THE China Institute of City Competitiveness recently published the ranking list of China’s Most Beautiful Counties of 2014. Yangshuo, in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, was first on the list, followed by Fenghuang in Hunan Province, Tonglu in Zhejiang Province and Wuyuan in Jiangxi Province. Dapu in Guangdong Province is also on the list. According to the institute, the selection was based on the counties’ developments in city planning, traditional culture, special architecture, rural customs, natural resources and public reputation. This week, we will take you on a tour to discover the beauty of these counties.

    YANGSHUO

    Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

    Yangshuo lies in the northeast of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and to the southeast of Guilin City. It is home to breathtaking beauty and strong traditional culture. The diverse ethnic minority groups include the Hui, Zhuang, and Yao peoples, which enrich the area with special folk traditions and festivals. The area’s many international residents add exciting elements to the county.

    The famous Lijiang River traverses the county and enhances the beautiful scenery. Along the river, thousands of round hills dot the landscape, including Moon Hill, Mural Hill and Schoolboy Hill.

    In the town of Yangshuo, the streets are still cobblestoned, maintaining the town’s simple and primitive atmosphere. West Street, the most famous shopping district in Yangshuo, is also known as “Global Village.” Since the 1980s, backpackers have been drawn to the area thanks to popular guidebook series “The Lonely Planet,” which touted the area’s excellent mountain climbing. The town is full of not only tourists, but also many expats who own cafes, restaurants, and hotels who call Yangshuo home. The international flavor combined with local traditional cultures makes it easy to see why Yangshuo is so popular.

    Yangshuo also attracts tourists with its delicious specialty foods, such as beer fish, rice noodles and various glutinous rice cakes. Other local specialties include Shatian shaddocks, kumquats and Chinese chestnuts.

    Transport: Take a long-distance coach from the city’s coach stations such as Yinhu Station in Futian District, or take a train to Guilin from Shenzhen Railway Station and take a bus to Yangshuo.

    FENGHUANG

    Hunan Province

    Located in Xiangxi Prefecture, Hunan Province, Fenghuang is an exceptionally well-preserved ancient town where one can hear rare ethnic languages, experience local customs and art, and view architectural remains from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

    The ancient town, which was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2008, is nestled in the mountains of Zhangjiajie and is known for its many waterways that the city was built around.

    Fenghuang got its name from a phoenix-shaped mountain next to the town; “fenghuang” translates to “phoenix” in English.

    The biggest attraction in the county is Fenghuang’s architecture. The stilted buildings along the Tuojiang River were mainly built around 1700. The town’s two gate towers still stand on the east and north sides of Fenghuang.

    Another must-see site is the former residence of Shen Congwen, a well-known author in China. The ancient town became famous in China after Shen published “Border Town.” Even though the small, beautiful border town in the book is actually based on a town bordering Sichuan and Hunan provinces, many readers still think it is a story about Fenghuang since it is Shen’s hometown. Many precious photos and works are exhibited at his former residence.

    Fenghuang is home to many people from the Miao and Tujia ethnic groups. Laodong Miao Village is one of the best-preserved ancient villages of the Miao people in China. With a history dating back 600 years, the village has complete defense and drainage systems. The houses in the village are all connected to each other, and the whole village is a strong fortress.

    Recommended special foods are duck, sour fish, walnut chicken, mushrooms, vegetable tofu and sour tofu soup.

    Transport: Take a train to Jishou from Shenzhen Railway Station and take a coach to Fenghuang. (Wang Yuanyuan)