By Mike Finck and Zoey Cao
Crooked black teeth against a deep purple sky, Yangshuo’s mountains loomed overhead as I shuffled from the train station to the shuttle bus that would take me into town. Bags stowed underneath, I sat with excitement despite the exhaustion, wondering what these craggy giants would look like in the morning sun. The shuttle wound forty minutes down narrow country paths to the tourist center near town, where I took a taxi the last 2km to my room for the evening at Qingyunge Hotel. Tucked down an alley, the foyer was surprisingly lavish given the surroundings, and my large room with wooden details and floor-to-ceiling window were astounding at 75 RMB for the night: off-season rates. Tomorrow, I would make my way to Omeida Chinese Language Academy, my home for the next three months.
Qingyunge Hotel, Yangshuo
Famous for its stunning scenery and delicious local specialties, Yangshuo is a popular tourist destination during the fall and summer months. Yangshuo is a small county 65km outside of Guilin, Guangxi. Home to around 273,000 people, and welcoming 2,000,000 tourists each year, tourism drives the local economy. But like other tourist destinations, Yangshuo during the low season (known locally as the “quiet time” between Spring Festival and the end of the rainy season in May) can seem a bit deserted. However, for me this was the perfect time to come, and as my stay would be longer than the conventional tourist as well, I hoped I could see a little more clearly the small town energy under the manicured tourist facade.
Early for a 9am appointment with the schools administration and feeling a need to feed, I stopped in at a local breakfast place for a quick bite the next morning. Red bean paste pumpkin pastry, hand pulled savory pancakes, and fresh hot soy milk, many familiar favorites were on display. In addition, people can be seen everywhere casually sitting on small, colorful plastic benches or steps holding a steaming bowl of something different. Guilin Youcha 油茶 Porridge, sometimes called “oil tea”, is a local favorite in the mornings. Not to be confused with Chaoshan Leicha 擂茶 porridge which is salty and sweet, Youcha is full of strong ginger flavor. After breakfast, I concluded my meeting with the school, who set me up in my dorm for the duration of my study period.
People having breakfast sitting on colorful plastic benches
Yangshuo was warm and inviting despite it being just a few weeks after Spring Festival. In every direction, sun-touched mountain peaks rose above and people quietly ate outside in front of the local shops and restaurants. The town was quiet with just the rustle of leaves, low murmur of conversation, and the occasional crowing rooster. Looking at the multitude of restaurants, I was immediately struck by the prevalence of one dish on nearly every sign: Guilin Rice Noodles. As I made my way towards the center of town, the infamous West Street, an old man beckoned me towards his restaurant store front. After a brief but warm exchange, I decided to have lunch here.
There are two choices of Guilin Rice Noodles: dry and soup. Dry mixed rice noodles have a unique texture and are more chewy. The soup aroma blends various herbs and spices such as star anise, fennel, and cinnamon. Served with side dishes such as sour bamboo shoots, capers, and locally produced Luohanguo 罗汉果, or Monk Fruit, Guilin Rice Noodles are hot, sour and refreshing.
The area closest to having “downtown” vibes, and home to the only McDonald's in Yangshuo, is also the place with the most tourists. In the off-season, this area still feels like a tourist destination on Friday and Saturday nights with a wide array of dining and diversions. As with other such tourist destinations, cold drink, hot food, live music, and local souvenirs are sold side by side in a loud, bright, and busy environment. Several blocks over, small carts filled with various local snacks flood the streets with small lights on.
Old man who invited me to his eatery preparing breakfast
In Yangshuo, there are less strict urban management rules. When dusk falls, stalls selling local guava, sugar cane, mango and water chestnut can be found, along with stone-milled tofu smoking on iron plates, boiled snails, and all kinds of river delicacies (Yangshuo, which lives by the river, is rich in freshwater specialties). Mouth-watering mugwort rice cakes and osmanthus cakes exude floral and grassy aromas, and the air is heavy with rich, sweet scents. After living with Shanghai’s dearth of street food options, Yangshuo was a breath of fresh air.
Li River, the famous scenery that appears on the 20 RMB banknote
The Li River passes through the rolling mountains that embrace Yangshuo, beating like a blue tendon in the temple of the earth. The background on the 20 RMB bill is the Li River 漓江. I also learned that Huang Quande 黄全德, the fisherman in the background, passed away in February this year. There are also many fishermen who do the same job as him and can lead tourists to raft on boats or bamboo rafts. Since it was low season, sometimes they just sat there fishing, or quietly looking into the distance waiting for someone to come and take a photo with them or take a bamboo raft. The cormorants stood solemnly on the fishermen’s shoulders, and the river stretched under their feet. The wind was very gentle, blowing the clouds slowly across the sky, as well as the smell of cattle and horses, sweet-scented osmanthus and aquatic plants. In the urban area, you can see streams under stone bridges flanked by finely carved balustrades everywhere, with sun lazily shining on the dense river flora.
Caves we found along the riverside
The Yulong River 遇龙河, one of the branches of the Li River, has a particularly beautiful riverside. I cycled along the Yulong River with my fellow Omeida students, 16km from Yangshuo to Liugong Village 留公村. With the undulating and changing scenery of the river, my mind relaxed in ways I only wished it could in the bustle of my old life in Shanghai. On the route, we stopped in several caves, of which the cold, moist quietness offered a respite from the heat of the riverside. Tomorrow, we would hit the best sunrise in Yangshuo, waking up early to climb the mountain in the center of town to the lookout near the TV Tower.
Hiking with my fellow students from Omeida Chinese Language Academy
Wiping the sleep from my eyes and rolling out of bed, I pulled on my shoes at five in the morning and set out to climb the local hot spot, TV Tower mountain. Six other students met me outside our Chinese school and we set off on the short walk to the base of the mountain. Finding the base wasn’t too complicated (you can look online for detailed directions). I was excited to see the view of Yangshuo from 500m above sea level. As the TV Tower is still fully functional, it’s not uncommon to be charged a small fee (5-10 RMB) by a local caretaker at the summit. While the clouds prevented us from seeing the sunrise, we were still treated to an incredible view of the city, rivers, and the surrounding mountains. A must-do if visiting the area!
Stunning views at the top of TV Tower
As a tourist town, Yangshuo is scattered with independent inns and homestays. However, due to a combination of low season and coming out of three years of diminished tourism, many have been transformed back into the residences of local inhabitants. Peeking through the door of a building advertising itself as a hotel, you may just see a large table of relatives and friends having dinner together in the evenings. In several months, as summer approaches, this peaceful period is likely to come to an end. From my vantage point, I wait to see.
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