Live Your Best Lives
In June, the wheels of the car rolled through the heartland of northern Sichuan and southern Gansu. Turning the steering wheel in my hands, I felt like steering a swimming fish, quietly diving into the earth's softest folds. Outside the car window, nascent meadows stretched endlessly, dotted with wildflowers, like the earth draped in a vibrant robe after awakening. And the call from afar surged in from four secret realms...
As the wheels rolled over the last gravel of Locke Road, I looked back at the village of Zhagana awakening from the morning mist. The sea of flowers in Zoige was already ablaze in the sky, and the huge rocks of Lianbaoyeze were nailing the sea of clouds into the heavens. These four gems, embedded on the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau—**the treacherous Heavenly Road, the secluded Stone City, the gentle Wetlands, and the majestic Sacred Mountain**—use glaciers as their chisel and faith as their foundation to compose a geographical rhapsody. The so-called secret realm lies not elsewhere, but in every encounter with the wilderness: when the wind fills the car window and the rustling of prayer flags becomes the rhythm of the soul, we will eventually understand that the end of the pilgrimage is the original intention of returning to nature.
On the first day (2025.6.7, love you love me let’s go for a walk), we arrived at Shenzhen Airport early and boarded Air China flight CA4330 to Chengdu Tianfu Airport at 08:05 on time. After getting off the plane, we received a call from the car rental company employee, informing us that the car we had rented in advance had a minor problem, and whether a pure electric car was available. We said we were going to northern Sichuan and southern Gansu, and we were worried about electricity anxiety. The other party said that we needed to go to Shuangliu Airport to change the car. At this point, we had to drive the electric car to Shuangliu Airport to change for a four-wheel drive SUV.
It took us nearly an hour to pick up the car at Shuangliu Airport and head straight to Zhaohua Ancient City. The whole 320 kilometers took 4 hours. On the way, we saw local loquats, peaches, plums and other fruits at the service area. We bought some and had fruit for lunch. When we were eating fruit at the service area, an aunt and her family set up a table and let us try their loquats. I found that they were more to my taste and I kept telling the aunt that they were delicious. She gave me a small bag and said that they were grown by her family and I should eat more if I liked them. After feasting on a generous helping of fruit, we contentedly continued on our journey. Arriving at Zhaohua Ancient City around 4 p.m., we dropped our luggage at the inn and immediately ventured out to experience the Three Kingdoms culture of this "Second Capital of Shu" and "First Pass of Northern Sichuan." With the rise of the Shu Han Dynasty, Jiameng arose. Zhaohua, formerly known as Jiameng, was given the name "Zhaohua" by Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, for its "illustration of the Emperor's virtue and cultivation of the people's hearts." With over 4,000 years of history and 2,339 years of continuous county status, it is one of the earliest and longest-established counties in central Sichuan. It is a key birthplace of Three Kingdoms culture, historically known as "the first county in Bashu and the second capital of Shu." Zhaohua Ancient City is a charming and authentic county town situated at the confluence of the Bailong, Jialing, and Qingjiang Rivers. Surrounded by mountains on four sides and water on three sides, it boasts a truly picturesque setting, known as "the premier county in Bashu and the second capital of Shu." A heavily guarded military stronghold in ancient times, it was hailed as the "throat of Shu and the key to northern Sichuan." Stories from "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" such as Zhang Fei's nighttime battle with Ma Chao, Huang Zhong and Yan Yan's repulse of Cao Cao's forces, and Jiang Wei's siege of Niutou Mountain all took place here.
After wandering around the ancient city for several hours, I saw the remaining remnants of the city wall and the unique bluestone streets with three horizontal and two vertical lines. The streets still retain wooden and stone archways, and the remains of ancient residential alleys, teahouses, theaters, and academy examination halls. At 8:30 in the evening, the other two companions returned to the inn because they were not very interested in pingshu. My husband and I went to Zhaohua Pingshu Hall to watch the performance, deeply feel the charm of traditional culture, and listen carefully to the Three Kingdoms culture expressed in "one mouth". The Leipeng Pingshu (Thunder Platform Storytelling) tradition of Northern Sichuan originated in the Sichuan Pingshu system and has been passed down for over a century, centered in the ancient city of Zhaohua. The fourth-generation inheritor, Mr. Gou Yinchun, is now in his seventies and, speaking of storytelling, is beginning to lose strength. Currently, the tradition is gradually being passed on to his eldest son, Gou Zhongxiang. With a table, a fan, and a wake-up stick, the three-foot-long stage tells the story of the Shu Road and the Three Kingdoms period, creating a truly spectacular performance. Tickets are currently 30 yuan per person, including a bowl of gaiwan tea. Tonight, thirty or forty people gathered in the teahouse, listening as Gou Zhongxiang, in Sichuan dialect, recounted the history of the ancient city of Zhaohua, from the ancient Shu Kingdom and the Shu Road to Zhang Fei's night battle with Ma Chao during the Three Kingdoms period. His voice, at times passionate, glaring, and often gesticulating, brought the story of Shu and the culture of the Three Kingdoms to life. Day 2: Zhaohua Ancient City → Jianmen Pass (1 hour, 60 km) → Hanwang Town (190 km, 2.5 hours)
Visit Jianmen Pass, focusing on the "Bird Path" or "Monkey Path" (3-4 hours), visit the gate tower and glass observation deck, and experience the legendary Shu Road at Jianmen Pass, which has been said to be as difficult as climbing to the sky. Route: South Gate → Cable Car No. 1 → Monkey Path/Bird Path → Suspended Glass Observation Deck → Liangshan Temple → Shisun Peak → Yixiantian (One Line Sky) → Guanlou → South Gate. From there, take bus No. 7 from the South Gate back to the North Gate parking lot for 3 yuan. We drove to the parking lot at the scenic area's north gate. As soon as we parked, a local suggested we park at her house. Her family would take us to the south gate, saving us the trouble of finding a car to get back. We could have lunch at her house afterward. We thought it was a good idea. After all, the return trip from the south gate was several kilometers away, and finding a car there would be quite a hassle. We were about to eat anyway, and it would save us parking fees. So we let her take us to her house and parked the car.
When we arrived at the South Gate, we first visited the Jiang Wei Temple, where there was a sculpture dedicated to Jiang Wei for people to worship, and there was also an introduction to his life story. Further on was the site of the battle for the liberation of Jianmen Pass. As we had relatively limited time, we did not go to see it. We returned to the main road and walked towards the gate tower. Soon we arrived at the Jiang Wei residence. We saw a protruding mountain in front of us that looked very much like a human face, with a nose, eyes, and lips. After fiddling with it for a while, we continued on and bought a pass in front of the gate tower.
When we arrived at the fork in the Monkey Path and the Bird Path, we saw people climbing the mountain wall from afar and felt a little nervous. So we chose to take the Bird Path to experience the thrill of survival in the gap between "there is a Bird Island in the west of Taibai Mountain, which can cross the peak of Emei Mountain". The Bird Path also has a steep slope and some sections require climbing iron chains, which is suitable for experiencing the dangers of the ancient Shu Road. The two of us chose the Monkey Path. At the entrance, we had our blood pressure taken, signed a life and death agreement, and donned safety harnesses and helmets. Since it was Sunday, the trail was packed, and everyone walked very slowly. Standing behind me was a little girl, about ten years old. It seemed the saying "heroes emerge young" was truly true. As the ancients said, "The road to Shu is difficult, harder than ascending to heaven." Only by climbing the Monkey Path, a narrow path barely wide enough for one person to pass sideways, can you truly experience the thrill of "even the Yellow Crane cannot fly over it, while the monkeys struggle to climb."
After exiting the Monkey Path, my companions were already waiting by the glass plank path. After a short stroll, we took the cable car out of the scenic area. After a leisurely meal at the hotel, we drove to Longnan City. Day 3 (June 9): Hanwang Town → Lazikou (Guan'egou) → Zhagulu Town, Zhuoni County. Today we had more time, so we slept in naturally. After breakfast, we drove from the hotel to the Lazikou Battle Site of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. The 170-kilometer journey took 2.5 hours. As we passed Lazikougou, we could already see many cattle and sheep grazing leisurely on the hillsides. Occasionally, some even jumped onto the road to try to cross the road with us or even walk alongside us, forcing us to drive carefully. We arrived at the Lazikou Memorial Hall, but since it was closed on Mondays, we could only take a photo and check in before continuing on to the battle site monument to pay our respects to the revolutionary martyrs.
Lazikou is located in the northeast of Diebu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province. It is the gateway from northwest Sichuan to southern Gansu and has always been a battleground for military strategists. Lazikou was surrounded by towering mountains. Steep cliffs over 100 meters high flanked the east and west, seemingly cut by a knife. A narrow pass, about eight meters wide, opened in the middle. The Lazi River surged through the gorge. Looking up, one could see only a sliver of blue sky. The strategic terrain was easy to defend but difficult to attack, a situation truly formidable. It was a situation even more dire than the Battle of the Last Water. While the Red Army could have crossed the river and retreated, they had nowhere to turn. They were surrounded on all sides: the Gansu warlords in front, Liu Wenhui's forces pursuing them from Sichuan behind, and the Zhuoni Yang Tusi's forces, as well as the main forces of Hu Zongnan's army, were nearby. Failure to capture Lazikou quickly would not only thwart the Central Committee's plan to march north to resist the Japanese, but also expose the Red Army to the danger of being surrounded by the enemy, with no chance of even turning south and returning to the grasslands. Therefore, Mao Zedong decisively ordered the capture of Lazikou within two days. At the time, the enemy had two battalions stationed at Lazikou: one battalion guarding the pass and the other stationed in the valley behind it. The defenders constructed bunkers at the bridgehead and on the cliffs, creating a crossfire. Furthermore, the enemy had two divisions stationed near Lazikou, ready for reinforcement at any moment, hoping to use the natural barrier to block the Red Army's advance. The Battle of Lazikou is a famous battle in military history where the weak defeated the strong and won by surprise. It was also the most crucial battle during the Red Army's Long March into Gansu. In this battle, the Red Army broke through the last checkpoint in the Long March and opened up a passage for smooth entry into the Shaanxi-Gansu region.
By the time we arrived at the Lazikou Monument, a drizzle had begun, perhaps as a gesture of respect for the revolutionary martyrs. Braving the drizzle, we spent over an hour touring the battle site. We were truly moved by the courage and bravery of these great revolutionary martyrs and deeply aware of how hard-earned our current life is and how we must cherish it. After visiting Lazikou, we drove along Provincial Highway S210, crossing the dozens of turns at the 3,800-meter-high Tiechiliang Pass to Minxian County. We then passed through Zhuoni County and Lintan County on a rugged, shell-riddled road to Zhagulu Town, the starting point of the Rock Road. The 220-kilometer mountain road took four hours, the second-longest driving time of the trip. At the inn, the owner ordered the local specialties, lamb neck and hand-pulled lamb, for me. They were delicious and left everyone stuffed. Afterward, we wandered around town. Many places were already preparing for the peak season, with starry sky camps abounding. They were all very unique, and I imagine the children would love them. During dinner, the innkeeper told us that heavy snow had fallen on the top of Rock Road, making it impassable by car. We were lucky we came today, otherwise we would have had to stay all day. We didn't have to get up early tomorrow, and could set off again after the sun came out and the snow melted. Day 4 (June 10): Zhagulu Town → Zhagana
We followed the innkeeper's advice and had breakfast at 9 a.m. After consulting with the guides who were broadcasting the Zhagana scenic area online, we learned that the weather was excellent. The sun had already come out and the snow on the mountaintop path had melted. With peace of mind, we leisurely set off. The Jiangdie Highway, formerly known as the "Locke Road," runs from Zagulu Town in Zhuoni County, Gannan Province, to Zhagana in Diebu County. In 1925, Rocke conducted a botanical survey along this route. Stunned by the scenery, he described it as "a route that would shock the heavens and earth and move the gods to tears." Today, it's a popular destination for self-driving enthusiasts. At 105 kilometers, it's considered one of the most beautiful 100-kilometer roads in China. The journey from Zagulu Town in Zhuoni County to Zhagana takes just over four hours. There are sixty to seventy kilometers of asphalt road, and another thirty to forty kilometers of cement road in the Guanggai Mountain section. There are some small potholes with accumulated water (not shell craters), and cars can pass through, but they just have to drive slowly around the potholes. There are fallen rocks and landslides in some places along the way, but there are road guards dealing with them along the way. There is also a small section in the middle that is under maintenance. It is estimated that it will be fully open to traffic during the summer vacation, so everyone can proceed with confidence.
I saw a lama digging on the road. What was he doing?
The prayer corridor at Jueba Temple is about 1,500 meters long. During our stay there, we encountered dozens of Tibetans visiting and praying there. The winding, golden roof looks particularly solemn, reflecting the splendor of Jueba Temple.
A group of goats on the prayer corridor also look particularly spiritual. Passing by Niba Village, a century-old Tibetan village and longevity town with the best-preserved wooden buildings in the entire Tibetan area, we took a photo and checked in from a distance. On the way, I saw a group of fellow villagers who were holding an activity. Everyone was carrying a box-like object on their backs and walking up the mountain. I didn't dare to disturb them.
Alpine rhododendrons grew on both sides of the ravine along the way. We stopped the car at a place where the road was wide and easy to climb, climbed halfway up the mountain, took photos crazily, and had snowball fights. The majestic Guanggai Mountain, over 3,800 meters above sea level, was once known as "Shijing Mountain" because its grayish-white rocks are highly reflective. It is a peak in the Dieshan Mountains, over 3,000 meters above sea level. It is adjacent to the Zhagana Mountain, a paradise on earth in the north of Diebu, and close to the source of Chebagou. There are several viewing platforms on the mountain, all set up by Tibetans. You have to pay 2 yuan to enter, and you can park and use the toilet for free. You can also check in.
U-shaped snow valley
After crossing the Taohe National Nature Reserve, we soon arrived at Zhagana, a paradise on earth. Some of my companions were already experiencing some altitude sickness, so we bought some butter tea and cola at the service center.
At the top of Daiba Village, there's a newly built observation deck offering a panoramic view of the entire Zhagana Scenic Area. I recommend watching the sunrise from here, as the next day, when we watched the sunrise from the Dari Observation Deck, we waited for ages only to see the scorching sun. After going down the mountain, enter the north gate of the scenic area and go all the way to Dongwa Village. Then take a tour bus to Fairy Beach and let the spirits of a few fairies fly.
Day 5 (June 11): Zhagana → Randuo Village → Langmusi
A little after 5 a.m., we arrived at the Dari Observation Deck to watch the sunrise. The trees on the opposite mountain were bathed in a rosy glow, but from the observation deck, we couldn't see any trace of the sun. We had to fly a drone 500 meters up to catch a glimpse of the morning light. We didn't see the sunrise, but the mist-shrouded valley looked like a fairyland—quite beautiful.
It was still very cold in Zhagana in the morning, and there was frost on the platform.
After returning to the inn and having breakfast, we continued to explore the village.
Around ten o'clock, the flow of people and vehicles increased, so we left the village and headed for our next stop, Randuo Village.
Driving along National Highway G248, admiring the grassland scenery along the way, we arrived at Randuo Village. There were only century-old trees beside the clear river, covering this Tibetan village with no commercial traces and noisy atmosphere, and with the most primitive Tibetan atmosphere.
This is an ancient village of enchanting beauty, nestled against the mountains and beside the water. At the entrance of the village lies a large forest of ancient camphor trees. We calculated that it would take four people to encircle most of the tree trunks. A small stream flows through the woods, with small bridges over it. The stream flows through the local villagers' water barrel houses, making it look particularly quiet and mysterious. There are 56 white pagodas in the pagoda forest that protect the village. Almost every household in the village has a pagoda.
You can also see wolfsbane flowers here.
Randuo Village is still a relatively quaint village. There are no commercial facilities yet, and even the public toilets have not been built yet. We spent more than an hour there and then left. At the gas station, we asked the guy, who told us that there was a delicious Sichuan restaurant in Tiebu Town. So we left the navigation route and went to a more remote town for lunch.
After lunch, we set out for Langmusi. After passing a checkpoint in Hongxing Town, there was a three-way intersection, either of which could lead to Langmusi. We chose to go left. After 500 meters, a straight road appeared. Snow-capped mountains were in the distance, and undulating grasslands on both sides of the road appeared before us. Groups of cattle and sheep were leisurely grazing, prairie pikas were darting around in the grass, and marmots were lazily lying on the ground basking in the sun. My friends got off the car immediately and after a bit of fun, they continued on their way contentedly. It wasn't long before we arrived at Langmusi. Langmusi Town is divided between Gansu and Sichuan provinces, separated by the Yangtze River. Its natural scenery is breathtaking, earning it the nickname "Little Switzerland of the East." The town is home to two renowned Tibetan Buddhist monasteries: the Gelug Monastery in Sichuan and the Saichi Monastery in Gansu. Visitors must purchase an entrance fee to both. After settling in at the inn, my friends all said they were feeling a little unwell. I had no choice but to go to the scenic area by myself. Gelug Monastery boasts a history of over 600 years. It houses the stupa of the Fifth Gelug Living Buddha and the only replica of the 12-year-old golden statue of Sakyamuni Buddha from the Jokhang Temple in Tibet. It is the only monastery in the Sichuan-Tibet region to possess a living Buddha's body. The relics of the Fifth Gelug Rinpoche are enshrined in the hall, making it the oldest and best-preserved body in the Amdo Tibetan region. After more than 200 years, its appearance remains as pristine and lifelike as ever. I wandered around the temple and returned to the altar. A tour guide was explaining the situation, and with his guidance, I finally got to see the living Buddha's body. Later, I saw a tourist ask a lama within the temple, and he would tell them where the body was.
Afterwards, we walked through the temple parking lot to the Namo Grand Canyon, hiked along the source of the Bailong River, visited the Tiger Cave and the water-powered prayer wheel, and the canyon was pristine and quiet.
It won’t take long to reach the source, but it’s still some distance from the end of the Grand Canyon. Friends who want to explore can go on horseback.
Changing horseshoe nails wasn't an easy task either. I saw them asking a white horse to change for a long time at the source.
It was almost six o'clock, and my boss, probably rested, called to ask where I was. I went back to the main gate to pick them up and took them for another tour. Unfortunately, the temple gate was closed, so we had to go back to the Grand Canyon.
Seeing that the sun was about to set, a large group of cattle and sheep were grazing on the hillside opposite the temple. We climbed up the hillside to take pictures. The golden sunset illuminated the entire Langmusi, which was particularly dazzling. The golden mountain in the sunlight at the red soil cliff is very dazzling.
There is also a mosque outside the gate of the scenic area.
When we had dinner on the street in the evening, we chatted with the store and learned that it rained all day here yesterday, so the weather was relatively good for us. Most of them are foreigners who rent shops here to operate. They usually finish their business and return to their hometowns for reunions during the off-peak tourist season from November to April, and then return to reopen their businesses in April of the following year.
The sixth day (June 12): Langmusi → Ruoergai Flower Lake → The first bay of the Yellow River’s nine bends (connecting the grassland and the Yellow River along the way)
Two provinces with one foot, Sichuan on the left and Gansu on the right. The turning of stones on the road clearly traces the dividing line between the two provinces.
Because the temple was closed after entering the scenic area last night, we entered the Lang Scenic Area again after breakfast. After taking them to the pagoda of the fifth Kirti Living Buddha, we drove to Ruoergai Flower Lake.
The 105 tickets for Huahu include a sightseeing bus. It only takes 5 minutes to get on the bus after entering the scenic area. After getting off the bus, we made a big circle along the plank road. The whole journey takes almost two hours. Everyone should know that the most beautiful place is where there is Haizi. The classic time to visit the Flower Lake is in June. The colorful prairie beside the lake, the blue sky and white clouds, and the flowers in the lake are dazzling.
I came out of Huahu Scenic Area and bought some cheese, yak meat and other snacks next to the exit of the scenic area. Continue to take Tangre Road to the first bend of the Yellow River's Jiuqu. When you drive in, there is a turning observation deck with good scenery.
Go to the visitor center to buy a ticket. The price of the ticket + sightseeing escalator is 105 yuan. Then drive 6km into the scenic area and drive to the scenic area's uphill elevator. This elevator has fourteen levels, which saves everyone the effort of climbing up the mountain and reduces the risk of suffering from altitude sickness.
We arrived at the observation deck at the top of the mountain, overlooking the magnificent panoramic view of the intersection of the S-shaped channel of the Yellow River's first bay and the Baihe River. Unfortunately, the wind on the top of the mountain was super strong. We originally wanted to watch the sunset on the top of the mountain, but we couldn't bear the strong wind, so we had to go down to the foot of the mountain to wait. The glow when the sun set was very shocking.
Everyone wants to experience the life of grassland herdsmen, so we booked a yurt today. After dinner, Dolma led us to dance in the Tibetan Guozhuang for a while, but because they only had four of us staying tonight, they couldn't accommodate us to light a bonfire and dance.
Day 7 (June 13): Zoige Grassland → Aba County
After having breakfast of highland barley tea in the yurt in the morning, we went to the herdsmen’s pastures to ride horses. Their families were setting up tents on the pastures next to the road for the summer vacation to prepare for passing tourists to experience horseback riding.
Butter tea, highland barley cake breakfast and Tibetan rice dumplings. The boss said that a bowl of butter tea can last a whole day.
After riding horses for about an hour at the innkeeper’s pasture, led by the young man holding the reins, we got a taste of the galloping horse.
Farewell to the innkeeper and the others, we continue on the road. At this time, Tangke Town is also overhauling the drainage ditches on both sides of the road. Not far from the town along the S217 provincial road, the endless grassland unfolded in front of us, surrounded by dense barbed wire fences. We found an intersection with a relatively wide barbed wire fence, allowing people to enter and exit. There were yaks in the pasture. We parked on the roadside, got into the pasture, and flew drones to take pictures.
When the drone flew high in the sky, the first bend of the Yellow River and the twisting figures of the Baihe River appeared on the screen. In addition, the winding road after the Yellow River left the first bend of the Nine Bends. In this vast grassland, there are countless Jiuqu Bays.
When we passed Azhiluo Village, we saw a large group of people holding horses and singing together on the grass beside the road, and many lamas were chanting sutras under tents. Out of curiosity, we parked on the roadside again and walked up to find out. Unfortunately, they seemed reluctant to talk to us. After communicating with a younger guy, we were allowed to watch, but we couldn't take pictures. There is no way to know the specific event, but it is held once a year. Later, the guy at the gas station not far away said that it was an activity to pray for a good harvest, peace and auspiciousness, but he couldn't explain its name in Mandarin.
Turn into the Fairy Tale Highway in Melma Town. The wide grasslands on both sides, the alpine meadows in the distance, and the snow lines on the mountaintops constitute beautiful landscape paintings. At the intersection near the village of Riagangka, we saw herders’ houses at the foot of the hillside; there was also a small stream flowing through it, so we drove along the gravel road towards the mountainside. We played on the grass for a while and when we were about to leave, we saw a herdsman leading a horse out. Suddenly, we had an idea and walked up to Dolma and asked Dolma if we could borrow her horse to take some photos. Although Dolma couldn't understand our words, she also understood the body language of our hands and feet and led her horse to us and let us take pictures. We were so happy that we quickly held the horse and learned to go to a windy place. Liu Yifei's lens was shooting wildly. After slowly communicating, she also asked us to ride on the horse and run for a while, but we were afraid that the horse would not obey our orders, so we only dared to walk slowly on the horse. At this time, the little girl from Zhuoma's family also came over, and she took us galloping on the grass, allowing us to truly feel the joy of riding a horse.
We said goodbye to the little girl and her daughter with the gains from this trip, and continued to Aba County.
Day 8: Aba County → Lianbao Yeze (1 hour drive, 50 kilometers)→ Emutang (2 hours drive, 120 kilometers)
In the morning, drive 1 hour from Aba County to Lianbao Yeze Scenic Area. After buying a ticket, drive to Panyangping on the top of the mountain to explore the magical stone forest, a secret land in western Sichuan.
In the deep mountains at the junction of Jiuzhi County in Qinghai and Aba County in Sichuan, there is a picturesque secret place hidden. There are many peaks and mountains here, and the mountains and rivers are beautiful, just like a fairyland. Nian Baoyuze and Lianbaoye are located in Jiuzhi County and Aba County respectively. Nianbaoyu on the north slope has been closed, while Lianbaoye on the south slope is currently open to the public.
Entering the scenic spot, the first thing that catches your eye is the Cypress Sea, named after the cypress trees surrounding the lake. Continuing forward, the peaks on both sides of the road are of different shapes, some are majestic, some are strange, some are weird, and some are steep. It’s as if nature is working its magic here, displaying outstanding works one by one.
Pangyangping: Continue forward and reach the end point of the scenic area - Panyangping. There is a visitor center here that provides coffee, bread, pizza, etc. If you enter the scenic spot in the morning, you can choose to have lunch here. If you bring your own food, the seats here are free and you can sit down and have a picnic. Buy a round-trip bus for 15 yuan to go to the observation deck at the highest point of 4,520 meters above sea level, where you can see the most beautiful scenery.
When we were going down the mountain, we saw clusters of bright yellow flowers sprouting from the stone beach on the roadside. Upon closer inspection, we couldn’t help but be surprised. It turned out that this was a national second-class protected plant, green velvet that grows on the snow-capped mountains of the plateau and blooms only once in its life. It was an extra bonus for us during this trip.
At three o'clock in the afternoon, we left the scenic spot and headed all the way to Taoping Qiang Village along the Jiuhong Grassland Scenic Avenue. The beautiful scenery along the way was simply breathtaking, even if there is no viewing platform, it is worth seeing. After passing Hongyuan Airport, the sky began to slowly darken, so we turned to the highway. It was very uncomfortable for us to drive on this section of the highway. There were few vehicles driving on this relatively spacious kilometer, and the speed limit was 80 kilometers almost the whole way. We were snailing all the way, and it was better to walk on the national highway.
Day 9 (June 15) Taoping Jiangzhai → Wenchuan Yingxiu Middle School Earthquake Site → Chengdu
Taoping Qiang Village is located in Taoping Township, Li County, Sichuan Province. The Qiang Village faces north and south, with mountains on its back and water on its back. It has a strict layout. It is known as the mysterious "Oriental Castle" because of its typical Qiang architecture and complex interlaced passage structure. Here you can see the very complete living fossils of Qiang architectural culture and art. Walking into Taoping Qiang Village, you can see the simple and mysterious ancient Qiang dwellings with a history of thousands of years.
We were really lucky this time. When chatting with the innkeeper’s family in the evening, the boss asked us to enter the scenic spot with her mother tomorrow. His mother is a professional guide in the village and can explain it to us for free. The next morning, the innkeeper’s mother led the four of us into the village in advance to avoid the crowds and have some fun.
Under the observation deck, I chatted with an 80-year-old grandma who lived alone in the old village and ran a small stall. We bought two small bracelets, and the grandma enthusiastically brought us a large batch of cherries she had grown in the house.
Yingxiu Town, Wenchuan County, Aba Prefecture, Sichuan Province, the epicenter of the 2008.05.12 earthquake. At that time, the "earthquake" was reported to the outside world at the county level, so it was called the "Wenchuan Earthquake." Yingxiu "Xuankou Middle School" is the only remaining "site" for memory!
Day 10, leisure time in Chengdu
The two companions said they had not been to Kuanzhai Alley, so we made arrangements
Revisit the old place
The two of us have traveled to Sichuan several times, but we have never had much fun in Chengdu, so this time we temporarily changed our itinerary and postponed our return to Shenzhen for 2 days to experience the fireworks of Chengdu.
The Luming Tea House in People's Park is now a popular check-in place for foreign tourists and is very lively. Among them, many foreign friends are experiencing tureen tea, ear picking, massage, and mahjong playing.
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