Xianju
Shenxianju's rhyolite peaks, cliffside plank walkways and Ruyi Bridge, plus the Gongyu Rock hike, Potan Ancient Town and the Yong'an Stream greenway, make it a popular weekend getaway in eastern Zhejiang.
Xianju County lies in western Taizhou, Zhejiang, with the Yong'an Stream running west to east across the whole county. The county seat is about 80 km from downtown Taizhou and about 2.5 hours by road from Hangzhou, and the Hangzhou–Taizhou high-speed railway has a Xianju Station. Xianju takes its name from "the place where immortals live." The Xianju National Scenic Area comprises five areas: Shenxianju, Jingxing Rock, Shisandu, Gongyu and Danzhu. Its volcanic rhyolite landforms are well developed, and it is a popular weekend destination for mountain-and-water scenery in eastern Zhejiang. Sightseeing can be divided into several clusters: Shenxianju in Baita Town (cable car, cliffside walkways and Ruyi Bridge) and the Gaoqian ancient dwellings; Jingxing Rock, Xianju Ancient City and Dongheng Street around the county seat; Potan Ancient Town, Xiangshi Mountain and Yong'an Stream rafting in the west; the Danzhu primeval forest and the Gongyu Rock hiking route in the southwest; the Yangfeng Mountain terraces in Zhuxi Town to the southeast; and a greenway of about 100 km along the Yong'an Stream for cycling. Spring and autumn are the best seasons for hiking, with azaleas in Apr–May and autumn color in Oct–Nov; summer suits rafting and cool stream valleys; June is Xianju's bayberry season. Plan on 2–3 days, staying in the county seat or in guesthouses near Shenxianju's north or south gate. Most scenic areas require real-name reservations, and the cable car queues are long on holidays, so arrive early. Local specialties include the Xianju Eight Big Bowls, wheat cakes, bayberries and three-yellow chicken.
Top sights
- Shenxianju Scenic Area – A 5A-rated volcanic rhyolite peak forest in Xianju County. Take a cable car up the mountain, then follow the high-altitude plank path and t…
- Gongyu Rock – A giant rhyolite peak and high-mountain ancient village west of Shenxianju. Terraced fields, sea of clouds and stone houses make up what is…
- Pantan Ancient Town – A thousand-year-old salt-trading port in western Xianju, with a roughly 3 km dragon-shaped cobblestone old street and well-preserved Ming a…
- Gaoqian Ancient Village – The Wu clan settlement at the foot of Shenxianju, with Ming and Qing 'Seven Through, Thirteen Houses' courtyard clusters whose carved beams…
- Yong'an River Greenway – A roughly 100-kilometer cycling greenway along Xianju's 'mother river', with riverbanks, bamboo groves and villages, where you can rent bik…
- Jingxingyan – A flat-topped solitary peak beside Shenxianju with sheer cliffs on all sides and a broad flat summit, good for hiking up to watch the sea o…
- Danzhu Primeval Forest – One of the core zones of Xianju's national scenic area, with a well-preserved evergreen broadleaf primeval forest and waterfall-studded val…
- Yangfengshan Terraces – A continuous high-mountain terrace field more than 400 meters above sea level in Zhuxi Town, with over 2,000 mu of stacked terraces that lo…
- Xianju Old Town & Dongheng Street – The old district in the county seat, where the City God Temple, ancient stone lantern posts and the Dongheng Street old lane trace Xianju's…
- Yong'an River Bamboo Rafting – A roughly 7.7-kilometer bamboo raft ride down the Yong'an River, the mother river of Xianju, with clear water, gentle rapids and mountains…
- Xiangshishan Scenic Area – A Danxia landform scenic area in Hengxi Town, originally named Monkey Valley, with red cliffs, gorges, pools and boardwalks, and fewer visi…
Where to eat
- Taoyuan Renjia (South Ring Road Branch) – An established local restaurant in Xianju serving traditional Xianju Eight Bowls, ranked first among Xianju restaurants…
- Wei Xianju Xiyue Restaurant (Shenxianju Branch) – A local restaurant opposite the Shenxianju Visitor Center, known for Shenxianju chicken and stone-pot taro puree. It is…
Itineraries
- Hangzhou-Wenzhou High-Speed Railway Scenic – Travel south along the Hangzhou-Wenzhou High-Speed Railway, connecting Hengdian, Shenxianju, Nanxi River, Yandang Mount…
- Zhejiang Province Grand Loop Road Trip – A grand loop covering Hangzhou, southwestern Zhejiang, Lishui, Wenzhou, Taizhou, and Shaoxing, taking you through the p…