Traveling west to Shanxi and Shaanxi after the epidemic

Number of days：4 days
Time: September
Average cost: 1500 yuan
With whom: and friends

This was my first interprovincial trip since the pandemic. On September 4th, I joined the Soku Photography Group on a four-day tour, visiting Lijiashan Village in Qikou, Jingbian Wave Valley, Ganquan Grand Canyon, and Hukou Waterfall in Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces.

In the morning, I took the shuttle bus from the academy to Yuanmingyuan. The bus departed promptly at 7:00 AM, with short breaks at two service areas (Wangdu, Hebei, and Jingle, Shanxi). After 10 hours, we arrived at Qikou, Lin County, Lüliang City, at 5:00 PM. We then transferred to a local minibus and drove along the winding mountain road to Lijiashan Village.

In Lijiashan Village, Qikou, Lin County, the first thing I saw in this quaint natural village was an old man with a white towel wrapped around his head and wearing a sheepskin waistcoat. What was particularly eye-catching was the QR code hanging around his neck, which formed a sharp contrast between simplicity and technology.

Lijiashan Village in Qikou Town, Lin County, Shanxi Province, has been designated a Famous Historical and Cultural Village in China. The village boasts over one hundred existing courtyards, preserving a diverse range of dwellings, from luxurious Qing Dynasty residences to more modest cave dwellings. These buildings, steep as they are from the Loess Plateau and rich Yellow River culture, provide valuable material for the study of ancient Chinese folklore.

The village's topography is unique, with buildings scattered across a mountain slope several hundred meters high, with a gradient of approximately 40 degrees. Almost all of the buildings seamlessly integrate with the slope, seamlessly taking advantage of the mountain's contours. From a distance, the diversely designed buildings, stacked one above the other, appear as many as nine stories high, from ravine to peak, creating a breathtaking spectacle. While I was editing my travel notes, Teacher Qin (a practitioner in Tianya) in the group sent me a photo, which immediately surprised me. “Oh, this is the Potala Palace”, that is, the Potala Palace on the Loess Plateau. (The photo below was taken by Teacher Qin)

Two small streams flow southward within the village, converging southward and emptying into the Yellow River. The hill between the two streams resembles the head of a phoenix, while the mountains on either side resemble its wings. Feng shui practitioners believe this topography is extremely beneficial for accumulating wealth. The streets within the village are uneven and paved with stone blocks, creating a neat and orderly layout. In the evening, villagers, tired after a day's work, began to cook and eat, couples chatted, and experienced model Old Man Li confidently sang the Shanxi folk song - Xintianyou, smoked a pack of cigarettes leisurely, and went home with his donkey.

We stayed at the Qikou Inn, nestled in the heart of the ancient town, nestled against the Luliang Mountains and facing the Yellow River, close to the Qikou Wharf. Formerly a courtyard house, the Qikou Inn primarily traded sesame oil. In its heyday, "hundreds of boats moored by its windows and thousands of camels passed through its doors," its business reaching as far north as Baotou and Yinchuan, westward through Shaanxi's "Three Borders," and eastward as Taiyuan, Beijing, and Tianjin. After several transformations, it became an inn at the beginning of this century. The courtyard consists of two stories: the lower level is a cave-like structure, while the upper level features Chinese-style latticework and wooden windows. The walls are built of bluestone, the roofs are covered with emerald tiles, and the high, raised eaves rise and fall according to the terrain. Rows of hanging red lanterns adorn the courtyard, adding a touch of vitality to the ancient courtyard.

The distinctive Qikou Inn is now decorated with beautiful flowers and rows of red lanterns, adding a lot of vitality, but the stone brick floors, steep stairs and a series of decorations reveal its past history.

Qikou was once a bustling hub for both water and land transportation. Northwest specialty grains, furs, and medicinal herbs were transported here by water, then carried to various locations by land by mules, horses, and camels. Returning customers brought back local products, such as tea and matches, for daily necessities, which were then transported back to the northwest by water. Now, with the development of roads and railways, Qikou has lost its former glory.

In the mornings, the sunrise casts a brilliant crimson glow across the landscape, and the waters of the Yellow River appear exceptionally beautiful. Standing by the river, gazing at the ever-flowing waters, my heart surges with emotion as I imagine the scenes and scenery of yesteryear.

Leave Qikou to visit the natural landscape of Wave Valley in Jingbian County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province. Jingbian Wave Valley is relatively close to Yan'an. I have always thought that it is a scenic area with boundaries. The area is a large Wave Valley (locally known as Jingbian Red Sandstone Canyon), a treasure deep in the mountains. It was formed by wind and water carving sandstone for millions of years. The texture of the rock sand is like waves, with circles and clumps. It is really a Feng Shui treasure land. I sigh at the magical carvings of nature and the magnificent and continuous Danxia landforms. I enjoy taking pictures here. Teacher An's small plane fully demonstrated his expertise and took a panoramic picture of the Wave Valley.

The beautiful yoga instructor in the team was fortunate to fully demonstrate her graceful movements in the photographer's lens, adding a more beautiful view to the beautiful scenery.

We arrived at Scenic Area 3, a water-based Danxia landform. Surrounded by mountains, Longzhou Lake, nestled in the center, shone like a mirror from the sky, reflecting the earth. Amidst the rocky valley, a curving green lake was even more striking. Everyone praised it as a map of China, creating a truly visually striking scene. The tranquil green waters and crimson sandstone formed a beautiful landscape painting. This landscape is a prime spot for photography. We had planned to take photos of the sunset at Shuishang Danxia, but a strong wind blew up and dust filled the sky. We had no choice but to change our plans and head to Jingbian County. The sky, gloomy just moments ago, suddenly lit up with a vibrant crimson. The car erupted in delight. Teacher Liu and the driver were incredibly helpful, having found a perfect spot for photos: a modern oil refinery. The photographers were so quick, they almost forgot their back and leg aches as they searched for the tops of walls and the roofs of water tankers to capture this beautiful moment. The refinery looked especially stunning under the crimson sunset glow. Afterward, everyone jokingly joked, "That's just good luck! Heaven is looking after us." I snapped a couple of quick shots, though the focus wasn't quite right. Look at the photographer's impressive form. The following photo was taken by Hong Yehong, a teacher. The photographer focused on the top of an abandoned water tanker.

Photography is both arduous and joyful. We set off early for the Ganquan Yucha Grand Canyon, a place I'd always longed to photograph. Arriving at the scenic area, we boarded a dedicated scenic bus. The road was lush green, with a variety of small wildflowers blooming along the roadside. It took about 35 minutes to reach Mudangou.

I had thought we could go directly to the Yucha Grand Canyon, but our tour guide told us the best time to photograph the canyon was between noon and 2 p.m., leaving us plenty of time to visit Mudangou. It's said that Mudangou was formed hundreds of millions of years ago when a major earthquake split a mountain in two, creating a large rift. Later, erosion by wind and rain shaped the canyon. There are many wild peonies on the roadside, so it is named Mudangou. The canyon is about 100 meters long and 1 meter wide. The ground is uneven, so you must be extremely careful as the ground is slippery. You can return after about an hour of sightseeing.

The Hukou Waterfall on the Yellow River is a popular tourist destination, located in Hukou Township, Yichuan County, Yan'an City. The Yellow River is flanked by Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces. Our hotel was in Shanxi, with Shaanxi directly across the river. The roaring Yellow River surges like a raging storm, its turbulent flow awe-inspiring. I was struck by the magnificence of the Yellow River's unwavering spirit and its invincible spirit.

The mountains and rivers of our motherland are vast, rich, and majestic, presented to everyone to share. A Yellow River Cantata sings out the greatness and pride in our hearts, nurturing a civilization that soars to the sky with brilliant glory, and inspiring the hearts and blood of the Chinese people to surge with passion!