Things to do in Xiuning

Qiyun Mountain has beautiful scenery. I went at the end of August, the last day of summer vacation, and happened to be there on the last day of free admission. There weren't many people, and the whole scenic area was very quiet. The weather was fine, and I could enjoy the scenery from afar. The shuttle bus was readily available, which was very convenient.

The wetlands on the edge of the village have unique scenery and ancient water conservancy projects. Even without a guide, I only understood them intuitively, and they were impressive, though not entirely clear. Free admission and well-managed—thumbs up! Perfect for relaxation, unwinding, and team building. I imagine the stream would be full of children playing in the water during the summer.

Chengkan is absolutely worth visiting. We spent almost the entire day there, from morning till night. During the day, you can leisurely stroll through the ancient village, sample local delicacies, and take beautiful photos at many popular spots. At 6:18 PM, there are fish lantern and dragon lantern performances and parades, especially the fish lanterns, where visitors are allowed to participate and experience the joy of riding the fish lanterns. The evening fireworks are also fantastic, with many shots and a long duration—truly amazing and well worth the trip.

Tunxi Old Street was very popular. I sampled the local snacks, strolled around Liyang across the river, and took a boat trip in the evening to enjoy the light show on both sides of the river. It was a very relaxing experience.

Ancient City Rock. Figure 3: Luyuan in Wang's Courtyard: fish pond from the Ming Dynasty, flower stage from the Qing Dynasty. The antiquity of Huizhou is frozen here. There are not many tourists, so you can visit it very quietly. Some of the dilapidated ones are not well protected.

After reading about the fish lantern performances in several villages near Huizhou Ancient City, I finally decided to visit Tangmo. Tickets were extremely difficult to obtain during the National Day holiday, and the scenic area had to add an extra performance in the last few days to accommodate the tourists who had traveled from afar. It proved to be worth it all the moment the fish lanterns soared into the sky! The village is small, and the scenery is average, but its unique feature is its claim to be "China's No. 1 Water-mouth Garden Village."

The whole village of Muli is camel-shaped. It is most clearly seen from the opposite mountain, which is called "Qianshan" by the locals. The locals in Qianshan planted many tea trees. The yield in the past few years has been good. In recent years, the young people in the village have chosen to go out to work, leaving only the elderly to guard the village alone, and a lot of tea has been abandoned. Many bamboos are also planted on the Qianshan, and the locals also make a living by selling bamboo. Looking from the Qianshan to the opposite side, you can see the whole village. The scenery is very beautiful, especially after the rain, you can see the sea of ​​clouds. The whole village is like a fairyland.

The Huizhou Prefectural Government Office truly lives up to its reputation as the core government office of ancient Huizhou. Restored to its original site according to Ming Dynasty regulations, its central axis layout is orderly and solemn, with the ceremonial gate, main hall, and second hall unfolding in sequence, showcasing the grandeur of an ancient government office. The exquisite Hui-style wooden structure and intricate carvings add to its charm. Visitors can also watch live court performances, gaining a direct experience of the ancient government office system. The office exudes a rich historical atmosphere, making it more than just a place for taking photos; it's a perfect opportunity to quietly appreciate the cultural heritage of Huizhou and a must-see cultural highlight in the ancient city of Huizhou.

It was a rainy day when we visited. Fortunately, there were occasional light drizzles during the first half of the hike, allowing us to overlook the pastoral villages below. The rapeseed fields were beautiful. The rain intensified in the second half, reducing visibility and making it difficult to see far into the distance. We completed a large loop hike and took a bus down from the visitor center. If it hadn't rained, we planned to hike the entire loop from the back. Our total hike took four hours. Although it wasn't perfect, as we didn't see the distant scenery, we saw most of the major attractions.

It was drizzling when I arrived at Xidi Ancient Village that evening. I took a short walk around; the ancient village was beautiful in the light rain. I even photographed a stunning musical fountain by the lake. The most delightful surprise was the next morning. The mountains were shrouded in mist after the rain, and from the viewing platform, the ancient town, with its distant green mountains and white-walled, black-tiled roofs, presented a beautiful Chinese painting before my eyes! Absolutely breathtaking! I have to say, photos simply can't capture its charm!