Weekends in Chengken: Day and Night

Day 1️⃣ 🚄Hangzhou West - Huangshan North. After exiting the station, I took a taxi directly to Xixinan, a 10-minute ride costing less than 10 yuan. 🌳Strolling through the maple forest wetlands and ancient villages, along the cobblestone paths and over the flowing streams, the pace slowed down considerably. Although the water flow was low in November, the autumn colors of Huizhou were still beautiful. 🥣For lunch, I ate authentic Huizhou cuisine in the village, choosing "Grandma's Dishes." The stinky mandarin fish was excellent, and the braised pork with bamboo shoots was very flavorful. The hairy tofu was a bit too oily, so I wouldn't recommend it. After lunch, I wandered around a bit more. Around 1:30 pm, I took a taxi from Xixinan to Chengken, a 20-minute ride costing less than 30 yuan. We stayed at the [Ninety-Nine Lanes] guesthouse in the village. The owner was very kind and picked us up in his tricycle! After dropping off our luggage, we strolled around the village while it was still early. Evening Highlight: Chengken Fish Lantern Performance ⏰ Key Time: The winter performance officially starts at 5:38 PM, but it's recommended to arrive at the square by Yongxing Lake before 5 PM to secure a good viewing spot, as it will be very crowded then. 🎭 How to Participate: 1. Want to participate in the lantern parade? Before the performance begins, staff will select tourists to join the fish lantern procession in the square. Wearing Hanfu will give you priority attention and greatly increase your chances of being selected! 2. Classic Viewing Spot: If you just want to watch, you can wait in the square or on the steps by Yongxing Lake to watch the fish lantern procession parade around the lake to music. It's a dazzling and lively spectacle in the night. 3. Final Interaction: After the fireworks and fish lantern parade, don't rush to leave! You can touch the fish's head for good luck, and sometimes you might even have the chance to hold up a fish lantern for a photo. 🏡 Evening: After the performance, we had dinner in the village, but it gets quite crowded. We went back to our guesthouse and ate noodles with dried bamboo shoots and shredded pork cooked by the owner's mother, with a freshly fried egg. It tasted just like grandma's cooking, and it was only 12 yuan—plenty of hot food! Day 2️⃣: Early to bed and early to rise. The sun rose over the village around 7 or 8 am, before the crowds of tourists arrived. We enjoyed the tranquility, a stark contrast to the previous night, and ate a bowl of wontons by Yongxing Lake. · Luodongshu Ancestral Hall (Baolun Pavilion): A must-see for the magnificent architecture and exquisite paintings of the "Number One Ancestral Hall in Jiangnan." · Yan Yi Hall: Experience the unique layout of a three-story Ming Dynasty house. · Yongxing Lake: During the day, the lake reflects the white walls and black tiles, offering a completely different experience from its vibrant nighttime appearance. After lunch, stroll around Bagua Village and see the autumn harvest square; finally, grab a coffee at [Wenye Coffee], bask in the sun, relax, and wait for your return trip. PS: The owner's homemade Basque coffee is incredibly delicious, made with generous portions of high-quality ingredients! ✨ Travel Reflections Half of Chengken's experience lies in its rich historical atmosphere during the day, while the other half is undoubtedly the flowing, dreamlike fish lantern extravaganza at night. The travel experience reaches its peak when you personally hold up a fish lantern (or simply touch it), becoming part of the ancient ritual.