If you bring children to Dali, you must arrange a hiking trip on Cang Mountain—it's so much fun! The entire route is off the beaten path, and you can see two self-made shelters. We also collected a lot of pine needles and found some wood to further improve the shelters. Along the way, we encountered many plants we had never seen before. It was the first time I learned about the plant called 'Lǐ Bái' (Japanese Wood Fern). We even made handicraft pendants using fresh pine needles, getting close to nature and breathing freely.
The guide, Swallow, was excellent and patient, answering all the kids’ questions. She also brought delicious snacks and fruits, which was great! She even taught us how to make pendants using pine needles.
Having participated in three hiking events, this beekeeping journey undoubtedly became the top favorite for our two kids and gave me a surprise far beyond expectations.
Beekeeper Chunyu’s explanations were vivid and lively, turning the world of bees into a real-life version of an insect swarm story from 'Love, Death & Robots'—mysterious, orderly, and full of vitality. From the social division of labor within the colony, the queen's mission, to the worker bees’ dedication to collecting nectar, he narrated eloquently while we listened intently. The kids, wide-eyed throughout, were completely immersed in this small yet grand insect kingdom.
What shocked the children the most was seeing the complete metamorphosis of a bee from egg, larva to adult through a microscope, and witnessing up close the moment a tiny life emerges from its cocoon. The awe of personally touching nature and witnessing the growth of life is something books and screens can never provide. Tasting raw honey freshly taken from the hive on-site, with its sweet and rich flavor carrying the fragrance of wildflowers, one bite captures the purest taste of nature from Cang Mountain.
This event was more than just a visit; it was a vivid lesson in nature. It allowed children to see the wonders of life with their own eyes and feel the order and beauty of nature. It also gave us a chance to slow down our busy lives and truly understand the gentleness of a bee, a forest. Thanks to beekeeper Chunyu for this special surprise. Such a warm, educational, and memorable activity deserves to be cherished by every family. Highly recommended!
The winter Cang Mountain is still predominantly a dry yellow tone. The scenery along the way cannot be described as beautiful, and the route isn’t particularly difficult either. However, after climbing high and looking at the distant mountains, Erhai Lake, and white residential buildings with upturned eaves, it felt quite novel. Hidden mini-tasks like watching horsetails turn green and searching for porcupine quills added a wild charm to the journey.
Upon first meeting Teacher Phoebe, she appeared small in stature, carrying a large basket on her back, speaking softly. Inside were small insects collected for observation and later release, snacks and tea for picnics, and various tools needed for making notes. The load was definitely not light, but compared to the vast amount of plant and animal knowledge stored in Teacher Phoebe’s mind, it wasn’t much.
At the beginning of the observation journey, I was deeply attracted by Teacher Phoebe's natural notes and decided to leave a special note during this trip as well. However, with limited time, poor drawing skills, and not-so-good memory, coupled with the extremely rich content introduced by Teacher Phoebe along the way, this natural note turned out to be messy but also quite unique!
After the journey ended, Teacher Phoebe was still finding in the group chat some plants and animals we regretfully missed during the trip. I don't know how many times she has walked this route repeatedly, but from her shared texts, she still appears to be highly interested and tireless. After starting work, I always felt like I was doing what I should do rather than what I am interested in. In the evening, reviewing the photos posted in the group, my friend and I were the only two adults taking notes, attentively listening and recording. We lamented that it had been a long time since we studied so hard. During the subsequent journey, whenever we saw plants like the large green tree, stone chili, and nasturtium on the road, we would review our knowledge points.
In our textbooks, we teach children to learn to observe, but we rarely engage in true observation ourselves. When I personally saw the meticulous camouflage of the stick insect and interacted with it closely, I truly became interested in it. As an adult, I belatedly began to cultivate the ability to patiently observe, following Teacher Phoebe for an authentic nature class. Where are the magical plants and animals? Back in daily life, the knowledge points in the notes may be forgotten, but this wonderful feeling will be renewed every time I interact with nature.
An extremely satisfying experience. Each activity has a limit on the number of participants and is conducted in small groups. We went into nature, collected plants with the teacher, did nature dyeing together, and chatted by the stream. It was very pleasant and enjoyable, and the children were especially happy and satisfied. We will definitely sign up for more activities from this organizer—highly recommended!
Day 3 in Yunnan ⃣ Lijiang Yongsheng County Jinsha River Paddleboarding
This is a journey deep into natural lakes and rivers. It can be a youthful dive; it can also be lying freely on a floating board looking up at the blue sky, going with the flow.
Yesterday, I met a sister from Xi'an in the group chat. We share the same interests, so we happily set off! Even more delightful is that Xiao Li is leading the team again~
Traveling light, pre-paddle training, returning to the mindset of a student, I listened very attentively because I can't swim and am afraid of water. I tried hard to remember, but I only retained one point: keep your body centered on the paddleboard. Xiao Li was right; even if he explains a lot, you won't remember it all, but the more you paddle, the better you'll get. The key is your mindset; as long as you're not panicked, you won't fall into the water. His teaching approach was very clear and effectively eased my nervousness, 'There are three things protecting you: the life jacket on your body, the paddleboard under your feet, and me. So you are safe, and you need to tell yourself that you are safe.'
Alright, alright peace peace... Just like that, I smoothly got onto the paddleboard. After practicing paddling for just two rounds, I quickly got the hang of it and started paddling towards the opposite shore.
'Look at the water surface; where there are bubbles underneath, there are small fish.' 'All the green on the opposite mountain is Wogan (a type of citrus fruit).' 'About twenty meters underwater, there is a city submerged due to a water conservancy project.' 'Look in the direction you want to paddle; this way, you won't veer off course.' 'The Jinsha River is at its most beautiful this season, and the water surface is very calm. Most importantly, there are Wogan fruits to eat!' Little Li kept talking like this while not forgetting to take pictures for us, 'You bumped into me, but it's okay, just don't bump into Xiao Zhou~' 'There are only three of us on the river surface, isn't that awesome!'
With a completely relaxed mindset, I felt the flowing water, the bubbles beneath, the dead wood in the water, and the distant mountains. When I lay flat on the paddleboard, it felt as if I was about to fall into a deep sleep... The journey there went like this: paddle for a while, rest for a while, and after an hour, we reached the shore. We climbed over the gravel and took a rest at a farmhouse near the shore, casually picking some Wogan fruits, which were incredibly fresh and delicious! After eating braised pork rice and taking a short rest, we started paddling back, fearing the wind would pick up in the afternoon.
Strictly following the 'master's' teachings, I didn’t dare slack off at all on the return journey, paddling hard against the wind. Unexpectedly, everything went smoothly, and we reached the shore~ Xiao Zhou played diving, saying it was bone-chillingly cold and she might cramp soon, but hey, we've swum in the Jinsha River!
I've been longing for paddleboarding for a long time, and today my wish finally came true. Although I'm afraid of water and timid, I couldn't help but yearn for it. The night before, I was repeatedly torn between anxiety and anticipation. Fortunately, Coach Xiao Li gave detailed guidance, and I stuck to the rhythm, not rushing or showing off. Although I couldn't stand up, I completed my first paddleboarding experience without falling into the water, and it was in the wild Jinsha River~ As mentioned in the introduction—'As for paddleboarding skills, they are entirely unimportant. If you paddle comfortably and smoothly, enjoying the freedom in nature, that’s the most suitable way for you to participate.'
The gentle breeze and calm water make the heart quiet, evoking an irresistible urge to hum
The tempura van tour we participated in was led by the very gentle and talkative Xiao Jing, making the entire journey especially relaxing and enjoyable. This activity is perfect for those with average physical strength who are foodies that love delicious foods. Not only did Xiao Jing treat us to tasty milk popsicles and milk, but she also took us around the village market in Eryuan, which was fresh and interesting!
After arriving at the hidden paradise of Eryuan, we walked through the ancient forest, picked some beautiful plants and wild vegetables, and Xiao Jing introduced each of them to us by name. The highlight was the plant dyeing and tempura made from the wild vegetables — absolutely irresistible! Eating, drinking, and chatting under the sun was just wonderful. Our time in Dali was too short to experience more activities, but I sincerely recommend this fun organization. Everyone will surely find a suitable project and create beautiful memories in Dali!
We love all the activities organized by Cang Mountain Hiking Family. This is the third time I’ve joined their event today.
Today, I participated in the countryside bread van dyeing activity. Sister Xiaojing was gentle and meticulous. She not only introduced various plants during the activity and helped plan the design of patterns, but she also introduced different landscapes along the way while driving. Not only were there various fruits to taste, but freshly fried tempura was also available. She was especially friendly to my puppy. Lastly, the photos she took were very beautiful.
At the foot of Cang Mountain, I participated in a nature observation hiking trip.
Children seem to naturally have an interest in plants, animals, and insects. They kept their heads down searching along the way, full of surprises at every turn. Everyone smelled flowers and tasted leaves, slowly entering the mountain for the first time, carefully observing those small lives that had been overlooked before: stick insects, ladybugs, grasshoppers, and many other nameless insects. The world suddenly became tangible and vivid.
Our leader this time, Phoebe, is a freelance translator of Japanese, French, and English who has translated and published many books about nature and plants, constantly moving between different cultures. Our fellow participant, Teacher Xiangyang, originally from Hunan, chose to reside in Dali after working in Beijing for over twenty years, helping everyone rediscover those often-overlooked presences. Following them felt like opening a door to a world we've never stepped into before.
The children gently placed the captured little animals into boxes, put the picked flowers and fruits into bags, and washed stones by a surprisingly discovered natural spring, as if collecting fragments of nature. With the mountain breeze blowing, everything slowed down.
I suddenly realized that besides constantly moving forward, we might also need the ability to pause and take a look amidst the ordinary. We can focus on our journey while also being able to calmly feel the four seasons and all living things.
Work hard, play hard. Explore the world outwardly but don't forget to give yourself some time to slow down.
