Hitting the slopes and recalling a famous beauty
Print Edition
Spring Festival is both a blessing and curse for many Chinese. It’s great to have a weeklong holiday, but many don’t have much time for themselves as custom dictates the need to visit relatives and friends.
Now that the holiday is over, people may have more time for short trips near Hangzhou.
Shanghai Daily recommends three places worth exploring on a weekend.
Tonglu County
Tonglu is in the northwest of Zhejiang Province, and in recent years the local tourism committee has turned its focus to promoting the county’s small mountain villages and forest parks.
This rural area features numerous family-run guesthouses and small eateries offering local cuisine and homemade rice wine.
Daqi Mountain National Forest Park entices visitors with its lush vegetation, tranquil creeks, a gushing waterfall and majestic mountains.
Luci Village is noteworthy as the hometown of Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) poet Fang Gan. The family was famous as 18 members became jinshi, literally “advanced scholar,” meaning a graduate who passed the three-yearly court exam, during the Song Dynasty (960-1279).
Luci became known as the “Village of Jinshi.” Today it remains a treasure trove of ancient architecture, streets, temples, ancestral halls and residential buildings.
How to get there: Take the Shanghai-Kunming Expressway and switch to Hangzhou Ring Expressway at Shenshi Transportation Hub. Keep driving and switch to Changchun-Shenzhen Expressway at Hangzhou South Transportation Hub and then take the Tonglu Exit.
Daming Mountain
Daming Mountain in the southwest of Hangzhou is listed as one of the top 10 scenic areas in Zhejiang Province. Natural attractions include waterfalls, gorgeous forests, striking rock formations, along with valleys and creeks. Its skiing facilities may be the biggest drawing card.
The skiing zone covers an area of 20,000 square meters — enough for up to 1,000 skiers at a time.
Visitors can rent skis and chair lifts will take you to the top of the various slopes. There are restaurants and hotels for those who want to stay longer. Of course, the top of the mountain is also great for gorgeous views of the surrounding area.
The ski resort uses snow-making machines since it’s not cold enough for Mother Nature to provide real snow.
Daming Mountain is also famous for Ruijing Stone Flower Cave. Multifarious stalactites form a wonderland scene that is illuminated by colorful lights. These natural stones have formed grotesque shapes after undergoing thousands of years of chemical changes.
The cave remains a comfortable 18 degrees Celsius year around.
How to get there: Take Shanghai-Kunming Expressway and switch to Hangzhou-Ningbo Expressway at Shenshi Transportation Hub. Keep driving and then take Hangzhou-Ruili Expressway when reaching Yushang Time Tower. Take the Jikou Exit and drive along Hebai Road-Dada Road until reaching Daming Mountain Scenic Area.
Zhuji County
Zhuji is a subordinate county of Shaoxing. When people talk about Zhuji, Xishi, one of the renowned Four Beauties of ancient China, immediately comes to mind.
The other three are Yang Yuhuan, Diaochan and Wang Zhaojun. Xishi was said to have lived in Zhuji during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-221 BC).
In that period, Zhuji was part of the Yue Kingdom, which was later conquered by the Wu Kingdom and became a tributary state. In order to enact revenge, Goujian, the king of Yue Kingdom, trained Xishi in the arts of love and offered her to Fuchai, king of the Wu Kingdom, as a tribute.
Fuchai was so infatuated with Xishi’s beauty that he began neglecting state affairs while Goujian secretly built his military power. Finally, Yue Kingdom attacked and defeated the Wu army and Fuchai committed suicide. Thereafter, Xishi disappeared and it was said she lived out her days in the secluded countryside.
Local people felt indebted to Xishi’s sacrifice for the state, so they built temples, pavilions and stone tablets to commemorate this beautiful woman.
Today, the former residence of Xishi includes old relics and traditional architecture. It’s a popular attraction among tourists.
How to get there: Take Shanghai-Kunming Expressway, and get off the expressway at Zhuji Exit. Then drive along Zhuji-Hutong Road and Yingbin Road until arriving at Zhuji.
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