A Breeze Blowing from Daming Mountain

Lin Han

Xu Xiake, a renowned traveler in the Ming Dynasty whose aspiration was to commune with nature during his lifetime, began to travel around every famous mountain and great river in China in his early twenties. When Xu arrived in Shanglin County, Guangxi in 1637, he was already in a doddering old age. In The Travels of Xu Xiake, he wrote, “I was wandering through steep mountains northward and attracted by two lofty mountain peaks when staring into the distance westward. The mountain shrouded by clouds is exactly Daming Mountain.”

It was the first time that Xu saw Daming Mountain with his own eyes. Then he stepped on the land of Shanglin, where he lingered for 54 days and wrote down nearly 14,000 words for his travels. Shanglin also became the place where Xu stayed for the longest day in Guangxi.

A wonderland on earth with the scenery of four seasons

“Flowers in spring, waterfall in summer, clouds in autumn, and snow in winter” distill a microcosm of the scenery in four seasons of Daming Mountain.

When spring is in full force, it is time to admire flowers in Daming Mountain. Each year and every year, bell-shaped flowers and azaleas return anew and wait for different admirers. Favored bell-shaped flowers will begin to bloom in early March, attracting those camera nuts who will take many good shots of the flowers and post them on WeChat Moments. The fragrance of the aromatic flowers, hence, is able to reach the hearts of people who are tracing the footprints of spring by browsing the Moments. Like a light breeze, the spring of Daming Mountain will embrace us with its bright and brilliant colors.

In central and southern Guangxi devoid of snow all year round, Daming Mountain, the highest peak of central Guangxi, can satisfy the locals’ curiosity  of snow. The air on the mountain is heavy with moisture. When winter falls with the temperature dropping below 0℃, Daming Mountain will be covered with a blanket of rime, which looks like a wonderland on earth.

It has been an annual practice of Li Li, a shutterbug, to take photos of spring flowers and winter rime in Daming Mountain. Li has been there many times as if he was captivated by the mountain with magic power. Those flowers are lively elves shimmering in the sunlight; the iced crystals are pure and limpid without any dust. “Each lush mountain here is charming; each tree is luxuriant; each sea of clouds is magnificent; and each season is tranquil and pleasant,” Li said fondly.

As for how many waterfalls on Daming Mountain, no one can tell a precise number. The mountain is heavily forested, while fast-running water forms waterfalls. Since the dry season alternates with the rainy one, those large and small waterfalls sometimes are visible, but sometimes are not. That’s why it is impossible to detail all the waterfalls in the area.

In the Daming Mountain Scenic Area, just follow the signposts, then you will find the old-growth forests. Once you walk into the forests, the distant sound of roaring water is heard, which comes from the Dazhang Waterfall. The waterfall cascades down the Liumao Peak, and its water converges with that of the Yixiantian Waterfall in the Dongchun River. With a vertical drop of over 30 meters, the Yixiantian Waterfall looks like a fantastic water curtain hanging down the cliff. Whether you enjoy the scenery in the distance or immerse yourself in the sound of nature closely, the beauty in the mountains will overwhelm you and help you get rid of the physical and mental fatigue caused by the long journey.

Besides the marvelous scenery of four seasons, the area is also remarkable for its concentration of negative oxygen ions up to 76,000 per cubic meter. Negative ions are beneficial to human health. However, the concentration of the ions in most cities can only reach 200 per cubic meter. One can say that, every breath here is full of negative oxygen ions. Given a healthy lifestyle, spending one day in the mountains surpasses many days in the city.

Cottages hidden behind thick clouds

For an instant, people living in the city sometimes may feel a surge of desire to escape from the stressful urban life and seek for momentary peace and tranquility. Daming Mountain is such a place that can satisfy people’s desires with a 1-hour drive from Nanning, the capital city of Guangxi.

Increasing homestays have allowed more and more visitors to sojourn in the mountains.

There are countless homestays on Daming Mountain. In recent years, many homestays in various styles have been built in the mountains or at the foot of the mountains. The zeal to invest in homestays on Daming Mountain derives from the idea that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. The natural landscape of Daming Mountain has provided fertile ground for those homestays to go viral in the internet era. Favorable timing and geographical advantages are in place; it’s time to return to an idyllic and healthy life.

People have marveled at Xiashuiyuan Village when they see its appearance for the first time. It is located on the mountainside of Daming Mountain at an altitude of about 500 meters. The distant mountains are covered in lush green vegetation, and cottages in the classic Lingnan style dot the mountains and forests, which depict a scenery that is similar to the Potala Palace in Tibet. The village, hence, has become the first known place in Daming Mountain.

Such a wonderful place has developed into a site where many homestays are located. Nowadays, more than 30 homestays in the village have become widely known. Most of them leaning against the mountainside were built to blend with the natural environment; some were built with big stones as foundations, while some were built with armored concrete. The architectural designs of these buildings are unique and ingenious, with features of traditional Zhuang people’s dwellings.

A mountain separates Xiashuiyuan Village from another smaller village named Ma’caozhuang. Homestays are also ubiquitous in this village, among which Shanyu Yard, Guilai Gengdu Resort, and Ziyun Villa are especially bustling with visitors. Walk along the winding paths and ascend the mountain at an elevation of around 400 meters, you will arrive in Ma’caozhuang, a village surrounded by immense forest and shrouded in clouds and mist. The air is filled with the scent of wild flowers; the chirps of birds sound ringing and melodious. Standing here, you will see a wonderful view of villages, rivers, and fields at the foot of the mountains, as well as a cluster of karst peaks in the distance. It seems that you have entered into a tranquil world with nobody but yourself only. When a fresh breeze blows, it seems that you are still here, but the view around you has changed already.

In the homestay that I stopped for the night, as I opened a window of my room, I was shocked, for those vibrant and flourishing flowers suddenly jumped into my eyes, then a feeling of pure delight overwhelmed my heart. “As for travel, novelty isn’t my pursuit. I just like the peaceful life in the mountains. Even if it’s raining, I can still sit in the rain with an umbrella, enjoying the rainy and misty Daming Mountain. It feels like the whole world belongs to me. But I don’t have to care about anything,” said an experienced traveler, who will stay in a homestay of Daming Mountain for a while every year.

We often say that there will be ample time ahead. However, for time keeps ticking away, we should set out on a journey at any time. Whenever you depart for or arrive at your destination, you will always encounter with the most beautiful season of that place. As for Daming Mountain, it has been here waiting for its admirers all year round.