A few months ago, a friend mentioned that there were several high-altitude meadows behind their village, with beautiful scenery right by the roadside, perfect for camping. We finally made it to Fengshan Village on a weekend with changeable weather during the rainy season. Guided by our friend, we took a gravel road leading deep into the mountains behind the village, where the alpine meadows were scattered in the forest along the road. Sunlight occasionally broke through the drifting clouds, with white and dark clouds alternating frequently, always hanging over our heads. Waiting for a perfectly clear day seemed unlikely, so on this cool summer day, poised between rain and shine, we decided to explore the mountains behind the village, searching for forest meadows unknown to outsiders. As soon as we stepped onto the mountain path used only by herders and livestock, I knew that no matter the weather, the scenery ahead would not disappoint.
There is a primary school in Fengshan Village, and the gravel road leading to the forest meadows behind the village starts downhill from the school. Driving less than a kilometer along this gravel road, you can park in an open area by the roadside and walk a few hundred meters to reach the forest meadows. Unlike the Qingyun Meadow in Ma'anshan Township, the meadows and forests in Fengshan Village have no clear boundary; they alternate along the roadside. The meadows are dotted with trees of varying heights, and the forests are interspersed with grasslands of different shapes and sizes. Due to the steep terrain, the forest meadows on both sides of this narrow mountain path appear terraced, resembling man-made rice paddies, yet they are entirely natural. The meadows are not very expansive, but because of the numerous ravines, the area is more abundant in water than elsewhere. Streams flow down from deep and shallow gullies, making the grasslands even more lush and diverse.
Fengshan Village is a large village with over 120 households, but few villagers venture into these forest meadows behind the village. We spent an entire afternoon there and only encountered four or five villagers walking alone, driving their cattle and sheep deeper into the mountains. I thought that in the distance we hadn't reached, there must be more unknown paradises, familiar to the cattle, sheep, and herders, a haven for trees and wild grass. The forest meadows of Fengshan Village are only 23 kilometers from Weishan Ancient City, and the hiking route is just about two or three kilometers. Not far from the ancient city, yet far from the hustle, only cattle, sheep, and herders remain.
We sat on a relatively flat and open meadow to camp. Here, the opposite mountain was close at hand, like a surging green waterfall, and the birds in the jungle seemed to sing right by our ears. Standing at the edge of the meadow, we could see a corner of the low Weishan basin beyond the mountains. A small herd of yellow cattle and black goats, driven by a herder, quickly crossed the ravine at the edge of our sight, moving from the dense forest into a sloping meadow to graze leisurely. More grasslands scattered in the forest emerged, radiating a desirable tranquility. Large wind turbines on the mountain peaks appeared and disappeared in the clouds, their blades turning slowly and heavily, emitting a loud whooshing sound that echoed throughout the village.
A sudden downpour trapped us under a small canopy for a full half hour. We sat quietly, letting the raindrops surround us, densely sieving onto the canopy above. After half an hour, we were rewarded with a brief clearing. Waves of refreshing air washed over us. At that moment, only endless tranquility surged in the soft air; any movement or words would be like stones in a shallow stream, hindering the smooth flow. We sat in the rain, silently keeping pace with the mountains. Wisps of mist occasionally rose from the opposite jungle, as if from a hidden dwelling deep in the dense forest. Cattle and sheep appeared among them, but no herder was visible—perhaps sheltering under a thick tree.
In June, the forest meadows of Fengshan Village are resplendent. Forget-me-nots dominate these small, natural meadows, fresh and lovely. They cherish this season's wilderness more than anyone, silently waiting in the untamed wild, following behind passersby, seeing them off.
Dark clouds loomed overhead, but before the rain fell, an elderly woman from the village came along the path beside the meadow, accompanied by a puppy about two or three months old. The puppy sometimes ran ahead of its owner, sometimes lagged behind to play, heading deep into the mountains, soon disappearing from sight. About ten minutes later, the woman returned to the village carrying a bundle of firewood, with the puppy happily trotting alongside, never leaving. Passing by us strangers twice, it only glanced curiously, barked alertly once, then treated us as invisible, following its owner as usual, carefree and happy.
