Huanjiang Maonan Autonomous County 环江毛南族自治县

Setting and landscape

The north and northeast belong to the Jiuwan Mountains (九万大山), part of the Miaoling range (苗岭), where most of the county's forest grows; the southwest is karst country. Four rivers rise in Guizhou and cross the county from north to south into the Long River (龙江): the Da Huanjiang (大环江), the Xiao Huanjiang (小环江), the Zhongzhou River (中洲河) and the Dagou River (打狗河), which separates Huanjiang from Nandan County (南丹县) on the west.

The county sits just north of the Tropic of Cancer. Mean temperatures are 19.9°C in the southern hills and 15.7°C in the northern mountains; about 1,750 mm of rain falls a year, 70 per cent of it between April and September. Two national nature reserves, Jiuwanshan (九万山) and Mulun Karst (木论喀斯特), lie within the county, and the Huanjiang karst is part of a World Natural Heritage site.

What to see

The Mulun Karst Eco-tourism Scenic Area (木论喀斯特生态旅游景区) lies in the southeast of the Mulun reserve at Chuanshan town (川山镇), 52 km from the county town. Visitors come for the butterfly gorge of the Gubin River (古宾河) and rafting through the gorge; the area was rated a national 4A scenic area in 2018.

The Niujiaozhai Waterfalls (牛角寨瀑布群) at Minglun town (明伦镇) string more than ten falls along a 3 km walking route. The county government singles out the Seven Fairies Waterfall (七仙女瀑布), which is 60 m wide and more than 50 m high and falls in seven streams. Other sights include the Zhongzhou River at Changmei (长美), nicknamed the "Little Li River" (小漓江), the Jiangse Gorge (江色峡谷), the Wenya sinkhole group (文雅天坑群), a Northern Song archway and the Xianan ancient tombs (下南古墓群).

Culture and local products

Maonan nuo (傩) songs, plays and dances have been handed down since the Song dynasty. The Maonan Feitao (肥套) ritual and the weaving of Maonan flower-bamboo hats (花竹帽) are on the national intangible heritage list, and the Maonan Fenlong Festival (分龙节) is counted among Guangxi's ten leading ethnic festival brands. The county's "five fragrant" (五香) products are Xiang cattle, Xiang pigs, fragrant rice, duck and mushrooms, and it is known nationally as a home of beef cattle.

Getting oriented

The county seat is Si'en town (思恩镇), 64 km from Yizhou District (宜州区), where the Hechi (河池) city government sits, and 48 km from Jinchengjiang District (金城江区). The Guiyang–Nanning high-speed railway, which stops in the county, opened on 31 August 2023.

Highlights

• Mulun Karst Eco-tourism Scenic Area 木论喀斯特生态旅游景区: Gubin River butterfly gorge and gorge rafting; national 4A scenic area since 2018.
• Niujiaozhai Waterfalls 牛角寨瀑布群: More than ten falls along a 3 km route at Minglun town, led by the seven-stream Seven Fairies Waterfall.
• Maonan flower-bamboo hat weaving 毛南族花竹帽编织技艺: National intangible cultural heritage item.
• Fenlong Festival 分龙节: Maonan festival counted among Guangxi's ten leading ethnic festival brands.