The real-life version of "Sky Blue Waiting for the Misty Rain" 🌧️

If you're tired of commercial hustle and want to find an authentic Jiangnan ancient town, Yao Li is a must-visit! Known as the "Source of Porcelain, Land of Tea, and Sea of Forests," it inspired Jay Chou's "Blue and White Porcelain" with the line "sky blue waiting for the misty rain." It's truly a real-life ink painting fantasy~ Here’s a super practical travel guide, so start taking notes! 👇 Basic Information 📌 - Address: Yaoli Town, Fuliang County, Jingdezhen City, Jiangxi Province (adjacent to Wuyuan and Qimen, with beautiful scenery along the way) - Tickets: The ancient town is free to explore 🆓; some attractions offer combined tickets for 50-100 RMB, but you don’t need to buy a full pass for individual spots - Best Season: Spring and autumn (March-May 🌸, September-November 🍂) with pleasant weather; rainy days with mist add to the atmosphere! - Transportation: 1 hour by car 🚗; from Jingdezhen Lichun Bus Station, take a shuttle bus for 1.5 hours, ticket price 15 RMB, passing by Porcelain Palace and Hanxi Village Must-Visit Attractions 🏞️ - Ming and Qing Ancient Street: Bluestone roads + white walls with black tiles, lined with ceramic shops and handicrafts, perfect for taking ancient-style photos - Cheng Family Ancestral Hall: Qing Dynasty Huizhou-style architecture ceiling, exquisite wood and brick carvings, breathtaking light and shadow through the eaves on rainy days - Yao River: The "Emerald River" running through the town, early morning mist around 6-7 AM, take a bamboo raft downstream and instantly feel like you’re "traveling inside a painting" - Wanghu Ecological Area: Pristine forest + waterfall clusters, Nanshan Waterfall and Wugu Spring are super healing, perfect for oxygen-rich hiking - Gaoling National Mining Park: The birthplace of "kaolin" ⛰️, the mining pit ruins look like a spilled glaze palette, plus you can visit the ceramic museum - Raonan Ancient Kiln: See ancient water-powered mortar sites and try your hand at wheel-throwing and painting blue and white porcelain 🎨, 30 RMB/person, finished products can be mailed home Special Experiences 😆 - Hanfu Photoshoot: Rent Hanfu in the ancient town for 30-50 RMB/hour, paired with oil-paper umbrellas and round fans, perfect for stunning photos at Bandeng Bridge and Yulin Dam - Food Highlights: Alkali water rice cake with stir-fried cured meat, bitter acorn tofu, porcelain clay stewed chicken, tea-flavored ribs, all for about 40 RMB per person to eat your fill - Rainy Day Exclusive: Listen to Huiju opera 🎶 at Cheng Family Ancestral Hall, the raindrops plus singing create an immersive atmosphere, and the reflections on the bluestone roads look like flowing glaze - Night Walk along Yao River: When the lights come on at night, stroll along the riverbank, listen to the insects and water sounds, peaceful and romantic 🌙 Itinerary Suggestions 🗓️ - One-day tour: Morning stroll on the ancient street + Cheng Family Ancestral Hall → lunch with farmhouse dishes → afternoon rush to Wanghu Ecological Area or Raonan pottery making - Two-day tour: Day 1: Ancient town wandering + ceramic experience + stay in Huizhou-style guesthouse → Day 2: Explore Gaoling mining pit + hike back Accommodation Recommendations 🏡 - Huizhou-style Old House Guesthouses: "Fuju" and "Qingyou Guesthouse," renovated Ming and Qing ancient houses with windows overlooking Yao River, where you can also enjoy blue and white covered bowl tea - Cost-effective Inns: Yaojia Inn, with a super friendly owner who recommends off-the-beaten-path spots and hidden food gems - Comfortable Hotels: Yaoli Holiday Hotel, a quasi four-star with complete facilities, suitable for family trips Avoid Pitfalls Tips ⚠️ 1. Wear non-slip shoes! Bluestone roads are very slippery when wet 2. Avoid expensive riverside restaurants; choose "Yaohe Mountain Cuisine" on the commercial street for more authentic food 3. Don’t buy "antique porcelain" from roadside vendors, most are fakes 4. Remember to bring sunscreen and mosquito repellent, as the mountain area has strong UV rays and many insects