Hiking the Ancient Trail, Wind and Rain on Huizhou-Hangzhou (Part 1)
I was in a good mood when I learned that the company would have a 9-day holiday for the National Day holiday, but then I started looking for travel directions. In previous years, I stayed at home because I was afraid of the crowds at various scenic spots and the gentle knife of local black-hearted merchants. This year, I somehow learned about the Huizhou-Hangzhou Ancient Trail, a hiking route perhaps only known to 'hiking enthusiasts', and I became very interested and collected a lot of information. The results were confusing. Although many hiking enthusiasts selflessly shared their experiences, some even making hand-drawn maps or GPS maps, and although it was said to be only 40 li, and the scenery along the way was described as so wonderful, facing a road I had never walked before, and with maps that were not reassuring, even before setting foot on the ancient trail, I still had no confidence in not getting lost. However, a colleague was particularly excited about this route. We discussed and decided to set off on the 2nd and hike across the Huizhou-Hangzhou Ancient Trail on the 3rd.
The starting point of the Huizhou-Hangzhou Ancient Trail is at Yulongchuan, Fuling Town, Jixi County, Xuancheng City, Anhui Province, and the end point can reach Zhejitian, Maxiao Township, Changhua County, Lin'an City, Zhejiang Province. It is said that Hu Xueyan walked this road to Zhejiang and later founded Hu Qingyutang in Hangzhou. Jixi County is also the hometown of Hu Zongxian (a Minister of War during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty and a famous anti-Wo hero), Hu Shi, and Hu Jintao.
At 13:08 on the 2nd, we took the 2182 train and arrived at Jixi County at 23:50. Because it was too late and we needed to get up early the next day, we slept at the Railway Hostel next to the train station. I had been concerned about the weather in Jixi. It seemed that the weather on the 3rd was quite overcast, with a high possibility of rain and a drop in temperature. After getting up, washing up, and having breakfast, at 7:20, the bus from Jixi to Fuling Yulongchuan departed. Although we set off, my mind was still uneasy. Who knew what would happen on the way? My colleague and I had prepared for the worst, and our backpacks were specially loaded with biscuits, chocolate, and other emergency supplies.
The long-distance bus stopped at the entrance of the ancient trail. It was called the entrance, but it was actually a marker left by senior hiking enthusiasts—a very faint arrow painted on the wall. Then there were more arrows leading us through Yulongchuan Village and onto the ridge paths. Looking along the ridge, the mountains were not far ahead.
Once on the ridge path, I wasn't sure if the road underfoot was correct, but after walking a short distance, we saw a stone bridge and the Ancient Trail Restaurant. Just as the guide said, after a brief stop at the Ancient Trail Restaurant, we continued on. After passing a small hydropower station, the only traces of human activity left were the stone-paved road underfoot and the utility poles by the roadside.
(Ancient Trail Restaurant)
We climbed up the stone steps, and the terrain gradually became steeper. After a few turns, we could see the Jiangnan First Pass not far away. The weather was gloomy and damp, with a light drizzle, and the clouds hung low. The surrounding mountains were all shrouded in clouds and mist. Occasionally, two mischievous cloud bands lingered around the mountainside, but soon they quietly dispersed, playing hide-and-seek. I had seen pictures of Jiangnan First Pass when searching for guides online. Compared with famous passes like Shanhaiguan, it was as simple as could be, as plain as could be. Perhaps the ancients who walked this road also wanted to experience the solemnity of 'going west out of the pass without old friends,' and so they fabricated a pass here. I imagine they left their hometowns, went to a new land to create new glories, and thus gave rise to the prosperity of Huizhou merchants. Before we even left the First Pass, the weather seemed to want to slow us down. The rain grew heavier, so we took a break in the Huishang Cave, fully appreciating the mountains wrapped in clouds and mist. I wished I could turn into an immortal, floating on the clouds and treading lightly among the peaks.
(Cloud belts wrapped around the mountains)
The rain lightened, and we set off again. But after not walking far, the rain became heavy again. Fortunately, a tea pavilion was not far ahead, so we took shelter from the rain again. On the beam of the tea pavilion were characters indicating it was built in the Republic of China, and on the walls were graffiti left by many hiking enthusiasts. I had no time to chat with the porters; I just let my mind blend into the mountains. At that moment, I thought daydreaming was the best enjoyment.
Continuing our journey, in less than half an hour we reached the first village on the ancient trail, 'Huangmaopei'. The rain had already delayed us a lot, so we didn't stop in this quiet village. We just looked up and confirmed it with a villager who was staring at us. The road in Huangmaopei was not bad, mostly flat and quite wide, seemingly no problem for a walking tractor. But for me, this road seemed a bit problematic because it was too different from the concept of an ancient trail, and the next landmarks were the broken house and the small wooden bridge. If we missed them, we would end up in Xiaoyao Township. The road felt long. Every time there was a small fork, I looked for the small wooden bridge. I didn't know how long I had walked, but we were still on the wide road, and my heart started to pound. I really hoped we hadn't taken the wrong way.
Finally, I saw someone up ahead. I quickened my pace and saw a vendor selling wild kiwi fruit. She said she picked them on the mountain, and they were cheap, just 1 yuan per bowl. Although the kiwis were small, and one bowl didn't hold many, I wanted to try them fresh. Since it was only one yuan, I bought two bowls. I also asked her about the road ahead. To my surprise, the small wooden bridge was right behind her, exactly as in the online photos. My heart immediately relaxed.
(Broken house and small wooden bridge)
After going down the slope, my heart tightened again. The small wooden bridge was too simple—five logs about 15 cm in diameter, with the top surface planed flat and then simply linked together side by side. The bridge deck was about 2 meters above the water. Because it had rained, the bridge was very slippery, so we had to be careful. The bridge wobbled underfoot, and I was afraid it might collapse under my weight and I'd be the unlucky one... The middle log seemed a bit sturdier, so I stepped on it and got across. Along the way, when we met other groups, I kept reminding them to be careful and to walk on the middle log.
After crossing the small wooden bridge, the real test had just begun. The stone-paved road was gone, and the wide dirt road was also gone. 'Originally there was no road. When many people walk, it becomes a road.' This was the only explanation for the mountain path before us. After several hours of hiking, climbing this uphill mountain path immediately left me breathless. On this section, we encountered about two or three hiking groups. As I let them pass, I rested several times. Fortunately, this section wasn't very long. After a few turns, the road became easier again, and soon we saw the houses of Xiasueting. The road forked at the entrance of Xiasueting Village: one path led to Shangsangxuetang, and the other crossed a bridge to Xiasueting. By the bridge, locals had built a house with the words 'Xiasueting' clearly written in red on the white wall. At the door, water and food were available, and some people tried to persuade us to eat in the village. It was only a little past 11, so we decided to go to Shangsangxuetang first. We asked the locals how far it was to Shangsangxuetang. '20 minutes,' they said. It didn't seem far, but when we started walking, we realized that we, who don't usually exercise much, could not match their pace. It took us about 40 minutes instead of 20, mostly uphill, until we finally reached Shangsangxuetang. We were exhausted and had to rest. By the roadside, I saw a small substation called 'Xuetang'. So that's how the two 'Xuetang' were differentiated: upper and lower.
The road just passed by the edge of Shangsangxuetang Village, and our fatigue left us not feeling hungry. A little after 12, we decided to continue and have lunch at Huihang Homestay. It started to rain again, and the road became more and more muddy. We met a team that had just come down from Qingliang Peak. Compared with them, our trouser legs were much cleaner, and our backpacks were much bigger. Were they despising us for our comfortable tour? But, to be fair, although our backpacks were smaller, without exaggeration, my weight was much heavier. Still, I relied on my own two legs to climb up, didn't I? We had been walking for a long time. 'How much further?' 'About 800 meters, 20 minutes.' I didn't know how they estimated it, but 20 minutes was their downhill time; we were going uphill. Finally, the road ahead gradually leveled out, and a large gate appeared before us. Next to the gate, there was even a ticket office.
(Map of Xiaoyao Township)
