Common Talk Weeklyshuang yu zhou kan

Wonder of nature - An enlightening trip to West Guizhou
Article & photos by Enid Chen


Local minorities playing a traditional instrument- Lusheng

In the past, due to various historical reasons, Guizhou's tourist attractions had been little known because of its relative isolation and backward transportation system. However, the natural beauty has now become unmasked to the rest of the world. During my trip to the west part of Guizhou Province last month, I was amazed by the wonder of nature I found. The fields of golden rape flowers stretched as far as the eyes could see. The fairy Dragon Palace, the spectacular and picturesque Huangguoshu Waterfall and the mysterious Tunpu culture will linger in my mind forever.

Dragon Palace - underground landscape
龙宫-藏在地下的风景线



Dragon Palace scenic spot, located in the suburbs of Anshun City, is 122 km from Guiyang, the provincial capital. It is a wonderland of underground clustered karst (喀斯特) caves, waterfalls and an underground river.

A boat takes you into the underground river, where you see stalactites(钟乳石) in various shapes, frescoes, the legendary Crystal Palace, and the entire site is illuminated in colors of solemn mystery. It is said that here you can see things both of the past and the present, with scenes both from heaven and earth. You can hardly bear to tear yourself away from this fairyland.?

Huangguoshu Waterfall - the Milky Way in miniature
黄果树瀑布-九天银河的缩影



Tourists should never miss out on paying a visit to Huangguoshu Waterfall if they are ever traveling in Guizhou. This world famous waterfall, seventy-four meters in height and eighty-one meters in width, is the most spectacular waterfall in China and is esteemed as the Milky Way in miniature.

Standing at the water-view pavilion, you can see the panorama view of waterfall clusters. As you approach the falls, the grand scene of surging water comes into full sight. Walking across the humid Water-curtain Cave (水帘洞) behind the waterfall, you can hear the thunderous sound and reach your hand out to touch the torrential currents and snow-white water, which is quite a thrilling and exciting experience.

Tunpu Village - a place frozen in history
屯堡 - 六百年前的村庄



A twenty-minute drive from Anshun City will take you to the Tunpu village. It is a peculiar Han Chinese settlement residing in the southwest of China and having over 600 years of history, which started in the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Six hundred years ago the imperial court of the Ming Dynasty sent a garrison force of troupes and civilians to Anshun city. Once there, they settled down and turned neighborhood into farmland and developed agriculture and business.

In this well-kept settlement, the villagers' lifestyles have sparsely changed. They still wear the typical cultural dress of the Ming Dynasty, speak their old dialects, hold their own rituals and live in stone houses displaying Ming architectural styles. It is also home to the Dixi Opera(地戏), which is performed on the ground rather than a stage, by performers wearing wooden masks. It is claimed to be a living fossil of ancient opera. All these customs seem to have been frozen in time. Wandering through the village, you feel as though you are living in an era 600 years in the past. It is a great attraction for history and culture buffs both at home and abroad.