5-Day/4-Night Yongzhou Travel Guide | The Millennium Secret of the Source of Xiaoxiang River!
The latest in-depth gameplay for 2024: the poetic landscapes depicted by Liu Zongyuan—a city 99% of people haven't yet discovered.
Think Hunan is only about Changsha, Zhangjiajie, and Fenghuang Ancient Town?
Wrong!
Tucked away among the mountains on the border between southern Hunan and Guangxi,
lies a city imbued with both history and natural beauty—
👉 Yongzhou!
Here you are:
✅ The place where Liu Zongyuan wrote "Eight Records of Yongzhou" in exile, and where the "older man in a straw hat and raincoat" went fishing.
✅ The mausoleum of Emperor Shun, the ancestor of Chinese civilization, and the birthplace of the "Source of Virtue and Filial Piety" culture.
✅ The city at the source of the Xiangjiang River, with flowing streams and picturesque peaks and forests.
✅ A home to ethnic minorities, rich in Yao customs and mysterious and awe-inspiring folklore.
But too many people pass by without visiting, simply because they don't understand:
Yongzhou is not a "remote town," but a living collection of Tang and Song Dynasty landscape poetry.
If you're tired of popular check-in spots and want to experience the authentic "Ink and Wash Jiangnan" experience, this [2024 Comprehensive Yongzhou In-Depth Travel Guide] will take you on a 5-day journey through the China of textbooks, from history and culture to hidden hiking trails, from local snacks to overnight stays in Yao villages.
🗺️ Recommended Itinerary: Yongzhou 5-Day, 4-Night Highlights Tour (Suitable for First-Time Visitors)
🎯 Key Highlights Covered:
Cultural: Liu Zongyuan, Huaisu, Emperor Shun, Nüshu
Natural: Valleys, Waterfalls, Peaks, Wetlands
Humanities: Ancient Villages, Yao Ethnic Culture, Taoist Mountains
🌟 Four Must-See Experiences · Detailed Tours by Scene + Practical Tips
Lingling Ancient City & Liuzi Temple | Echoes of a Cultural Heritage Across Millennia
📍 Key Landmarks: Liuzi Street, Yuxi River, Liuzi Temple
📚 Liu Zongyuan served as Sima of Yongzhou for ten years and penned timeless masterpieces such as "Notes on the Small Stone Pool" and "On the Snake Catcher"
📌 Must-see details:
The Forest of Steles in Liuzi Temple: Authentic stone inscriptions of Liu Zongyuan by literati throughout the ages.
Listen to the gurgling waters of Yuxi Bridge: At night, with no lights or people around, you can almost hear the chilling feeling of "sorrow."
Visit the ruins of "Small Stone Pond": Though no longer in its original state, the swaying bamboo shadows still evoke a sense of the past.
📸 Photography Tips:
Wear Hanfu (Chinese traditional clothing) or a plain long gown to capture the atmosphere of a "literati wandering alone" on Liuzi Street.
Use a slow shutter speed to capture the flowing water (use your phone's professional mode to shoot at least 1/4 second).
💡 Friendly reminder: Admission is free, but Liuzi Temple is closed on Mondays, so please avoid it.
Shanggantang Ancient Village | One of Hunan's oldest millennium villages
🏘️ Founded in the Tang Dynasty, this village has been home to the Zhou family for generations, boasting a history of over 1,200 years.
✅ Well-preserved Ming and Qing Dynasty buildings, stone pavements, ancient bridges, and Wenchang Pavilion
🌟 Three highlights:
Buying Bridge: A Song Dynasty stone arch bridge spanning the Xiemu River, reminiscent of a fairyland in the morning mist.
Yuebei Pavilion Cliff Carvings: A hundred-meter-long stele gallery of ancient family precepts, known as a "folk Tao Te Ching."
Wenchang Pavilion Night Lights: Illuminated in the evening, its reflections in the water resemble a re-creation of "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains."
🌙 Recommended Activities:
Stay overnight in a villager-run B&B (¥150–200/room) to experience authentic rural life.
Wake up at 6 a.m. to photograph the deserted village; the light and shadows are breathtaking.
Jiangyong Women's Book Garden | The secret world of the world's only female-specific script.
🔠 Nüshu: The world's only gender-specific script, created, sung, and written by women.
✅ Watch as Nüshu inheritors copy poems and chant the "Three Dynasties Book" in their unique handwriting.
📌 Hands-on Activities:
Learn to write a few basic Nüshu characters (such as "sisters" and "peace").
Listen to an authentic Nüshu recitation (the voice is soft, melodious, and deeply moving).
Purchase a Nüshu embroidered handkerchief as a souvenir (an intangible cultural heritage craft).
⚠️ Important Notes:
Respect privacy and do not photograph elderly inheritors' faces without permission.
Don't fall for scams offering "Nüshu crash courses," as genuine masters are rare.
Yangmingshan National Forest Park | Southern Hunan's Green Lung + 100,000 Acres of Rhododendrons
⛰️ The main peak is 1,625 meters above sea level, with over 98% forest coverage.
✅ Spring (April–May) sees a spectacular "sea of azaleas," blanketing the mountains in a fiery red.
📌 Recommended Hiking Route:
Wanshou Temple → Dujuan Ridge → Wangri Terrace (approximately 6 km, 3 hours)
Along the way, you'll see waterfalls, streams, and wild monkeys (please do not feed them).
🌤️ Best Viewing Spots:
Wangri Terrace: On clear days, overlooking Hengyang and Yongzhou city.
Waterfalls: Plenty of water in the summer, perfect for a refreshing escape from the heat.
🏨 Recommended Accommodation:
Mountaintop "Yangmingshan Villa" or a boutique B&B nearby, offering a view of the sea of clouds from your window.
🍽️ Yongzhou Must-Try List | Spicy, Soothing, and Delicious Southern Hunan Cuisine
Food Features Recommended Restaurants
------ ------ ----------
Dong'an Chicken: A classic state banquet dish, sour, spicy, and tender, it originated in the Western Han Dynasty. Lingling Old Street: "Zhangji Dong'an Chicken"
Blood Duck: Yongzhou blood duck is not stir-fried, allowing the duck blood to retain its juices, resulting in a spicy and numbing experience. Lengshuitang: "Fat Zhou Local Cuisine Restaurant"
Drinking Snails: Stewed stream snails, slurping up the broth for a burst of flavor. Freshly cooked at night market stalls for the most authentic experience.
Youcha, the heart of the Yao breakfast, is made with fried rice, tea leaves, and pounded ginger and garlic. Jiangyong Yao Village offers the most authentic experience.
Baba snacks like taro cakes, mugwort cakes, and rice tofu are soft, glutinous, and fragrant. Visit the old lady's stall at the entrance of Shanggantang Village.
🔥 Foodie Tip:
Yongzhou cuisine tends to be spicy and salty; request "mild spicy" when ordering.
Street stalls offer the most authentic experience; chain restaurants are a wise choice.
⚠️ Special Warning: These are the "Don'ts"!
❌ Driving into the mountains without checking road conditions → Some rural roads are narrow and winding
✅ Download offline maps in advance and drive slowly in rainy weather
❌ Taking photos and videos at the Women's Book Garden → This involves cultural taboos
✅ Ask for permission beforehand, especially when filming elderly people and rituals
❌ Blindly joining a so-called "Yao King Festival" performance troupe → Some are commercial and lack authentic elements
✅ Opt for government-organized or spontaneous village activities for more authentic experiences
❌ Picking wild plants or catching stream fish → Prohibited in areas with strict ecological protection
✅ Observe without disturbing others, and take away memories
❌ Thinking Yongzhou is just a transit point → Missing out means missing out on half of Hunan cultural history! ✅ Plan at least 3 days for an in-depth tour to be worth the price.
💡 Backup Plan (for bad weather or lack of energy)
🔧 Plan B 1: In case of heavy rain → Switch to indoor activities
e.g., Yongzhou Museum, Li Dazhao's Former Residence, Qiyang Tao Zhu Memorial Hall
🔧 Plan B 2: Traveling with elderly and children → Shorten your itinerary and focus on Lingling and Shanggantang. Flexibly adjust other attractions to avoid long journeys.
🔧 Plan B 3: To experience ethnic minority life → Sign up for a one-day Yao village tour
e.g., Gou Lan Yao Village in Lanxi, where you can participate in a long table banquet, bamboo pole dance, and wear ethnic costumes.
Final words:
Yongzhou doesn't speak,
but with its stream, its bridge, and its words, it tells you:
True poetry lies not in the distance,
but in the moment you understand an inscription, hear a line of women's script,
walk along a thousand-year-old stone path—
Just as Liu Zongyuan wrote, standing by the Yuxi River:
"Mind still, body free, one with all creation." '
I came to Yongzhou not for the excitement, but to allow myself to quietly live in history.