Xuchang!! A hidden gem of an ancient town that you can visit in a day.

It takes about an hour and a half to get from Xuchang to Yuzhou Dahongzhai. The plants on the mountain are expected to turn red in late November. I went last weekend and the leaves were just starting to turn red. It takes about 1.5 to 2 hours to climb Dahongzhai, and about 40 minutes to descend. The climb is relatively easy, but the only downside is that there is no cable car 🚡 and there are few trash cans, so tourists litter. After descending the mountain in the afternoon, I went to Shenhou Ancient Town, which is about 40 minutes away. The ancient town is full of ceramic shops, which I found interesting (maybe it's just me). If you like tea sets, you can browse around. You can buy a nice tea set for CNY 40–50, which also makes a great gift.