4-Day Trip to Xuancheng, Anhui and Huzhou, Zhejiang

Day 1 October 1, 2017

Shanghai → Service Area on the Way → Jingxian, Xuancheng, Anhui

10:00 Depart from Yangpu, Shanghai, drive to Jingxian County, Xuancheng City, Anhui Province, distance 343.2 km, travel time about 4 hours 38 minutes, highway toll 135 yuan.

11:45 Arrive at a service area on the way, have lunch.

12:30 Depart from the service area, continue driving to Jingxian County, Xuancheng City, Anhui Province.

16:00 Arrive at Jingxian County, Xuancheng City, Anhui Province.

Jingxian County belongs to Xuancheng City, Anhui Province, historically known as Youzhou, located in the southeast of Anhui Province and the west of Xuancheng City. It borders Xuanzhou District and Ningguo City to the east; Huangshan District of Huangshan City and Jingde County to the south; Qingyang County of Chizhou to the west; and Nanling County of Wuhu to the north, situated at the junction of the middle and lower Yangtze River plain and the mountainous area of southern Anhui.

In Jingxian County, there are tourist attractions such as the Former Site of the New Fourth Army Headquarters, Taohuatan (Peach Blossom Pond), Jiangnan First Drift, Zhaji Ancient Village, and Huangtian Ancient Village.

16:15 Check into the hotel.

17:00 Dinner.

Day 2 October 2, 2017

Jingxian → Zhaji Ancient Town AAAA Scenic Area → Taohuatan AAAA Scenic Area → Xuancheng

08:45 Check out of the hotel.

09:00 Depart from the hotel, drive to Zhaji Ancient Town AAAA Scenic Area, distance 51.3 km, travel time about 1 hour 9 minutes.

10:30 Arrive at Zhaji Ancient Town AAAA Scenic Area, visit and have lunch.

Zhaji Ancient Town AAAA Scenic Area is located 60 kilometers west of Jingxian County seat, Xuancheng City, Anhui Province. Open all year round from 08:00 to 17:00. Ticket price on Ctrip is 65 yuan, must be purchased before 13:30 on the day of travel, and can be used 3 hours after successful booking. Enter the park with the Ctrip order number. Zhaji Ancient Village: for people with height 1.5 meters (inclusive) and above, aged 60 (inclusive) and below; Xuan Paper Culture Park: for people with height 1.4 meters (inclusive) and above, aged under 60 (exclusive).

About 90% of the villagers in this village have the surname Zha. In the early Tang Dynasty, the Zha family settled down in this beautiful and attractive place, multiplied and thrived. During the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the Zha population here reached a peak of over 70,000. The Hui-style houses built against the mountains and by the water stretch for several kilometers. The general situation of the Zha clan in Zha Village can be seen from this.

Around Zhaiji Village, there are four gates and three pagodas: Zhongxiu Gate, Pingling Gate, Shimen Gate, and Bashan Gate; Rusong Pagoda, Qingshan Pagoda, and Bashan Pagoda. They are simple and elegant. These three pagodas were funded and built by the Zha clan during the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty to revitalize the literary style of Zhaiji. Zha Bingjun and Zha Chunru of Zhaiji were famous calligraphers and painters of the Qing Dynasty. Due to the large drop in the Zhaiji River, the clear water flows in a cascading manner. Along the river, there are multiple arched stone bridges, slab stone bridges, and cave stone bridges built at staggered intervals, connecting the houses on both banks. The weather-beaten stone bridges, entwined with vines, look like jade arches across the water from a distance, echoing the blue bricks and black tiles on both banks.

13:00 Depart from Zhaji Ancient Town AAAA Scenic Area, drive to Taohuatan AAAA Scenic Area, distance 20.9 km, travel time about 28 minutes.

13:40 Arrive at Taohuatan AAAA Scenic Area, visit.

Taohuatan AAAA Scenic Area is located 40 kilometers west of Jingxian County, adjacent to Huangshan Mountain in the south and Jiuhua Mountain in the west, closely connected to Taiping Lake. It became famous nationwide because of the poem "To Wang Lun" by the Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai – "The lake of Peach Blossoms is a thousand fathoms deep, but it cannot compare with the depth of Wang Lun's feelings for me." Ctrip price is 65 yuan, must be purchased before 13:30 on the day of travel, and can be used 3 hours after successful booking. The ticket includes admission to Taohuatan Scenic Area and a ferry ticket. Enter the park with the Ctrip order number.

Later generations built the "Tuge Ancient Bank" pavilion, Zhuohai Tower, and Wenchang Pavilion commemorating Li Bai beside Taohuatan. On the east bank of the lake, there is the Dongyuan Ancient Ferry, where Wang Lun sang and saw Li Bai off. There is the Tuge Ancient Bank Pavilion built in the Ming Dynasty. On the west bank, there are attractions such as Leiyu Dun, Shuban Shi, Caihong Gang, Zhexian Tower, Diaoyin Tai, Huaixian Pavilion, and Wang Lun's Tomb.

15:30 Depart from Taohuatan AAAA Scenic Area, drive back to Xuancheng urban area.

17:45 Arrive in Xuancheng urban area, check into the hotel, take a short rest.

18:30 Dinner.

Day 3 October 3, 2017

Xuancheng → Jingting Mountain National Forest Park → Xuancheng

09:00 Depart from the hotel, drive to Jingting Mountain AAAA Scenic Area. Distance 5.7 km, travel time about 17 minutes.

09:20 Arrive at Jingting Mountain AAAA Scenic Area, visit and have lunch.

Jingting Mountain AAAA Scenic Area is located at the East Gate Square of Jingting Mountain, Zhaoting North Road, Xuanzhou District, Xuancheng City, Anhui Province. Open all year round from 08:00 to 17:30. Ctrip price is 44.80 yuan, buy and use anytime, must be purchased before 17:00 on the day of travel. Verify entry with Ctrip order number.

Jingting Mountain is located in the northern outskirts of Xuancheng City, Anhui Province, China. Its original name was Zhaoting Mountain. In the early Jin Dynasty, to avoid the emperor's personal name, it was renamed Jingting Mountain. It is a branch of the Huangshan Mountain range, stretching more than ten miles from east to west. There are 60 large and small peaks, with the main peak named "Yifeng" at an altitude of 317 meters. "A mountain's fame does not depend on its height, but on the immortals who dwell there." Since the Southern Qi poet Xie Tiao's poem "Visiting Jingting Mountain" and the Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai's poem "Sitting Alone in Face of Peak Jingting" were passed down, Jingting Mountain has become famous.

13:00 Depart from Jingting Mountain AAAA Scenic Area, return to the hotel.

13:30 Arrive at the hotel, free time.

18:00 Dinner.

Day 4 October 4, 2017

Xuancheng, Anhui → Xianshan Lake AAAA Scenic Area, Changxing, Huzhou, Zhejiang → Shanghai

08:30 Check out of the hotel.

09:00 Depart from the hotel, drive to Xianshan Lake AAAA Scenic Area in Changxing, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, distance 96.9 km, travel time about 1 hour 17 minutes, highway toll about 40 yuan.

10:30 Arrive at Xianshan Lake AAAA Scenic Area in Changxing, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, visit.

Xianshan Lake AAAA Scenic Area is located in Xianshan Village, Si'an Town, Changxing County, Zhejiang Province. Open all year round from 08:30 to 16:00. Ctrip price is 100 yuan, including boat ride, Lotus Expo Park, and Ancient Tide Fish Viewing. Must be purchased before 23:45 on the day before travel. Enter the park by verifying the mobile phone number of the traveler.

Xianshan Lake Scenic Area is located at the westernmost end of Changxing County, where the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Anhui Expressway, Hangzhou-Changxing Expressway, and Xuanzhou-Hangzhou Railway converge. Xianshan Lake Scenic Area is 30 kilometers from Anji County seat, 85 kilometers from Hangzhou, 170 kilometers from Shanghai, and 200 kilometers from Nanjing. It borders Anji, the "Bamboo Township" in the south, Guangde County in Anhui in the west, and faces Jiangsu across the mountain in the north. It can be seen that its regional location is very advantageous and transportation conditions are quite convenient.

12:30 Lunch.

14:00 Depart from the restaurant, drive back to Shanghai, distance 203.3 km, travel time about 2 hours 51 minutes, highway toll 90 yuan.

17:20 Arrive at Yangpu, Shanghai, ending a pleasant trip.