Live Your Best Lives
With the continued popularity of the ancient film "Chang'an", some of the characters and classic ancient poems in the movie have become well-known again. Among them, there is a very classic scene. After being pardoned, Li Bai rowed a small boat on the Yangtze River and shouted out the famous line "The light boat has passed through thousands of mountains". The city where I traveled this time was the place where this scene took place. This treasure town has a nice name - [Fengjie].
When it comes to ancient poetry, Fengjie is definitely a must-mention, as it is known as the "Poetry City of China". For thousands of years, countless literati and poets have left behind many exquisite works here, whether it is "The monkeys on both sides of the river cry incessantly, and the light boat has passed through thousands of mountains", "The moon gorge and Qutang are like clouds, and the rocks are rugged and there is no well in the world", or "The distant water is clear and green all day long, and the clear forest has fallen spring flowers". These ancient people, whether they were demoted or just passing by, could write a poem that would be passed down through the ages. It can be seen that the city of Fengjie has some spiritual energy.
In addition to cultural tours, Fengjie has many delicious and fun attractions. If you only have three days of vacation, then you must save this practical guide. You can spend three days and two nights without turning back and check in all the highlights of Fengjie in one trip. Then follow me to take a look!
D1. Chongqing - Fengjie - Kuizhou Museum - Baidi City and Qutang Gorge - Night Tour of the Poetry City by Chijia No. 6
D2, Fengjie - Three Gorges Summit Scenic Area - Self-drive 242 Tourist Loop - Three Gorges Tiankeng Park - Daping Forest Park - Longqiao River - 22 Degrees Summer Camping Base
D3, Golden Phoenix Sea of Clouds - The First Village of the Three Gorges - Take Chijia No. 6 through Qutang Gorge - Return to the Three Gorges Program
D4, Fengjie-Chongqing
There are many high-speed trains from Chongqing North Station to Fengjie Station every day, with a ticket price of 158 and a journey time of 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Take a night cruise on Chijia No. 6, enjoy a panoramic view of Qutang Gorge from the summit of the Three Gorges, watch the Return to the Three Gorges performance, and camp at 22 degrees Celsius. Must-try dishes include: Zhuyuan Salted Chicken, Lao Banzhuan He Baomian, Xinglong Town Hanging Pot Hezha, Kezhouji, God of Cookery Palace, and Qutang Manwu Farmhouse Cuisine.
Baidi City is 100 yuan, the Three Gorges Summit ticket + cable car is 100 yuan, the Return to the Three Gorges ticket is 200 yuan, the Chijia No. 6 Qutang Gorge in-depth cruise ticket is 80 yuan, the Chijia No. 6 Poetry City Night Cruise ticket is 30 yuan from Sunday to Thursday and 50 yuan from Friday to Saturday, and the Longqiao River Scenic Area ticket is 40 yuan.
The first stop of this trip was the Kuizhou Museum, which is located on Shicheng East Road, Kuimen Street in the main urban area. It is a national second-level museum and is currently listed as a national 4A-level tourist attraction.
The entire museum covers an area of over 10,000 square meters and has a collection of more than 20,000 cultural relics, including hundreds of precious cultural relics. Here are the earliest sculptures of mankind and the largest Chu-style bronze tripod in the Three Gorges area. In particular, the Kuilong green jade ornaments, Eastern Han Dynasty pottery horses and the wooden carvings of the three stars of Fu, Lu and Shou are exquisite and can be called the "treasures of the museum."
In addition to the cultural relics on display, there is also a group of sculptures below the museum near the Yangtze River that is worth a special trip, because this is where Li Bai boarded the ship when he left Chongqing, and it was also Li Bai’s last encounter with Chongqing. I personally think it is a very memorable check-in landscape.
Our second stop was the nearby [Baidi City · Qutang Gorge] scenic area, which is just across from the Kuizhou Museum. You can get there by car from the land, or you can take the "Qutang Gorge Tour Route" of the Chijia No. 6 cruise ship at the nearby pier. It will stop at Kuimen and Chijia Tower on the way, which is also a very good place to view the panoramic view of Baidi City.
As the entrance to the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, Baidi City not only has stunning scenery but also has a profound historical heritage. The history of the city can be traced back to the Western Han Dynasty. In particular, there is the story of Liu Bei of Shu Han entrusting his son to the care of others in Baidi City, which is the only one in history where Liu Bei expressed his loyalty to the emperor and entrusted his son to the care of his subjects. The deep relationship between the emperor and his subjects has been admired by countless people for thousands of years.
Baidi City is also a cultural place. After getting off the bus and entering the scenic area, there is a wind and rain covered bridge spanning the island and the shore. There are many ancient poems from past dynasties on the bridge, many of which are poems we have learned in our textbooks. It is really familiar and it is also an excellent study place for parent-child families.
In addition to its beautiful scenery and rich historical atmosphere, Baidicheng also holds a significant military value. As a strategic location guarding the Yangtze River, it was a strategically important location, easily defended but difficult to attack. Therefore, when visiting today, visitors can see many ancient military measures along the way. The kilometers-long city walls and numerous gatehouses tell stories of history. The famous "10-yuan RMB background image" check-in spot happens to be right here in the corner of the city wall.
Baidi City also boasts several gates, including the East Gate, Small North Gate, Great North Gate, and Small West Gate. Nestled within these walls and gates is the renowned Baidi Temple, where Liu Bei entrusted his son to the care of his father. Within the temple are sculptures of Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and other Three Kingdoms officials and generals.
There is a place that I particularly like, which is next to the Wuhou Temple where Zhuge Liang is enshrined. I also saw stone inscriptions left over from past dynasties, and the cultural atmosphere was immediately full.
After learning about the history of Baidi City, return to the main city to enjoy a meal of Fengjie's delicious food, and then you can stroll along the river to the pier and experience a must-do activity in Fengjie tourism, the "Night Tour of the City of Poetry". Take the beautiful Chijia No. 6 cruise ship and sail up the Yangtze River to enjoy the night view of Fengjie city and experience a different side of this small city.
The cruise goes along the city, reaches the top of the lighthouse and then turns back. The whole journey takes about 60 minutes. The ticket price is 30 yuan from Sunday to Thursday and 50 yuan from Friday to Saturday. Because there is only one boat at 8 o'clock every day, remember to book tickets online in advance to avoid being unable to get a seat when you arrive.
I have to say that Fengjie's night view is really beautiful, and this night tour of the poetic city is indeed worth seeing.
If you like Li Bai's poems, you must be familiar with the line "First passed through Qutang Gorge, then stepped onto the top of Wushan Mountain". This poem "From Badong, sailing through Qutang Gorge and climbing the highest peak of Wushan Mountain, returning late and writing on the wall" was written by Li Bai after he viewed the scenery of the Yangtze River from the top of Chijia Mountain. The Three Gorges Summit scenic area is at the top of Chijia Mountain.
The Three Gorges Summit Scenic Area is 1,388 meters above sea level, making it the highest point in the entire Yangtze River Three Gorges area. Visitors can take a cable car from the foot of the mountain directly to the top of the mountain, where they can enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery along the way. This also saves them the fatigue of hiking.
From a distance, the top of the Three Gorges looks like a long and narrow ridge. Only after climbing up did you realize that the space on the top of the mountain is so large. There are many attractions that can be visited, such as the Kui Drum Altar, the Siwang Music Altar, the Kui Gate, the Glass Bridge, etc. Especially when you walk to the edge of the glass bridge, you can have a panoramic view of the Qutang Gorge below and the Fengjie city in the distance, with an excellent visual effect.
When you come down, you can enjoy special farm dishes at [Qutang Manwu] halfway up the mountain, or you can stay here for a few nights. As a themed B&B, its guest rooms are also very good. The key point is that Qutang Manwu also has its own orchard and vegetable garden. It happened that this time I also ate fresh wild mushrooms, which was a great experience. Just think about living here and eating the most delicious fruits every day. It is also a happy life!
If I were to recommend a "most worthwhile self-driving tour route in Chongqing," I'd strongly recommend taking the 242 tourist loop in Fengjie. The scenery along the way, including the Three Gorges Tiankeng Park, Daping Forest Park, the sea of flowers, the Golden Phoenix Sea of Clouds, and the Longqiao River, is breathtaking. The best part is that it's incredibly cool along the way. Even in the scorching heat of August and September in Chongqing's main city, the temperature here is only around 20 degrees Celsius, making it a perfect summer escape from the city.
After coming down from the summit of the Three Gorges, I drove out along Route 242. The first place I checked in was the Three Gorges Tiankeng Park. It not only has a unique karst landform, but is also a beautiful camping base. I really liked the various cultural and creative elements there. You can stay in a tent room in the woods for a night, and the coffee on the grass will give you a leisurely afternoon.
The key point is that there is no entrance fee here, and there are large fields of flowers to admire. The various cultural and creative elements are even more beautiful for taking photos. It is definitely a treasure place that cannot be missed.
Further down, there's another hidden gem: Daping Forest Park. This vast forest park is a great place to escape the summer heat. Even in this hot season, you can still feel a bit of coolness when you walk into it. The towering trees have become a place for travelers to set up hammocks. You can nibble on a piece of roasted corn on the ground, then lie down and take a nap. The comfort level of the trip is directly maximized.
There is a huge sea of flowers at the foot of the mountain in Daping Forest Park. It is also an area open to tourists for free. Sometimes there are various parties and activities in the town to celebrate. For example, when I came here this time, I encountered the beer festival, which was also very interesting and lively. Before you come, you can pay attention to the various announcements of Xinglong Town in advance.
The Longqiao River Scenic Area was one of the most surprising highlights of our road trip on Route 242. It boasts a world-class underground river system, with a reported 50 kilometers of explored underground. One of these "underground rivers" is called the Longqiao River, and a portion of the surface area is now open for visitors to explore. The water is crystal clear, and the summer weather is very cool. There's also a stone bridge over the river in front of the natural stone bridge. Surrounded by towering mountains, the scenery is truly breathtaking.
The picture below is the "Natural Stone Bridge". The entire bridge hole is 20 meters high and 10 meters wide. The top is the 242 Tourist Highway. On the way back, you can drive through it and see the scenery below again.
The various landscapes in Longqiao River are also very beautiful. Some wild waterfalls and ancient bridges are absolutely beautiful. Don’t miss them when you visit. Pay attention to the branch roads next to them. Many small attractions are hidden in these roads.
We stayed at 22 Degrees Summer B&B at night, a leisure and vacation B&B hidden in the mountains. It mainly offers tent camping and unique cabins. It is surrounded by mountains, with a stream flowing in front of the house and a large rice field next to it. It can be said to be a beautiful place with mountains and rivers.
There are not many guest rooms in the B&B, so you should contact us in advance to make a reservation. After you arrive, the store provides authentic farm dishes, which taste very good, especially the freshly picked mushrooms of the day, which are extremely delicious. Moreover, the dining area is at the highest point, so you can enjoy the scenery of the base while eating, which is a very good experience.
The guest rooms at the B&B are also very nice. The cabins are particularly beautiful in photos. The tent area uses high-end products. I fell asleep to the croaking of frogs at night. Coupled with the cool climate, I slept very soundly. The bathing area of the B&B is also clean and hygienic, which is one of the better ones among the camping bases I have stayed at.
After dinner, there will be a bonfire party and various performances. You can also have a drink in the small bar of the B&B. There is no light pollution in the mountains at night. I think you will like the life where you can see the stars by looking up.
Jinfeng Cloud Sea is a viewing platform not far from the B&B where you can enjoy the morning mist. However, if you want to enjoy this magical view, you have to get up early because the sea of clouds here will disperse around 8 o'clock.
This place not only has a beautiful sea of clouds, but also a magical karst landscape. The mountains are arranged layer by layer like a square array, which looks very shocking. There are also many large windmills on the mountain top, which is also a beautiful sight. The most important thing is that cars can drive directly to the top of the mountain along 242, saving everyone the hard work of hiking. I can't help but sigh again that 242 is really a treasure trove of self-driving tour routes~
There is also a very good resort hotel at the foot of Jinfeng Yunhai called [Xinding Holiday Hotel]. If you don’t want to camp, you can also stay here. The resort hotel is located in the mountains and the overall environment is very good. It is beautifully decorated and the food is delicious. I was left with a very good impression after staying there once.
When I was visiting Baidi City, I didn’t realize there was such a beautiful village on the opposite mountain. After I came here, I found that this [First Village of the Three Gorges] is the best place to appreciate Baidi City.
The village is located halfway up a mountain beside the Yangtze River. With the stunning beauty of the Three Gorges as its attraction, the village uses poetry as its medium and the village as its foundation to create the "First Village of the Three Gorges" with its poetic countryside as its feature, cultural and leisure experiences as its focus, and catering, accommodation and vacations as its core.
Visitors can enjoy the Three Gorges' original delicacies, such as Qutang Country Kitchen and Qutang Orange Garden Hot Pot, and experience the most primitive rural landscape and the Three Gorges Ancient Salt Road. Fengjie is known as the "Hometown of Navel Oranges," and the Three Gorges First Village is part of the orchard. It is a great pleasure to come here and experience the picking project. Don't miss the upcoming navel orange season.
As the "shortest, narrowest, most magnificent and richest in cultural relics and scenic spots" of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, have you ever thought about appreciating it from the closest distance?
This time I took the [Chijia No. 6 Qutang Gorge In-depth Tour] flight, which departed at 12:30 noon and the route was "Fengjie Wharf - Yidoumen - Kuimen - Yidoumen - Fengjie Wharf". Yidoumen is the place where passengers get on and off, and Kuimen is a place for sightseeing where we stay for 30 minutes. Along the way, you can enjoy the beautiful Fengjie city view and the scenery on both sides of the Yangtze River. The stage of the "Return to the Three Gorges" performance that we will watch in the evening will also pass by closely, so you can take a look at it from a different angle.
Kuimen is located at the entrance of Qutang Gorge opposite Baidi City. It is a peninsula area extending from the mountain. It was also an important pass on the ancient road to Shu. Therefore, it has been a battleground for military strategists since the Qin and Han Dynasties. There is a [Chijia Tower] at Kuimen, where you can enjoy the high mountains on both sides in front of you. It is like a huge gate. Because the water here was turbulent and roaring in ancient times, it was so frightening that it was known as "Kuimen, the most majestic in the world".
The water level in the Three Gorges section of the Yangtze River has calmed down considerably thanks to the construction of the Three Gorges Dam. However, after taking the Chijia No. 6 boat through Kuimen and into Qutang Gorge, I was still struck by the sheer cliffs on both sides. Standing at the bow of the boat, admiring the scenery, I actually heard the monkeys on the shore, which is why Li Bai wrote the poem "The monkeys on both sides of the river cry incessantly." It's a very realistic description.
The night before leaving Fengjie, I happily watched this ultimate poetry feast. "Return to the Three Gorges," a large-scale poetry and cultural live performance project jointly created by Fengjie County and Zhang Yimou's team, is an experiential poetry and cultural tourism program. Set against the backdrop of Kuimen, Qutang Gorge, and Baidicheng, the performance focuses on Chinese poetry, using mountains and rivers as a medium, and upholding the principles of ecological conservation.
You will appreciate the magnificent natural scenery of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, the unique customs and practices of the Bashu region, and the rich cultural heritage of Fengjie, the "City of Poetry", in an aesthetically pleasing and poetic way, recreating the magnificent scene of "there must be poetry when traveling to the Three Gorges". The specific location is right next to Baidi City.
The 60-minute performance featured ten poems by six poets, including Li Bai, Du Fu, Liu Yuxi, Su Shi, Chen Zi'ang, and Li Shangyin. With interactive sessions, the performance encompassed eight chapters. As the only live performance in China entirely performed on the waters of the Yangtze River, it offered a completely different experience from Zhang Yimou's previous "Impression, See You Again" series, recreating the poetic moods of these poets as they passed through the Three Gorges. For visitors, it was not only a visual feast but also a rewarding learning experience.
Beautiful Fengjie, a tourist destination with the ancient style of "Chang'an Thirty Thousand Miles", let's go to Fengjie to pursue the charm of the poetic city~
