Historically, the "one prefecture and six counties" of ancient Huizhou covered parts of present-day Huangshan City, Anhui Province, Jixi County of Xuancheng City, and Wuyuan County of Jiangxi Province. There are many hilly landforms, with the Yellow Mountain (ancient name Yishan) to the north, the Tianmu Mountain to the south, and the Xin'an River and its many tributaries rushing through. The four seasons in the area are distinct, the mountains and waters are beautiful, and the scenery is picturesque. The Lingxiu landscape has given birth to the Huizhou culture with distinctive regional characteristics.
When spring arrives in Huizhou, rape flowers are spread continuously, and the ancient villages of Huipai in black, white and gray tones are dotted among them. Huizhou ancient roads are mostly located in mountains and valleys, built along the mountains and along streams. The mountains and water here are like natural sports fields, making it an ideal destination for outdoor enthusiasts.
"The middle reaches of the small bamboo raft river, walking on both sides of the majestic green mountain." In the seventies of the last century, the scene of Pan Dongzi drawing bamboo rafts in the movie "Shining Red Star" is a classic, and the filming place is Wuyuan County, Jiangxi Province, one of the "one prefecture and six counties" in ancient Huizhou. Wuyuan County covers an area of nearly 3,000 square kilometers, with narrow waters and dense water networks, where "eight and a half mountains and one field, half waterways and manors". On the surface of the water, there are often locals holding penes, flying left and right, marking a road arc and stirring up waves. People stand on the surface, float on the surface, walk leisurely, and move through the clouds and water.
Taking advantage of the east wind of Wuyuan County to vigorously promote rural revitalization, northwesterner Liu Long came to Nankeng Village, Jiangwan Town, Wuyuan County in 2019 to operate a homestay. Liu Long, a post-80s fan of paddleboarding, found similarities between the sport and the local bamboo rafting. There happened to be a small river in front of his homestay, so he tried to paddle board in the river and "get in close contact" with nature. In the summer, many homestay guests also play with him, and paddleboarding has gradually become a "selling point" of homestays.
Liu Long cleaning his room in a homestay (photographed on March 29). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Vientiane
Liu Long paddles a paddleboard in the small river in front of the homestay (pictured on March 29). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Vientiane
Liu Long paddles a paddleboard in the small river in front of the homestay (pictured on March 29). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Chen
Liu Long paddles a paddleboard in the small river in front of the homestay (pictured on March 29). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Chen
Liu Long walks on a country road with rape flowers in full bloom with a paddleboard (pictured on March 29). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Chen
Liu Long reading in a homestay (photographed on March 29). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Vientiane
Liu Long plays music at a record player in a homestay (pictured on March 29). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Vientiane
Liu Long walks out of the homestay with a paddle board (photographed on March 29). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Vientiane
Ma Qinghai rowing a bamboo raft in a small river in front of his home (taken on March 30, drone photo). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Vientiane
Ma Qinghai rowing a bamboo raft in a small river in front of his home (pictured on March 30). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Vientiane
Ma Qinghai rowing a bamboo raft in a small river in front of his home (pictured on March 30). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Chen
Xie Minyi rests with her helmet after the women's road cycling elite race (pictured on March 26). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Du Yu
Xie Minyi (front row, third from right) prepares for departure before the women's road cycling elite race (pictured on March 26). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Chen
Xie Minyi (third from right) and her teammates cooperate tactically in the women's road cycling elite competition (pictured on March 26). Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Shi Yalei)
Xie Minyi (left) rests after the women's road cycling elite competition (pictured on March 26). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Chen
Xie Minyi (right) and her teammates take a photo at the edge of the rape flower field in Yixian County (taken on March 26). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Chen
Xie Minyi takes a break between the two stages as she competes in the elite category of the women's road cycling race (pictured on March 26). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Du Yu
Xie Minyi (second from left) and her teammates take a group photo in the rape flower field in Yixian County (taken on March 26). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Chen
Xie Minyi leans over to smell the scent of rape flowers during cycling practice on a rural road in Yixian (pictured on March 26). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Chen
Xie Minyi (second from right) and her teammates cooperate tactically in the women's road cycling elite competition (pictured on March 26). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Chen