Inside the cave, I marvel at the wonders created by nature and the awe inspiring Century Cave, which is currently the best and most fascinating cave I have ever seen. Walking through the cave, the stalactites are all in strange shapes, but their shapes are compelling and lifelike. Coupled with the reflection of lights, it is simply a magical world. It is really beautiful

Once you enter Taikoo Cave, you cannot return the same way. There is only one road leading to the Shangri La. At the entrance of Taikoo Cave, there will be staff reminders, and there is no restroom inside. It takes about an hour to walk the whole way down, and the ground is wet and slippery. Elderly and children should also hold onto the railing and pay attention to safety when walking.

land of idyllic beauty

Go on a trip to ancient times, wear Hanfu and travel back in time, stroll through the Peach Blossom Spring, and search for the paradise in your heart

The scenic spots in the Shangri La area, such as the Ru Mi Jin, Qin Le Fang, Fu Ci Ting, Gui Yuan Tian Ju, Wan Gui Lang, Tao Gong Xue Tang, Ming Zi Tang, Gong Geng Yuan, Tao Zhi Fang, Qin Qu Yuan, Tao Yuan Cha Fang, Jiu Shi Jia Gu, Ma Bu Memory, and Da Qin Diners, are closely related to the elements of Qin and Jin life.

In order to satisfy the curiosity of time travel, one can dress up in Qin costumes, eat Qin food, and play Qin music in the scenic area, fully experiencing the ancient style and charm of Qin people, Qin customs, Qin appearance, and Qin charm. Being in a Qin village more than 2000 years ago, one can personally experience the ancient customs. As a top foodie, I will never miss any of the specialty snacks here

When you feel tired from walking, you can take a break in the pavilion and drink a bowl of tea from the past. The tea is eagle tea. Sitting here and looking around, the scenery in front of you is even more beautiful, and you can feel the comfortable rural life.

There is a beautiful pond at the exit of the scenic area, where fish are still playing in the water and smoke is swirling. Fishing boats and ancient costumes are like a first encounter, and walking on the bridge can capture a large picture in minutes. Next to the beautiful pond is a large You Cave, where the Peach Blossom Stream flows out from the cave, clear and transparent.

Ticket Price Tips for Youyang Taohuayuan Scenic Area:

Peach Blossom Spring ticket price: 100 yuan/person

Opening hours: The latest admission time is 17:00, and it is not open at night

Dreamy Peach Blossom Spring

If you don't come to Youyang to see the Dreamy Peach Blossom Spring, it's definitely a waste of time. If you want to understand the cultural and historical heritage here, I think you can find the answer here!

A Confucian scholar shook a raft and accidentally entered a ten mile peach forest. This first scene restored the story I had told before, silently taking me back to the Wuling Mountains during the Jin Dynasty's Taiyuan era.

I saw Yulang chasing the water and working with the people of Taoyuan at sunrise. Planting, pulling, weeding, pounding, fishing and catching shrimp, herding cattle and children chasing and playing on the hillside, people coming from afar to transport seedlings, carrying loads and seedlings leisurely, and people working in the fields are also busy, shouting, singing, and returning at sunset. Generation after generation exudes a peaceful atmosphere.

On the basis of folk customs and song and dance performances, the plot is more compact, with stronger ethnic and artistic qualities, interspersed with the rich Tujia culture, ethnic culture, agricultural culture of Youyang, as well as Confucian escape, sacrifice, Nuo opera, Tima god songs and other content, especially Maogu Si, Muyeqing, toasting songs, headband wrapping and ending parts, which increase interaction with the audience!

Dreamy Peach Blossom Spring Ticket Price Information:

The ticket price is 180 yuan per person, and the performance time is about 1 hour

DAY2: Stacked Stone Flower Valley

The Dieshi Flower Valley in Youyang Xinjin Scenic Area takes exploring ancient geological relics as the starting point, Nuo God culture as the theme, and art intervention in rural construction as the way to integrate geological science popularization, ancient memory, and ethnic characteristics into the unique karst landform: experiencing the flow of time, listening to the cry of art, feeling the fierce collision between ancient mystery and contemporary art, and the unexpected encounter between traditional culture and modern civilization.

The design of the entrance is also very particular, with Nuo culture as the main theme. The Miao ethnic group is mainly composed of bird gods, so many statues can be seen at the entrance, including the "December Moon God Pillar Stone Formation" and the one second passing stacked stone gate.

The particularly magnificent Three Divine Altars, in front of the Three Emperors' statues, have a huge altar with a bonfire platform in the middle. It is the site of the Wu Nuo Divine Altar where local people worship and worship the Shennong, Suiren, and Fuxi clans.

There is a magic pit that looks very interesting and can only be described as spectacular. It is made of stacked stones and can be photographed from a distance, or when there are many people inside, you can lie down and shape yourself, or even run in circles inside. Recording a video is also very cool!

The main purpose of coming here is to wander in the sea of flowers and take beautiful photos in minutes, amidst the pink and messy grass.

Fendai is currently open, and it is open in large patches within the scenic area, with a period of two months. The flowering period will last until November. If taking photos, remember not to step into the flower sea to avoid damaging Fendai!

In addition to taking photos for check-in, there are also suspension bridges and zip lines in the scenic area to experience. Whether you dare to go or not depends on your courage!

In addition, the first "Return · Come to Xi -2019 China Youyang Rural Art Season" landed in Banxi Dieshi Flower Valley. In this art season, a total of 17 artists will leave 17 sets of works in the Youyang Dieshi Flower Valley Rural Art Park. According to different materials and functions, it is divided into on-site permanent preservation works and time limited display works.

Ticket price reference information for Dieshi Flower Valley Scenic Area:

Scenic spot ticket price: 120 yuan/person

Attention: The Dieshi Flower Valley Scenic Area is currently not open. It will officially welcome visitors on October 11th and open on October 26th. Please remember to check in according to the specific opening hours

DAY3. Gongtan Ancient Town

The last day's itinerary came to this ancient town that can slow down the pace of time. Gongtan Ancient Town has a history of more than 1800 years. Every household hangs lanterns, every household is an inn, and hanging houses are scattered, echoing the river. Such beautiful scenery can only be seen in paintings.

Gongtan Ancient Town is a true ancient town, without the scenic style town created by later people out of thin air. The polished stone slabs on the ground are a testament to the traces of time, and traditional food production reflects the simplicity and charm of this place!

There is a Ran family courtyard in Gongtan Ancient Town that is worth a visit. In Gongtan, Ran is a big surname, and the Ran family courtyard has a history of three hundred years. Walking in from the gate, you feel like you are in a micro style residential house. The hanging corridor extends to the street, and the main house and structure are all constructed in a through style. The ornaments inside are all very historical. Sitting on a bench and taking photos is super exciting

Taking the Wujiang Gallery cruise here offers a unique view of the scenery. The most beautiful section is the Ten Mile Gallery, where the mountains and waters are particularly beautiful, and the scenery on both sides of the river is picturesque. Highly recommended! The total duration of the cruise is about 1 hour

The Yanhe Wujiang Gorge Scenic Area is located in the southern section of the gorge in Yanhe Tujia Autonomous County, Tongren City, Guizhou Province, known as the hometown of Tujia folk songs in China. The northern section of the gorge connects to the Wujiang Gorge in Fuling, Chongqing, and the southern section is adjacent to the Fanjing Mountain Nature Reserve in Guizhou Province. Therefore, boundary markers can be seen halfway through the gorge.

According to locals, the ancient town was submerged after the Three Gorges Dam was filled with water. The current ancient town has been restored to its original appearance, and the surrounding neighbors are still the same as before. While taking a boat ride, I even saw the Gongtan Hotel and other places in the old town.

In the evening, watch a local performance with unique characteristics at the largest and magnificent Xiqin Guild Hall, including mask Yang opera, Youyang drumming, Nuo techniques, etc., all of which reflect the local customs and traditions. Finally, dance a hand waving dance with them and deeply integrate into their lives!

Ticket price information for Gongtan Ancient Town:

Ticket: 16 yuan

Three small attractions will be charged separately

Wujiang Gallery Cruise Ticket Price: 158 yuan, 1 hour of sightseeing time

Recommended Youyang cuisine: Tujia Eight Bowls

In addition to the beautiful scenery, delicious food is also essential when coming to Youyang. This Tujia Eight Bowls restaurant located on C-0 Street in the ancient city of Youzhou is worth a try. The taste is natural and the price ratio is also very high.

The shop's signature dishes, such as sea pepper crispy fish, dried vegetable pot, stewed chicken with fragrant mushrooms, Braised pork belly in brown sauce, are all worth recommending. The amount of the dishes is absolutely unspeakable, and the authentic characteristic farmhouse flavor!

Recommended accommodation in Youyang: Qingaiwen Residence No.1 Courtyard

This homestay is also very sophisticated, with a name that is both artistic and meaningful. Qingai is the capital of artemisia and mugwort, while Wensu means elegant homestay. If you don't want to stay in an inn, I think this hotel is suitable for you!

The overall environment is very new, combining Zen meditation with the stilted buildings here. There are rest areas and observation platforms outside, and the design of the lobby's book bar also provides guests with a great place to rest. Living here is truly an enjoyable experience!

My favorite thing here is that everything can be operated by voice control. It's a very intelligent experience to turn on the lights, such as opening the curtain lights. The toiletries are also unique to Qingai, and the surrounding facilities are very complete. You would definitely think that such a room would be very expensive, and the actual price is within 300 yuan per night!

Qing Aiwen Hotel room price reference:

Room price: Single room 298 yuan/night Standard room 278 yuan/night

The peak season may be adjusted according to the site!

Youyang Traffic Information Reference:

Transportation conditions:

1. Airplane:

(1) Youyang is a 40 minute drive from Qianjiang Wuling Mountain Airport, which has already opened fixed flights to cities such as Chongqing, Beijing, Shanghai, Kunming, Xi'an, Haikou, Hangzhou, and Chengdu.

(2) Youyang is a 1.5-hour drive from Tongren Phoenix Airport, which has already opened fixed flights across the country.

2. Trains/bullet trains/high-speed trains:

(1) The Yuhuai Railway passes through Youyang, and the Taohuayuan Scenic Area is a 30 minute drive from the railway station.

(2) The journey from Youyang to Tongren High speed Railway Station and Huaihua High speed Railway Station takes 2 hours and 2.5 hours respectively.

3. Highways:

(1) A 4-hour drive from Chongqing to Youyang;

(2) Enshi to Youyang is a 2.5-hour drive away;

(3) A 2-hour drive from Zhangjiajie to Youyang;

(4) 2 hours' drive from Fenghuang to Youyang;

(5) Wulong to Youyang is a 2-hour drive away.

Everyone has infinite aspirations for beautiful things and yearns for a better life, but life is not necessarily Platonic beauty or utopian freedom. Therefore, like Tao Yuanming, when our desires in the city cannot be satisfied and our ideals cannot be realized in our busy lives, we also want to find a "paradise on earth".