A New Hidden Experience in Southern Anhui: Be a Traditional Craftsperson for a Day in Jing County

Escape the crowds of Hongcun and Xidi, and discover this ultra-hidden mountain and water town in Southern Anhui—Jing County. Here, the mountains are lush and green, and the lakes are as clear as jade, rivaling the niche scenic beauty of Altay! Compared to the bustling popular spots, the beauty here is wilder, more ethereal, and more down-to-earth! The tributaries of Taiping Lake connect ink-wash villages, and by the Peach Blossom Pool, you can sing and walk through a thousand years of history. Agricultural civilization and poetic aesthetics blend naturally here—this is the true feeling of a hidden world! · Transportation: 🚄 High-speed train from Hangzhou East to Xuancheng Station: 1 hour 🚗 Self-driving: Hangzhou to Jing County about 3 hours · Recommended is this self-driving route combining the "Nine Bends and Eighteen Turns" with village tours: Taoling Six Bends (the essence of Southern Anhui’s Sichuan-Tibet Route 318) — Huangtian Village — Xuanzhi Cultural Park — Pingyuan Secret Realm — Peach Blossom Pool — Chaji Ancient Town · Taoling Six Bends The essence of Anhui’s 318! An 18-kilometer mountain road with dense forests along the way. Feel your adrenaline surge through continuous 90-degree hairpin turns, and if you’re lucky, witness the spectacular "clouds steaming and rosy clouds" scene. · Chaji Ancient Town Compared to Hongcun and Xidi, this is a "living ancient village." Ming and Qing dynasty buildings rest by the water. There’s no noisy market here, just simplicity and nature. Stroll through the alleys, watch dogs nap in the lanes, hear the sewing machine clatter from the old tailor shop—time seems to slow down... · Peach Blossom Pool The real-life scene of Li Bai’s "Peach Blossom Pool is a thousand feet deep"! Row a boat in the morning mist, gently tap the bamboo pole, watch the egrets take flight—this is the Eastern aesthetic of ancient poetry! · Pingyuan Secret Realm So niche that even navigation hesitates. It combines the rustic charm of Xijin Ferry and the delicate beauty of Moon Bay, naturally filtered with an aura of seclusion! In summer, drift on a bamboo raft over the emerald river, with green mountains drawing closer on both sides, as if "people are traveling within the scenery." · China Xuanzhi Cultural Park This is a living museum revealing the entire process of the birth of "the best paper." Discover the secret of "paper lasting a thousand years": softening, steaming, and pulping the bark of the blue sandalwood tree... · Although adjacent to the popular city of Huangshan, Jing County stubbornly preserves the four-season farming proverbs of tea picking and papermaking, living a "slow-paced" life. · Amid the blue sandalwood and bamboo forests, Huazhu Luxury · Jing County Xuanzhi Source Designer Homestay retains the simple elegance of Huizhou architecture while integrating exquisite modern design. The large floor-to-ceiling windows in the rooms capture the endless green mountains and the misty fairyland scenery at dawn. · ⭐️ Papermaking Experience Put on an apron and step into the pulp vat! The master craftsman teaches you hand-in-hand how to "scoop paper"—dip the bamboo screen into the water and lift it gently, instantly forming paper as thin as cicada wings. At the drying yard, watch the master drying paper by lamplight under the moon, witnessing the birth of a sheet of Xuanzhi paper. · ⭐️ Pottery Making Without the brilliance and delicacy of porcelain, pottery retains the simplicity of a thousand years ago. An intangible cultural heritage inheritor personally teaches! From kneading clay, throwing on the wheel, to carving patterns, start from the raw form and watch the clay transform into the shape you want. The raw form solidifies into art in the fire’s refining, feeling the warmth and simplicity of a millennium ago. · Follow 🐷 to unlock more fun and interesting destinations