Located in the central part of Fujian Province, Youxi County belongs to Sanming City, the birthplace of Zhu Xi, a theorist and educator of the Southern Song Dynasty, and was selected as the "2019 List of The Most Beautiful Counties in China". In 2008, I came to Youxi once on a trip to Minzhong, this time because I wanted to read the Jingjing Castle and the United Terraces and revisited it again, and stayed in the county seat for three days. Compared with 12 years ago, Youxi County has changed tremendously, especially in the area of Zhuzi Cultural Park, which is almost unrecognizable, which makes me feel very necessary to re-look at this "pearl of central Fujian".
From Xiamen Railway Station, arrive at Youxi Station in about 2.5 hours. As soon as it rained heavily at the station, we took a bus into the city and found this "ZhongxinAn Hotel" to stay. The hotel is good, the room is big, it is close to the bus station, the door is a few steps away from the Bailian supermarket, the price is not expensive, about 160 per night.
It's time for dinner. See someone on the Internet recommended "Wangwang loach powder dried", go in and taste it is really good, loach is very flavorful. The large noodles are also a Specialty of Youxi, the noodles are relatively coarse, a bit like Udon noodles are delicious, and their pork offal is also very famous.
After dinner, I went out shopping and walked to the Youxi Bridge, and found that the change here was particularly great, and the Zhuzi Cultural Park was built on the side of the creek, and there was a wide water trail on the creek bank.
Post two photos taken standing on the bridge in 2008
At that time, the creek was still a large vegetable field
Today, the Zhuzi Cultural Park has been built here. The cultural park covers an area of 44,000 square meters, consisting of Wengong Ancestral Hall, Wei Zhai Ancestral Hall, Half Mu Fangtang, Guanshudi, Kaishan Academy, Youxi Museum, Zhuzi Gallery Relief Group, etc., and the three arches in front are arranged in turn.
The old camphor tree in the academy is said to have been planted by Zhu Xi when he was a child, when three plants were planted, two of which were alive, and now the tree is 27 meters high and has lush branches, which is the king of camphor trees in Fujian.
Post a picture of the scene of the camphor tree that year, and remember that six people could not surround the trunk at that time. Zhu Xi's milk name is "Shen Lang", and this ancient camphor is called "Shen Lang Camphor". Camellia oil is also one of the specialties of Youxi, and the famous local camellia oil brand is called "Shenlang Township", which is often eaten on weekdays.
Today's Nanxi Academy complex is lined up in a row, which is very imposing.
It is very popular at night, and many locals come here for a leisurely walk.
Leave the Zhuzi Cultural Park and walk to the Shencheng Wengong Bridge, which is a stone arch bridge.
Stand on the bridge and look at the Zhuzi Cultural Garden
Continue to the central square, which is very lively at night and a lot of people are dancing. Behind the square is the Youxi Hotel, and there is a Zhuzi Gallery opposite.
Youxi's Ziyang Park is also worth a walk, it is a sandbar island in the Youxi River, with an area of 1 million square meters, the park layout is natural, the scenery and water are integrated, and the Shuidong Bridge spans the park.
Ziyang Paradise in the park
The sculpture in the Thanksgiving Garden, pictured above on the right, is a bronze statue of Ziqi Donglai.
Ziyang Lake
Youxi River
The park is full of trees, including nan, ginkgo, peach and camphor trees, as well as a large number of laurel trees.
Kuixing Pavilion in the park
Swimming pool
Ziyang Square and Wengong Theatre Garden
Statue of Zhu Xi and his disciples
Yingzhou Bridge
The archway at the entrance of Yingzhou Bridge
On the morning of leaving Youxi, I came to Zhuzi Cultural Park again in order to re-see Zhu Xi's "half-acre square pond".
Walk through the archway to Zhu Xi Statue Square, the statue is 9.15 meters high, the base is close to 4 meters, and the height is more than 13 meters.
Next to Nanxi Academy. In the year of Baoyou of the Southern Song Dynasty (1253 AD), Emperor Lizong personally wrote the plaque of "Nanxi Academy" for the birthplace of Zhu Xi. When I walked to the front of the college again, I found that there was a notice on the door and it was not open to the public during special periods. (During the epidemic at the end of May 2020) When I was sorry, someone just opened the door and came out, and quickly went up to tell the staff to revisit the same place, hoping to let me take a look. Probably because I was sincere and kind, the staff was eventually moved by me and agreed to let me stand in the doorway and take a few photos.
This is now a renovated Nanxi Academy, half an acre of square pond has been fenced, the central built "living water pavilion".
Behind it is the Zun Dao Hall
Carp swim leisurely in the square pond, and there are two inlets on the edge of the pond.
The predecessor of Nanxi Academy was Shuinan Villa, where Zhu Xi's father lived after he went to the official. In the fourth year of the Southern Song Dynasty (1130), Zhu Xi was born here and spent his childhood here. In the poem "Guan Shu Has a Feeling", Zhu Xi wrote: "Half an acre of square pond is opened, and the sky light and clouds and shadows linger together." Ask the canal to be as clear as promised, for there is a source of living water. The "half acre square pond" in the poem refers to this place, and there is a bluestone stele on the side of the pond. When he was seven years old, Zhu Xi moved to Jianzhou with his father, and when he grew up, he traveled all over the world and returned to Youxi's hometown many times. The academy has a stone stele of "half an acre square pond".
Post a few photos taken during the tour in 2008, when the half-acre square pond did not have a fence, and the source of living water flowed from the mouths of the two carp on the side of the pond. The size of Nanxi Academy at that time could not be compared with today, although it was impossible to enter and visit carefully this time, it was very happy to see today's Nanxi Academy.
There is one more important thing before leaving Youxi, that is, to buy the "Meixian Meat Light Cake" again. This is a small mom-and-pop shop, next to the bus station, the business is super good, and you can't buy it if you don't book in advance. The first time I went to sell out, this is the second time, the light cake is still being made, I have to sit and wait, while learning about the production process of the light cake with the boss.
Watching the couple skillfully make and grill light cakes, about 20 minutes later the hot light cakes came out, sure delicious, no wonder so popular, come to Youxi County Tourism must not be missed! [Like]
The small shop is just on a slope road to the left of the bus station, very humble shop, it is very easy to find it by asking the locals.