Songyang | The Last Secret Place in Jiangnan Featured in National Geographic

Songyang | The Last Secret Place in Jiangnan Featured in National Geographic
National Geographic calls Songyang "the last secret place in Jiangnan." The ancient village of Chenjiapu is located on a cliffside at an altitude of 800 meters, surrounded by lush bamboo forests and deep mountain valleys, quietly standing for over 600 years. Here you can find wild luxury homestays, independent cafes, avant-garde bookstores, and clusters of ancient villages. Since first visiting four years ago, it has become a fixed travel destination every year. Coincidentally, with Qixi Festival and wedding anniversary coming up, why not rent a car and drive back here again?

▫️Stay: Fei Chao Ji
The place I always stay at when visiting Songyang. The 270-degree glass windows with no dead angles bring in greenery, filling the room with sunlight and endless views. The wind rustles through the vast bamboo groves, and just a wall away, all the comfort and rustic charm are kept indoors. Standing by the large window, I’ve never felt so at ease with wild grass growing in everyday life scenes—there’s a kind of aimless joy.

▫️Visit: Avant-garde Bookstore · Chenjiapu Commoners’ Bookstore
Next to the canyon, I drank iced orange Americano at Zhi Coffee for three consecutive days. After finishing, just around the corner is the cliffside Chenjiapu village’s "Commoners’ Bookstore." The book categories are very well organized. Opening the door, you are embraced by terraced fields, bamboo forests, ancient trees, and mountains. Feel the wind, the sunset, the passing clouds, and the moonlight on the mountain peaks.

▫️Travel: Self-driving
This time, I again booked my ideal car model in advance through Shenzhou Car Rental, making it convenient to stop and enjoy the scenery anytime on the road.

▫️Supporting Nearby Tours:
This time I experienced hiking the ancient tea garden trail. Starting from Chenjiapu and heading further down, there are wild waterfalls hidden in the villages. You can go stream tracing or light camping. Since I rented a car, traveling between villages was very convenient. Remember to choose a sunny day to drive to Yangjiatang Village, known as the "Golden Potala" city. In the distant mountains’ faint shadows, light and shadow dance, reminding me of the beautiful moments in "Under the Tuscan Sun."

Driving up the winding mountain roads, the moment you arrive, all the worries of urban travelers are left behind. At that moment, you are absorbed by nature. At 30+, I understand that the normal state of life is the occurrence of all things. What we need to learn is how to coexist peacefully with them, to savor the joy in the experience, and thus achieve true calm and acceptance…
So why not set off now!

Post by BKQ. Gus 3107 | Aug 22, 2025