秀山县 - The Border Town of Three Provinces
Xiushan County (秀山县), situated at the southeastern tip of Chongqing where it meets Hunan and Guizhou provinces, is a culturally rich borderland that has served as a crossroads of ethnicities for centuries. Known as "Biancheng" (Border Town) thanks to Shen Congwen's famous novel of the same name, Xiushan is home to a vibrant blend of Tujia, Miao, and Han Chinese cultures. The county's name means "Beautiful Mountain," reflecting its stunning landscape of rolling hills, terraced rice paddies, and traditional stilt-house villages that seem unchanged by time.
Xiushan's charm lies in its authentic cultural preservation and lack of mass tourism. The county is famous as the birthplace of the "Xiushan Flower Lantern" (秀山花灯), a traditional folk art combining singing, dancing, and elaborate lantern displays that has been recognized as National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Visitors can experience genuine rural China through its weekly markets where ethnic minorities gather to trade, its scenic grassland plateaus offering panoramic mountain views, and its historic West Street lined with Qing Dynasty architecture. For travelers seeking to explore the authentic borderland culture where three provinces meet, Xiushan offers an unforgettable journey into China's ethnic mosaic.
Border Town, known in Chinese as Hong'an Ancient Town (洪安古镇), is the famous "Biancheng" immortalized in Shen Congwen's beloved 1934 novel of the same name. Located at the tripoint where Chongqing, Hunan, and Guizhou meet, this riverside settlement captures the romantic essence of rural China with its weathered stone bridges, traditional stilt houses, and the lazy flow of the Chinan River (茶峒河). The town's most iconic sight is the "Cui Cui Island" in the middle of the river, named after the novel's heroine, accessible via a rickety wooden footbridge that sways gently over the water. The border crossing point with Hunan's Chadong Town is marked by an old stone pier where local ferries still transport people and goods across the river as they have for centuries.
The town is remarkably well-preserved, with the entire main street retaining its Qing Dynasty layout of stone-paved walkways flanked by wooden shops selling local handicrafts, river fish, and the famous Biancheng rice wine. The "One Foot Stepping Three Provinces" monument marks the exact spot where the borders of Chongqing, Hunan, and Guizhou converge—a popular photo spot for visitors. Evening is the best time to visit when red lanterns illuminate the riverside and the sound of traditional folk songs drifts from tea houses. The town also hosts an annual "Border Town Cultural Festival" in October, featuring dragon boat races, ethnic costume parades, and spectacular flower lantern displays that light up the entire riverside.
Chuanhegai Grassland (川河盖草场) is a spectacular alpine meadow plateau situated at an elevation of 1,200-1,500 meters, stretching over 100 square kilometers across the border between Xiushan and Hunan. The plateau is a sea of grass dotted with wildflowers in spring and summer, creating a landscape reminiscent of the Siberian steppe or Mongolian grasslands. The name "Chuanhegai" means "River-Protecting Lid," referring to the numerous streams that originate here and flow down to water the terraced valleys below. A scenic road winds across the plateau, offering panoramic views of rolling hills, distant mountain peaks, and on clear days, visibility extending into neighboring Hunan and Guizhou provinces.
The grassland is particularly famous for its "Sea of Clouds" phenomenon, where morning mist rolls across the plateau creating an ethereal, otherworldly landscape that photographers travel from across China to capture. The plateau also features several ethnic Tujia and Miao villages where traditional life continues largely unchanged—visitors can witness practices like hemp weaving, traditional housing construction, and ancient agricultural methods. Camping is extremely popular during summer months when temperatures are a pleasant 20-25°C, and the plateau's isolation makes it one of the best stargazing spots in Chongqing. The annual "Grassland Festival" in August features horse racing, ethnic song and dance performances, and traditional archery competitions that draw crowds from all three surrounding provinces.
West Street (西街) is Xiushan's best-preserved historic commercial street, dating back to the Qing Dynasty when Xiushan served as a crucial trading post on the route between Sichuan and Hunan. The street stretches for nearly 1 kilometer and is lined with traditional wooden buildings featuring carved facades, upturned eaves, and stone-paved walkways that have been worn smooth by centuries of foot traffic. The architecture reflects a unique blend of Tujia, Miao, and Han Chinese styles, with many buildings featuring the distinctive "upstairs stilt house" design that maximizes space in the mountainous terrain. Traditional shops sell everything from handmade silver jewelry and embroidered textiles to local herbal medicines and bamboo crafts.
The street comes alive during the weekly market day (every 5th and 10th day of the lunar month) when ethnic minority vendors from surrounding villages converge to sell produce, livestock, handicrafts, and traditional clothing. The atmosphere is authentically chaotic and colorful, with the air filled with the sound of bargaining, laughter, and occasional folk singing. Several historic tea houses along the street offer seating on wooden benches where visitors can sip locally grown tea while watching the street life unfold. The "Xiushan Flower Lantern Museum" on West Street showcases the county's most famous cultural export, with exhibits explaining the lantern-making process and displaying elaborate examples used in traditional performances. Evening visits are particularly atmospheric when the street's old-fashioned gas lamps are lit, casting a warm glow over the weathered wood and stone.
Phoenix Mountain (凤凰山), rising to 1,200 meters on the outskirts of Xiushan city, is a scenic mountain revered in local folklore as the landing place of a mythical phoenix that blessed the region with prosperity. The mountain features a network of hiking trails winding through dense forests of pine, cypress, and bamboo, with multiple pavilions and observation decks offering panoramic views over Xiushan's terraced countryside. The mountain's religious significance is evident in the numerous temples and shrines dotted along the trails, including the Phoenix Temple at the summit where locals burn incense and make offerings for good fortune. The mountain is especially beautiful during spring when azaleas bloom across the slopes in brilliant shades of pink and red.
The mountain is also famous for its "Phoenix Stone," a rock formation at the summit that supposedly resembles a phoenix spreading its wings—a popular photography spot especially during sunrise and sunset. Several natural springs on the mountain are believed to have healing properties, and locals frequently make the pilgrimage to collect the mineral-rich water. The mountain's lower slopes are covered in tea plantations that produce the renowned "Phoenix Mountain Green Tea," available for tasting at the mountain's tea house. For the adventurous, a challenging night hike to the summit offers spectacular stargazing opportunities away from city lights. The mountain also features a children's adventure park with ziplines and rope courses, making it a popular family destination on weekends and holidays.
The Xiushan Flower Lantern (秀山花灯) is not a single attraction but a living cultural tradition that transforms the entire county during festival seasons. Recognized as National Intangible Cultural Heritage, this art form combines elaborate handmade lanterns, traditional singing, and choreographed dance into spectacular performances that can involve hundreds of participants. The lanterns themselves are works of art—intricately crafted from bamboo frames covered with silk or paper, painted with traditional motifs, and illuminated from within by candles or electric lights. The performances typically tell stories from local folklore, historical events, or celebrate the changing seasons, with performers in elaborate traditional costumes processing through streets, squares, and village compounds.
Visitors to Xiushan can experience Flower Lantern culture through multiple channels: the Flower Lantern Museum on West Street displays historical examples and explains the craft techniques; cultural performance centers offer nightly shows combining lantern displays with Tujia and Miao song and dance; and during major festivals (especially Chinese New Year, Lantern Festival, and the annual Flower Lantern Festival in February), the entire county comes alive with processions, street performances, and impromptu celebrations. The "Flower Lantern Making Workshop" in Xiushan city offers hands-on classes where visitors can learn to make their own miniature lanterns under the guidance of master craftsmen. The best time to experience this cultural spectacle is during the Lantern Festival (15th day of 1st lunar month) when elaborate lantern displays are erected throughout the county and nightly performances continue for a week.
A unique local specialty made from rice milk that's steamed and cut into cubes, served cold with chili oil, crushed peanuts, pickled vegetables, and a splash of vinegar. The texture is silky yet slightly chewy, and the combination of flavors—spicy, sour, and nutty—makes it an addictive snack found at street stalls throughout Xiushan.
Fresh river fish from the Chinan River, prepared in a light broth with ginger, scallions, and local mountain herbs to preserve the fish's natural sweetness. The cooking method is famously simple, reflecting the philosophy that quality ingredients need minimal embellishment. Served with steamed rice and pickled vegetables.
Pork belly cured with glutinous rice and mountain herbs, then fermented for weeks before being cooked in a clay pot with chili, pickled cabbage, and tofu. The fermentation gives the meat a distinctive tangy flavor that pairs perfectly with the rich, spicy broth. A hearty dish perfect after a day of mountain hiking.
Hand-rolled glutinous rice balls filled with black sesame paste, crushed peanuts, or brown sugar, served in a sweet ginger broth. These are particularly popular during the Lantern Festival but are available year-round at breakfast stalls and traditional tea houses throughout Xiushan city.
Potatoes grown on the high-altitude Chuanhegai plateau are prized for their fluffy texture and earthy flavor. Typically served stir-fried with chili and garlic, or made into crispy pancakes with wild herbs. The highland climate produces potatoes with exceptional taste that's noticeably different from lowland varieties.
Green tea grown on the slopes of Phoenix Mountain, known for its delicate fragrance and smooth, non-bitter taste. The tea is hand-picked and processed using traditional methods, available for tasting at mountain tea houses and for purchase at local markets. A perfect souvenir that captures Xiushan's mountain essence.