Fengkai, Guangdong, "Capital of Guangfu" and "Ancient Lingnan County"
Fengkai, Guangdong, located at the gateway to western Guangdong and the middle reaches of the Xijiang River, is one of the birthplaces of Lingnan culture and the site of Guangxin County established by Emperor Wu of Han. This place boasts majestic mountains, beautiful waters, continuous historical sites, and pristine ecology, combining 2,000 years of cultural heritage with the elegant charm of karst landscapes. Here are four irreplaceable highlights to help you understand the roots and soul of Fengkai:
Longshan Scenic Area · The First Marvelous Peak of Lingnan
Longshan is renowned in western Guangdong for its "strangeness, beauty, seclusion, and danger." The main peak, Qilin Mountain, rises over 700 meters, offering a panoramic view of the Xijiang River winding like a belt and surrounding peaks resembling waves. Key attractions: ① Thousand-layer Peak Stone Forest — a rare sandstone and shale peak forest landscape in South China, resembling Guilin’s scenery but wilder and more rugged, featuring sights like One-line Sky, Stone Gate Pass, and Flying Stone that change with every step; ② Longshan Cave Group — especially the "Baishi Rock," with stalactites hanging inside and a murmuring underground river, still bearing the Tang Dynasty cliff inscription "Longshan Scenic Spot"; ③ Longshan Ancient Temple Ruins — originally built in the Southern Dynasties, now preserving Qing Dynasty steles and ancient ginkgo trees, exuding deep Zen atmosphere. It is recommended to climb early in the morning when clouds and mist swirl around the peaks, as if walking on a ladder to heaven.
Fengchuan Ancient City Wall · The Most Complete Han Dynasty Ancient City Remains in Lingnan
Located on the north bank of Jiangkouw Street, it was first built during the Han Dynasty Guangxin period and rebuilt in the Tang and Song Dynasties. The existing Ming Dynasty blue brick city wall stretches about 1.2 kilometers, 6 meters high, with three gates to the east, west, and south (the east gate "Qingchun Gate" is best preserved). Inside the city, cobblestone streets crisscross, flanked by weathered arcade buildings, with occasional Qing Dynasty pawnshops and old salt offices. Climbing the wall and looking out over the sails on the Xijiang River feels like traveling back to the prosperous commercial era of "Guangxin Ancient County." At dusk, when the city lights come on, the silhouette of the wall reflects the fishing lights on the river, peaceful and profound.
Dazhou Town Yanyan Ancient Village · Living Museum of Guangfu Residences
This thousand-year-old ancient village nestles by the mountains and water, with clans living together, preserving a complete set of Ming and Qing Guangfu architectural complexes: wok-ear houses form alleys, with exquisite blue bricks, gray tiles, granite door frames, brick carvings, and gray sculptures; the village’s "Yanyan Ancestral Hall," built during the Ming Jiajing period, has a three-entry layout with brightly painted beams and frames; even more rare is the "living heritage of the water system" — an ancient canal runs through the village, and villagers still use the canal water for washing clothes and watering gardens. Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival "Dragon Mother’s Birthday," the village carries out deity parades and sings celebratory songs, keeping the folk customs as vivid as ever.
Xinghua Town Taidong Wetland · Ecological Secret of the Xijiang River
Located at the confluence of the Hejiang and Xijiang Rivers, it is an important ecological barrier upstream of the Pearl River Delta. Taidong Wetland Park (free admission) features tens of thousands of acres of native reed marshes, egret nesting islands, and winding wooden boardwalks. The best season is from November to March of the following year: flocks of egrets, herons, and cormorants flutter and land, and occasionally the nationally protected second-class animal, the little swan, winters here. At sunset, the golden waves of the Xijiang River stretch endlessly, with reed flowers rolling like snow, earning it the nickname "Lingnan’s Monet Garden." You can rent a bicycle to ride along the river or take a bamboo raft gently down the Hejiang River, listening to the fishermen’s evening songs.
📌 Practical Tips: Fengkai high-speed rail is now open (Nanguang Railway "Fengkai South Station," about 25 minutes by car from the county seat); must-try foods: Fengkai oil chestnut braised chicken, Xinghua chicken (a Chinese geographical indication product, with thin skin, tender meat, and sweet aroma), Qilin dried plums, Jiangkouw fermented black bean steamed carp; recommended accommodations: Longshan Hot Spring Resort (with natural sulfur springs) or Dazhou Ancient Village homestays.
Fengkai is not far away but lies between the folds of history and the breath of mountains and waters — it guards time with an ancient city wall, carves geological rings with a stone forest, supports the source of Guangfu culture with the Xijiang River, and silently protects the last wild poetry of Lingnan with a wetland.