Live Your Best Lives
After National Day, "reverse travel" has become popular! Coinciding with the peak of autumn in the south of the Yangtze River, there is a city in Zhejiang with rich cultural heritage and beautiful scenery, but it is often overlooked. It is time for You Xiaoxia to praise it!
The reason why it is overlooked is that everyone thinks it is not suitable for tourism, but more suitable for living. But every autumn, when people ask "where are the best autumn colors", this place is often on the list!
90% of the autumn colors here come from a mountain. The winding mountain road, ancient villages, and ancient roads echo with persimmons, ginkgo trees, and red maples. You can see almost all the elements of autumn in one trip!
The autumn breeze paints the Metasequoia forests red, earning this area the nickname "Kanas of Eastern Zhejiang." Known as "the most beautiful in East China," these Metasequoia forests, lined with trees nestled in the water, are sure to instantly take your social media feeds by storm!
There is also a 400-year-old ancient village hidden deep in the mountains. After going through eighteen bends in the mountain road, you can see the colorful towering ancient trees!
This place is full of charm, whether it's tranquil mountains, ancient villages and temples, or the city's suburbs, you can unexpectedly encounter autumn! This is Ningbo, where you can always explore and discover new things.
In the eyes of ordinary people, it may just be a fashionable metropolis with a GDP entering the "trillion club", but in the eyes of tourists, it is simply an impeccable autumn paradise!
Autumn in the south of the Yangtze River is gorgeous but short. With each autumn rain, the weather becomes cooler. From mid-October to mid-to-late November every year, Ningbo will become a romantic city surrounded by autumn colors, ushering in the most beautiful season of the year!
From Hangzhou, it only takes 1 hour to get to Ningbo by high-speed rail, or 2 hours by car! Take this autumn scenery tip from You Xiaoxia in advance and find a weekend to visit this hidden autumn paradise nearby.
"Zhejiang's Famous Mountains in Small Autumn" / ⏰Mid-October to late November
Autumn in Siming Mountain is bound to be enchanting, and to describe it as "colorful" is no exaggeration! It is also "one of the largest red maple production bases in the country."
In autumn, when you look down at Siming Mountain from a God's perspective, you will see shades of red and orange beginning to appear on the original yellow-green background... and a winding road, shaped like a coiled snake, passes through the middle!
Siming Mountain, known as the "Second Lushan Mountain," boasts one of Zhejiang's most beautiful winding mountain roads and is one of China's ten most stunning autumn driving routes. Its 180-degree hairpin turns rival the thrills of Akina Mountain.
Driving through it, the scenery along the way is like paradise, with red maples, golden apricots, red persimmons, golden osmanthus... different colors along the way. It is a great place in autumn that you should not miss!
Kanas in Eastern Zhejiang / ⏰Mid-to-late November
"Ten miles of mist and waves, nine caves of heaven, mountains hide spiritual beauty and waters hide immortals"
Siming Lake is located in Liangnong, a thousand-year-old ancient town in Yuyao, within the territory of the ninth cave of Siming Mountain. The lake is surrounded by mountains. Although it is an artificial lake, its area is twice that of West Lake.
The 72 peaks, ablaze with verdant green, are a sight to behold. Celebrities and sages throughout history have left countless legends and anecdotes here, earning it the nickname "Kanas of Eastern Zhejiang." Siming Lake boasts the most beautiful redwood forest in East China, its rows jutting out into the water, practically dyeing the entire surface red.
Ahead lies the boundless lake, crystal clear, like a giant glass mirror. Behind is a radiant red Metasequoia forest, half exposed and half submerged in the lake. The rippling water and the interplay of light and shadow create a scene of breathtaking beauty, like a masterpiece passed down from ancient times!
There is a large open space by Siming Lake. Setting up a tent with your back against the fir forest is simply the most enjoyable thing to do in autumn.
"Uninhabited Hiking Route" / ⏰Mid-to-late November
Maichaiao, located in the south of Yinjiang River in Ningbo, close to Rongfeng Village and Jinlu Village, is a niche hiking route.
The scenery along the hiking trail is diverse, with red Metasequoia forests rising straight into the sky and reflected in the lake, as well as dark green tea gardens on both sides of the ancient trail. The air is filled with the fragrance of tea and autumn colors, and there are also fields of Miscanthus swaying in the wind!
Enjoy a farm barbecue in the mountains, watch the sunset, hike the ancient trails, and embrace the sea of autumn flowers. The journey, occasionally passing through bamboo forests and stepping on bluestone paths, is a truly relaxing experience, as if you have entered a hidden secret world.
"600-Year-Old King Persimmon Tree" / ⏰Mid-October to Mid-November
Shilin Village is located in Dalan Town, Yuyao City, in the heart of Siming Mountain. This ancient village has nearly a thousand people with only the surname Shen. There is also an ancient well in the village with clear water for the whole village to drink, so there is a saying that "one village, one surname, one family, and one ancient well for drinking."
Every October, autumn arrives in Jiangnan. In the vast persimmon forest covering approximately 200 mu (approximately 1,000 acres), inside and outside the village and on the hillsides, auspicious red persimmons hang abundantly from the branches, like a rosy glow. Even the air is filled with the sweet fragrance of the fruits.
The locals figuratively call persimmons "Diaohong." Every household and the trees in front of and behind their houses are filled with "little lanterns," accumulating sugar in the autumn breeze. Any leftover persimmons are brewed into persimmon wine, which is fragrant and delicious with a rich fruity aroma.
At the entrance to the village stands a 600-year-old "King Persimmon Tree," the same age as the village itself. It serves as a wild landmark and a place of prayer for the villagers. The unique rural scenery here also attracts many people to stop and admire it!
"The First Ancient Tree Village in Eastern Zhejiang" / ⏰ Visiting Time: Early November
In Ningbo, ancient villages brimming with autumnal charm are one after another, each with its own unique charm. But one that deserves special mention is Maohuo Ancient Village, known as "Zhejiang's No. 1 Ancient Tree Village."
With a history of more than 400 years, it has long been famous in the donkey world, but for most people, it is still "hidden in the boudoir and unknown to the world."
There are 52 ancient trees here that are over 400 years old, including pine trees, maple trees, Chinese torreya and ginkgo trees... In late autumn, the leaves begin to turn yellow and red, and the mixture of red and green is beautiful!
The most famous tree in the village is the golden pine, known as the "Crown of Ten Thousand Trees." At 500 years old, it stands 51 meters tall and has a girth of 4.2 meters. Its girth and standing stock are the largest in the country, making it a truly unique sight in Siming.
This small mountain village, home to just 139 households and 314 people, was completely relocated to prevent landslides, leaving behind only a heap of rubble. However, the towering ancient trees, meticulously protected by successive generations of villagers for over 400 years, have now become the "Siming Maohuo Ancient Tree Park," which comes alive every autumn.
"Eastern Zhejiang Tang Poetry Road" / ⏰Viewing time: mid-to-late November
Siming Mountain also has an excellent and secluded place for enjoying autumn, the Qixiakeng Ancient Trail, which is located in Xikou Town. It runs from Qixiakeng Village in Xikou Town to Tangtian Village in Siming Mountain Town, Yuyao City, Ningbo. It is the "Tang Poetry Road" from Xinchang and Yuyao to Fenghua and Ninghai.
Qixiakeng Village, an ancient village like a paradise, is the gathering place of the descendants of the calligrapher Wang Xizhi. Most of the houses here are from the Ming and Qing dynasties, which are simple and ancient.
The Qixiakeng Ancient Road connects Fenghua Xikou on one end and Yuyao on the other. It is the most beautiful section of the Tang Poetry Road in eastern Zhejiang. The scene of literati and poets coming here to recite poems and compose couplets in the past still beats on the pulse of this land.
On the ancient road, the pine needles of the fir trees are spread like a golden carpet, like a colorful oil painting, and even more like a gorgeous fairy tale world.
Picture @Ningbo Chaowan
"Famous Temple of the Western Jin Dynasty" / ⏰Visiting time: late October to mid-November
There are many ancient ginkgo trees in Ningbo, but the ginkgo trees next to the Tiantong Temple release pond are particularly golden.
The autumn in Tiantong Temple has become an internet celebrity, but don’t forget that it is one of the five famous temples of Zen Buddhism. No matter spring, summer, autumn or winter, it stands there silently, waiting for us to explore.
"The mountains are bright and the water is clear. Frost comes at night. A few trees are deep red and light yellow."
The appearance of ginkgo trees adds autumn colors to this thousand-year-old temple. The golden mountains in the distance are the curtain of autumn, and the distant and deep morning bells are the humming of the mountains.
After visiting Tiantong Temple, how can you not climb Tiantong Mountain? Ascend to the summit and spend a day immersing yourself in this ancient temple in autumn.
After enjoying the autumn colors, your eyes are definitely satisfied, but your mouth is definitely not going to be left wanting! How can you miss the flavors of Ningbo while visiting? Ningbo cuisine, with its small seafood and unique cakes, stands out from the rest of Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisine, making it unique!
Among Ningbo's glutinous rice balls, the most famous is the "Gan Ya Gou" (Gan Ya Gou). This simple bowl of glutinous rice balls has been around for 90 years and has become a source of homesickness for Ningbo residents.
When you take a bite, lard sizzles out, and the fragrant black sesame filling is sweet but not greasy, and smooth in the mouth. It is worthy of being a time-honored brand!
Rice buns, which look like steamed buns but are made from rice flour, are a traditional Ningbo delicacy. They are much softer than steamed buns and taste even better when sprinkled with seaweed!
Wheat cake rolls are a food eaten during festivals in Ningbo. Every year on the Dragon Boat Festival, the Beginning of Summer, and the 16th day of the eighth lunar month, local people eat wheat cake rolls.
It’s like an enlarged version of a spring roll, with seafood and vegetables as fillings, rolled up and fried in a pan until golden brown. It’s super delicious!
This is an old taste of Ningbo. A big sweet bun costs five yuan. It is filled with thick pure lard, sugar and sesame. One is enough to fill you up!
Everyone knows about seafood. Why is it called small seafood in Ningbo? That’s because compared with seafood like abalone, sea urchin, and grouper, small seafood is smaller in size, larger in quantity, and much cheaper.
Large seafood is too much to eat, but small seafood is never boring. The main representatives are
Ningbo's seafood is prepared in many ways. To enjoy its authentic flavor, avoid over-seasoning! Dishes like scallion-fried mud snails, braised mixed fish, seaweed and white shrimp, and dragon head fish are all worth trying!
Once autumn arrives, the charm of Ningbo is undeniable! From tranquil mountains and fields, ancient Zen temples, persimmon groves in ancient villages, to the city's outskirts... autumn is everywhere. Live in the present moment to make the most of autumn!
