Huangling without its rapeseed flowers still leaves me with an unforgettable longing

In Wuyuan, Jiangxi, there is a beautiful place written about in 'National Geographic'—Huangling. It was established in the mid-Ming Dynasty and has a history of over 600 years. You must visit this place if you have the chance, to experience the earthly charm of this ancient village in the south of the Yangtze River. Our group rented a car from Wuyuan in the morning, took a detour to Jiangwan, enjoyed a farmhouse meal, and then arrived at Huangling. The driver was very enthusiastic, helping us with our luggage and taking photos, and even transported us to the Huangling scenic area by cable car. We stayed at the Huangling Tianjie Hotel's terrace room, which, apart from being a bit far from the reception, requiring us to carry our luggage for a while, had no drawbacks. I personally think it's necessary to stay in such ancient villages and towns, as you can experience the peace and tranquility that the village should have during the quiet moments of early morning or night when the noise of people fades away. Of course, there is also the 'Shaiqiu' beauty lodging, but its rooms seem to be in old houses, and I would be a bit scared to stay there at night . The management of the scenic area is very formal and orderly, similar to the experience of Xizha in Wuzhen. Huangling is hidden among the mountains and forests, with visitors coming and going by cable car, like a fairyland away from the mundane world. Walking into Huangling, climbing up the ancient bluestone steps, you can see Huizhou-style ancient buildings built along the mountain, with white walls and black tiles, orderly and scattered, resembling a delicate and elegant ink painting under the halo of green mountains and blue sky. I also admire the wisdom of the ancient people who, in an era of underdeveloped transportation and primitive tools, used their hardworking hands to overcome the natural environment, build terraced fields, and erect tall buildings, creating such a picturesque haven in the mountains. 'The land is not three feet flat' describes the unique geographical environment of Huangling, which also makes the available flat land very scarce. The clever villagers, to solve the problem of drying crops after the autumn harvest, made full use of the space on their rooftops, drying their crops on bamboo mats placed on wooden racks above their houses. Long wooden poles supporting round bamboo mats create Huangling's unique 'Shaiqiu' landscape. Bright red chili peppers, golden corn, porcelain white beans, and emerald green beans... colorful and beautiful like an oil painting. Continuing up the bluestone path, you reach the Tianjie of Huangling. Nearly 500 meters of ancient alleys are lined with Huizhou-style architecture shops, selling oil-paper umbrellas, rice wine, tea, and local snacks, all quaint and full of ancient charm. We lingered for a long time at an old man playing the flute, buying various rice wines to taste, which actually resembled the thick wine of Xi'an restaurants, just clearer, cool, and with a unique flavor. On both sides of Tianjie, there are many side paths; one side allows you to climb high and appreciate the surrounding thousands of acres of terraced fields, and the other side leads down to Huaxi Water Street, surrounded by green plants and flowers, with misty water vapor, full of fairy-like atmosphere. We, with little experience, were attracted for a long time by a 'strange house' not far from Tianjie. In two of the rooms of the strange house, all the furnishings are upside down or slanted. When you walk in, your feet are directly on the roof or walls. Here, with the right pose, you can take an interesting 'upside-down' or 'climbing wall' photo. Another room in the strange house is a slanted room, where you feel dizzy and unstable due to the imbalance between your body and brain. But here, we can easily make a leaning motion, which is also a fun place. At night, Huangling also has a magical 'Flowing Light Forest' light show. I thought it would be the usual kind of electronic light exhibition that deceives children, but it was quite stunning after going there, very delicately done, especially the words 'Huangling Magical Night,' which really brightened my eyes, making me feel that every corner here is designed with care and not just perfunctorily. Huangling, nestled in the green mountains, is a perfect fusion of nature and culture, truly a quaint and tranquil place.