The charm of Shicheng is in late autumn. Maple leaves are ablaze. Morning mist hangs around the tree trunks. Red leaves are faintly visible in the morning mist. Coupled with the smoke from villagers’ cooking fires and burning tea-oil shells in the morning, it forms a dreamlike fairyland. Every year from mid-to-late November, this place becomes a paradise for countless photography enthusiasts. Shicheng is the name of a mountain. It is located in Gutang Township (now merged into Dazhangshan Township) in the northwest of Wuyuan County. It is called Shicheng Mountain on the Wuyuan tourism map. At the foot of the mountain is the Lingyan National Forest Park. There are two villages distributed on the mountain, named Cheng Village and Dai Village respectively. Dai Village and Cheng Village are separated by a small hillside. There are ancient maples dotted behind the village. The autumn scenery of the two villages has its own characteristics. After taking photos of the sunrise and dawn in Shicheng, you can stroll around the village.
Photography Tips: 1. Generally, choose to take photos on the small hillside behind the village, shooting against the backlight or side backlight. For shooting Dai Village, you can choose to take overhead shots from the top of the hillside between the two villages. The smoke coming from Cheng Village drifts to Dai Village in waves. It is also picturesque when shooting. 2. The recommended shooting time is from early November to early December. Mid-to-late November is very suitable. Looking at a day, 6:30 to 8:30 in the morning is the recommended shooting time. When arriving in the morning, the morning mist has not risen yet, only a little. The sun generally rises between 7:00 and 7:15. After the sun comes out, the morning mist and cooking smoke start to move. Maybe just one to two minutes later, at the same location, there will be different picture effects. 3. Walk to the right along the small hillside and keep going around behind the village. The light will change from backlight to side backlight, and there will be different effects. However, during the peak tourist period, it may be difficult to find a good position because good positions are all filled with people, and the set-up tripods are as dense as a forest. Opening Hours: Open all year round, all day. Preferential Policies: Children: Free for those under 1.2 meters (excluding) in height; discounted for those between 1.2 meters (including) and 1.5 meters (excluding) in height. Seniors: Free for those aged 65 years old (including) and above with valid certificates; discounted for those aged 60 years old (including) to 65 years old (excluding) with valid certificates. Students: Discounted for full-time undergraduate students (including) and below with student ID cards. Disabled people: Free with valid certificates. Active servicemen: Free with valid certificates. Tour guides: Free for those holding a tour leader certificate, a Wuyuan tour guide certificate (interpretation certificate), a valid national tour guide IC card (national tour guide certificate) for official business. Free for those holding a national travel agency general manager qualification certificate. Journalists: Free for those holding a press card issued by a provincial-level or above press and publication administration or radio, film and television administration. Drivers: Free for those holding a Class A1 driver’s license for transporting passengers (for official business). Artists: Free for those holding provincial-level or above painter or photographer certificates. Service Facilities: Parking Lot: [Shicheng Scenic Area Parking Lot]. Reference price: charged. Address: At the entrance of the ticket pick-up office of Shicheng Scenic Area. Parking spaces: 70. Must-see Tips: In Shicheng, both Dai Village and Cheng Village have farmhouses available for accommodation. During the peak period, it is best to book accommodation in Changxi and Shicheng in advance.
