I have always been passionate about discovering off-the-beaten-path and niche travel destinations. This time, I highly recommend an amazing place:
📍Root Carving Buddha Land in Kaihua County, Quzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
You may not have heard of it before, but it is a 5A-level scenic spot, known as the “World’s Most Unique Park.” However, due to its low profile, many people are unaware of this hidden gem. So, even during holidays, there aren’t many tourists here, and you don’t need to worry about crowds.
The Unique Charm of Root Culture
Root Carving Buddha Land is the only tourist area in the world with a root culture theme. There are numerous root carving works here, perfectly integrating the art of root carving with Buddhist culture, creating a place with both cultural heritage and artistic appeal.
Expansive Gardens and Ancient Architecture
This place features vast gardens and ancient architecture, including pavilions, ancient bridges, flowing water, and lakes. The entire scenic area is filled with the charm of ink-wash painting-like Jiangnan (south of the Yangtze River) landscapes. You can easily capture stunning photos wherever you point your camera.
Holiday Activities
When we visited, we happened to catch the rehearsal for the May Day celebrations, with various Hanfu (traditional Chinese clothing) and martial arts cosplay that were absolutely beautiful. We heard that there will also be Jin Yong martial arts character role-playing activities during the holidays. Hanfu enthusiasts should not miss this opportunity!
Recommended Tour Route
We recommend entering from the South Gate and visiting the following attractions in order: Qingmei Garden, Buddhist Culture Root Carving Art Museum, Drunken Root Pagoda, Drunken Scenery Garden (Glass Walkway), Chinese Culture Root Carving Art Museum, Opera Stage, and Children’s Park, finally exiting from the North Gate. This entire route, appreciating root carvings, enjoying the scenery, and taking beautiful photos, will take about 4 hours. If your physical strength is not sufficient, you may need to set aside more time.
Must-See Check-in Points
Drunken Root Pagoda: The iconic building of the scenic area, with 13 floors and a height of 79 meters, it is truly stunning. The underground level of the pagoda exhibits rare wood species from around the world and root carving works by master artists.
Cloud Lake Zen Mind: A lake among the mountains, shrouded in clouds and mist when it rains, as if it were a fairyland. Photos taken here are absolutely beautiful.
Root Carving Buddha Land: Showcasing the essence of Buddhist culture, the three main halls display various Buddha statue root carvings. The largest one is the Sakyamuni Buddha, weighing over 40 tons, along with the magnificent Five Hundred Arhat root carvings.
Chinese Culture Root Carving Art Museum: In addition to interesting root carving works, there are also unique courtyards and garden landscapes, perfect for taking photos in ancient costumes and Hanfu.
Transportation Guide
By car: Navigate to “Root Carving Buddha Land” to arrive.
By bullet train: Arrive at “Kaihua Station” and then take a taxi to the destination.
By high-speed rail: Arrive at “Quzhou Station,” then transfer to the Kaihua Special Line (about 1 hour) to reach the destination.
Travel Tips
In addition to the beautiful scenery, Kaihua also has numerous delicious foods, such as Kaihua Qigao (a type of rice cake), Qingshui fish, Qingshen (a type of river snail), and Longding tea. You can’t go wrong with any restaurant.
Note: Dogs are not allowed.
