There is a sentence in "The Siege":
"People outside the walls want to come in, people inside the walls want to go out, and when you envy others, you are also envied by others."
The splendor of the big city is the dream of many young people, and countless people rush to arrive, but leave after many years.
In this road of life, compared to the prosperity of big cities, I like the comfort of small counties.
There are about 1,472 counties and 394 county-level cities in China, some of them do not have the prosperity of big cities, some do not have Haidilao, some do not have Starbucks, and some are small enough to meet acquaintances within two steps.
Let's take a look at the most worthwhile counties in China, and they can heal you if you don't get solace in big cities.
Xinjiang · Tashkurgan
Coordinates: Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County, southwest of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
Tashkurgan on the Pamir Plateau, China's westernmost point, seems to be isolated from the world.
It is connected to Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Two terrains are formed, and four snowy peaks are located here. The desolate land has nurtured China's only pure white people, the Tajiks.
Taxian has the world's second highest peak, Chogoli Peak, the famous snow-capped mountain Mushtag Peak at an altitude of 7,546 meters, Stone City, a famous ancient city site on the ancient road in Xinjiang, and Xinghua Village deep in the Pamir Plateau.
In this quiet town, whether you are relaxing in a hotel or dining in a restaurant, look out the window and you can see the snow-capped mountains at your fingertips.
Hainan · Lingshui County
Coordinates: Lingshui Li Autonomous County, Hainan Province
Lingshui County is a city and county with a predominantly Li, Han and Miao population, a low-key coastal town with undeveloped islands.
Photo: Sanya Tourism Promotion Bureau
Lingshui, known as the Pearl Coast, does not have the hustle and bustle of Sanya, no traces of Wanning, but has the same clean beach and blue sea.
With a climate of 23°C, the same glass sea in Madai and the best diving sites in Hainan, you will feel like you are on vacation in the Maldives in minutes. The seafood food is cheap and abundant.
Fujian · Taining County
Coordinates: Taining County, Sanming, Fujian Province
Taining, a small county town just by hearing the name. It has won the first place in the list of "2021 China's Most Beautiful Rural Top 100 Counties and Cities".
Photo: Taining Tourism
"Aerial China 2" was filmed here, but there are still many people who do not know this beautiful small city.
Taining, as a back garden for Xiamen people to relax and enjoy, has green mountains and green water, Danxia on the water" wonders of the world, Xianshou Chibi, Shiliping Lake, and Ganluyan Temple, which can be called the world's superb scenery.
Anhui · Jixi County
Coordinates: Jixi County, Xuancheng City, Anhui Province
I have been to Hongcun, Anhui, but I recommend the quiet and beautiful Jixi in Huizhou County. Here is the most beautiful Hui village you can imagine.
Photo: Jixi County Cultural Tourism Development Committee
Jixi is one of the six counties of ancient Huizhou, which is the birthplace of Hui cuisine, Hui ink and Hui opera, which not only has a long history and brilliant culture, but also retains many ancient villages with Hui school architectural characteristics.
If you have been to the ancient village of Jixi, then you will understand: Jixi is definitely worthy of the praise of "the most beautiful village".
Photo: Jixi Tourism
Here the smoke and rain dragon river, the distant mountains like Dai, the Dengyuan River flows through, the riverside is a beautiful field, and the pink wall of the Dewa Hui-style architecture; In the morning, when the mountains are foggy, it is as beautiful as a Chinese painting.
Tibet · Meto County
Coordinates: Metuo County, Nyingchi City, Tibet Autonomous Region
Located in southeast Tibet, deep in the world's largest Brahmaputra Grand Canyon, Meto is a small border town with an area of 31,000 square kilometers and a population of just over 10,000.
It is the last county seat in the country to be connected by road, because of the hidden terrain, it is also known as "the earthly paradise hidden in clouds, snowy mountains, and dense forests" and "the last secret place on earth".
Although it is located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, but only 900 meters above sea level, there is no need to worry about altitude sickness, but should worry about getting drunk with oxygen, at the foot of the snow mountain is the fifth largest tropical rainforest in China, clouds and mist full of negative oxygen ions.
Looking up here is more than 7,000 meters of snow-capped peaks, looking down to pour out between the magnificent canyons, and the scenery of paradise is full of surprises.
Guizhou · Libo County
Coordinates: Libo County, Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou
This county town with the smallest population in Guizhou's Qiannan region, with emerald green mountains and forests, blue-green ponds, more than 2,400 square kilometers of land is green, the county's forest coverage rate is more than 70%, and the average annual temperature is about 18 °C.
Libo, Guizhou, with its caves, forests, lakes and waterfalls, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2007, along with Guilin, Yunnan Stone Forest and Chongqing Wulong, becoming Guizhou's first World Natural Heritage Site.
It is also "the only travel place in Asia where nature and humanities are on par with Tibet", and it goes without saying that there are still ethnic minorities who still retain their unique language, writing and living habits.
Hubei · Hefeng County
Coordinates: Hefeng County, Enshi Prefecture, Hubei Province
Hubei Enshi was selected by CNN as "China's most beautiful wonderland", and the beauty of Enshi is probably hidden in Hefeng, a small fairy county.
Hefeng can be not ordinary, it has the title of "Chinese Semporna", is "China's top ten poetic leisure towns", one of China's 13 red bases, "the hometown of China's Tujia and Miao people", is a longevity blessed place for self-cultivation, and is the birthplace of Ba culture.
There is the "Chinese Semporna" Pingfeng Grand Canyon, and there is also the Dongjia River in Hubei's "Little Jiuzhai"; There is also the wonder of the reputation of "Xiaozhangjiajie", the primeval forest of the national nature reserve, the freshness of China's thirty most beautiful tea gardens...
There is also a carved cliff hanging road, known as "a sky road on the clouds", which is loved by many old drivers.
Gansu · Xiahe County
Coordinates: Xiahe County, Gannan, Gansu
"Little Tibet" that will not be high
There is a county seat in Gannan, which has been the cultural and religious center of Tibetan areas in Gansu, Qinghai and Sichuan provinces since ancient times, and has the reputation of "Little Tibet".
It is home to the world's largest "Tibetan school", the world's longest prayer wheel, and the most complete Tibetan Buddhist teaching system in China, and countless believers come here every year for their faith.
You probably can't imagine that Xiahe County has 7.5387 million mu of grassland area, the most famous Sanke grassland, every summer, the grassland is green like a blanket, all kinds of flowers compete with each other, brilliant and colorful, is a good place for grassland tourism and summer escape.
Tip: If you are worried about Tibet's high rebellion and don't want to miss the style of Tibet, you can come here to experience it.
Zhejiang · Anji County
Coordinates: Anji County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province
Angie, "Ann and Ji Xi".
It has been listed on the "Most Beautiful China List", known as the "Urban Back Garden", and is China's first "United Nations Habitat Award" winning county and China's first leisure agriculture and rural tourism demonstration county.
The deepest impression of this place is the Anji Big Bamboo Sea in the filming location of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", where there are as many as 389 kinds of bamboo, walking among them, the breeze blows, the bamboo shadows are shining, and the eyes are verdant.
In addition to the bamboo sea, there are also a sea of flowers, canyons, waterfalls, mountains, countryside, pastoral ... Everything you can imagine about the beautiful countryside, it has it all, perfect for a holiday trip.
Chen Qiaoen once photographed the tea field here/small can of tea Weibo
Sichuan · Blackwater County
Coordinates: Northwest Sichuan Province, central Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture
Be sure to be on the autumn travel list.
Heishui County, the county seat only 4h drive from Chengdu, is adjacent to Jiuzhaigou, but it has been silent.
Although it does not have the fame of Jiuzhaigou and Miaro, this inconspicuous small county town has:
The largest autumn leaf forest area in Asia, the world's highest ropeway, the world's highest café, snowy mountain grassland, lake Haizi, alpine Tibetan village...
The best time to visit in Heishui Prefecture is from mid-October to the end of November, if you haven't been there yet, please include this place on your travel list, and when you come here, you will understand that other places in western Sichuan are seeing autumn leaves, and coming to Heishui is seeing the colorful forest.
Fujian · Kasumigaura County
Coordinates: Xiapu County, Ningde City, Fujian Province
Xiapu is the star check-in place of Ningde, Xiapu County, which has been in Xiapu County for more than 1700 years, is the oldest county in eastern Fujian and the cultural center of eastern Fujian.
In this small county hides the most beautiful beach in China, it is the first of the "Top Ten Landscape Photography Destinations in China", and the ever-changing light and shadow are so beautiful that people can't take their eyes off.
In addition, there is also Yangjiaxi known as the realistic version of the Wizard of Oz. If you want to watch a blockbuster of colors, you must come to Kasumigaura.
Sometimes I always want to find a quiet place to lie flat for two days, to see the ethereal landscape, sleep the starry sky at night, feel the fireworks...
Why not visit these small towns, slow down, calm down...
Source: Let's go on a road trip