Yaoli Ancient Town – The Quiet Escape from Downtown
Yaoli Ancient Town – The Quiet Escape from Downtown About 50 kilometers northeast of Jingdezhen, Yaoli looks like a traditional Chinese painting made real. The town sits along a river in a valley. Old buildings with white walls and gray roofs line both banks. Several stone bridges connect the two sides. The best activity is simply walking. Follow the river path up from the bridge. Watch local women wash vegetables in the current. Buy fresh tofu from a village stall. Listen to cicadas in the trees. A day trip is enough. Most visitors book a car through their hotel for 300–500 RMB and combine Yaoli with Dongbu Ancient Wharf and Hanxi Village in one loop. Dongbu Wharf used to be the main port for shipping kaolin clay out of the mountains. The old stone dock and surrounding buildings are still there, preserved but not overly restored. Yaoli has no entrance fee. Come in the morning before the tour buses arrive, and you might have the stone bridges almost to yourself.