No tourist traps, rustic villages retain odd quirk
The term Huizhou, which once referred to parts of today’s Anhui and Jiangxi provinces, conjures up many things to many people: sharp but honest businessmen, grand but delicate architecture, various forms of arts, and one of China’s eight main cuisines.
The term is no longer in common use but the culture it embodies remains in the six counties of ancient Huizhou, which have developed some popular sightseeing destinations such as Wuyuan in Jiangxi.
My destination is Jixi, one of the more obscure destinations. Most people in Shanghai have probably never heard of the place, but that’s about to change with the advent of the high-speed Hangzhou-Huangshan Railway.
Jixi, with a history of about 3,000 years, flourished during Chinese dynasties. It is the starting point of the Huizhou-Hangzhou Route, an ancient trade route where people can still walk along some parts today. It is also home to a huge family surnamed
Hu that produced generals, ministers and businessmen in past centuries. Perhaps the best-known contemporary descendant is former President Hu Jintao.
There are ancient sites scattered around the very small downtown of Jixi, all within one hour’s ride. Even during the summer holiday peak season, not many visitors stop here. Most of the tourists are senior citizen groups from nearby places, including Shanghai.
My first stop is Renli, a 1,000-yearold village. Before going there, I read some comments online and was surprised to find widely divergent opinions about the place. Some said it was one of the most fun places they had ever visited; others said it was boring with nothing to recommend.
I guess it was up to me to find out who was telling the truth.
The village is about 20 minutes’ walk from the main road. It has a service center and a ticket office, but the actual entrance to the village is not easy to find. You need to walk along a field for 100 meters before turning onto a narrow path and walking further. A small, stone archway is th
All the staff in th seemed to be the vil A man checked my around for a bit and he had to go home
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