Spring Festival Reverse Journey to Yulin
Friends, this Spring Festival I made a "rebellious" decision—to set off alone during the family reunion month for a truly reverse journey. While my social circle was flooded with beaches of Sanya and the city walls of Xi’an, I closed my eyes and pointed on the map, landing on northern Shaanxi, Yulin. A name that sounds full of loess and windblown sand, yet it gave me a passionate, magnificent, and primal vitality-filled Chinese New Year.
Before departure, family and friends were puzzled: "Going to northern Shaanxi in winter? What to see? Drink northwest wind?" With a bit of apprehension and more curiosity, I embarked on the trip.
Day 1: Arrival in Yulin, the “Beilin of the Frontier” in the wind and the dazzling ancient city
Taking a high-speed train north from Xi’an, the scenery outside the window gradually changed from the flat Guanzhong Plain to the deeply ravined Loess Plateau, a desolate yet vast beauty overwhelming me. Arriving in Yulin in the afternoon, the air was crisp and dry, but the sunlight was generous and warm on my skin.
The first stop was not the usual attractions but straight to Hongshixia Gorge. Known as the “Beilin of the Frontier,” two cliffs face each other with the Yuxi River flowing between—though in winter, part of the river was covered with sparkling ice, while the unfrozen emerald water contrasted sharply with the reddish rock walls. The cliffs were covered with stone caves and cliff inscriptions of various sizes, from Song and Yuan to Ming and Qing dynasties. Words like “Magnificent Mountains and Rivers” and “Return Our Rivers and Mountains” appeared weathered but seemed to be awakened by the sunset, silently telling the history of the frontier. Walking along the plank road, I watched my shadow stretch long on the ancient rock paintings, feeling as if I shared the same sunset with soldiers guarding the border and scholars inscribing words centuries ago.
At night, I stayed in a guesthouse converted from an old courtyard near the ancient city. The real surprise came after dark. I climbed the Yulin Ancient City Wall (free!), and the entire ancient city’s night view unfolded before me. Strings of big red lanterns wound through the alleys, outlining the unique style of “Liulou Qijie.” Outside the South Gate, Lingxiao Tower and Wanfo Building were gently lit, resembling jade palaces under the deep blue sky. There was no noisy music or hawking, only a few locals strolling quietly. It was peaceful, magnificent, and felt unreal, like a time travel. This was a completely different kind of beauty from the southern water towns’ nights—one gentle, the other majestic.
Day 2: Deep into Jingbian, stepping into the fingerprints of time—Wave Valley
On the second day, I hired a car (about 500 RMB/day during Spring Festival) to visit the much-anticipated Jingbian Wave Valley. The two-hour drive was worth it when the huge, wave-shaped red rock formations appeared before me, instantly wiping away all fatigue. This was not a landscape on Earth’s surface but more like a sea of solidified flames or a giant’s massive fingerprint.
Currently, some areas of the scenic spot (such as Flame Danxia and Earth Core Danxia) are regulated and require tickets and guided tours on plank roads to protect these fragile sandstone formations. The sunlight is the best magician; at different times, the rocks show gradient colors from orange-red to deep purple. I followed the winding plank road deep into the valley, touching the textures carved by millions of years of wind and water. Time here took on the most tangible form. Be sure to wear non-slip shoes as some sandy paths are slippery.
In the afternoon, I asked the driver to take me to a nearby less-developed area where you can still get close to the rocks (local guidance needed, safety first). Standing atop the giant rock waves, surrounded by vast emptiness and howling wind, the overwhelming sense of vastness and cosmic solitude struck me deeply. My phone briefly lost signal here, but my soul received the strongest message.
Back in Yulin at night, I had a steaming bowl of lamb offal soup paired with freshly baked “Youxuan” flatbread, which completely drove away the cold.
Day 3: The soul of New Year’s flavor, in cave dwellings and lively celebrations
On the last day, I decided to seek the most authentic northern Shaanxi New Year flavor. I went to a small village near Guta Town in Yuyang District. Here, the New Year is not in bustling malls but in the paper-cut window decorations, handwritten couplets, and strings of corn and chili peppers hanging in front of cave dwellings.
I was lucky to meet a family preparing for the “Niao Honghuo” (lively celebration). Warm-hearted elders pulled me into their cozy cave dwelling, where the kang bed was warm. The grandmother patiently taught me to cut a simple paper-cut “Snake Coiling Rabbit,” symbolizing good luck. The grandfather took out his sanxian and sang an impromptu, high-pitched, desolate northern Shaanxi folk song, his voice carrying the flavor of the loess land.
In the afternoon, the village’s Yangge dance troupe began “Yanmenzi” (visiting door to door to pay New Year calls). I followed the troupe, watching them wear exaggerated headdresses and colorful makeup, twisting, jumping, and spinning to the lively accompaniment of gongs, drums, and suona horns. Their smiles were simple and radiant, and the joy from their hearts was infectious. A “Manpo” character grabbed me, stuffed me with sunflower seeds and peanuts, then pushed me into the group to dance awkwardly, making the surrounding villagers laugh heartily. At that moment, I was not a tourist but felt like a neighbor returning home.
At dusk, with my clothes dusted in festive dirt and my heart full, I set off home. Carefully packed in my backpack were the paper-cut window decoration given by the grandmother and a photo with the Yangge troupe.
Some genuine feelings and tips:
Climate and clothing: Northern Shaanxi in winter is dry and cold with strong winds. You must prepare a down jacket, hat, scarf, gloves, and non-slip warm shoes. Moisturizers and lip balm are essential. Indoors, in cars, and on kang beds in cave dwellings, it’s very warm.
Transportation: Yulin city attractions are concentrated and accessible by taxi or bus. But to visit Wave Valley and other outskirts, you must hire a car or join a local day tour. If driving yourself, be cautious of winter road conditions.
Off-peak and experience: During the first few days of the Spring Festival holiday (Dec 28 to Jan 2 lunar calendar), many locals stay home with family, making scenic spots and countryside quiet. The “Niao Honghuo” celebrations peak after Jan 3 lunar calendar, when the rural New Year atmosphere is strongest. Plan your time accordingly.
Mental preparation: There is no refined service here; sometimes it may feel a bit “rough.” But it is this unpolished authenticity and the locals’ heartfelt enthusiasm that make the trip most touching.
This spontaneous and “rebellious” Spring Festival trip uprooted me from the usual holiday routine and threw me into a completely different cultural soil. I touched the texture of time (Wave Valley), listened to history in the wind (Hongshixia Gorge), and was deeply moved by a simple yet vigorous vitality (northern Shaanxi Yangge dance). The core of Spring Festival is “reunion” and “welcoming the new.” In Yulin, I reunited with the history of a land and welcomed a new understanding of this land and culture.
It turns out that celebrating the New Year is not just sitting together in a room but can also be stepping into the wilderness, feeling a grander, more passionate reunion under the vast sky. Yulin, thank you for giving me such a different New Year.