Every late autumn, Beijing becomes the Peiping written by Mr. Lao She.

At this moment, Gubei Water Town at the foot of the Simatai Great Wall is gradually changing color. The streets and alleys are covered with red leaves, and the winding water reflects the colorful scenery, which means that "autumn in Peiping is heaven."

My favorite season, the blue sky and the warm sun, I came here to give myself three days of slow life and have a constant date with autumn.

The Gubeikou area guarding the border is mountainous and dangerous. It was once an important place where garrison troops were stationed and is known as the "key to the capital".

Gubei Water Town was built here in accordance with the situation, backed by the winding Simatai Great Wall, dotted with ancient buildings imitating the Ming, Qing and Republic of China periods. Wupeng boats rolled across the glittering Tang River, giving it both The toughness and simplicity of a small northern city, but also the delicacy and gentleness of the Jiangnan water town.

A leaf knows the autumn, and the creeper climbing all over the town has become the protagonist at this time.

Unlike many popular places to enjoy red leaves, the red leaves in Gubei Water Town are a kind of beauty that is within reach.

Gray bricks and black tiles, small bridges and flowing water, inn ancestral halls, bluestone old streets... No matter where you go, there is always a touch of red around you, which empowers the town with a unique style.

Unconsciously, I walked away from the bustling center, walked into a narrow alley, and enjoyed the scenery that belonged only to me, as if I could hear the sound of fallen leaves in the quiet air.

Gubei Water Town is a place full of poetry.

And places full of poetry are places with stories.

History and culture are the richest inner soul of Gubei Water Town. Chinese traditional culture can be passed down and carried forward here, and the craftsmanship is worth tasting.

Sit down quietly, draw a sand swallow kite at the Wind House Kite Cultural Center, make it colorful in your hand, and then gently fly it under the guidance of the old master. At that moment, it was like returning to the most carefree days when I was a child.

Yongshun Dyeing Factory, not far away, is a time-honored brand founded in 1900.

In the deep-walled courtyard, various styles of dyed cloth are dried on bamboo shelves. The eyes are colorful, and there are faint sky and eaves corners when you look up.

The second floor is the experience space. Tie dye a scarf or a piece of clothing by yourself. It has a unique look in the world.

Shadow puppets are the country's intangible cultural heritage. Shadow puppets are staged every day in the shadow puppet theater in the ancient town. Experienced artists interpret various stories in the sound of gongs and drums and light and shadow, and are exquisitely absorbed.

As night falls, the beauty of Gubei Water Town is not over yet.

"No one is a hero who does not reach the Great Wall." The Simatai Great Wall, which is accompanying the ancient town, is the only Great Wall that retains the original appearance of the Ming Dynasty. The city wall is built according to the steep mountains and is famous for its strangeness, uniqueness and danger.

Moreover, the Simatai Great Wall is the only Great Wall that is still open at night.

Climbing slowly by the cable car, the ancient town slowly moves away in view, and the Great Wall in the lights gradually becomes clear.

Having lost some of the majestic majesty of the day, the Great Wall became soft in the beautiful halo.

Carrying lanterns and visiting the Great Wall at night, you can see the winding city wall dotted with lights at your feet. Overlooking the ancient town houses with lights and beautiful lights, you can see the gem night sky with bright moon and sparse stars.

The moon is as cool as water, and history and today collide at this moment and then merge.

Back in the ancient town, there is a romantic drone Kongming Lantern Show.

Amid the music, nearly a hundred drones were like flying lanterns, slowly rising in Riyue Island Square, changing different patterns in the night sky, as bright as stars and dancing like dreams.

The Great Wall Music and Water Dance Show at Wangjing Tower is another visual feast presented by Gubei Water Town at night.

The combination of 3D holographic projection and fountain water dance forms an aerial illusion that combines reality and reality in Wangjing Tower. Watching with concentration and breath, it seemed to be sucked in by a powerful force. In the ethereal universe, we saw the crisscross of time and space, and the stars moving.

Finally, the light, light, water dance music stopped abruptly, and the surroundings fell into darkness again. At that moment, I was in a trance, and everything felt real and illusory.

Climbing to the top of the mountain, the mountain-top church in the night is more romantic than during the day.

The outdoor terrace of the Hilltop Cafe is the best location in Gubei Water Town. Although the autumn night air was clear, I still persisted in my last stubbornness, leaning against the railing and holding a cup of hot coffee, nostalgic for this dim light.

The poetry of Gubei Water Town is filled with the corners and alleys, but the unexpected encounters of various delicacies also make it never lack of human fireworks.

On both sides of Shuizhen Food Street are antique and authentic snack shops, including Qiaotou cake, tofu corner, snail lion powder, and pot rice. You have to queue up to catch the meal.

The Chinese restaurants of Wuzhen Hui Wenchang Pavilion and William Edgar Hotel specialize in Huaiyang cuisine and Cantonese cuisine, which are very suitable for family and friends to have dinner together.

The roast meat restaurant is located on the outskirts of the ancient town, but the business is very prosperous. The signature Miyun roast meat is fat but not greasy.

The weather is getting colder and hot pot has become the most popular delicacy. Guguan Hot Pot Restaurant is at the entrance of Shuizhen Food Street. The boiling copper pot exudes a blissful fragrance, warming the cooling air.

Because I stayed in the ancient town, I unlocked a new way to eat breakfast-breakfast on board.

In the early morning light, sitting on a lightly swinging wupeng boat, enjoying an exquisite breakfast while enjoying the customs of the ancient town from another angle. The sound of the boatman's rowing oars, the sound of the river swinging and the sound of birds singing on the treetops create a gentle BGM.

A beautiful day starts from this moment.

The tranquility of the night and the dew of the sunrise in the morning. Do you yearn for Gubei Water Town like me? Well, living here is the best way.

There are many hotels and inns of different styles in the ancient town to meet everyone's vacation needs.

Shisanmei Women's Hot Spring Hotel is located near Wangjing Street. The original wooden colors are warm and elegant, and each room has a separate private soup.

The autumn night is getting cooler, and a courtyard is shrouded in faint yellow lights and the dense smell of hot springs, relieving my fatigue.

Hangu Villa Hotel is located in Langu District, with a quiet environment surrounded by mountains and rivers. The hotel has a modern exterior and the rooms are very stylish.

Sunlight fills the room through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and when you nest in the tatami or sofa, you turn on the lazy mode, and you don't want to go out.

Travel Tips

1. traffic

Self-driving: Navigation "Gubei Water Town" and get off at Simatai Exit No. 24 of Beijing-Chengde Expressway. It is about 2 hours 'drive from the urban area

Bus: Take a direct train to Dongzhimen, which takes 2 hours, and the fare is 48 yuan

Train: 9.30 The Huaimi Line train (Beijing North-Gubeikou) just opened, then change to bus No. 69

2. tickets

Admission to Gubei Water Town is 140 yuan, Simatai Great Wall is 40 yuan, and a joint ticket for two places is 170 yuan (booking hotels/hot springs, etc. in the ancient town is free of charge or has a discount ticket)

Ancient Town + Great Wall + two-way cableway 280 yuan (one-way cableway 220 yuan)

3. Red leaf season limited tips

(1) Try to avoid weekends, there will be much fewer people.

(2) Walking around the town, you will find many places with dense red leaves but few tourists, such as the alley at the entrance of Baqi Inn, the alley outside the side door of Yongshun Dyeing Factory, the road between Yumelon Garden, and the outside of Yang Wudi Temple. Slate roads and alleys, from the main road to the river, some steps, alleys and stone bridges that you pass along the river bank.

(3) Red leaves are highly saturated. It is recommended to wear plain and simple clothes. Renting a set of Han clothes is very suitable for scenic buildings. Every autumn, some activities are held in the scenic spot. This year's Red Leaf Festival has a secondary theme, and many cosplays and Hanfu seem to recreate history in the ancient town.

(4) The temperature difference between morning and evening in autumn is large, so pay attention to keep warm.