In Xiuning County in southern Anhui, there is a village known as the village on the clouds - it is Mulidi. "甔" sounds the same as "Hong" and means "big valley". Mulidi is located on the mountainside of Kuzhuling, a remnant of Huangshan Mountain. The village is located on a narrow ridge. Except for one side, which is leaning on the hillside, the other three sides are suspended in the air. It looks like an isolated island in the clouds, peerless and independent.
Mulijie is a place where weeds have been planted for a long time, and this time it took a lot of hard work to pull out the weeds. There is no road access in Muliji. To reach the village, you can only drive your car to the foot of the mountain and then walk on the mountain road honestly. More than 800 steps spiral up. Although it is an ancient path paved with bluestones, due to the steep slope there is no natural resting platform along the way, so it is not easy to climb up. Fortunately, all the beautiful scenery on the mountain cannot be described. The authentic scenery and simple villagers are also the most beautiful gifts of Muliji.
①Muliji is located in Kuzhuling, a remnant of Huangshan Mountain, about 10 kilometers away from the nearest county seat of Xikou Town. The road from the county town to Mulia is called Songzhen Highway. There is a stone bridge branching in the valley of the road. Turn left here to cross the river and go up the mountain to the mountain road leading to Mulia. Today, the local village committee has set up a toll station next to the stone bridge. Driving through it requires a 10 yuan "management fee." There is also a winding mountain road with good road conditions going up from there. About 1 kilometer before the end, the winding mountain road suddenly turned into an unpaved road. The dirt road mixed with gravel is not very friendly to low-rider vehicles. Most tourists who have been to Muliji still remember this road. New, just treat it as a body massage.
The end of the Mulia Village Navigation Point is the starting point of the mountain climbing road. Looking at the steep stone steps in front of me, I gasped instantly. There are more than 800 steps spiraling up to the clouds, and you can't even see the end. If you want to stay in Mulia Village, it is recommended to pack your overnight luggage in advance. Carrying suitcases up is not a good option.
Near Xikou Town, in addition to Mulia, there are also ② Zuyuan Village that you can visit together. This quiet ancient village in Huizhou is famous for a thousand-year-old yew tree. It only takes 20 minutes to drive from Xikou. There is also a famous mountainous hiking trail between Zuyuan Village and Mulijie. The entire hike takes about one and a half hours. It is a mountain path used by local villagers and outdoor enthusiasts. It is recommended to wear long pants when hiking, as there are many mosquitoes and leaves along the way. Zuyuan Village is quieter than Muliliji. There is only one canteen and 2-3 restaurants open to the public in the whole village. There are no street lights, and every household basically turns off their lights after dark.
The selling points of Mulia are Sea of Clouds and Sunrise. The village is actually very small, with three floors, and it can be completed in half an hour. The village was founded in the 15th year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty. According to legend, the family surnamed Huan fled here after committing a crime. Later, they changed their surname to Zhan and have settled and multiplied since then. There are 59 households in the village, with about 160 people.
Although it is located in Huangshan Mountain, the village is not an authentic Huizhou building. Because it is located on a mountain ridge and is often subject to strong winds, the ancestors of Muliji gave up the traditional Hui style houses and raised tiles on both sides of the roof in order to reduce Wind resistance. The houses in the village are arranged in a row , allowing strong winds to pass through , allowing this ancient and independent village to exist for more than 300 years.
Mulidi is built on a ridge, surrounded by mostly cliffs and steep mountains. Because the original stone road was too narrow, the villagers used logs and bamboos suspended on the cliff to build a spacious wooden plank road, which was both convenient for walking and used for drying. The simple drying platform made of bamboo usually has some authentic products drying, from bamboo shoots, peppers, beans to various kinds of pickled bacon. I asked the aunt on the side how long the ham had been dried, and she was told with a smile that it had been almost five years.
There is a built observation deck in Mulia, which is only about a 10-minute walk from the village. There are paved cement stone steps all the way, and there is a bifurcation in the middle. Continuing upward from there is the top of the mountain where you can see the sunrise. Going further up the mountain is the hike to Trails in Zuyuan Village. To get to the observation deck, turn right at the fork , cross the reservoir dam and continue climbing for about 5 minutes.
The observation deck is where Muliji ID photos were taken. Early morning and sunset are the best viewing times. Just imagine looking at this village from here on a misty morning. It's really indescribably beautiful. Muliji You can see the sea of clouds one-third of the year, but the sun was shining brightly on the day we went, so the probability of the sea of clouds appearing was almost zero. Since I couldn't wait for heaven and earth, I didn't bother to get up early.
Nowadays, more than 30 of the more than 50 households in Muliliji village have started agritainment business. After enjoying the sunset from the observation deck, we chose to dine at a farmhouse on the second floor of the village. The male owner of the shop enthusiastically introduced the local specialties. In fact, it was nothing, just home-cooked dishes, nothing more than dried bamboo shoots, roasted pork, and tomatoes. Eggs and various pickles, etc. Vegetable prices are almost uniform in the village. Vegetables are about 25-35 yuan, and meat dishes are all 65-80 yuan. The local specialty is local chicken, and a pot of local pheasant chicken costs 180 yuan.
Farmhouses usually also have accommodation. Muliji's accommodation is much simpler than anywhere else. Many accommodations don't even have private bathrooms, and because they are all made of wooden floors, the sound insulation is very poor, which is simply annoying for people who have trouble sleeping. Nightmare. But don’t be deceived by the beautiful hotel promotions on the Internet. A sea of clouds viewing room or a mountain-view double bed room is not as good as getting up early and going to the observation deck to see the real thing. After walking around the village, I felt that the Top House in Mulijie located on the third floor of the mountaintop was the best accommodation option in Mulijie. At least it looked much better than the farmhouse accommodation on the two floors below.
When I went to the observation deck at night, there were no street lights, so I could only use a flashlight. Fortunately, the distance was close, and the wooden pears and under the starlight were beautiful A kind of escapist beauty.
As mentioned before, the sunrise is also one of the selling points of Muliji. The top of the mountain where you can watch the sunrise is about 25 minutes straight ahead from the bifurcation point towards Zuyuan Village. Don’t worry too much about smearing your walk, because every tourist who stays here overnight comes here for the sunrise. After watching the sunrise, turn back to the bifurcation point and go to the observation deck to see the sea of clouds. The time is just right.
exist Pear Less than 24 hours seemed like a lifetime ago. The signal was weak in the mountains and even normal conversations were difficult. Here I saw the true life of rural China. Sunrise do , rest at sunset. When I came back, some friends asked me if it was suitable for a family trip. I thought about it. , Although this is high The village in the mountains and clouds is my favorite. But I really don't dare to recommend it rashly . As In the least developed mountainous area in the wealthy southern Anhui, Muli is a completely primitive ancient village with almost no tourist facilities. There are no roads here, and climbing is time-consuming and laborious. Fortunately, the slow development has made the folk customs very simple and primitive. It seems like I have returned to the days of traveling on a budget just after graduating from college. Food and accommodation are simple or even crude. , and I am grateful for this .
Practical information
Arrival, departure and food and accommodation
Self-driving is of course the best way to get to Mulia. The navigation end of Mulia is next to the road at the foot of the mountain. After arriving, you need to climb more than 800 steps to reach the village. There are also porters at the foot of the mountain to help carry luggage, which costs 30 yuan per trip. If you are staying overnight, it is recommended to pack your luggage and go up the mountain in advance.
There are minibuses from Xiuning County to Xikou Town , and there are buses to Mulidian in the town. You can also call the B&B where you are staying that day in advance and ask the hotel to find a way to send someone to pick you up. Or you can charter a bus directly from Huangshan North Railway Station or Hongcun, the price is about 150-180 yuan.
The accommodation conditions in Mulidi cannot be complimented. Of course, it is totally worth spending a night on the top of the mountain for the sea of clouds in the morning and the starry sky at sunset. When booking accommodation in Muliji on major travel websites, it is recommended not to book in a hurry, but to contact the owner directly by phone. The shopkeeper will give you a more favorable price in private than online. During the off-season, you can directly discuss with the shopkeeper the price of a meal package, that is, the price of one night's stay + one dinner, which is usually about 120-150 yuan per person. The Mulijie Yunhua Inn we stayed at that day cannot be given more than 1 point. The soundproofing was so poor that you could even hear the breathing next door. After walking around the village the next day, I felt Located on the third floor of the top of the mountain, the Muliji Highest House should be the best accommodation choice in the entire village.
