Zixi

"Pure Zixi", with forest covering nearly 90% of the county, offers thrilling gorge rafting and glass walkways at Dajue Mountain, plus its fame as China's "Home of Bread" and the primeval forest of Matou Mountain.

Zixi County belongs to Fuzhou City in Jiangxi Province, lying in eastern Jiangxi on the western slopes of the Wuyi Mountains next to Guangze County in Fujian. With forest covering nearly 90% of the county, it is known as "Pure Zixi", and it is also famous nationwide as the "Home of Bread" – Zixi natives run large numbers of bakeries in the county town and across the country. The main attraction, Dajue Mountain, is a national 5A-rated scenic area (China's top tourism rating), with primeval forest, cliffside walkways, a glass bridge and Dajue Temple on the mountain, and gorge rafting below with big drops, billed as the "Best Rafting Under Heaven". In the northeast, the Matou Mountain National Nature Reserve protects extensive primeval evergreen broadleaf forest. Around the county town are the Jiulong Lake resort area and Fashui forest hot springs, while Zhenxiang Village and Xinyue She Ethnic Village in the south offer farm experiences and She culture. The best time to visit is Apr–Nov: fresh greenery in spring, rafting and cool weather in Jun–Sep and autumn colours in Oct–Nov; in winter you can soak in hot springs. Zixi Station is on the Yingtan–Xiamen Railway, or you can drive from Nanchang, Fuzhou or Yingtan via the Jinan–Guangzhou Expressway. Dajue Mountain is a 20–30-minute drive from the county town; public transport between sights is limited, so self-driving or hiring a car with driver is recommended. Allow 2 days: 1 day for hiking and rafting at Dajue Mountain, and 1 day for Jiulong Lake, hot springs or the countryside. It rains often in the mountains – bring a change of clothes for rafting.

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