Experience the charm of Mengzi and enjoy the symphony of life, on the 58th day of the drive around China

May 11, 2023, the 58th day of the drive around China, from Jingxi, Guangxi to Mengzi, Yunnan. If you drive along the G219 national road, the mountain roads are rugged and narrow, and it is very time-consuming. Choose to drive directly on the highway, avoiding this section of the national road, and reach Mengzi City directly. Surprisingly, the speed limit on this mountainous section of the highway in Guangxi is 120 kilometers. I have the utmost disdain for the low speed limits and the trap of fines on the highways. It's hard to imagine that in Mengzi, there hides a lake like Nanhu. Nanhu was formed by the accumulation of rainwater, and was developed into a reservoir during the Ming Dynasty, formerly known as Caohu. Three mounds of earth were piled up in the lake, named Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou Islands respectively. With thousands of hectares of clear waves and willows lining the banks, the water of Nanhu is extremely beautiful. The scenery is surprisingly reminiscent of old Beijing, and the lotus pond brings back memories of Shengping. Walking by the lake, one forgets the hustle and bustle of the world and returns to the tranquility of nature. Bizhai was a desolate and uninhabited place at the end of the Qing Dynasty, named after the station. Bizhai Station began construction in 1905, with a European style. In 1909, the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway (meter gauge) opened to traffic, and it became a hub for trade and transportation. The hotels, restaurants, and coffee shops in the village were numerous, forming a small-scale World's Fair. For the following forty years, it was a time of great prosperity. Now the station has long been abandoned, and its legendary history has also faded. A narrow-gauge train station full of sentiment, suitable for leisurely photo-taking and remembrance, has recently become popular on the internet due to director Feng Xiaogang's movie 'Youth'. After the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway was opened, Bizhai Railway Station rose to become the largest station on the railway, the place where the 'Ge Bishi Railway' (narrow gauge) intersected and transferred, Ge Bishi (Gejiu-Bizhai—Shiping) is the most sovereignly complete railway in modern Chinese history. The cuisine of Mengzi is also a highlight, with local delicacies such as Mengzi's rice noodles and Mengzi rice cakes being very popular with tourists. When night falls, the night market in Mengzi becomes extraordinarily lively, with a dazzling array of delicious foods that make one's mouth water. Mengzi is a city full of charm. Whether it's natural scenery or cultural landscapes, it makes people linger and forget to return.