fish soup noodles this time, but it leaves something to look forward to; next time I come to Xinghua, I'll enjoy a few more morning teas!

① Address: First floor, Langting Hotel, Xinghua City, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province.

② Average cost: 100 CNY per person.

③ Recommended dishes: Crab roe buns, shaomai, blanched shredded dried tofu.

The last stop in Xinghua was Lizhong Water Forest Scenic Area. It's the "Little Jiuzhaigou of Central Jiangsu," the "Bird Paradise of East China," and even more, a fairy-tale world in my heart. I absolutely adore this hidden gem of a place—Xinghua Lizhong Water Forest Park!

How to describe Lizhong Water Forest Park in the rain? Like a beauty fresh from the bath. I'm not sure if that analogy is apt, but what is certain is that after the rain, the park was even more charming than I had imagined.

Not far from the entrance is the Misty Forest Wonderland. When the mist is released, the entire forest becomes ethereal and dreamlike. Standing among the metasequoia trees and wandering through the sea of February orchids, who doesn't feel like the most beautiful fairy? The mist is released at set times each day, and each session lasts for a limited duration, so be sure to time your photos well.

Taking a bamboo raft to explore the park is an experience not to be missed. The water lanes are lined with metasequoia and pond cypress, and all kinds of birds flit freely through the forest. The raft moves slowly, birdsong drifts leisurely, and after disembarking, there's a stretch of water boardwalk that's also amazing for photos.

There's a forest maze in the scenic area; we went in and walked around, and using the "right-hand rule" learned from variety shows, we easily and quickly found our way out. It was quite fun. Those interested might give it a try.

There's a Peach Blossom Island in Lizhong Water Forest Park. It's a small island planted with many peach trees. Now, the peach blossoms are in full bloom, making it perfect for portrait photography.

Travel tips:

① Location: Lizhong Water Forest Scenic Area, Lizhong Town, Xinghua City, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province.

② Tickets: Park entrance 50 CNY/person, bamboo raft ride 40 CNY/person.

③ Transportation: About a half-hour drive from Xinghua; self-driving recommended.

④ Clothing: A white dress is recommended, or light-colored clothes.

⑤ Timing: The metasequoia and pond cypress leaves haven't turned green yet; they should be even more beautiful later. Suggested visit time: about 3 hours.

The spring in Jiangnan is even a bit more wonderful than I imagined. I look forward to next spring, and the spring after, to meet the misty, flowery Jiangnan again.

Travelogue Contents

1. [Foreword]:

2. [Itinerary]:

3. [Preparations]:

4. Poetic Water Town Meets Spring Scenery: Zemu Yunju Homestay

5. Qianduo Spring Water and a City of Flowers: Qianduo Scenic Area

6. One Museum and One City: Xinghua Museum

7. Ancient Streets and Old Lanes with Lasting Charm: Xinghua Jindongmen Historic Block

8. A Bite of Xinghua: Xinghua Morning Tea

9. Misty Rain Jiangnan Painted: Lizhong Water Forest Park

10. [Conclusion]:

Travel Information