Things to do in Yi County

I actually went to Hongcun with low expectations. We had an extra afternoon and we knew that Hongcun was a popular tourist attraction. The pictures were pretty but we didn’t expect much. To my surprise, Hongcun was wonderful. The mansions were interesting to explore, the lake was absolutely beautiful, the stores were inviting. Despite being such a popular tourist attraction, the prices were reasonable and we left with heavy bags and a happy heart. Thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful village, would highly recommend!!

The ancient houses in the scenic area are scattered in a pleasing, staggered pattern, with white walls and black tiles creating a very picturesque scene. We happened to arrive during a light drizzle, which turned the stone paths black, adding to the atmosphere. There are open areas in the center of the scenic area, preventing it from being too crowded.

The four famous Taoist mountains boast red Danxia cliffs with numerous cliff carvings, and the "Heavenly Splendor" is truly breathtaking. The ancient cliffside village of Yuehua Tianjie features white walls and black tiles, and after rain, it's easy for clouds to appear, creating a strong sense of fantasy. The True Immortal Cave and the red-walled Taoist temple of Yuxu Palace are perfect for taking stunning photos.

The value for money is absolutely amazing!! It rained during the Dragon Boat Festival, and Xiuli was the only place in Huizhou that kept up with the fish lantern displays – the variety was incredible!! I had so much fun! I wrote a thousand-word post on Xiaohongshu to rave about it. Although I was initially a little unhappy that Xiuli wasn't included in the annual pass, the ten yuan was totally worth it. You absolutely must come to Xiuli to see the fish lanterns, fireworks, and iron flower displays!

The wood-carved buildings in Lucun are worth seeing. You can hire a professional guide at the entrance of the scenic area to lead the tour, which saves time and provides a more accurate explanation of the wood carvings.

Tachuan truly lives up to its reputation as a representative of autumn scenery in southern Anhui. It's not far from Hongcun, just a 10-minute electric scooter ride away, making it very convenient. The white-walled, black-tiled Hui-style houses are scattered among the mountains, surrounded by terraced fields. As autumn arrives, the leaves gradually change color, a tapestry of red, yellow, and green, resembling an oil painting. Strolling along the mountain trails, the scenery changes with every step, making for stunning photos. Compared to Hongcun, Tachuan is much quieter and less noisy. It's recommended to visit on a sunny afternoon for the soft light and atmosphere. This trip allows you to experience the authentic charm of a traditional mountain village.

Xidi has more official residences, while Nanping has more private residences. You can feel the tranquility and peace; many residents still live there. The small Western-style houses are quite different in style. The items in the Cheng Family Ancestral Hall were donated by people, one chair at a time. Shensi Hall is the best-preserved two-courtyard house I've seen recently.

During my trip to Anhui, I visited Hongcun, a major tourist destination in Huangshan City. Moon Pond is one of Hongcun's most iconic attractions, also known as "Ox Stomach" because its shape resembles an ox's stomach, echoing the village's overall "ox-shaped village" feng shui layout. Built during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, Moon Pond is crescent-shaped, surrounded by antique Hui-style residences. Its mirror-like surface reflects the white-walled, black-tiled buildings and green mountains, creating a beautiful scene. Moon Pond is Hongcun's most representative photography spot, hailed as "a village in a Chinese painting."

This seemed to be the only ancient town we visited that didn't charge us, but after seeing two grand mansions where the descendants of the old houses still lived and explained the wood carvings to us—all of them were over 70 years old—we still ended up paying 10 yuan per person.

In March, in Bishan Village, Yixian County, Huangshan, we avoided the crowds to appreciate the ancient charm and pastoral poetry of Huizhou. We strolled through the fish lantern intangible cultural heritage workshop, visited the Bishan Bookstore and the ancient ancestral hall bookstore, and experienced handicrafts at the nostalgic craft store. We encountered art and life around every corner, tasted Huizhou stinky mandarin fish, braised pig tail, and stir-fried peanut sprouts, and quietly enjoyed the tranquility of Bishan Village in spring.