In 1993, before settling in Guangdong, I read an article in "Half Moon Talk" describing Baiwan Town in Qingxin District as a "cold pole" in Guangdong, because it was extremely short of water and the villagers lived in poverty, which was in stark contrast to the economically developed Pearl River Delta region.
Unexpectedly, after coming to Guangdong, the place where I lived was only 20 kilometers away from the "cold pole". Curious, I often drive my motorcycle around White Bay to see if it's like what Half Moon Talk describes. At that time, there was a song and ballad in the Area of White Bay: "A bamboo pole is used as a clothes box, two bundles of straw and a bed, three stones and a stove, and multi-grains are eaten all year round." ”
(Karst peaks around White Bay)
What makes this area so poor? I gradually discovered that there were countless karst peaks towering around white bay, and it was difficult to see the stream flowing on the surface, because all the surface precipitation flowed into the underground river through the fissure, taking away the precious soil.
(Pictured below is Yangyan Cave near White Bay)
Therefore, the serious lack of soil and water, coupled with the inconvenience of transportation, the local villagers out of the mountains are particularly difficult, and they can only grow drought-resistant crops such as corn on weekdays, and many small pieces of land in the stone nest are also planted with corn, because the land available for farming in this area is particularly valuable.
Since the 1990s, local governments have resolutely launched a poverty alleviation strategy of relocation, and the uninhabitable villages in the Baiwan area have been relocated to other places. Gradually, the villages in the White Bay Karst Peak Area went to empty houses and became dilapidated, showing a "no man's land" state.
Times passed, and thirty years passed quickly. With the increasing understanding of karst peak cluster landforms, this highly ornamental peak cluster landform has gradually attracted everyone's attention. Climbing high and looking into the distance, countless peaks are like the waves of the sea, which is extremely visually stunning!
With the advancement of the village-to-village highway project, the newly built village road between the peaks and clusters meanders and extends to the depths of the mountain, and at each corner, you can see a different scenery. Gradually, more and more urban people came to White Bay for self-driving, motorcycle tours, cycling or hiking. Everyone found that it turned out that this place had such a beautiful and untouched rural beauty.
At sunset, hike to the top of the mountain opposite Baiwan Village (formerly White Bay Town, later withdrawn to Shitan Town, changed to White Bay Village), if you encounter good weather, pink fire clouds will illuminate the idyllic White Bay and beautiful peaks, the heavens and the earth are beautiful and speechless.
If you like to see the sky full of stars, this place can also fulfill your wishes. There is hardly any industrial pollution in the White Bay area, and the air is particularly fresh. At night without the moon, it is easy to wait for the brilliant Milky Way above the peaks.
Baiwan Village is only one mountain away from Huanghua Town, deep in the Yingxi Peak Forest. Climb the hill behind the old White Bay Polder, the view is particularly open, and the beautiful karst peak forest around Huanghua Town is also in full view.
If you're lucky enough, you'll be able to encounter the romantic advection fog between the peaks. The milky white stratospheric fog that permeates the peaks makes the land dreamlike, picturesque, and fairyland on earth.
(Advective fog over White Bay)
Baiwan Village is located at the northernmost tip of the Qingxin District, which borders Yingde and Yangshan. At the junction of the three places, there stands a magical mountain, the Misty Mountain. The whole journey from White Bay to Indigo Mountain is a newly paved cement pavement, and the mountain road is extremely beautiful.
The country road is about 3.5 meters wide and extends along the mountain to the hinterland of the Karst Peaks. Each branch line connects to a dilapidated village and to the nostalgia of the White Bay people.
(Country road between White Bay Karst Peaks)
At the end of the country road is the Misty Mountains. The Misty Mountains are sacred in the minds of the locals, and although only 830 meters above sea level, they are the highest limestone peaks in the area. Locals donated money to build a temple on the top of the mountain, and many people came here to burn incense and pray for blessings.
(Misty Mountain ChongTianxianNiang Temple)
(Villagers burn incense and pray for blessings at the top of The Mist Mountain)
Later, the donkey friends accidentally found that the top of the mist mountain was a viewing platform with an excellent view. From a high vantage point, you can overlook thousands of karst peaks, where many photographers have captured the magnificent sunrise clouds and brilliant galaxies. Gradually, The Misty Mountain became an Internet celebrity punching point for urbanites.
(Misty Mountain Starry Galaxy)
(Misty Mountain Magnificent Sea of Clouds)
With the original rural tourism is sought after by people, in recent years, White Bay has become a especially yearning self-driving destination for urban people. Perhaps, in White Bay, the new urban people see the shadow of their hometown thirty years ago.
I think that as country tours become fashionable, the tranquil White Bay will surely shine in the new era and amaze everyone.com. And Baiwan will also transform from the "cold pole" of Guangdong many years ago to the tourism "hot land" sought after by Chengdu people!
(Photo: Discovery of Lingnan Panther)