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Lakes, legends and landscapes
By Shi Xiaohan |
August 15, 2011, Monday
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ONLY a half-hour highway ride from Hangzhou, Deqing County, with its picturesque beauty and legendary history, is emerging as an increasingly popular tourist destination. Hiking in the mountains, boating in the wetland or simply walking through the ancient town are among the offerings to help slow the pace and get you away from busy city life.
Hiking in Moganshan
Moganshan Mountain dates back to the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) and is the most popular among hikers of all the mountains in West Deqing. Winding up along the mountain road, the wonderland is full of surprises with verdant bamboo forests, lakes and springs running down the hills.
For foodies, the mountain offers a yearly harvest of Huangya tea and a biannual harvest of bamboo sprout, adding to the countryside delicacies.
Despite its rich natural beauty and resources, Moganshan also has lots of historical stories to tell. If you enjoy exploring the various architecture styles on Shanghai's Bund, you might also enjoy the diversified villas in Moganshan.
More than 200 villas were built on top of the mountain. After the first villa was built by a British merchant in the late 1800s, foreign missionaries built a village of villas as their summer retreat. After they left in the 1930s, officials and business tycoons of the Republic of China (1911-1949) built some 90 villas.
The villas are steeped in legends. Chiang Kai-shek, former leader of Kuomingtang, spent his honeymoon at his villa in Moganshan. It was also where he negotiated with Zhou Enlai of the Communist Party before the outbreak of civil war.
While the villas have become part of history, the mountain villages down the hill have come alive. Foreigners, followed by local residents, have been transforming these primitive villages into wild retreat experiences for cosmopolitan dwellers.
Among them, the Naked Retreat, run by South African Grand Horsfield, is the initiator of the trend. Naked Retreat renovated eight farmhouses with eco-friendly amenities converted from local material, offering an original taste of Chinese village life. This new leisure experience has inspired many other local hotel owners to embrace the wild.
Xinshi ancient town
On the east of Deqing lies a once prosperous ancient watertown. A walk in Xinshi ancient town can take you through the ups and downs in the history of the water port.
Despite its name Xinshi, literally translated as "new town," the place actually dates back to AD 308 when a group of immigrants started a new life there. Waterways have divided the town into 18 sections, which are again interconnected by 72 bridges. The 36 crossing lanes make a stroll in the town feel like walking through a maze.
The port town started to become prosperous along with the increasing trade during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). With various shops and merchants in the town, it was filled with some 500 businesses before the Japanese invasion, earning it the nickname of "little Shanghai." The following wars, however, did not stop Xinshi from its prosperity, as many citizens from Shanghai, Hangzhou and other neighboring cities sought refuge in the town.
With the development of a modern road transportation system, the past glory of the watertown has faded away, but one can still trace its history.
Local residents in Xinshi share a great passion for life reflected in their delicate cuisine. On the typical breakfast menu are mutton noodles and tea cakes and morning tea is a perfect combination for locals to gracefully start a new day.
Xiazhu Lake Wetland
Located in the middle of Deqing, Xiazhu Lake Wetland is surrounded by one of the largest wetlands in southern China. The more than 600 islands in the lake offer many rare wildlife species a natural habitat - including crested ibis, a species on the brink of extinction in China.
Three of the islands have been developed for tourists to take a closer look at the wildlife. Boat rides are available in the park, following a stunning water route surrounded by a variety of flocks of birds and waving reeds. The islands feature a teahouse and bird observatory allowing visitors to take a rest at this wildlife heaven.
Fishermen from the nearby villages still rely on the natural treasure for their livelihoods and restaurants featuring freshwater fish spread around the wetland offer visitors a fresh taste oftheir catch.
Hiking in Moganshan
Moganshan Mountain dates back to the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) and is the most popular among hikers of all the mountains in West Deqing. Winding up along the mountain road, the wonderland is full of surprises with verdant bamboo forests, lakes and springs running down the hills.
For foodies, the mountain offers a yearly harvest of Huangya tea and a biannual harvest of bamboo sprout, adding to the countryside delicacies.
Despite its rich natural beauty and resources, Moganshan also has lots of historical stories to tell. If you enjoy exploring the various architecture styles on Shanghai's Bund, you might also enjoy the diversified villas in Moganshan.
More than 200 villas were built on top of the mountain. After the first villa was built by a British merchant in the late 1800s, foreign missionaries built a village of villas as their summer retreat. After they left in the 1930s, officials and business tycoons of the Republic of China (1911-1949) built some 90 villas.
The villas are steeped in legends. Chiang Kai-shek, former leader of Kuomingtang, spent his honeymoon at his villa in Moganshan. It was also where he negotiated with Zhou Enlai of the Communist Party before the outbreak of civil war.
While the villas have become part of history, the mountain villages down the hill have come alive. Foreigners, followed by local residents, have been transforming these primitive villages into wild retreat experiences for cosmopolitan dwellers.
Among them, the Naked Retreat, run by South African Grand Horsfield, is the initiator of the trend. Naked Retreat renovated eight farmhouses with eco-friendly amenities converted from local material, offering an original taste of Chinese village life. This new leisure experience has inspired many other local hotel owners to embrace the wild.
Xinshi ancient town
On the east of Deqing lies a once prosperous ancient watertown. A walk in Xinshi ancient town can take you through the ups and downs in the history of the water port.
Despite its name Xinshi, literally translated as "new town," the place actually dates back to AD 308 when a group of immigrants started a new life there. Waterways have divided the town into 18 sections, which are again interconnected by 72 bridges. The 36 crossing lanes make a stroll in the town feel like walking through a maze.
The port town started to become prosperous along with the increasing trade during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). With various shops and merchants in the town, it was filled with some 500 businesses before the Japanese invasion, earning it the nickname of "little Shanghai." The following wars, however, did not stop Xinshi from its prosperity, as many citizens from Shanghai, Hangzhou and other neighboring cities sought refuge in the town.
With the development of a modern road transportation system, the past glory of the watertown has faded away, but one can still trace its history.
Local residents in Xinshi share a great passion for life reflected in their delicate cuisine. On the typical breakfast menu are mutton noodles and tea cakes and morning tea is a perfect combination for locals to gracefully start a new day.
Xiazhu Lake Wetland
Located in the middle of Deqing, Xiazhu Lake Wetland is surrounded by one of the largest wetlands in southern China. The more than 600 islands in the lake offer many rare wildlife species a natural habitat - including crested ibis, a species on the brink of extinction in China.
Three of the islands have been developed for tourists to take a closer look at the wildlife. Boat rides are available in the park, following a stunning water route surrounded by a variety of flocks of birds and waving reeds. The islands feature a teahouse and bird observatory allowing visitors to take a rest at this wildlife heaven.
Fishermen from the nearby villages still rely on the natural treasure for their livelihoods and restaurants featuring freshwater fish spread around the wetland offer visitors a fresh taste oftheir catch.
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