Don't just know about Shawan Ancient Town—next to Lotus Mountain, the century-old village is even more extraordinary

🌙 Three Major Fengshen Experiences · Autumn Exclusive
❶ Longjin Bridge · Blue Hour Double Moon (18:00-18:25)
Wait patiently by Yudai River when it's windless! The Qing Dynasty stone bridge and its reflection form a full moon. Wear a plain shirt and carry a bamboo lantern (rented from village vendors for ¥10), stand in the middle of the bridge, and shoot wide-angle low shots to embed your shadow in the "moon."
Hidden spot: East side of the bridge at the "Pushan First Gate" steps, shoot from above to frame the bridge’s shadow inside the gate hole, creating the "Moon Gate" spectacle.

❷ Oyster Shell Wall · Millennium Scale Light (Secret spot after closing)
At 18:00 when the ancestral hall closes, rush to the west alley of "Chaolie Dafu Ancestral Hall"! The sunset shines through the oyster shell holes, casting fish scale light patterns on the blue brick ground. Press your palm against the rough shell wall texture and shoot macro photos capturing the coexistence of calcified shells and fingerprints (settings: exposure -1.0 | tone +30).

❸ Wen Tower Star Trails · Kui Star Points the Dipper (Lights on at 19:00)
The Great Kui Pavilion tower shoots golden light, and the ground lights shaped like the Big Dipper light up one by one. Circle the tower three times to touch the brick inscriptions (donation list from Guangxu era). Use long exposure to capture light trails swirling around the tower like a time vortex.

♂️ Anti-Crowd Power Walk Route (Thursday Private Tour Version)
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17:30 Enter from South Parking Lot → Head straight to Longjin Bridge for blue hour
18:00 Side alley of Xianzong Ancestral Hall → Shoot autumn chili peppers drying against pink walls
18:25 Rush to Oyster Shell Wall → Capture the scale light sunset
18:50 Base of Wen Tower → Wait for star trail lights to turn on
19:10 Bodhi Tree Night Market → Snack on taro silk cakes while listening to Cantonese opera a cappella
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💡 Insider Tip: No study tours on Thursdays, tower stairs open for limited time!

📸 Amateur Pro Tips
‖ Wok Ear House Fireworks
Use a bamboo sieve borrowed from villagers on the stone steps in front of "Chen Clan Ancestral Hall" to toss red chili peppers and shoot dynamic bursts (four-panel collage).
‖ Ancient Bridge Reflection
Shoot close to the water surface on the east bank of Yudai River, then flip the photo to get a "round sky, square earth" mirrored world.
‖ Wen Tower Meditation
Sit cross-legged on the octagonal stone carving at the tower base, place a lantern on your lap for silhouette shots, with the tower’s golden light piercing the indigo sky.

🍜 Ancient Village Night Delicacies
‖ Grandma’s Sweet Soup Secret Code
Say "Liuyuantang" at the night market stall under the banyan tree → get chilled dried tangerine peel red bean soup for ¥5 (sprinkled with osmanthus).
‖ Century-old Crispy Fried
"Soo Kee" taro silk cakes + stuffed chili with dace fish (¥15/serving) paired with homemade sour plum drink, crispy and juicy!

💰 Super Savings Formula
✅ Transport Hack
From Shiqi Station Exit A, take a "carpool" → to the village ¥6/person (20 minutes faster than bus)
✅ Ticket Loophole
After 17:30, the guard at Xianzong Ancestral Hall relaxes → sneak in to shoot empty hall shots (no flash photography!)

Blood and Tears Pitfall Guide
⚠️ Fatal Mistakes
- Do not step on Longjin Bridge relief carvings! Lotus patterns are weathered and fragile (monitored by villagers).
- Be cautious touching the Bodhi tree hollow! There is a wasp nest inside (still active in October).
⚠️ Ancient Building Secrets
- Oyster shell walls contain oyster calcium carbonate, which glows pearly on rainy days—wipe water off for night shots!
- On the 5th and 10th of October → Yudai River releases lotus lanterns (free pickup at 19:30).

📍 Navigation: Daling Village (park at free spots in front of Xianzong Ancestral Hall)
🚇 Subway: Line 4 Shiqi Exit A → carpool ¥6 (look for "Wen Tower" direction)
📸 Equipment: Tripod + fill light (essential for blue hour)
👗 Outfit: Cotton-linen shirt + wide-leg pants > Hanfu (avoid long skirts! Easy to trip on stone steps)