Zhouning & Shouning
The highland county town of Zhouning in eastern Fujian neighbours Shouning, the "Home of Covered Bridges" – a route linking the carp stream where people and fish live side by side, the Jiulongji waterfalls and timber arch covered bridges.
Zhouning and Shouning are neighbouring mountain counties in northern Ningde, Fujian Province. Zhouning's county town sits at about 800 m, one of the highest county seats in East China; its cool summers have earned it the nickname "Zhouning in the Clouds". Shouning, bordering Taishun in Zhejiang, preserves dozens of timber arch covered bridges and is known as "China's Home of Covered Bridges"; the traditional design and building craft of Chinese timber arch bridges is inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. On the Zhouning side, the highlight is the Carp Stream in Puyuan Village, where people and fish have lived in harmony for more than 800 years; the nine-tier Jiulongji waterfalls in Qibu are spectacular; the alpine meadows of Xianfeng Mountain are ideal for cool summer days and seas of clouds; and the ancient village of Chenqiao in Limen is built on the edge of a cliff. On the Shouning side, covered bridges are the main theme: Shengping Bridge and Xiangong Bridge in the county town, the long-span Luanfeng Bridge in Xiadang Village to the west, Yangmeizhou Bridge hidden in a gorge in Kengdi to the northeast, and the ancient village of Xipu, home of a top imperial scholar, in Xixi to the east. The best time to visit is Apr–Nov: highland tea gardens in spring, a cool escape in Jul–Aug and autumn colours around the covered bridges in Oct–Nov; winters in the mountains are damp and cold, with possible ice. Zhouning Station and Shouning Station on the Quzhou–Ningde Railway are reachable by train from Ningde, Fuzhou or Zhejiang. Sights are scattered across the mountains, so self-driving or hiring a car with driver is recommended; allow 2–3 days: 1 day in Zhouning and 1–2 days for Shouning's covered bridges. Mountain roads are winding – drive slowly in rain and fog.
Top sights
- Carp Stream & Puyuan Ancient Village – Carp have been raised in the stream that runs through this village for over 800 years. Villagers protect the fish and bury them, and people…
- Jiulongji Waterfalls – A cascade of nine waterfalls dropping more than 300 meters over just over a kilometer of stream. The first fall is as wide as a curtain. A…
- Chenqiao Ancient Village – A cliffside ancient village at 880 m, where stone houses are stacked on sheer cliffs across the gorge from the Yuanyang Creek in Pingnan, w…
- Xianfeng Mountain – A high-altitude forest park with an average elevation of about 1,200 m, combining a 10,000-mu forest plantation and a 1,000-mu alpine meado…
- Xiadang Village – A mountain village in western Shouning in eastern Fujian, with Luanfeng Bridge, Wenchang Pavilion, and tea gardens. It is a 'Unforgettable…
- Luanfeng Covered Bridge – One of China's largest single-span covered wooden arch bridges, built in the Qing dynasty across Xiadang Creek, and a National Key Cultural…
- Shengping & Xiangong Covered Bridges – Two wooden arch covered bridges spanning the Chan Creek in Shouning's county seat. People still cross them daily, making them the city's si…
- Xipu Ancient Village – A thousand-year-old village on the Xi Creek in eastern Shouning, home to the Song dynasty top scholar Miao Chan. Covered bridges, ancestral…
- Yangmeizhou Covered Bridge – A Qing dynasty wooden arch covered bridge hidden in a canyon, with a single span of about 33 m. It is reached on foot along an ancient path…
Itineraries
- Eastern Fujian Coast & Mountain Villages Loop – A mountain-and-sea loop from Sandu'ao to Mount Taimu, Xiapu, and up to the ancient villages of Zhouning and Pingnan