铜仁市

Why this place

Tongren is the base for Fanjing Mountain, a UNESCO site whose summit is a split rock pinnacle with two temples on top — one of the most striking religious sites in China, and an important mountain for Chinese Buddhism.

What to see

• Fanjing Mountain's Red Cloud Golden Summit — the split rock with a temple on each half, at 2,300m
• The Miao and Tujia villages of the surrounding valleys
• The Jinjiang and the old towns of the Wujiang river country
• The Tongren ancient city and the Dong villages east

What to eat

• Guizhou cooking with a strong sour note; Tongren is known for its 'lujiao' and its rice tofu
• The local 'shefan' (community feast) tradition of the Miao

Best time

April–June and September–October

Practical tips

• Fanjing is a serious climb with cable car option; book the mountain shuttle in advance in peak seasons