Why Guizhou is China's Best-Kept Winter Treasure Destination?
As winter arrives, skiing and soaking in hot springs become the most exhilarating ways to embrace life. In the traditional imagination, the poetic scene of "hundreds of miles frozen, thousands of miles of snow drifting" seems to belong only to the northern landscapes. However, in the great southwest of China, there lies an icy-hot paradise of "ski resorts + hot springs" — the "Winter Treasure Province" —
Wumeng Grassland is wrapped in silver during the winter.
Who would have thought that Guizhou is actually a skiing paradise in southern China? Liupanshui, known as the "Cool Capital of China" in summer, uniquely presents the world’s lowest-latitude "Frozen" wonderland. And who would have imagined that Guizhou is also one of China’s provinces with the densest hot spring resources? Its majestic mountains not only make Guizhou a kingdom of karst landscapes but also conceal rich treasures — geothermal energy. As early as the Ming Dynasty, the people of Shiqian in Tongren enjoyed the freedom of open-air hot springs.
Located between 24° and 29° north latitude, Guizhou has become a winter travel treasure for the Chinese people also because its winter is vibrant and full of life. Winter is the main stage for Guizhou’s most passionate living!
The Yushe Ski Resort in Liupanshui is the lowest-latitude ski resort in China,
capable of hosting hundreds of thousands of skiing enthusiasts every winter.
The nationally recognized intangible cultural heritage, the Miao Drum Sacrifice Festival (also known as the Guzang Festival, the same below), which occurs only once every 13 years, is uniquely presented in Guizhou during winter. In the Qiandongnan region, Miao and Dong families harvest the last season of rice and, during the agricultural off-season, celebrate their grandest "New Year" — the Miao Year and Dong Year...
Such diverse cultures ignite "a fire in winter" for the spiritual homeland of the Guizhou people!
The Wuling Mountains, Wumeng Mountains, Dalou Mountains, and Miaoling Mountains stand guard over Guizhou from all directions, with Miaoling dividing the Yangtze River Basin and the Pearl River Basin. The crisscrossing mountains and river systems make Guizhou resemble a multifaceted chessboard.
The main peak of Leigong Mountain and Wudong Miao Village.
Villages are built along the mountains, divided into distinct cultural settlements.
Scattered across the mountains and fields are over 700 traditional villages, ranking first in China in number. The brilliant and diverse cultures form isolated "Shangri-La" like islands. Hence, Guizhou is also known as China’s "Cultural Thousand Islands."
Visiting Guizhou in winter makes it easier to witness its colorful side. The Miao Drum Sacrifice Festival, held once every 13 years and lasting three years each time, is the crown of Guizhou’s winter ethnic celebrations. Its cycle and duration alone are astonishing.
According to the "Ancient Songs of the Miao," the Drum Sacrifice Festival is held to worship the butterfly mother who created the world.
During such a precious and grand festival, the Miao people either dress in traditional attire to honor their ancestors or participate in various unique competitions. Bullfighting is the highlight of the festival, tied to the honor of the clan. Experienced bull selectors examine the waist, analyze the horns, identify the teeth, distinguish the eyes, observe the fur, and check the toes to choose the winning bull, known as the "Bull King" or "Bull Sage," bringing glory to its owner and village. Such a Drum Sacrifice Festival, filled with singing and dancing, is as lively as a world-class sports event.
Compared to the Drum Sacrifice Festival, the Miao Year and Dong Year feel more intimate as traditional New Year celebrations. The Miao and Dong people’s talent for singing and dancing is fully displayed in the festive atmosphere. For example, the Dong Grand Song, which originated in the Spring and Autumn Period, can only be truly experienced by visiting the drum towers of Dong villages in Guizhou, sitting by the warm fire pond in winter, and listening to this ancient and mystical heavenly sound.
In the 1980s, cultural treasures of Guizhou such as the Dong Grand Song and Anshun Dixi Opera were performed at the Paris Autumn Festival under the Eiffel Tower. The executive chairman remarked, "It is rare in the world for an ethnic minority of just over a million people in the East of Asia to create and preserve such an ancient, pure, and brilliant folk choral art." As a Dong proverb says, "The Dong people have three cultural treasures: the drum tower, the grand song, and the flower bridge." The Dong Grand Song, along with well-preserved drum towers, wind-and-rain bridges, and stilted houses, has earned Guizhou the title of "the world’s largest ethnic museum."
Figure 1: Huanggang Dong Village’s "Carrying the Official" celebration during the New Year. Photo by Yin Gang
Figure 2: Lusheng performance. Photo by Chen Weihong
Figure 3: Deng Sa. Photo by Huang Zhen
Figure 4: Miao New Year in Leishan County. Photo by Yin Gang
Figure 5: Long-table banquet during the Miao New Year celebration in Liping County, Qiandongnan Prefecture. Photo by Yin Gang
The Rice Harvest Festival, Cold Food Festival, Lusheng Festival... various celebrations occur throughout the year, with winter marking the peak season for festivities in Miao and Dong villages. During this time, any village you visit will offer warm hospitality, allowing you to savor delicacies like straw-coat rice and ash cake, and partake in the spectacular long-table banquet. Winter in Guizhou reveals the most vibrant ethnic traditions.
Mountainous Guizhou has been home to numerous ethnic groups since ancient times. Eighteen indigenous ethnic communities are scattered across its lush landscapes, each with distinct customs even within the same group. The Miao people comprise 70 to 80 branches, while the Dong are broadly divided into Northern and Southern groups along the Qingshui River, Duliujiang River, and Leigong Mountain. Cultural exchanges among these diverse groups have collectively shaped Guizhou's rich cultural tapestry, undoubtedly influenced by Central Plains culture as well.
Figure 1: Miao people adorned in silver headdresses during the Lusheng Festival. Photo by Chen Weihong
Figure 2: Yi ethnic group participating in the Torch Festival in Liupanshui. Photo by He Xiongzhou
Figure 3: Miao attire during the Rice Harvest Festival in Danzhai. Photo by Li Ruoyu
Embark on a Millennia-Old "Soul Journey"
Guizhou is relatively young—established as China's 13th province in 1413 during the Ming Dynasty—yet its cultural heritage runs deep.
The Han Dynasty Bronze Horse and Chariot, a treasure of the Guizhou Provincial Museum.
Excavated in Xingyi, Guizhou, the Han Dynasty Bronze Horse and Chariot is quietly displayed as a "museum treasure" in the Guizhou Provincial Museum, symbolizing the early flow of Chinese civilization into Guizhou. Longli Ancient Town in Jinping County, Qiandongnan, is a unique "eco-museum." The largest and best-preserved cluster of folk villages in Anshun, central Guizhou, embodies 600 years of history, forming the unique Tunpu Culture. Stepping into a Tunpu village feels like traveling back to the Ming Dynasty.
Ancient Towns and Tunpu: Decoding Guizhou's "Cultural DNA"
Wang Changling, a renowned Tang Dynasty poet known as the "Master of Seven-Character Quatrains," once left his mark in Longli. Li Bai's verse, "The willow blooms have fallen, the cuckoos cry; I hear that Longbiao passed the Five Streams," adds a touch of Tang Dynasty elegance to the town's cultural history. Subsequently, structures like the Zhuangyuan Bridge, Longbiao Academy, Wang Changling Memorial Temple, and Zhuangyuan Tomb were built. Longli Ancient Town has become an essential cultural site for commemorating Wang Changling and experiencing the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty.
Figures 1-3: Longli Ancient Town in Qiandongnan.
Walking through this 600-year-old town, you'll see mist-shrouded walls, drum towers, ancestral halls, and academies. The ink-wash painting-like Huizhou-style architecture gives the impression of strolling through a "Jiangnan water town." The annual winter Lantern Festival features the unique "Painted-Face Dragon"狂欢, said to originate from the legend of Lan Jizi, Zhao Kuangyin's sworn brother, who painted his face in the opera "Lan Jizi Meets His Elder Brother."
Figures 1-2: Painted-Face Dragon performance in Longli Ancient Town.
Longli Ancient Town is just one key node in Guizhou's cultural landscape. Following waterways from western Hunan westward through modern-day Guiyang and Anshun, and eventually into Yunnan, this route traverses mountains and rivers. Ancient towns like Zhenyuan, Jiuzhou, and Qingyan form a cultural necklace linking Guizhou to the Central Plains, known as the Yunnan-Guizhou Road.
Based on this road rich in cultural history, Guizhou served as a strategic hub in the Southwest. During the Ming Dynasty, large-scale construction of military fortifications—garrisons, castles, forts, and stockades—laid the foundation for Guizhou's current urban layout.
Figure 1: Dixi (ground opera) in Anshun Tunpu. Photo by Han Guiqun
Figure 2: Inheritance of Dixi in Jiuxi, Anshun. Photo by Li Guiyun
Known as "the throat of Yunnan, the belly of Guizhou, and the lips and teeth of Sichuan and Guangdong," Anshun enjoys a mild and humid climate and has long been a grain-producing region in Guizhou. In the Tunpu villages, fertile farmlands stretch in front of the settlements, while lush green mountains stand closely behind. Rows of stone-built Tunpu dwellings, with their low stone gates, still retain many battlements and artillery platforms, bearing witness to the labor of Ming Dynasty garrison soldiers and their families. This is a living heritage of humanistic spirit.
During the Ming Dynasty, roads in Guizhou were already well-connected.
A greater "surprise" brought by this route to Guizhou emerged in the mid-Ming Dynasty. An official, having offended the eunuch Liu Jin, was caned and later demoted to Longchang, Guiyang, to serve as a lowly post station master. He was none other than Wang Yangming, who later became a sage renowned for the philosophy of "the unity of knowledge and action," earning a stature comparable to Confucius.
The true meaning of "the unity of knowledge and action" began in Guizhou!
According to the Chinese criteria for evaluating ancient sages, Liang Qichao proposed the "three immortalities" standard: "virtue, achievement, and words." Based on this, he believed there were only "two and a half sages" in ancient China: the first was Confucius, the second was Wang Yangming. (Another figure, Zeng Guofan, was considered only half a sage.)
The Wang Yangming Cultural Park in Xiuwen County, Guiyang.
In terms of virtue, Wang Yangming's two or three years in Guizhou led to his "enlightenment at Longchang." According to The Complete Works of Wang Yangming, "Longchang is nestled among countless mountains and thickets in northwestern Guizhou." Having endured significant setbacks, Wang Yangming, in this challenging yet tranquil environment and with the help of local ethnic communities, experienced a rebirth.
It is said that local Miao people dug a stone niche in a cave for Wang Yangming and felled trees to make a coffin, which they placed inside. Wang Yangming lay in the coffin, day and night, experiencing the darkness of death. One night, under a sky full of stars, he suddenly attained enlightenment—realizing that "the mind is fully sufficient, with no need to seek externally."
These eight short words provided the best annotation for the Confucian ideal of "inner sageliness and outer kingliness" promoted during the pre-Qin period. The "Wang Yangming moment" also echoes the Buddha's enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, becoming a moment of sudden enlightenment pursued by the Chinese people.
Fig. 1-2: The beautiful scenery of Feiyun Cliff in Huangping,
described in Wang Yangming's divine brush as an earthly paradise.
In terms of achievement, after his enlightenment in Guizhou, Wang Yangming's life seemed to unlock new heights. He not only rose to the position of Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi but also served as Minister of War. As a scholar, he repeatedly achieved military successes on the battlefield and left behind the famous saying: "It is easy to defeat bandits in the mountains, but difficult to defeat the bandits in one's heart." In just 43 days, he successfully suppressed the rebellion of Prince Ning Zhu Chenhao, which spread across Jiangxi and Anhui provinces, marking a highlight of his life. While it is often said that "Li Guang was never ennobled," Wang Yangming was rare in history for being ennobled as a count due to his military merits.
In terms of words, the philosophy of mind founded by Wang Yangming based on "the unity of knowledge and action" exerted significant influence for centuries thereafter. As the starting point and a place of flourishing for "Wang School" studies, Guizhou gradually transformed from a culturally peripheral border province into a region of thriving education and culture. To this day, Longchang in Guizhou remains a "sacred site for Wang School studies" in both Chinese and international academia.
An academy where "Wang School" studies were taught during the Ming Dynasty.
After his enlightenment at Longchang, Wang Yangming taught disciples and lectured at places such as Longgang Academy in Xiuwen and Wenming Academy in Guiyang, transforming Guizhou's academic atmosphere and social customs. This led to a surge in education and the emergence of talented individuals in Guizhou. To this day, the Yangming Academy at the Yangming Shrine in Guiyang remains a cultural highlight of Guizhou.
In modern times, Wang Yangming's influence has grown even stronger in East Asia. Many, from founding leaders to business magnates, are fans of "Wang School" studies. Figures such as Sun Yat-sen, Liang Qichao, and Kazuo Inamori have revered Wang Yangming as a "spiritual idol."
Chuanxilu (Instructions for Practical Living) is a collection of Wang Yangming's sayings compiled by his disciples.
Guizhou was also one of the earliest places where Chuanxilu was published.
Collection source/Library of Congress
After the Ming and Qing dynasties, Guizhou entered an era of abundant talent. Following the rise of the Sand Culture in northern Guizhou, the poetry culture of Guizhou gradually reached its peak and gained nationwide fame. Since the Qing Dynasty, Guizhou natives have published over a hundred volumes of personal poetry collections. Zheng Zhen and Mo Youzhi, known for their unique poetic styles, were hailed as "Great Confucians of the Southwest." It is often said that "in three hundred years of Qing poetry, the royal aura lies in Yelang." The cultural charm is precisely the key to understanding Guizhou's customs while exploring the region.
In winter, Guizhou possesses a beauty that is unassuming and naturally sculpted. As the only province in China without a plain, Guizhou is renowned for its diverse topography. Situated on a plateau with an average elevation of 1,100 meters, Guizhou is an "ecological highland" in the southwestern region.
Wang Yangming once said, "The world's mountains converge in Yunnan and Guizhou."
Among Guizhou's mountains, Fanjing Mountain is the most prominent.
Fanjing Mountain is universally acknowledged as the foremost mountain in Guizhou. This "ecological island" emerging from the karst landscape is not primarily karst but composed mainly of metamorphic rock. It preserves a subtropical primary ecosystem due to its unique climate and geological conditions. Almost entirely covered by forests, Fanjing Mountain, the main peak of the Wuling Mountain Range in eastern Guizhou, boasts such an exceptional natural environment that it confidently calls itself an "oasis on Earth" and has earned China's 13th "World Natural Heritage" designation.
In winter, Fanjing Mountain, adorned with snow and frost, enhances Guizhou's mystical ambiance with the grandeur of northern landscapes.
When winter arrives, Fanjing Mountain in Guizhou becomes a snow-clad paradise.
Caohai, Guizhou's largest lake, renowned alongside Dianchi Lake and Qinghai Lake, makes western Guizhou a "favorable place" with warm winters and cool summers. Weining County, where Caohai is located, is recognized by meteorologists as Guizhou's "Sunshine City." From October to March each year, over 100,000 birds escape the harsh northern winter to "recuperate" at Caohai. Among these migratory birds are precious species like the black-necked crane, known as the "divine bird of the plateau."
Caohai welcomes a large number of black-necked cranes every year.
Consequently, Weining County is hailed as the "Hometown of Black-Necked Cranes in China."
Fig. 1 Photo by Wei Yunsheng, Fig. 2 Photo by Cao Jingjian
In winter, when most things wither, Guizhou, with its forest coverage rate exceeding 60%, remains lush and green, serving as a "natural oxygen bar" in China during the winter. Its unique topography and ecological advantages also make Guizhou an ideal place for relaxation and rejuvenation in winter.
There is no better way to relax than by enjoying hot springs. Guizhou, known as "China's Karst Province," boasts abundant geothermal resources due to its unique and complex geological structure, making hot springs ubiquitous. The characteristic of shallow geothermal energy gives Guizhou an advantage in mountain hot springs. Whether it is the Jianhe Hot Spring, known as "Holy Water of the Miao Territory," or the Xifeng Hot Spring, hailed as "The First Hot Spring under Heaven," both are world-class hot spring destinations.
Source: Guizhou Tourism Observation Platform
Hot springs in Guizhou also have a long historical and cultural significance. The Shiqian Hot Spring, with a history of over 400 years, has been passed down since the Ming Dynasty and represents the cultural pinnacle of Guizhou's hot springs. At the foot of Songming Mountain and on the east bank of the Longchuan River, "soaking in the hot springs" has long been a common life experience for generations of Shiqian people, shaping the leisurely and slow-paced lifestyle of this small southwestern county. Nestled among green mountains and clear waters, it hides the warmest winter.
Fig. 1-2: Shiqian Foding Mountain Hot Spring Town. Photo by Chen Weihong
The variability of the mountain climate adds a dynamic aspect to Guizhou's winters. With the dual labels of "southern province with heavy snowfall" and "mountain park," Guizhou has become a major province for winter mountain sports in China.
Who says ice and snow sports are limited to regions north of Shanhaiguan? Liupanshui, known as "China's Cool City," is also a city of ice and snow. The Yushe Ski Resort in the National Forest Park, the Wumeng Ski Resort on the grassland, and the Meihua Mountain Ski Resort, the largest in the southwest, offer comfortable outdoor climates without the biting cold winds of northern ski resorts. In the distance, the snow-covered landscapes resemble galloping wax elephants, creating a spectacular karst wonder. This is the unique scenery of Guizhou's snow domain.
The mild climate, superior natural ecology, and abundant winter activities together make Guizhou a comfortable and serene winter paradise.
Hidden deep within Guizhou's mountains and rivers!
The mountains have shaped Guizhou's rich natural and cultural heritage. On the ancient Wuchi Road, the echoes of Han Dynasty carriages and horses resonate through history. From the Dian-Qian Avenue to the Longchang Nine Post Stations, literati and scholars came and went, leaving behind countless famous works. The coexistence of mountains and people has forged the resilient and daring character of the Guizhou people.
The Monument and Battle Site of Loushan Pass.
In modern times, a group of pioneers from afar resonated with the mountains and rivers of Guizhou, bringing about a great turning point that changed the history of China.
In January 1935, the Central Red Army moved to northern Guizhou and held the historic Zunyi Conference, rewriting the history of the Chinese revolution. Subsequently, with just over 30,000 troops, the Red Army broke through the encirclement and pursuit of more than 400,000 enemy soldiers, creating the military legend of the Four Crossings of the Chishui River.
The Four Crossings of the Chishui River Memorial Tower stands on the bank of the Chishui River.
During the first and second crossings, the Red Army maneuvered through Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan, disrupting the enemy's deployment. Later, during the third crossing at Maotai Town in Zunyi and nearby areas, the Red Army openly crossed the river in broad daylight, with one unit feigning as the main force advancing rapidly toward southern Sichuan. Meanwhile, the actual main force hid along the Chishui River. Taking advantage of the enemy's heavy troops surrounding southern Sichuan, the Red Army suddenly turned east, returned to Guizhou, and made the fourth crossing. They courageously advanced south across the Wujiang River, feigned an attack on Guiyang, lured the Yunnan army to reinforce, and then marched westward into Yunnan at a pace of 120 li per day. Finally, they cleverly crossed the Jinsha River and advanced into Sichuan. Without the mountain spirit of daring to ascend the heavens, how could they have traversed the towering mountains along the Chishui River?
This is just a microcosm of Guizhou's red legacy. Zunyi, Liping, Weng'an... the Red Army's footprints spread across more than 60 counties (cities, districts) in Guizhou, making it the province with the longest activity time and the widest range during the Long March. Today, Guizhou理所当然地成为 one of the key provinces in the "Long March National Cultural Park" initiative.
The Site of the Zunyi Conference, an essential destination for red tourism.
This spirit has always endured in the steps of the people of Guizhou. From the revolutionary era to the current "Golden Decade," the changes in Guizhou can be described as "groundbreaking"—
Gouba Village, where the famous "Gouba Conference" was held, is next to Huamao Village. In the past, Huamao Village was a "barren land" where "the wind outside was as strong as the wind inside." Today, it has become a popular "scenic check-in spot" due to its flourishing prosperity.
Today, Huamao Village presents a scene of prosperity.
Taijiang County in southeastern Guizhou gained overnight fame across the country with a "Village BA" basketball game involving tens of thousands of participants. Even Yao Ming expressed a desire to experience it firsthand, exclaiming, "From the looks of it, tickets are hard to come by. I'm not sure if I can get one."
In the past, Guizhou remained hidden among countless mountains and valleys. Today, it shines like a pearl, igniting the light and warmth of winter. The changes in life seen in every village and every place, the warmth steaming from hot springs in winter, the magnificent snowy landscapes on the plateau, and the vibrant nightlife are all testaments to the lively four-season life in Guizhou and the best portrayal of Guizhou as a winter treasure province.
Under the Guiyang Twin Towers, tradition and modernity blend.
Review Expert | Yang Qinye, Researcher at the Institute of Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zhang Yuqiong: "History of Academies in Guizhou," Confucius Academy Press, 2017
"Distribution, Development, Utilization, and Hot Spring Culture of Hot Springs in Southwest China during Historical Periods"
"Research on the Evaluation of Mountain Tourism Competitiveness in Guizhou Province"
November 18-25, explore the winter treasure province—Guizhou with "Authentic Fengwu"
Explore the Winter Treasure Province—Guizhou
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Toutiao@National Geographic of China Authentic Local