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Zhenyuan

zhenyuan1
Located in the easternmost of Guizhou Province (guì zhōu shěng 贵州省), Zhenyuan (zhèn yuǎn 镇远) is a famous tourist city in the province. It is in the subtropical climate zone with an average annual temperature of 16.4 °C and a precipitation of 1093.3 mm. The historical and cultural town has total land area of 1,878 square kilometers, 6 square kilometers of which is the urban area, and a population of 230,000 with 40,000 permanent residents. Zhenyuan is one of the experimental counties approved by the state for the reform and opening up of southeast Guizhou Province.

Overview

zhenyuan2Zhenyuan ancient town is a place whose beauty is difficult to express with words. It has experienced over 2,000 years of history. When one is tired of the hustle and bustle of more urban centers, Zhenyuan offers a quiet retreat for the soul. Crystal Wuyang River (wǔ yáng hé 舞阳河) runs across the town like a ribbon and creates a mood of harmony, and when the sun rises slowly in the morning and the clouds have yet to remove their grip from the mountains, Dragon Cave looks just like a palace in heaven. In this ultimate getaway town, even just standing quietly by the river will allow one to enjoy the indescribable beauty and tenderness of this serene countryside. Zhenyuan ancient town was selected as the Top Undiscovered China Attractions

Melting the cultures of the Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, Zhenyuan is a famous historical and cultural city of China. The Wuyang River Scenic Spot at the state level and the group of ancient architectures of Qinglong Cave (qīng lóng dòng 青龙洞) under the state protection attract numerous tourists home and abroad. There are over 200 places of historical interest and over 300 scenic spots open to tourists in the whole county. Zhenyuan is the hometown of the dragon boat. The dragon-boat race is held on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month every year on the Wuyang River. The tourist resources featuring peculiar mountains, elegant field sights, customs of the Miao and the Dong nationalities are of high value for scientific research and appreciation.

zhenyuan3The Three Gorges of the Wuyang River are claimed to have the marvel of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River and the elegance of the Gulin (guì lín 桂林) Scenery. The Tiexi (tiě xī 铁溪) Scenic Spot can compare beauty to the scenery of Jiuzhaigou (jiǔ zhài gōu 九寨沟) in Sichuan Province. Besides, there are also the twenty special scenes, and other strange karst stones and wonderful peaks.

Someone said that Zhenyuan is a Chinese painting that shows its charm and value in plainness and quietness. In August 1988, the State Council listed the Wuyang Scenic Spot of Zhenyuan as a national scenic spot.

Attractions

Qinglong Cave

Qinglong Cave is one of the most famous sightseeing nearby Zhenyuan. It is not a cave rather than a group of construction covering an area of 20,000 square meters. It is really a wonderful masterpiece of human beings, combining the nature items and man-made temples. The constructions stretch over one li (0.5 km) from north to south, with more than 100 pavilions, terraces and towers - large and small.

Wuyang River

zhenyuan4Cut through by the Wuyang River, Zhenyuan Ancient Town is divided into two parts: south city and north city, which forms a water town. Hence you will see the importance of Wuyang River for this ancient town. Flowing through the Mt. Miaoling (miáo lǐng 苗岭), the charming and lively Wuyang River runs 95 kilometers (about 59 miles) from Huangping (huáng píng 黄平) to Zhenyuan, finally into Yuanjiang River in Hunan Province. The part in Zhenyuan Ancient Town is the essence of whole part.

Taking a cruise on the Wuyang River will bring you one surprise after another. Grotesque gorges, perilous peaks and crystal-like waters present a wonderful picture before you, as if you were entering a wonderland. Secluded caves, gurgling springs, rugged rocks, dangerous passes and spectacular waterfalls interspersed on the mountains of both banks endow the Wuyang River, along with the dangers of Yangtze River and the elegance of Li River (lí jiāng 漓江) in Guilin. Each scenic spot has been given a fanciful name according to their beautiful legends.

Transportation

Zhenyuan is relatively less developed but transportation in the area is not as harsh as recorded on many guidebooks. A comprehensive network of highway centered on Kaili (kǎi lǐ 凯里), the capital city of the Qiandongnan Prefecture has been built to connect almost every village in recent years. Tow of the best options to getting there is: a.) from North, Take a train to Kaili and change to coach to the mountainous villages; b.) from South, Take Flights or train to Guilin, and then coach to these villages.