2024 Pingyuan Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in November)

The Five Finger Mountain is a must-see in Guangdong.

🌿Explore Wuzhishan Mountain in Meizhou, Guangdong｜Natural oxygen bar, away from the hustle and bustle🏞️ 💼Role: Adventurer🏃‍♀️ + Cultural observer🔍 ⛱Must-have items: Comfortable hiking shoes🍀, waterproof backpack🥾, map🤔, small bottle of water💧, portable tripod 📸 (for panoramic shots), sunscreen🕯️, and a simple lunch😌 🚩Overview of the itinerary: Day 1 - Visit Hakka Weilong House and Wuzhifeng Scenic Area; Day 2 - Hiking on Wuzhishi Trail, outdoor barbecue, and return💕 🌄Memories of Day 1✨: On a sunny and warm spring afternoon, we excitedly headed to Wuzhishi Scenic Area in Pingyuan County, Meizhou. As we got closer, the mountain surrounded by trees gradually revealed its beauty. Entering the mountain, the air was so fresh that it seemed to be filtered, and every breath was refreshing👍 In the evening, we chose a quiet farmhouse to stay. At dinner, we tasted the local specialties - stuffed tofu and braised pork with preserved vegetables, which were delicious😍 The first day's adventure ended in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. 🐲Excitement and challenge on Day 2🥊: The sky was blue and cloudless in the morning, which was a good time for outdoor activities🌤️ Our team started the hiking journey of Wuzhishi. Climbing up the winding path, we could see the strangely shaped rocks forming many amazing natural landscapes🌁 The most exciting moment was when we reached the top and saw the rolling mountains in the distance, which was as beautiful as a painting🖼️ We couldn't help but take a group photo😎 As night fell, we held a small bonfire party on the top of the mountain, sharing stories and laughter under the starry sky☀️ Overall, this trip to Wuzhishan Mountain was an unforgettable journey of relaxation, and both the natural scenery and cultural connotation brought new colors to our lives. We hope to have more opportunities to explore and discover such beautiful places in the future!✌️

Meizhou, Guangdong – Shangju Xiangsi Valley is a great place to relax.

🌈About: Shangju Xiangsi Valley is a 60-square-kilometer AAA scenic area. With a forest coverage rate of 95%, it is the largest evergreen broad-leaved forest area at the junction of Guangdong, Fujian, and Jiangxi provinces, known as the "green heart" of Pingyuan. The scenic area has rivers, forests, canyons, waterfalls, villages, farmland, red beans, and other natural and cultural resources, with many unique landscapes such as red bean forests, waterfalls, and canyons. Its unique natural scenery and cultural landscape attract many tourists. However, the scenic area is currently closed. If you plan to visit, we recommend checking the latest updates before you go. 🏞Route: 👍First stop – Baizhang Waterfall: After entering the scenic area, you will first come to Baizhang Waterfall. Baizhang Waterfall is tall and majestic, with a width of 40 meters and a height of 60 meters. The water falls with a roar, echoing through the valley. It is a spectacular sight. You can stop here to admire the waterfall and take photos. 👍Second stop – Xiangsi Waterfall: Continue down from Baizhang Waterfall to reach Xiangsi Waterfall. Xiangsi Waterfall is smaller and more delicate than Baizhang Waterfall, like a graceful fairy. The bamboo branches are slanted, and the spring water flows like a veil, making it an elegant place to take photos. 👍Third stop – Tian Waterfall: Pass the viewing platform to see Tian Waterfall in the distance. Tian Waterfall is 68 meters high and 20 meters wide. When you get closer, you can feel its grandeur and the cool spray. If you have the energy, you can also try sliding on a raft and enjoy the waterfall from the raft. 👍Fourth stop – Forest Hiking: The scenic area is densely forested, with a forest coverage rate of 95%, making it a natural oxygen bar. Walk along the forest trails, breathe the fresh air, enjoy the natural scenery along the way, and learn some plant science knowledge. 🍲Food: There are some farmhouses in the scenic area where you can taste local specialties, such as red fungus tofu, Cha Gan roasted duck, Ganoderma lucidum chicken soup, whole pig soup, and salt-baked chicken. These delicacies are made with local ingredients and have a unique taste worth trying. 🚗Self-driving: Navigate to "Shangju Hakka Xiangsi Valley Scenic Area". There is a parking lot near the scenic area. 📌Note: There may be mist near the waterfall, so be sure to protect your electronic devices from moisture.

Meizhou Wuzhishi Scenic Area.

Meizhou Wuzhishi is located in Pingyuan County, Meizhou, and is divided into two scenic areas. The old scenic area has a round-trip cable car, and the new scenic area requires a sightseeing car. Tickets must be purchased with at least a sightseeing car because the two scenic areas are far apart. The cable car in the old scenic area can be skipped. If you don't buy it, you need to walk up the mountain, which is not very high. The cable car is not very far, and it is not worth the fare. Those with good physical strength can walk, but it is recommended to save energy, because you still need to climb the mountain in the new scenic area. The ticket package is very expensive, with a full-day ticket of CNY 150, including a cable car and a sightseeing car. The scenery is okay, not good or bad.

The 'Little Zhangjiajie' in Guangdong - Wuzhishan Scenic Area's One-Line Sky and Empress Terrace heart-pounding journey

During our travels, we seek not only the scenery but also ourselves. Every hike is a profound dialogue with the soul. 📍Detailed Address: Meizhou City, Pingyuan County, Chagan Town, Jiafeng Village 🚉Transportation Strategy: Self-driving: Depart from Meizhou City and navigate to 'Meizhou Wuzhishan Scenic Area', the whole journey is about 100 kilometers, taking about 1.5 hours. High-speed train: Depart from Meizhou West Station, you can choose hitchhiking, the cost is about 100 yuan, and the travel time is about 1.5 hours. Ticket🎫: Package price: 145 yuan/person, including admission, round-trip cable car, and sightseeing car. Additional costs: Glass bridge shoe cover fee is 5 yuan, parking fee is 10 yuan. 🌟Highlights: A Zone Wuzhishan: The high-altitude plank road wraps around the waist of the mountain, with a total length of about 3 kilometers, providing a 360-degree natural landscape perspective. B Zone Empress Valley: Includes Smart Spring, One-Line Sky, Glass Plank Road, etc., with lush trees, relatively cool, suitable for afternoon visits. 📝Tips: Tour order: It is recommended to visit Zone A in the morning to avoid direct sunlight in the afternoon, and then go to Zone B in the afternoon. Dining: There are few restaurants near the scenic area, it is recommended to bring your own food or dine in the county town. Return trip: Non-self-driving tourists should pay attention to the return transportation, which may need to be arranged in advance or negotiated with the driver.

Baoshan Residence in Fengguang Village, Pingyuan, Guangdong

Baoshan Residence was the former home of Yao Yuping, facing southeast with the main body consisting of a three-hall, four-wing, and one-surrounding-dragon architectural structure. It features a front porch and a pond, with a well to the right. The main body spans 52 meters wide and 32 meters deep, covering a total area of 3,634 square meters, with 65 rooms and 7 halls of various sizes. There is a large pond in front of the house and a well on the right side. The Baoshan Residence is a typical Hakka surrounding-dragon house, with a stele and a brief introduction embedded on the outer wall to the right of the main gate. Baoshan Residence has one large and two small gates. The main gate has a wide porch with two square stone pillars supporting the beam and bracket. The porch beam frame is robust, with beautifully carved beams. Between the left and right beams stand a pair of wooden carved lions, exquisitely carved, gilded, and painted, lifelike. The main gate hangs the house name plaque 'Baoshan Residence', with a black lacquer base and large red characters. The three characters of 'Baoshan Residence' were inscribed by Hu Hanmin, a senior figure of the Republic of China. Yao Yuping once received an inscription from Mr. Sun Yat-sen, 'The great way is practiced, the world is for the public', with the salutation 'Comrade Yuping' and the signature 'Sun Wen' with a seal. This plaque and inscription seem to proclaim to the world the once prominent status of the house's owner. Inside the house, the main beams, doors, windows, and screens are carved and painted, and the walls at the entrance and the main hall are also painted with ink patterns, elegant in appearance. Around the main hall and the courtyard, there are 3-meter stone pillars, with eaves built of stone, sturdy and beautiful. The layout and furnishings of the hall are typical of Hakka residences, without much difference. The couplet in the hall reads 'Harmonious rain and wind celebrate together with heaven and man; equality and universal love are observed by all things and me', embedding the owner's name 'Yuping' and advocating equality, as well as expressing the wish for world peace, reflecting the spirit of Baoshan Residence. It is a key cultural relic protection unit of Guangdong Province. Yao Yuping (1882—September 19, 1974), originally named Shiyun, styled Yulong, and with the Dharma name Miaoyun, was born in Pingyuan County, Meizhou City, Guangdong Province. He graduated from Lingdong National College and Guangdong Huangpu Army Accelerated School. He was a senior figure of the Republic of China, a general in the army, and the commander-in-chief of the Northern Expeditionary Army during the 1911 Revolution. He participated in planning the 1911 Huanghuagang Uprising in Guangzhou, later served as the commander-in-chief of the Northern Expeditionary Army, led the Northern Expedition to victory, and made significant contributions to the successful conclusion of the Xinhai Revolution, ending the feudal monarchy and establishing the Republic of China. He passed away in Guangzhou on September 19, 1974.

The Ru Lin Di residence in Nantai Village, Pingyuan, Guangdong

The Ru Lin Di residence was built by the Xie family's fifteenth generation, National Hero Guo Ying, during the Qing dynasty. It is a Hakka enclosed house with three halls, four lateral sections, and a surrounding dragon structure, featuring a grain terrace and a geomantic pond in front of the house, covering an area of about 1540 square meters. There are four gates at the front, with the main gate being concave-bellied, framed with stone, and inscribed with the three characters 'Ru Lin Di'. The interior beams are adorned with gilded wood carvings. Currently, the lateral sections of the enclosed house are largely damaged.

Zoufang Wen Temple in Pingyuan, Guangdong

Zoufang Wen Temple is located at the entrance of Zoufang Village, Renju Town, Pingyuan County, Meizhou City. It was built in the ninth year of the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty (1794), initiated by the scholar Liu Qixian. Zoufang Wen Temple is a temple for literary worship, where private schools were set up during the Qing Dynasty, and ceremonies to worship heaven and earth were held in spring and autumn to pray for peace and good weather. During the Republic of China period, it served as an elementary school, as well as the office for Zou Huang Township and Zoufang Township. After the liberation, Zoufang Wen Temple was successively used as the office for Zou Huang Commune, Zoufang Brigade, Zoufang Management Area, and Zoufang Village Committee. In 1992, the temple underwent roof maintenance. From September 2002 to March 2003, comprehensive maintenance was carried out on the main building. The main body of Zoufang Wen Temple is a four-story pavilion-style structure with a hexagonal plan, each side measuring 8.92 meters long and 19.85 meters high, with a hip-and-gable roof and a mortise-and-tenon beam framework. The front of the main gate features nine levels of granite steps, with a platform below the steps. Zoufang Wen Temple was designed according to ancient Chinese theories of yin and yang, the five elements, and so on, for selecting the site and designing the building, integrating functions such as education, water town control, wind elimination, and worshiping heaven and earth. The architectural design fully reflects the building skills of the Qing Dynasty. It has high value for the study of ancient folk customs and ancestral hall architecture. It is a key cultural relic protection unit in Guangdong Province.

Pingyuan Renju Ancient Village in Guangdong

Renju Ancient Village was once known as Haoju. In the 38th year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1559), a tribunal was established in the Haoju Linying Camp to suppress bandits, and additional troops were stationed and an earthen city was built. In the 41st year of the Jiajing era (1562), the earthen city was expanded, and Pingyuan County was established, with the county seat located here, later renamed Renju, meaning 'the dwelling of benevolent people'. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the main marketplace of Pingyuan County was set up on the street in front of the county, with Renju as the center, and roads extending in all directions. There are still several ancient roads such as Guanshui Pond, Xianning Street, and Old East Gate Street. For 390 years until 1952, it was the seat of Pingyuan County. In November 1929 and May 1930, during the war of resistance, the Fourth Red Army established a revolutionary government and was stationed in Pingyuan. To avoid the chaos of war, in 1945, the Guangdong Provincial Government relocated here. The village has many buildings that were constructed during the Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, mainly Hakka enclosed dragon houses. There are 21 complete Hakka enclosed dragon houses, each covering an area of 1000-3000 square meters. The cultural ecology of the ancient village is well preserved, with residences, ancestral halls, shops, ancient trees, wells, alleys, and gate towers integrated into one, forming a cultural landscape with Hakka characteristics. There is one provincial-level cultural relics protection unit and four county-level cultural relics protection units; there are also historical buildings of high value such as the Wu House, the former site of the vaults of the four major banks of Guangdong Province during the war of resistance, Zhenwu Bridge, Scholar Bridge, the ruins of the ancient city wall, Han Family Ancestral Hall, Li Family Ancestral Hall, Yang Family Ancestral Hall, Lin Family Ancestral Hall, Xie House, Yang House, and Tu House.

Pingyuan Jingxia Village's Baozhu Fortress is located in Jingxia Village, Renju Town, Guangdong

The fortress was built during the Qing Dynasty's Tongzhi era (about 140 years ago) amidst the Taiping Rebellion by a wealthy local named Qiu Zhudang, funded by his own wealth. It was named Baozhu Fortress because the mountain was rich in stones and was historically known for producing a unique kind of earth. The fortress stretches approximately one kilometer, with walls about seven meters high. The walls are equipped with numerous lookout holes and there is also a large bastion. There is one gate on both the eastern and western sides. Inside the fortress, the facilities are well-established, including a building, a temple, and a spring pool. Currently, there is a path leading up to the fortress from the mountain base, but the bastion has been damaged.

Feilong Village's 'Xiaoshulu' House in Pingyuan, Guangdong

The 'Xiaoshulu' House in Feilong Village was built in the 19th year of the Republic of China (1930) by the local Yan Yingyu. The house faces southeast from the northwest, consisting of two halls, two wings, and a surrounding dragon structure. It spans 48.55 meters in width and 65.54 meters in depth, covering an area of 3182.00 square meters. With a total of 35 rooms, 7 halls, and 4 living quarters, it is a typical Hakka enclosed dragon architecture. In the early days of liberation, it served as the venue for the Pingyuan County Committee of the Communist Party of China and the County Land Reform Committee. Yan Yingyu (1886--1951), from Renju Town, Pingyuan County, graduated from the artillery department of the Guangdong Army Accelerated School at the end of the Qing Dynasty. He participated in the Xinhai Revolution and held various military positions such as company commander, battalion commander, brigade commander, division commander, and acting army commander. In October 1934, during the secret talks between the representatives of the Red Army led by the Communist Party of China, He Changgong and Pan Hanyan, and the representatives of Chen Jitang's Nationalist forces in Luotang Town, Xunwu County, Jiangxi, Yan was responsible for security and reception. He played a significant role in facilitating the agreement between the two sides and allowing the Red Army's Long March to proceed. It is a key cultural relic protection unit in Guangdong Province.

Qiongfang Wei in Nantai Village, Pingyuan, Guangdong

Qiongfang Wei was built at the end of the Ming Dynasty by Xie's fourth-generation ancestor, Qiong Gong, and was rebuilt in 2006. Facing east to west, it features a layout of three halls, four wings, and a surrounding dragon, with a depth of 33.689 meters, a width of 36.898 meters, covering an area of about 2321.42 square meters, and a construction area of about 1827 square meters. It consists of a foreign pond, the main gate, walls, the main hall, side houses, flower platforms, and surrounding dragons, forming a layout of three halls, three wings, and a surrounding dragon. The main gate has a granite frame and wooden panels. The structure is made of brick, wood, and stone, with gray tile surfaces. The main hall has a suspended gable roof, the side houses have a hipped gable roof, and the hall is spacious with symmetrical corridors on both sides, lower at the front and higher at the back, with a flat and wide flower platform. The exterior walls are made of rammed earth, and the interior walls are built with mud bricks, with rammed earth floors and wooden beam frames. In front of the house, there is a semi-circular pond, and there is a well on the east and southeast sides. The main body originally had a carved screen. After the 2007 renovation, the main body has been well preserved. The second wing on the south side was demolished and rebuilt in 2007. It is of high value for the study of Hakka Wei architecture and local cultural history. In December 2015, it was announced as the first batch of historical buildings in Meizhou City. In December 2021, it was recognized as the first batch of Meizhou City Hakka Wei Long House Protection List.

The Da Fu Di (Grand Mansion) of Nantai Village in Pingyuan, Guangdong

Built in the 29th year of the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty (1903), it was renovated in 2009, and was constructed by the 20th generation ancestor of the Xie family, imitating the style of Gong Fangmei. The house faces south with its back to the north, featuring two halls and two wings, with a width of 29.67 meters and a depth of 14.17 meters, covering an area of 1028.60 square meters. The main body of the house has carved screens between the columns and the hall doors, decorated with flowers, birds, insects, fish, dragons, phoenixes, and immortal cranes, etc. The door frames, the edges of the skylights, and the steps of the eaves are all made of granite strips. In June 2011, it was announced as the fourth batch of cultural relics protection units in Pingyuan County.

Pingyuan Nantai Village Yongsheng Wei in Guangdong

Yongsheng Wei in Nantai Village was built by the Xie family during the Qing Dynasty. It is a Hakka enclosed house with three halls, three horizontal sections, a surrounding dragon, and eight courtyards. In front of the house, there is a paddy field and a geomantic pond. The building covers an area of about 2000 square meters, with four doors opening in the front. The main door is concave, with granite door frames and stone pillows. On both sides, there are wooden and stone pillars on stone bases. A wooden plaque reading 'Yongsheng Wei' hangs above the door lintel. Below in the hall, there are two stone pillars and wood carvings on the beam frame.

The Lingfeng Tower in Tantou Village, Pingyuan, Guangdong

The Lingfeng Tower was built in the first year of the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty (1796 AD). According to the records on the Wan'an Bridge stele in Tantou Village from the nineteenth year of Jiaqing (1814), which include the route to the Lingfeng Tower and an analysis of the scenery, the construction of the tower could not have been later than the Jiaqing period. The tower has an octagonal plan, seven stories, and stands 35.5 meters tall. It is a pavilion-style brick tower with stairs folding up within the walls. The main entrance is located on the northwest side of the first floor, and each level features corbelled bricks and projecting eaves bricks to form eaves, with windows on each side of every floor. Visitors can ascend to the top floor via the staircase. Originally, there was a statue of Kuixing, the God of Examinations, on the second floor, but it has been destroyed. In 1985, the People's Government of Pingyuan County declared it a cultural relics protection unit. On November 18, 2008, it was announced by the People's Government of Guangdong Province as the fifth batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Meizhou Pingyuan has a Wuzhishi Scenic Area, named after five five-finger peaks in the scenic area. The Wuzhishi Scenic Area is located in the town of Pinggan, Pingyuan County, Meizhou City. It is a typical Danxia landform scenic spot, which was formed in the middle and late Cretaceous period and is estimated to be about 90 million years ago. The main landform of the Wuzhishi Scenic Area is the lake clastic sedimentary rock stratum, which is dominated by brown, brown-red glutenite and siltstone, followed by sand shale. The five finger stone has the characteristics of male, dangerous, strange, beautiful, quiet and ancient. There are strange stones, strange vines, strange seams, odd trees and strange caves in the scenic area. There are also eight scenic spots, including Jianmen, Shilin Temple, Smart Spring, Mixed Yuan Tower, Yixiantian, Xianren Bed and Longwu. Temple, Qingyun Road. In addition, there are more than 60 scenic spots such as Xiaojingju, Butterfly Valley and Ecological Paradise. The Wuzhishi Canyon cliff path starts from the entrance of Guiqian Valley, passes through the right side of the mountain wall to Wan'an Village, then turns around the lion, sets up the cable bridge to Qimingdong, and then arrives at the banana orchard. There are many large and small scenic spots in the Wuzhishijing area. The famous ones are the glass path, the smart spring, the stone stalk, the Wuzhifeng and the Guiqiu Valley. The core scenic spots of the scenic area are composed of Baoding Stone (thumb), Luohan Stone (index finger), Tianzhu Stone (middle finger), Danlong Stone (nameless finger) and Baogaishi (final finger). Their relative height difference with the ground is more than 250 meters, and the highest peak is 460 meters above sea level. Because the peak body is covered by the lush green grass, the "five fingers" look very beautiful!