Discovering the Hidden Gem of Jiangnan: Xianyu
Where can you find picturesque water towns, enchanting misty rains, and the blessings of the sea? The answer is Zhejiang. However, beyond what we already know, Zhejiang harbors an indescribably peaceful “utopia” hidden within its borders.
Starting from Hangzhou and moving southwest, what unfolds before you is Zhejiang, characterized by rolling mountains. The southwestern part of Zhejiang is unlike the familiar Zhejiang; it resembles the “peach blossom land” described by Tao Yuanming, containing a beauty that “exists yet seems not to exist,” leaving every visitor in awe of its “exquisite and poetic” landscapes.
This is Xianyu in Zhejiang.
Xianyu, located in the southwest of Zhejiang, is a fortunate land named after the reign title of an emperor. “Xian” means “beautiful” and “yu” means “beginning.”
This district is the furthest from the Zhejiang province, bordered on three sides by Fujian, with only one side adjacent to Zhejiang. It lies on the lofty “roof” of the province—the Donggong Mountain range, unfortunately, a place few people know.
This is a land named after an emperor.
Few are aware that from 2004 until now, Xianyu has topped the list of “Ecological Environment of China” for 17 consecutive years. This beautiful yet lesser-known area belongs to the Zhongshan Mountain range in southwest Zhejiang, featuring valleys, basins, hills, low mountains, medium mountains, and various other terrains.
Looking at the topographic map of Xianyu, you will see it almost resembles an ancient city hidden in the mountains.
Xianyu is also surrounded by lush, overlapping natural scenery: overlooking Donggong, Huangmaojian, Baisan, and encircled by over 20 peaks rising above 1500 meters.
The adjacent high mountains seem to block out the noise of the mundane world, completing the isolation of this rare tranquil land called Xianyu. It is hard to imagine that in a province with a developed economy like Zhejiang, there exists such a “lush and fertile” region with a forest coverage rate of up to 86%.
Almost all residents of Xianyu have climbed Baisan (a national 4A tourist attraction), the most famous mountain among the various peaks surrounding Xianyu.
Protected by the mountain ranges and lush forests, cradled by countless streams and waterfalls, this place is quiet and secluded, nurturing rare flora and fauna while preserving the purest and most pristine elements amidst the vast sea of clouds atop majestic mountains.
Mount Genzu stands 1563 meters above sea level in the west, with two peaks resembling two sisters leaning against each other. Yungang, Foguang, Shenxi, Jiyang, and Wuzong are known as “The Five Wonders of Heaven” atop Mount Genzu. Every shot captures the breathtaking beauty of the forested mountains here.
Historically intertwined with rivers and mountains, Xianyu may not have large rivers, but over 926 small and large streams within the district have nurtured and enhanced the reputation of this land.
In Xianyu, where there are mountains, streams, and even covered bridges.
The Covered Bridge, also known as Hongqiao, has a history of over 2000 years in China, popular during the Northern Song Dynasty. Among all types of covered bridges, the construction technique of the wooden arch bridge is the most complex, relying on the tight connection of beams without using nails or bolts.
Today, Xianyu boasts nearly 100 preserved ancient covered bridges, making it the district with the largest number of covered bridges in China, including 21 wooden covered bridges.
Yueshan Village, located in the southeast of Xianyu, is the village with the densest distribution of ancient covered bridges nationwide. There are 10 covered bridges from ancient times, with 5 currently named Rulong, Laifeng, Baiyun, Buthiem, and Gankhanh.
Sangmen Bridge and Fudian Bridge are the earliest wooden arch bridges recorded in national history, located in Daitie Village, 2.5 km from the district center. Additionally, Daitie Village is known as a “Scholars’ Village,” with over 300 residents historically producing 26 Confucian scholars over 230 years.
In ancient Xianyu, wherever there was a covered bridge, there was bound to be a temple, and where there was a temple, there was a “Mushroom God.” About 800 years ago, a young man in Xianyu successfully cultivated the world’s earliest artificial fragrant mushrooms, making Xianyu the birthplace of mushroom cultivation technology. This individual, named Wu Sangong, is revered by mushroom cultivators as the “Mushroom God.”
In Xiyang Village, Wu Daibao Town, Xianyu County, at the Lanxi Bridge, there exists a temple named Xiyang Dian. From the 16th to the 19th day of the lunar July month is the “Mushroom Festival” of Xiyang Dian, during which mushroom cultivators from all directions gather to pay homage, perform mushroom operas, and sing mushroom folk songs.
Today, the mushroom industry in Xianyu remains as vibrant as ever, with an annual production of approximately 10,000 tons of dried mushrooms, establishing it as the largest wholesale mushroom production and distribution center in China.
Xiyang Dian still hosts lively temple operas today, filled with cheerful laughter, allowing participants to travel back in time, drifting along the river of history.
There is a saying, “A day in heaven equals a year on earth,” thus in Xianyu, time seems reluctant to pass quickly. Therefore, this land, forgotten by time, quietly engages with its mountains and forests, waiting, neither joyful about worldly affairs nor sorrowful about its inherent tranquility.
