Picking mushrooms and pine cones on the forest trail | Eating vegetarian food at Jizhao Temple after hiking

Teacher Wanwan is very professional, with an eye for discovering all kinds of hidden mushrooms. She also took us to experience silver powder shell ferns, which was a lot of fun!

We older folks only walked the small loop, while the children took the big loop. Sure enough, there were greater rewards on the big loop!

The first time experiencing the Cang Mountain Hiking Family project was picking pine cones with Swallow and having vegetarian meals at Shuzhao Nunnery. Along the way, it was clear that Swallow truly loves nature and hiking. Coming from the city, we were constantly amazed by what we saw. Swallow patiently explained the plants we encountered in a gentle tone. We picked pine cones and sorted pine nuts, and enjoyed a delicious afternoon tea. At that moment, I thought to myself, 'What a heavenly life!' In the end, we finished with two large bags of pine cones!

This time, I experienced a day with the Xipo people. I am grateful to have met the two leaders, Xiaochun and Tailor. I must praise the guides from Cang Mountain Hiking Family; they are all-round talents. From the beginning until the end, they were full of positive energy, providing great emotional value! The food at the mountain village was also very tasty and comfortable to eat. I look forward to coming back to Dali after the peak season to tour with all the guides again!

I've participated in two projects so far, and both were extremely satisfying.

Originally, I registered my child for an independent summer camp, but then I thought about how wonderful the climate in Dali is. I actually wanted to be in nature myself, so I chose to go with my child. This choice was absolutely wise!!

Together, we followed Zhenhao and Wanwan up the mountain to gather fungi. Along the way, Zhenhao and Wanwan taught us a lot, including information about some small plants, mosses, and lichens. After a few hours, I even felt that time passed too quickly, and I was reluctant to leave, not feeling tired at all.

Captain Cihang speaks softly but conveys strength. He is very patient in his guidance, calm yet naturally inspiring with his words and simple truths. The children loved him and were very happy.

I didn't want to try it, but Captain Cihang and my daughter encouraged me to give it a shot. Surprisingly, after just a short stint as a little captain, I felt one with nature, feeling the wind and learning how to balance with it. I think there will definitely be a sequel between sailing and me...

Cang Mountain Fungi Diary
Today, we hiked with the Cang Mountain Hiking Family and kept a mountain rendezvous with mushrooms. Our guides were two wonderful girls, Zhen and Wanwan, who led us along wild trails, picking pine cones, identifying plants, and accompanied by a little dog named Zha Mao wagging its tail. Amidst the rustling footsteps, there was a lot of fuzzy joy.

Stopping halfway to rest, the mountain breeze brought the scent of tea and fruit. The guide spread out a picnic cloth, and we sat around it, watching sunlight filter through the leaves creating spots of light, listening to the mingling of insect sounds and laughter, suddenly understanding the true meaning of 'stealing half a day's leisure from a busy life.'

The most moving part of this journey was encountering various types of fungi. They hide among decaying leaves and crevices, some wrapped in starry, vibrant colors, others oozing milky white sap when their skin is peeled, and some holding secret toxins, guarding the codes of survival in the shadows.

In the past, I always thought filling a basket was necessary to not feel like it was a waste, but after hearing the guide talk so much, I developed a sense of reluctance—originally, the moment the fungal cap opens is both the starting point for spores to travel with the wind and the countdown to the end of life. In that instant, I suddenly understood that these silent fungi are no different from us; we all strive to complete the cycle of life within our limited time: plants stretch their branches and leaves, animals busily search for food, humans chase meaning, and mushrooms nourish this forest in their own way, decomposing life and death, maintaining balance.

Along the mountain path, we occasionally passed by local family gravesites. The guides said that people here don’t visit graves in a somber ritual; instead, they bring wine, food, and card games, sitting around and chatting at the resting places of their loved ones, like a gathering that transcends life and death. Their calm acceptance of death made the mountain breeze feel gentler.

On the way down the mountain, the basket held a few carefully selected fungi, but my heart felt more fulfilled than if it had been filled to the brim. The best encounters are never about greedy possession but about careful selection—understanding which should remain in the mountains to continue life and which can be lightly picked to share flavors at home, and appreciating the perseverance of each fungus and the dignity of every life. With this reverence and harmony with nature, we bid a gentle farewell, looking forward to meeting again in the mountain breeze next time.

Summer vacation brought me back to Dali again, and this time I participated in two projects. Both were excellent, offering very complete experiences.

The first was a hike led by Zhenhao, with assistant leaders being two little dogs named Frizzy and Steamed Egg. The entire journey was less than five kilometers with an elevation gain of about three hundred meters. Finally, we had vegetarian meals at Jizhao Nunnery, which the children really enjoyed.

The second was paddleboarding led by Paris. He drove his tank for about forty-five minutes to the campsite. We paddled for about two and a half hours, and falling into the water was a lot of fun. Our family of three progressed from sitting and paddling to standing and paddling. On the way back, we ate at a delicious Hui restaurant, and we plan to come play again next time.

Oh yes, it was recommended by a friend. They don’t have a physical store, but we wanted to visit the store anyway. When we arrived at the address, we found there was no physical store. Hahaha! Handmade thumbs up, see you next time.

A gift from Cang Mountain: a four-hour, five-kilometer deep mountain wild trail hike guided by a leader who helped us collect a basketful of fungi: Gaultheria fragrantissima, Polyporus tuberaster, Roscoea praecox, Boletus edulis, Amanita rubescens, Undetermined species of mushrooms, Pteris multifida, Amanita pantherina, Suillus luteus, Lactarius volemus, Amorphophallus, ferns. We also picked up white pheasant feathers and porcupine quills, saw raccoons and squirrels, and ended a meaningful day with a vegetarian meal. Leaving behind the dry textbooks, we entered nature and felt its essence.

We signed up for four projects in total at Cang Mountain Hiking Home. First, we spent two days doing crafts at the Coffee Nature Handicraft Studio at the foot of the mountain. We made a mushroom lamp and a fruit butterfly, which the children absolutely loved. Teachers Li Zhenhao and A Gu were both excellent and very patient in teaching the kids how to make crafts. We also met other children doing crafts and made plans to go hiking together next time! The coffee and drinks at Teacher Li Zhenhao's shop were delicious, especially the plum drink—super liked it!

On the third day, we signed up for a trip to Cang Mountain to collect pine cones and have vegetarian meals at Jizhao Nunnery. Along the way, we collected lots of pine cones and many fern leaves with our fellow hikers. Throughout the journey, Li Zhenhao kept introducing us to various plants—very professional indeed! We even encountered squirrels on the path, and our guide brought a lot of fruits, snacks, pastries, and even hot tea! Everyone sat on the ground, enjoying snacks, drinking tea, and chatting happily. Although we had just met, we all felt so joyful! The kids loved it! At 5 PM, we had vegetarian food at Jizhao Nunnery, which was really delicious; my child ate a whole big bowl by himself!!!

On the fourth day, we went to Shaxi. Our guide He Chen took us to Shaxi Ancient Town to taste some delicious local specialties. In the afternoon, we climbed Shizhong Mountain to see the Tang Dynasty grottoes. The itinerary was perfectly arranged, with few people along the way, and the scenery was breathtakingly beautiful! The kids loved the history of the grottoes explained by the guide! That night, we stayed at a comfortable homestay on the mountain. Sitting around the campfire, roasting marshmallows, and chatting was truly delightful! In summary, after following the itinerary for several days, all the guides were extremely professional and super nice!! After returning home, my child said he wanted to go back during summer vacation, and we are planning to try other activities then!! Highly recommend guides Li Zhenhao and He Chen!! Hope they will lead again next time!~

In Dali, climbing Cang Mountain is the real deal.
Following the guide on a small hike to pick up pine cones, touching and collecting things along the way,
Happy like little animals (novice version).
Yanzi kept telling me the names and stories of various plants along the way,
Medicinal, edible, or eating something that could land you in the ICU...
Here, wind, sun, and rain treat everything and everyone equally,
Getting wet and being watered are the same thing,
Being wrinkled by the wind and smoothed out are also the same thing,
Wind-swept and sunburnt, fluttering freely.

While climbing the mountain, I truly felt,
Restoring the sense of touch is the first step to restoring life.
Next, continue playing.