14 Days in Xuancheng

Start where Li Bai started — Jingting Mountain, 5 km north, his refuge across seven visits. The 1997-rebuilt Xietiao Tower and the free museum (closed Mondays) set the historical frame for the two weeks ahead.

1. xuancheng jingting mountain
2. xuancheng xietiao tower
3. xuancheng museum

The breeding centre south of town, started in 1979, keeps the critically endangered Chinese alligator; Shuidong old street, 30 km southeast, sells its jujube sweets by the lane — an easy second day before the mountain villages begin.

1. xuancheng chinese alligator lake
2. xuancheng shuidong old street

30 minutes by the 2024 high-speed line, then 11 km east to the 5A Longchuan site — the Hu ancestral hall, first built around 1546, is national-listed Ming wood carving. Sleep in Jixi county town.

1. xuancheng longchuan
2. xuancheng jixi museum

The gorge, about 20 km east of town, runs between granite walls — 3 hours on foot, start early. Taiji Lake village's Ming brick-carved gateways make the gentle second half.

1. xuancheng zhangshan gorge
2. xuancheng taiji lake village

The merchant path over the mountains starts at the Jiangnan First Pass in Fuling township — walk 2-3 hours in and turn back rather than crossing all 20-plus km into Zhejiang. In March-April or after the autumn harvest, the Jiapeng terraces add their layered fields.

1. xuancheng huihang ancient path
2. xuancheng jiapeng terraces

South to Jingde county, about 1 hour from Jixi. Jiangcun, some 30 km out in Baidi township, keeps its clan halls and stone ways; Zhuwang answers with the "nine wells and thirteen bridges" of its lanes. Overnight in Jingde town.

1. xuancheng jiangcun village
2. xuancheng zhuwang village

Back into Jingxian for the UNESCO-listed paper craft (2009) — more than 100 hand steps per sheet — then the Qing "ship-house" courtyard of Huangtian. Sleep near the county town to be ready for Zhaji.

1. xuancheng xuan paper culture park
2. xuancheng huangtian village

Give Zhaji the whole day — 140-plus Yuan-Qing buildings, three streams and more bridges than you will count, plus the easels of art students most of the year. A riverside guesthouse means the village is yours after the day groups leave.

1. xuancheng zhaji

Li Bai came in 755 at Wang Lun's invitation and left a farewell poem every schoolchild knows. Walk the pool rim to the Qing Wenchang pavilion, take the ferry if it runs, and return to Xuancheng for a night in your own bed.

1. xuancheng taohuatan

East about 1.5 hours to Guangde, then 35 km north to the cave — recorded as a sight since the Han era, better than 2,000 years of visits. Chambers sit near 18 degrees Celsius year-round; the surrounding hills make a picnic stop.

1. xuancheng taiji cave

About 1 hour south, Qinglongwan spreads a mountain-reservoir lake among green islands with ferry crossings; the 4A Enlong timber-lodge village nearby is the comfortable place to sleep among trees.

1. xuancheng qinglong lake
2. xuancheng enlong lodge village

An honestly labelled neighbouring-city day — Huangshan belongs to the adjoining prefecture. High speed via Jixi reaches Huangshan North in about 1 hour, buses run 1 hour to the gate, and the granite peaks crest at 1,864 metres on Lotus Peak. Stay in Tangkou.

1. xuancheng huangshan

Still in Huangshan city — Hongcun, UNESCO-listed in 2000 with neighbouring Xidi, circles Moon Pond and South Lake with Ming-Qing courtyards. An afternoon train from Huangshan North returns you to Xuancheng in about an hour.

1. xuancheng hongcun

The Song-era twin pagodas of Guangjiao temple, at the foot of Jingting Mountain, date to 1096 and stand among the few surviving paired brick pagodas in the country. A slow lunch, then the station — high-speed lines reach Hangzhou, Hefei or Nanjing in 1-2 hours.

1. xuancheng guangjiao twins