Jinligou (Huangpi)

Tujia-Miao ethnic culture area (stilt houses + "Jinligou" live-action performance). A scenic area of Tujia and Miao ethnic flavor in northern Huangpi, said to be where descendants of Tusi (native chieftains) from western Hubei settled in the Wuhan area during the Qing Yongzheng era's "gaitu guiliu" reforms; Tujia stilt-house clusters scatter along the stream through the hills, a rare Tujia-Miao cultural settlement landscape in Central China. Set around canyon streams, the area lays out wind-and-rain bridges, stilt houses and restored Tusi fortress buildings along the water; the folk performance "Jinligou" is staged in a valley theater, with the hand-waving dance and interactive crying-marriage wedding customs drawing visitors in; the mountain boardwalks are gentle and the stream waters shallow, with summer water play and autumn red leaves as the two golden seasons. About 1.5 hours' drive from downtown Wuhan and convenient by car, it can be combined with Mulan Tianchi into a two-day northern Huangpi route, and the nighttime Tujia bonfire party makes an overnight stay worthwhile.

Getting there: Huangpi, self-drive