From Baishaling to Shixi Yilanting in Zhuhai
The ancients sighed... When the wilds are near, there are many visitors; when the dangers are far, there are few who reach. When I have some leisure time in Zhuhai, I invite two or three friends to lightly pack and enter the mountains and fields.
It is winter, and if it were in the north, there would be cold winds howling and snow flying across the sky, but in this southern coastal city, the view is filled with greenery and delicate wildflowers. As soon as we park the car, we see the phoenix trees swaying like cloud sleeves dancing lightly, and the kudzu flowers blooming brilliantly like splendid clouds. In the distance, the mountains undulate, and we abandon the main road for a small path. After half a mile or so, we see huge rocks standing like crouching beasts, with clear springs emerging from the crevices, silently smooth in the flat areas, and their dripping sounds tinkling. On the side, there are paths crisscrossing, with bamboo frames arranged in rows. Those who clear the land build near the flowing springs, and the farmers chisel rocks and pile up soil to create channels for irrigation. Pushing through the grass and ducking under branches, we walk along the field ridges and suddenly realize there is no way forward. In the distance, we see two farmers standing in the field, one scooping water to irrigate and the other looking back. As we approach, we laugh quietly at the scarecrow with a felt hat and red clothes on its head. The one in black holding a bucket says: 'This is the end of the road, you cannot go further.' We have no choice but to retrace our steps. As we wind upwards, the path gets higher, the bamboo and trees connect, and the scent of grass fills the air. There are flowers blooming in the mountain recesses, too beautiful to pick, birds chirping without a trace, and springs seeping into the stone walls, dark green and ancient.
Upon reaching the second peak, we head east for more than a mile to the old Shixi trail, and then another half mile to the Xiangshan station. Descending the steps, we enter the canyon and see the red inscriptions suddenly appearing between the cliffs, in various styles of writing - some in regular script, some in cursive, some in grass script, and some in seal script, small as a square inch or as large as a standing person, with more than thirty places along the way. At the Dripping Rock, the inscription reads: 'The spring has no autumn or winter, the dripping comes and goes. To seek the source of the water, the rock is high and unknown.' Nearby is the Dripping Mouth, with a variety of water containers lined up far below, and the travelers gradually gather: those who draw spring water for tea, those who rest on stones, those who play with grandchildren... Children play in the water by the Yin Yue Pond, and the buds in the Tao Jin Garden are just beginning to bloom.
One would think there is no quiet place in the city, with the constant noise of rushing traffic. Yet, from the mountain top, the view is unattainable, with high-rise buildings stacked and lined up endlessly... How can I seek the water of Shixi from the heavens to cleanse my heart from the dust?
⛰️Location: No. 366 Meihua East Road, Xiangzhou District
🚗Transportation: Accessible by self-driving or bus
👣Tour: The route is clear, you can start from the first mountain entrance to reach the first pavilion (with a rest platform), then circle around to the second and third pavilions. In autumn, you can view the red leaf forest area, and from the mountain top, you can see the grand and vast Jingmi Reservoir. Then follow the left side down through the Shixi Scenic Area (focusing on the Shixi Cliff Inscriptions) to reach the Xiangzhou Cultural Station, which is also the second mountain entrance (where you can visit the Guyuan Art Museum), and then walk left to the third mountain entrance and stroll along the greenway.
🧸Recommendation: There are many inscriptions along the way in Shixi, with profound meanings, suitable for a slow and quiet appreciation of the eight sights of Shixi. By the way, visit the Guyuan Art Museum at the foot of the mountain, which is a comprehensive venue that combines an art museum, a museum, and a memorial hall.