Day 1

1994-10-25

Guiyang Happy World

April 26, 2014. After sorting through my old diaries, I found a travelogue I wrote many years ago (at that time, there was no concept of travel guides and there were very few online resources). By the way, I also looked at the old photos taken with my point-and-shoot camera at that time (the quality was poor, but the sense of friendship among classmates and the time were priceless). So, I used the paper travelogue to replicate this electronic travelogue (I added some online pictures as well, thanks to the photographers). ...

Now, here are some practical information you can refer to:

1. Recommendations:

The most recommended scenic spots are Huangguoshu (including Tianxingqiao) and Longgong. There are three places.

2. Airline:

There are now flights from Shanghai to Guiyang Longdongbao Airport and Anshun Huangguoshu Airport. If you are lucky and have the right time, the discount is very low. On May 4, 2014, checked on Ctrip, the flight from Shanghai Hongqiao to Anshun Airport was Air China MU5838 - 737, only 20% off, 450 yuan for economy class, 14:15 - 16:55!

3. Train:

On May 4, 2014, checked on Ctrip, from Shanghai South Station to Guiyang Express Train K79 costs 229 yuan for hard seat and 416 yuan for hard sleeper, 27 hours and 40 minutes. From Shanghai South Station to Anshun Express Train K79 costs 236 yuan for hard seat and 428 yuan for hard sleeper, 29 hours and 30 minutes.

4. To the scenic spots by car and itinerary:

There are buses along the Guimao Road from Guiyang City's bus station and travel agencies to Huangguoshu (Tianxingqiao) and Longgong. The distance from Guiyang to Longgong is 115 kilometers, and it takes 2 hours by car. The distance from Guiyang to Huangguoshu is 134 kilometers, and it takes 2 hours and 20 minutes by car. With enough time, you can take a 90-kilometer car or train journey from Guiyang to Anshun (90 kilometers), and then take a 28-kilometer car ride on the expressway to Longgong. The area around Anshun is not large, and from the Guiyang South Station (near the railway station) to Huangguoshu it is 45 kilometers, 50 minutes by car. Tianxingqiao is 7 kilometers downstream of Huangguoshu, and there are paid services for scenic bus rides between the scenic spots. There is now a highway between Huangguoshu and Longgong, and it takes only 30 minutes.

5. Ticket prices in 2014 (yuan):

Huangguoshu 180 (including Tianxingqiao), sightseeing bus 50 (between scenic spots), Longgong original price 150, Ctrip 130

6. Accommodation:

There are many options for accommodation at different price levels in Guiyang and Anshun. Now there are also several good accommodations of different price levels available near the scenic spots. It is best to book online during holidays to ensure it.

7. Selecting travel time and viewing highlights:

Huangguoshu is best visited during the rainy season (May to September, with a chance to see the rainbow hanging over the waterfall in July and August). It is spectacular. The Waterfall Cave is worth visiting by crawling inside to experience the waterfall! Those who have visited many caves may not find it too special. Longgong has three firsts in China (karst cave, largest cave temple, largest cave waterfall!). Don't forget to spin around in the whirlpool! Tianxingqiao has a very unique geological and topographical environment. I recommend visiting all three highlights in full. Don't leave yourself with any regrets! At least spend 2 hours each. If you have time, you can take your time to admire and be intoxicated in the 5 square kilometers of Tianxingqiao! The silver chain falling into the water, the water stone forest, etc. The pictures below will make you feel the beauty of the pearl funnel and the wonderful game of hide-and-seek with heaven and earth in the fairyland maze! When I visited these three scenic spots, there were still few tourists, and it gave me a feeling of being isolated in a deep mountain and secret valley...

8. Other reminders:

Like me, if you can't handle spicy food, remember to inform the restaurant or bring your own when ordering. Because "there is no three days of clear weather" and when viewing the waterfall, you can bring a folding umbrella as a backup. If you like souvenirs with a strong ethnic flavor, you can choose to buy them for commemoration. (There are all in the scenic spots around Guiyang.)

During the rainy season, Huangguoshu Falls pours down like a wild torrent of mud and rocks!

Shitou Village, bought postcards

Many years ago, the main text of the travelogue:

Apart from the magnificent Huangguoshu Waterfall (my own saying, think of a better one yourself), another profound impression that Guizhou left on me was the vivid description of the karst terrain's numerous holes, caves and underground rivers by my junior high geography teacher! (My teacher was both handsome and talented!)

For example, he also said that China's continental coastline is like a curved bow, the Yangtze River is like an arrow, and Shanghai is the arrowhead... So my geography score was either 100 or 99. The teacher said that the "scratched" (a Shanghai dialect meaning tricky) question would deduct 1 point for difficulty. To prevent you from being arrogant and complacent, you just need to ask the train attendant to supplement the ticket. After boarding the train, I went to the last lower berth in the additional carriage, placed my bag on the luggage rack, sat down and was already sweating all over because it was so hot. The person opposite me was a couple from Shaoyang, Hunan Province. Their company's performance was not good, so they came to Shanghai for half a year. Their upper berth was a businessman from Shanghai. His face was rather fierce. The person in my upper berth was a commune worker from Lingling. We talked about his daughter studying at university in Guangzhou... I spent the journey either enjoying the scenery, reading books, or chatting. Time passed quickly...

When the train entered Guizhou, it was indeed "the ground is not flat for three feet". When passing Kaili, the appearance of the people there was almost like the Miao ethnic group. Seeing several fairy-tale-like deep blue streams in the deep and steep valleys, I thought this blue was very mysterious. My gaze was drawn to this blue, and my heart trembled slightly. And the tiny trees towering on the mountains, seemingly without any human habitation... Now I feel a bit regretful that I didn't use a point-and-shoot camera to take that blue stream at that time. I can only recall it in my mind...

This map of the Ma Ling River in Guizhou looks somewhat like the bottom of the blue stream seen in the area of Guizhou at that time. Some of the blue streams are even more winding and slender, with dark-colored rock formations on both sides. The visual effect is very strong, and the valley has a drop of over 100 meters.

After a two-day and one-night train delay of three hours, we finally arrived. When my classmates picked me up, their anxious feelings finally subsided (How different it is now with the convenience of mobile phones! Waiting for three hours! What a hardship for the classmates!) 

Guiyang got its name because it is located south of the Guizhou Mountains. It is also known as "Zhucheng" because there were many bamboos here in ancient times, and many place names contained the word "bamboo", so it was a homophone. The Guiyang Railway Station was the place that left the deepest impression on me about Guiyang. When I looked back as I exited the station, it felt like a tall and imposing ancient city gate with red brick walls, full of a sense of history...

When visiting my classmates' homes, they warned me that I might not get used to spicy food, so they suggested buying some mian (which is the Chinese term for "noodles"). I thought it was white powder at first, which startled me! My classmates laughed when they heard me say that. Their house was not small, with two bedrooms and two living rooms. There were a lot of people there, and the meal was really delicious! The fried rice was always seasoned with chili peppers. Fortunately, they set up a special table for me. Thank you to my classmates and their family!

Guizhou has the saying that there are no three consecutive sunny days, no three flat meters of land, and no three thousand yuan in savings. I actually enjoy the humid air. The road in front of my classmates' house and the one in front of the Guizhou Federation of Literature and Art had a distinct slope. I remember that the government building in Guizhou was quite old at that time, and the flat open space in front of it was like an unused stadium. The minibuses there were not expensive, and taxis in the city were all 10 yuan each.

My classmates let me stay in the two-bedroom one-living-room house that her sister was preparing for her wedding but hadn't been decorated yet, which helped me save on accommodation costs. They also invited me to their house for meals several times. I'm very grateful for their consideration. Because the spicy food here is very strong, even the rice is cooked with chili peppers. So, they specially cooked white rice for me in a small pot.

For breakfast, I had noodles and dumplings at a nearby restaurant. There were also various dishes there, such as Kaili spicy fish, fried noodles, mian, hot pot, and sour cabbage fish. In summary, the service was good, the prices were cheap, and the accounting was also interesting. There were scales or bamboo sticks for counting the quantity. At first, I could only understand about 30% of the Guizhou language, but after a few days, I could understand about 70%. I felt it was similar to the Sichuan language but a bit more difficult to understand.

Nanying District, Guiyang City

A classmate of a classmate, also a classmate of mine, is also studying in Shanghai. The classmates in the same class are the primary school classmates who live in the same neighborhood as me. When talking about their relationship, it's like a tongue twister! 

The next day

1994-10-26

In the afternoon, I went to Qianling Park, which is located in the northwest corner of the city. At the food stall in front of the park, there were several plates of what the classmates called "Sisayao" - a characteristic snack from Guiyang. We sat on small stools and tasted it together. The stall had all kinds of finely cut strips, and we could choose one and wrap it in a thin and small spring roll wrapper with some seasonings to eat. The taste was very refreshing and the price was not expensive. And I really admire the name "Sisayao Baby", it's a very cute and charming title.

The Qianling Park is quite large and integrates mountains, lakes, temples and a zoo. First, go up the mountain to see Hongfu Temple's Nine Dragons Wall and the Tower Field where the tombs of past abbots are located. The inscriptions on the stones are quite numerous but I don't quite understand them. From time to time, there are stone carvings on the mountain walls and monkeys will block the path to beg for food on the trails.

The front and back of the ticket at that time

On the far right is my classmate. Among them is a classmate of my classmate, who is also my former primary school classmate and is now my classmate. And here we go with the tongue twister again.

My classmates asked me to guess what this character is. ！ It's hard for me to understand what you wrote. Tiger...

Looking down from the top of the mountain, one can see Guiyang, a modern yet ancient city surrounded by mountains.

Qianling Lake is nestled closely against the mountains and stretches towards the distance. There are also many fields behind it. These two photos fail to capture the depth of the lake and the green mountains behind it. The photo by Cao Cheng has a sense of extension.

Day 3

1994-10-27

The forest park is the large mountain that surrounds the eastern part of the city. At that time, there were few facilities. There were only a few houses and narrow paths. Walking in the deserted mountains, colorful birds with long wings were flying through the grass. In some places, tombstones were being erected.

My classmate's brother took me to the Provincial Federation of Literature and Arts and the Energy Office, and gave me the materials about the pebble stone. He hoped that I would go back to Shanghai to seek business cooperation opportunities. Unfortunately, I failed to complete this challenging task for me later and let down his expectations. How ashamed! I'm not cut out for business...

On the weekend, we young people went to the government compound behind the provincial government for entertainment. The interior decoration was quite beautiful, and there were many big items that were very warm. We first watched some videos, and then played some Guizhou mahjong. The host was very hospitable. During the meal, everyone was chatting and tasting together.

My classmate and I also went to the market. The local taro was rarely eaten in Shanghai, and it had the effects of clearing the intestines and blood, losing weight, supplementing calcium, detoxifying and resisting intestinal cancer.

Inside the city, I visited the Jiaxiu Pavilion with my classmates. I remember seeing her image in an ancient poem. It used to be a climbing structure in Guiyang. The ticket below provides detailed information. Her classical style is quite prominent. The couplets on the stone pillars of the bridge are also very touching. The moat in front of the pavilion flows gently. The scale is not very large, like a little beauty. We also went to the Riverside Park to admire the chrysanthemums.

• Day 4
  

1994-10-28

The most exciting part was visiting Huangguoshu Tianxing Bridge and Longgong. I, along with my classmates and her brother and brother-in-law, took a tour bus organized by the travel agency. We arrived at Longgong at dawn. The Guihuang Road had good conditions, being wide and smooth. Along the way, after walking about 100 meters on the left, one could see a cluster of villas. At that time, a villa cost only 150,000 yuan. On the right, the dark bluish rocks were much darker than those in the south of the country.

The Red Maple Lake on the left side of the road was as charming as its name suggested. It was the largest artificial lake in Guizhou. The colors were pleasing to the eye. The combination of water and islands made one wonder if it was a fairyland. My classmate said there was a tribal fire dance party on the island. One could borrow some sun umbrellas and chairs to read, rest, swim. The Red Maple Lake was also a water training base for the national sports team.

First, you will see the yellow and green rice characters in the Longgong scenic area. Then, you will see the swirling pond where the water rotates clockwise all year round. It truly makes one marvel at the wonders of nature. After climbing over mountains and through dry caves, you will board a small boat to enter the Longgong water cave. You will row across an unknown depth of water. The entrance is quite large, with towering rocks, resembling a tiger's mouth, making one feel a bit frightened. The stalactites inside are uneven in shape and vary greatly. The size of the cave halls also varies. The widest part is about 50 meters wide and 70 meters high. It is truly magnificent and spectacular. Sometimes, you have to lower your head and lean to one side to allow the boat to navigate through the cracks in the rocks. With the addition of colorful lights, it adds an extra touch of mystery and enchantment. The largest cave waterfall in China inside is truly awe-inspiring and makes one tremble. As I was watching, I murmured to myself: Karst, Karst, even the greedy eyes can't take it all in...

Xuantang

The scale ranks third in the world and first in Asia. From a distance of just a few kilometers, one can hear the thunderous sound of the waterfall. After walking a few hundred meters, one's face is already soaked by the water droplets. But the leaves are thick and one can only hear the sound and not see the actual scene. The path leading up the mountain is very wet and slippery. The grass on the road appears vigorous and lush, and the rumbling sound fills the ears. The surrounding atmosphere is somewhat terrifying. To be honest, if a person visits such a place for the first time, they might feel a bit scared. They sense an uneasy feeling of being swallowed up at any moment...

Previously, there was a huge mural of the Huangguoshu Waterfall on the wall of my home. I looked at it every day. But the moment I could gaze at the real thing from afar, the image that rushed into my mind was "rolling mountains and seas crashing". The water volume of the Huangguoshu Waterfall is among the second highest, with a height of over 60 meters and a width of over 80 meters (during flood season, it reaches nearly 100 meters). It is like a reversed Milky Way hanging from the mountain, causing an earth-shattering effect...

Behind the waterfall, there is a water curtain cave that can be entered. It is very magical. Looking at the waterfall from within the cave is like a flood breaking through the embankment and overturning the earth. The sound of the white water droplets colliding is deafening. I even reached out to catch the waterfall to feel its high-altitude impact... Besides the world wonder of viewing the waterfall from the water curtain cave, Huangguoshu is also the only waterfall in the world that can be viewed in all six directions in an all-round manner... And there are 18 different-sized waterfalls of various styles, forming the largest waterfall group in the world.

When the Bai Shui River flows through the area, the riverbed breaks into nine tiers of waterfalls. The Huangguoshu Waterfall is the largest among them. It is named after a common local plant called "Huangguoshu". It enjoys the reputation of "the First Waterfall in China".

The great traveler Xu Xueke of the Ming Dynasty, during his exploration of the waterfall, exclaimed: "Crashing pearls and jade, droplets rebounding, like smoke rising into the sky, the momentum is extremely magnificent; 'The curtain of pearls is not drawn, a sheet of silk hangs over the distant peak', neither of these can compare to its grandeur. There are several times as high as this one, but there has never been such a wide and large one." 

After that, successive generations of scholars and poets wrote poems and articles praising the Huangguoshu Waterfall without end.

The air at Huangguoshu Waterfall is so humid that the photos taken by the傻瓜 camera are all blurry and hazy.

The photo of Huangguoshu Waterfall given by a classmate

The Huangguoshu waterfall is featured in my collection of scenic stamps.

The postcards I bought are similar to those hanging on the wall of my old house.

The postcards, the waterfall observation platform in the Water Curtain Cave

On the hillside opposite Huangguoshu Waterfall is a restaurant. The few souvenirs I bought on the road in front of the restaurant are this small embroidered bag (embroidered with Huangguoshu characters), which I bought from a short and stout ethnic minority woman with rich decorative elements of the Miao ethnic group. It costs 20 yuan.

The handbag at the bottom is also one that I quite like. It has a bit of waterproof function, a velvet surface, thickened bottom for reinforcement, and the bag opening can be tightened with a strap to contract and knot. I have put quite heavy things in it without any problem.

Anshun-style mask, purchased postcard

Upon arriving at Tianxingqiao, as soon as you enter the gate, you will see a rope stretched across the canyon between the two peaks. Some people are riding bikes and setting off firecrackers on it, which only adds to the tranquility of the surroundings. After entering, it turns out that the tour guide was right. The paths are intricate and complex, and sometimes there is no clear path at all. The water-based stone forest makes sense. The composition of the stones changes according to the location, with yellow, loose stones forming all kinds of strange shapes, while the dark, hard rocks stand upright beside them like mountain ridges. Sometimes there is a gurgling stream, and sometimes it is like pearls crashing against the shore. Above, there are cable cars hanging down. From time to time, caves appear across the path. When crossing the bamboo rope bridge, you feel a bit shaky but safe. It's rare to see wild banana trees here. There are indeed very few traces of human activity. This place is truly a magnificent natural wonderland, a masterpiece of nature's creativity. In many places, ancient vines are entwined in inaccessible areas... It feels like the universe has designed this as a dreamlike maze. Inside, one keeps wandering, turning, hiding, and hiding... One can never get enough of it. Again shouting: Karst, Karst, you really can't find you! Come out quickly! Your mother is calling you to have dinner at home! (The last sentence is added now.)

The silver thread cascades into the pool. I like to call it the Pearl Spill Funnel.

Silver thread falling into the pool. A purchased postcard.

Sky Garden bonsai, the purchased postcard

Tianxing Cave, purchased postcards

The Steep Slope Pond Waterfall, one of the waterfall clusters that can be visited, and a purchased postcard

Screw Beach Waterfall, one of the waterfall clusters that can be visited, and a purchased postcard

Dip Waterfall, one of the waterfall clusters that can be visited, and a set of postcards purchased there

Day 6

1994-10-30

On the right side of the Gu Huang Highway, Huixi Park takes on a more charming appearance. It seems that spring arrives here particularly early. The lake water is clear and melodious, with brilliant colors. The water joyfully leaps over the rocks and ascends to the hilltop, offering a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside. It can be called a wonderful place for a vacation. Everything is lush and the water is rippling. The elegant villas are scattered here and there. On the golden avenue covered with fallen poplar leaves, one can see students roasting food and singing loudly, their spirits soaring with joy.

My classmate's boyfriend was very nice and handsome. The confused expression on my face at that time...

During a week in Guiyang, it didn't rain at all. That was quite rare. My classmates told me that the previous week there had been no rain at all. It was really a lucky situation.

Day 7

1994-10-31

The train tickets for the Huaxi route from Guiyang to Kunming were very hard to get. Later, her classmate's brother managed to buy them through an acquaintance. Thanks to the help of the local friends! Her classmate said that she also has relatives in Kunming. If she needed help there, it would be no problem. In Guiyang, it has been such a troublesome and exhausting time for her classmate for the past week. How could she be so rude as to disturb her relatives again?

The sleeper car's hard seat was also targeted by a thief. At that time, while I was sleeping, I deliberately made a hole in the zipper pocket of my clothes. I put a small comb and a one-yuan note inside, hoping that even if I fell asleep and didn't realize the thief's presence, I wouldn't suffer any loss. However, at around two o'clock in the morning, when the thief pulled open the zipper, I became alert. The one-yuan note didn't make it to the thief either. That middle-aged thin man with a medium build (the thief) immediately pretended to be fine and left, walking past the train carriage and moving forward. The middle-aged woman sitting next to me was in a tense and frightened state, her expression frozen on her face.

Day 8

1994-11-01

The train arrived in Kunming the next morning. I had baoshuai rice noodles at a fast food restaurant on the right side of the railway station square. I stayed at an old cadre rest home and took a taxi to Dianchi Lake's Da Guan Lou. After seeing the famous world's longest couplet, I hired a motorboat for 50 yuan for a 15-minute ride. Alone, I splashed water into the water snake hole. From time to time, there were flying birds rising in the pool. I recalled Li Qingzhao's poem "Crossing, crossing, startling a flock of egrets and storks", looking around, the branches were sparse, and there were red walls and small houses. Later, I spent some time strolling around the urban area of Kunming...

Day 9

1994-11-02

Originally, I planned to visit other attractions in Kunming and the Stone Forest the next day. But when I called my classmates, they told me that my family called to say they had something important and asked me to go back. My classmate asked me to return from Guiyang to Shanghai because she needed to buy some local products from Guizhou to give to several good classmates in Shanghai. What warm and considerate classmates! 

Then I immediately took a train back to Guiyang. The full-price air ticket I bought seemed to cost 1100 yuan. I took a car ride of less than two hours to Guiyang Longdongbao Airport. In the dark, the street trees without street lights kept accompanying me. There were no people on the road or around. In the silence, I listened to Zhang Xueyong's "Blessing" playing on the bus. It had a special flavor in my heart. My classmate friends - Xueyong... I sincerely wish my classmates good luck! After returning to Shanghai, I bought some clothes and food at Nanjing Road and put a thank-you letter in a package and sent it by air (there were no couriers at that time) to my classmate to express my gratitude to her and her family. Later, several other classmates also went to Guiyang or passed by, and all of them received her warm reception. Thank you, good classmates!

Lunan Stone Forest, purchased postcard

Day 10

1994-11-03

During the infancy of the Chinese Internet, there were already online exchanges related to tourism. I still remember the female moderator was called "where". Later, there was a call for a travel article about Guizhou, so I sent emails with descriptions of places like Zhijin Cave, Wuyang River, and Fankunshan in Guizhou, as well as other places in the province, to her. She eventually accepted and published them. Later, she initiated an event in a gym in Xuhui, but she herself didn't show up. It turned out that it was a paid training for promoting indoor rock climbing... 

Pur泉水 2014.5.6 于上海 复制多年前的贵阳昆明游记

@文由心生听涌泉