Lianshan Zhuang and Yao Autonomous County 连山壮族瑶族自治县

Setting and landscape

Forest covers 85.85% of the county, which the county government says has led Guangdong for years. The highest peak is Dawu Mountain (大雾山), nicknamed the "roof of Lingnan" in Guangdong. Farm products include organic rice, high-mountain tea, pomelos and fish raised in terraced fields, and Lianshan rice, Lianshan large-root ginger (连山大肉姜) and black goats carry national geographical-indication protection.

History

The county dates from 506, under the Liang dynasty, when it was created as Guangde (广德), "spreading virtue", with its seat below Zhongshan (钟山) at today's Guxianping (古县坪) in Jitian town (吉田镇). It took the name Lianshan in 601, chosen to avoid the personal name of the crown prince, Yang Guang (杨广). In 1816 the Qing raised it to the Lianshan Suiyao sub-prefecture (连山绥瑶直隶厅), and the seat moved to Yonghe (永和) in 1946. The State Council decided in 1958 to make it a Zhuang and Yao autonomous county, but that November it was merged with neighbouring counties and the plan was not carried out; the autonomous county was formally set up on 26 September 1962. It has been part of Qingyuan since January 1988.

What to see

The Oujia Terraces (欧家梯田) surround Oujia village in Taibao town (太保镇) on the lower slopes of Dawu Mountain, between 400 and 800 m. More than 1,000 mu of fields form an M shape around the village, which the county government describes as the largest terraces in Guangdong; the eastern section is the place for sunrise, the western for sunset. The county also has the Jinzishan (金子山) national 4A scenic area.

Festivals include the Sanyuesan (三月三) song fair, the Ox King's birthday (牛王诞) on the 8th day of the fourth lunar month, and Qiyuexiang (七月香), the Zhuang water festival. Around noon on the 7th day of the seventh lunar month, when Zhuang tradition holds that the Milky Way's water joins the rivers, people of all ages wash and play in the river, and vinegar made that day is said to keep especially well. For the Ox King's birthday Zhuang families steam five-colour glutinous rice (五色糯米饭), dyed black, purple, red and yellow with plant juices such as maple leaf and left white for the fifth colour.

Highlights

• Oujia Terraces 欧家梯田: Over 1,000 mu of terraces at 400-800 m below Dawu Mountain in Taibao town; described by the county as Guangdong's largest.
• Qiyuexiang water festival 七月香壮家戏水节: Zhuang river-bathing festival on the 7th day of the seventh lunar month.
• Five-colour glutinous rice 五色糯米饭: Steamed for the Ox King's birthday; dyed with maple-leaf and other plant juices.
• Lianshan large-root ginger 连山大肉姜: National geographical-indication product.