7 Days in Longyan

Land softly in Longyan — the Longjin river walk, an early noodle-soup bowl and an early night before the tulou days.

1. longyan longjin riverfront

About an hour to Yongding, core of the 2008-listed Fujian tulou — the 1912 bagua-planned Zhencheng Lou and Chengqi Lou's four rings of some 400 rooms; overnight inside a tulou.

1. longyan hongkeng tulou cluster
2. longyan chengqi lou

Dawn at Chuxi's riverside cluster, then the protected Gutian site of the December 1929 meeting in its clan hall; back to Longyan for the night.

1. longyan chuxi tulou cluster
2. longyan gutian site

Under an hour by rail to Changting, a national historic city since 1994 — the restored Song-Ming city wall above the Ting river, the shop-lined old street, and tea along the water; overnight in the old town.

1. longyan changting ancient city

In Liancheng county, Peitian's 800-year Hakka lanes and courtyards, then Sibao, the valley village that carved and printed woodblock editions for the south from Ming times — the old workshops still stand.

1. longyan peitian village
2. longyan sibao printing village

Guanzhai's cliffs rise straight from Shimen lake — ridge walk, boat loop, and a riverside lunch before the drive back to Longyan.

1. longyan guanzhai mountain
2. longyan shimen lake

An honest neighbor-city day — the Nanjing cluster belongs to Zhangzhou, another face of the same 2008 listing — the banyan-shaded lanes of Yunshuiyao and the four-round-one-square lineup of Tianluokeng; evening train home from Longyan.

1. zhangzhou yunshuiyao ancient town
2. zhangzhou tianluokeng tulou cluster