From city avenues to country lanes, the streams of traffic heading north and south, the most dazzling sight of the city!

In today's era of rapid urbanization, from megacities to medium-sized cities to small cities, there are many similarities and minor differences. The similarities are in the urban construction styles being largely alike, while the minor differences lie in the unique elements of different regions. Whether in big cities or small cities, there is an unmissable urban spectacle: the traffic flow and street scenes of vehicles coming and going. I was on a self-driving trip in an obscure small city in China, from the city avenues to the country lanes, and it seemed I saw an indescribable kind of scenery—perhaps the most dazzling landscape in this small city, or even in most cities across the country.

Economic and social development has brought changes to urban construction. Whether it's a large city, a small city, or even the construction of large towns, tremendous transformations have taken place. In addition to high-rise buildings, improved urban roads are also an important indicator of urban development. One day, I suddenly developed a strong interest in street photography, because it can capture the most authentic, objective, and vivid local culture. So whenever I visit a city, I like to pick up my camera and take street photos.

Located in the mountainous area of southern Anhui, Ningguo City, being a county-level city, is not very well-known outside the nearby Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai regions. So when I mention Ningguo City, many people can't help but wonder where exactly Ningguo is. This question is not so easy to answer. If you form a triangle with the city centers of Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Huangshan, Ningguo City is at the center of that triangle, meaning it is almost equidistant from Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Huangshan. Using Ningguo as the center and the distance between Ningguo and Nanjing as the radius, you can include Huzhou, Wuhu, Xuancheng, Anji, Jixi County, Changxing County, Huangshan Scenic Area, Huangshan City, Hangzhou City, and more within the circle. With that explanation, you probably know the approximate location of Ningguo, right?

As a small city, Ningguo has a relatively developed capital market. It is home to 8 listed companies, ranking third in Anhui Province and first among county-level cities, second only to Hefei and Wuhu. The strong economic market provides support for Ningguo’s urban construction and urban-rural integration development. In terms of small-town construction and urban-rural integration, it leads the way in Anhui, as seen on the streets of southern Ningguo.

In recent years, the construction of Ningguo’s urban roads has been very impressive, generally being six-lane dual carriageways, with some roads being eight-lane dual carriageways, comparable to prefecture-level cities. Looking down from the Wan-Gan Railway Bridge, the entire road looks magnificent. The endless flow of traffic, set against the backdrop of vehicles, forms the most beautiful landscape of this city.

In addition to the bold and large-scale urban construction and road building, the momentum of county and rural road construction is equally strong. On the old century-old Zhongjin River Bridge, many vehicles still shuttle back and forth. This scene is even more breathtaking.

Constrained by many objective conditions, the villages bordering Ningguo’s main urban area cannot achieve integration with the city, but the construction of rural roads is very good. Although the roads are not wide, they are flat and straight. Though the roadside scenery lacks a modern feel, it is ecological and serene. Whether on city avenues or country lanes, the vehicles coming and going are the most beautiful scenery on Ningguo’s roads.

Can you imagine private cars coming and going on a rural road? If I remember correctly, when I was a child, such country roads only had tricycles, bicycles, and farmers on foot. Now, these rural roads also have vehicles traveling from north to south, forming a beautiful landscape rarely seen before.

The popular mountain highway “Wannan Sichuan-Tibet Line” is even more bustling with traffic, like a stream of cars and horses. The orderly, neat flow of vehicles gives the entire rural road an indescribable beauty. Originally just a road for travel, it has now become a rare scene—a landscape with artistic beauty.

Ningguo is not a country, but its beauty surpasses that of heaven. Beauty is not only hidden deep in the mountains; every step along the road offers a new vista, and even the vehicles traveling on the roads become part of the scenery.

In this small southern Anhui city of Ningguo, besides experiencing the road landscapes of a small town, you can also go to the rural roads to enjoy unique views. The pristine natural scenery makes these country roads poetic and picturesque!