14 Days in Yichun (Jiangxi)

Base yourself in the spring town, where the old well is said to have flowed at 68-72°C for more than 800 years — evening foot baths are the local ritual.

1. yichun jx wentang springs

Cableway up early, then the Qingyun plank walkways under the 1,735.6-metre Taiping summit; the hot pools back in Wentang undo the stairs.

1. yichun jx mingyue mountain

In Fengxin county, master Huaihai (720-814) wrote the Pure Rules and the line "a day without work is a day without food"; the monastery sits in a quiet valley.

1. yichun jx baizhang monastery

A whole slow day in the spring town — morning market, foot baths at the old well, an afternoon in a courtyard cafe.

1. yichun jx wentang springs

Master Dongshan Liangjie (807-869) grounded the Caodong school at Dongshan, while Huangbo trained the monk who would found Linji — three Chan lineages in one prefecture.

1. yichun jx dongshan temple
2. yichun jx huangbo mountain

North into Jing'an county, a national forest park of ravines and swimming holes — whitewater rafting in summer, ridge boardwalks the rest of the year.

1. yichun jx sanzhualun

Long soak, early night, and a look at tomorrow's drive west to Tonggu.

1. yichun jx wentang springs

Two hours west to Hakka-country Tonggu for the Tianzhu Peak national forest park, then overnight beside the springs at Tangli valley.

1. yichun jx tianzhu peak

A slow morning in the Tangli spring valley, a Hakka lunch in Tonggu town, and the drive back east to Wentang.

1. yichun jx tangli valley

Back-to-back spa days are the point of a fortnight here; let the legs fully recover.

1. yichun jx wentang springs

An hour west, Wanzai restores more than 20 Qing-era clan halls — pair the alleys with its chilli-and-rice-flour snack stalls.

1. yichun jx wanzai ancient city

An honest cross-city day — the HSR runs north in about an hour for the Tengwang Pavilion (first raised in 653, rebuilt again in 1989) and the Haihunhou tomb museum.

1. nanchang

Last long soak, spring-boiled eggs for the road, and a final stroll through the old-town stalls.

1. yichun jx wentang springs
2. yichun jx wanzai ancient city

Market breakfast in the spring town, then the HSR from Yichun station.

1. yichun jx wentang springs