Kaihua

A county at the source of the Qiantang River where Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangxi meet; the top-rated (5A) Root Carving Buddha Kingdom park, the old-growth forest of Gutian Mountain, the Taihui Mountain terraces and Xiashan Ancient Village form a compact mountain-and-water loop.

Kaihua County lies in Quzhou in western Zhejiang, where Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangxi provinces meet. It is the source of the Qiantang River, about 80% of the county is forested, and it is known as the "Source of the Qiantang." The county seat, Qinyang Subdistrict, spreads along the Majin River (Qin River), and the Root Carving Buddha Kingdom Cultural Tourism Area — a top-rated national 5A attraction — is right on the edge of town; its root-carving art park, the Zuigen Tiangong Museum and evening shows are the main draws. In the north, Majin Town has Xiashan Ancient Village and Xiayu Village on the Majin River, and Qixi Town is home to Qianjiangyuan National Forest Park (with the Lianhua Stream waterfall trail at the source). In the west, around Suzhuang and Changhong, are the old-growth evergreen broadleaf forest of Gutian Mountain and the Taihui Mountain terraces, and in the south Huabu Town has the Huaqiangu flower fields. Sights are spread out, so plan two to three days of driving, split into the county seat, the northern route (Xiashan/Qianjiangyuan) and the western route (Gutian Mountain/Taihui Mountain). Best seasons: March–April for rapeseed blossoms on the Taihui Mountain terraces and spring tea (Kaihua Longding is one of Zhejiang's famous teas); summer for cool stream valleys and forests; October–November for autumn colors on Gutian Mountain. Getting there: Kaihua Station on the Hangzhou–Quzhou high-speed railway and the Quzhou–Jiujiang railway is about 1.5 hours from Hangzhou; from the county seat to the sights, driving or hiring a car with driver is the main option. Local specialties include Hetian clear-water fish, freshwater snails, steamed rice cakes (qigao) and Kaihua Longding tea.

Top sights

Where to eat