Swallow Xu*
How to go
With COVID-19 paralysing international travel, many people are opting for a staycation.
With a travel bubble formed between the mainland and Macau, we can look beyond the border and set off conveniently to the neighbouring region, namely the Greater Bay Area (GBA).
To go, you can simply catch an express train.
Just cross the border to Gongbei and within a stone’s throw you’ll find the Zhuhai station with high-speed train connections to any mainland GBA city. Well, virtually to any place throughout the country including Beijing, Guilin and Shanghai.
So, after purchasing an e-ticket online using my smart phone, I’m ready to go! To our first stop Zhaoqing (Shiuhing in Cantonese), some 145 kilometres north-west of Macau.
Scenic (and yummy)
Located on the western edge of the Pearl River Delta (PRD), Zhaoqing lags behind economically, but is bestowed with beautiful mountains, waters and attractive green landscapes. At weekends, residents from Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other PRD cities will drive to Zhaoqing for an outing, to enjoy its lovely landscapes or just to swim in one of its many mountain pools, culminating the experience with a nice unique meal in a country-style restaurant. The must try: tasty ‘mountain raised chicken steamed (or fried) in tea oil’ from Sihui, a county-level city under Zhaoqing, or yummy “river meals” from the Xi (West) River flowing across Zhaoqing.
I arrived at Star Lake of Seven Star Crag (nicknamed Small Guilin) just in time to appreciate the sunset with my friends. Quaintly designed two- or three-storey cafés, bars and B & B guesthouses line the lakeside, though many are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shining in the sunset’s glow, the crag’s silhouettes were reflected in the water. I exclaimed that Star Lake looked more attractive than the famous West Lake in Hangzhou. My friend Meiling from Zhaoqing agreed, lamenting that Star Lake lacks such famed historical legends as West Lake’s and was unfortunately not graced by Song poet Su Shi . The poet lived by West Lake and composed many beautiful poems about the lake, thereby turning it into a famous landmark. The Star Lake scenic area is open at night with free admission, so it’s best to have an after-dinner leisurely walk around the lake like locals do to enjoy its everlasting charm.
Historic
Nevertheless, Zhaoqing is a historically important city. For 180 years from 1564 to 1746 during the Ming and Qing dynasties, it housed the office of the Viceroy of Liangguang [the two guangs] (Guangdong and Guangxi). It was also the capital of the Southern Ming Dynasty – right here the last Ming emperor, Zhu Youjian, was enthroned – before the Manchus took over and chased him out to Myanmar. A small part of the ancient wall and the restored heritage building Yuejiang Lou have stood witness to this passage of history.
Zhaoqing was also the first mainland city that embraced Matteo Ricci, a Jesuit priest and one of the earliest religious and cultural ambassadors between China and the West. Here, Ricci sojourned for six years learning Chinese traditional culture while also introducing Western sciences and arts, until he was expelled from the city. Today very few Ricci-related heritage remnants exist, but the Chongxita Tower beside the (no longer existing) church he built still stands.
Natural
Then there’s the famous Dinghu Mountain, known as the green gem of the Tropic of Cancer. With a rich flora and fauna, including many endangered species, covered in a heavy mantle of green, Dinghu Mountain gives off very special vibes and is called the ‘great natural oxygen bar”, virtually unmatched in the whole of the vast China. Now also a UNESCO International Man and Biosphere Reserve, it is a magnet for worldwide “scientific tourism”. Strolling along a part of the mountain trail as occasionally an electric car transporting tourists passed by, I really felt myself rejuvenated from head to lung to toe! The mountain spreads wide, the green layering open vista at our feet is amazing too, and the sounds of hidden waterfalls are soothing. Known as a Buddhism Holy Land in Guangdong, Dinghu Mountain has the century-old Qingyun Temple, built in a valley. The temple is simple yet solemn and elegant with its unique oriental architectural style.
Also not to be missed is the Ziyun Valley, dubbed Guangdong’s Jiuzhaigou (Jiuzhaigou is part of the Min Mountains on the edge of the Tibetan Plate), yet actually an islet on the Xi River. To reach there, you have to take a decades-old boat – and be enchanted by the (Guilin) pretty Lijian-like landscapes and reflections in river! Ziyun Valley, which is uninhabited, with only two country-style restaurants, is pristine. It certainly won’t disappoint anyone like me who enjoys nature and water. The must-do (or the only thing to do) here is to hike (as much as you like) along the cool, green, rocky valley, and jump into many a crystal clear natural pool, anytime! It’s perfect for a hot summer’s day. Seeing people chilling in the shade of trees playing in or with water reminds me of how the Thais and Laotians revel in nature with family and friends, which is something we miss in this part of Asia.
Traditional
Zhaoqing may be the least developed city in the GBA but is inarguably the most beautiful, scenic, and traditional. Right near the Seven Star Crag Archway is the urban centre housing new malls and hotels as well as old streets. While high-rises mushroom in the suburban new areas making the city look like any other Chinese city, the old district Duanzhou is still traditional, oozing a special charm. You can walk along its tree-lined streets, stop by a hawker selling preserved sweet fruit which cannot be found in any other GBA cities. I had two very nice yum cha breakfasts in two restaurants in Duanzhou, this time and before COVID-19. Brought to your table by middle-aged waitresses pushing dim sum carts, the taste of the dishes is impressive. Sure, Zhaoqing’s slow-paced lifestyle allows for the traditional preparation emphasising ‘freshness right from the oven/kitchen’, while in hectic cities like Guangzhou and Macau, most restaurants just heat up ready-made dim sum from far-away factory-style kitchens.
During this 3-day visit to Zhaoqing, I felt like settling down in this charming green city full of traditional life. Hop on a train from Gongbei and feel it for yourself!
For Zhaoqing travel information, please access WeChat subscription account: 多彩肇慶。
*Swallow Xu is a translator and travel writer
Qingyun Temple
Sunset on Star Lake
Ziyun Valley
Photos taken by Swallow Xu in Zhaoqing in August 2020.
