Compared to Hongcun, I prefer this unpopular ancient village that is free to visit.

Compared to the crowded southern Anhui, I prefer the unpopular small town of Pingnan in Ningde, Fujian.

This place is known as the "Meet Yourself" of Fujian. It has the same primitive ancient villages as southern Anhui, but with fewer tourists. Persimmon trees, ancient dwellings, golden rice fields... It's a healing and comfortable place. 🌾

If you want to avoid the crowds and enjoy the autumn scenery, I recommend these ancient villages in Pingnan:

1️⃣ Siping Village
If you want to see persimmon trees, Siping Village is definitely the best place to see them. 🍅 The best time to visit is in November, when the leaves have fallen and the village is full of beautiful persimmon trees. This is also one of the most artistic villages I've visited, with tasteful cafes and homestays.
(P.S. You can buy dried persimmons in the village to try. I think they taste better than fresh persimmons.)

2️⃣ Xiadi Village
This is my favorite ancient village in Pingnan. It not only has well-preserved rammed earth ancient dwellings, but also the first Pioneer Bookstore in Fujian, located in a large golden rice field. This is probably the ideal rural picture, very pleasant. 🎐

3️⃣ Longtan Village
The main transportation, accommodation, and dining in Pingnan's ancient villages are in Longtan Village, which is also the largest village in the area. Surrounded by mountains, a stream runs through the village, with stone bridges, yellow walls, gray tiles, and streams... It's not Jiangnan, but it looks more like Jiangnan.

💡💡 Travel Tips
🚶 Travel Route: You can visit these three villages in one day, and they are all free. The route is: Siping Village → Longtan Village → Xiadi Village.

🚗 Transportation: If you are driving, you can navigate directly to Longtan Village in Pingnan County, Fujian. If you are taking public transportation, take a train to Pingnan Station, then take a minibus to Longtan Village at Hengkun Times Square. The bus departs at 2:30 pm, and the fare is 18 yuan per person. For the return trip, take the minibus back to Pingnan at 7:30 am the next day.

🏨 Accommodation & Dining: I highly recommend staying overnight in Longtan Village. There are many homestays and small restaurants, and you can see a clear starry sky in the mountains at night. ✨

If you have 2 days to explore slowly, you can also visit the nearby Qiantou Village and Jixia Village, which are ancient and less crowded villages worth experiencing.