Losing My Phone in the "Pottery Capital of Jiangnan," But Gaining a Summer of Ceramic Bliss

📅 Hiking Diary of Yaohu Town 📍Location: Yixing, Jiangsu · Yaohu Town ("Hometown of Zisha Teapots," a millennium-old ceramic epic amidst lakes and mountains) ✨ Soul-stirring moment! When the blue smoke from the ancient dragon kiln drifted over the emerald Yaohu Lake, I forgot to breathe At 6 a.m., I stepped into the ancient dragon kiln ruins with dew underfoot. In the mist, the Ming Dynasty kiln suddenly revealed itself, with sparks glowing between its gray bricks and smoke intertwining with the morning fog over the lake. I fumbled for my phone to capture a time-lapse, only to have it snatched by a sudden sparrow and dropped into the kiln. But I laughed—this time, I remembered to bring my waterproof camera! 🏺 Immersive Pottery Carnival | Every lump of clay tells the legend of Zisha 1. Ancient Dragon Kiln (A living ceramic epic) ✅ Must-do: - Arrive before 6:30! Capture "kiln fire and morning fog" with a 0.5x wide-angle for maximum depth. - Learn pottery throwing from master craftsmen (¥50/hour) and make your own mini Zisha teapot. 🚗 Transport: Take the high-speed train from Wuxi to Yixing Station (¥15, 20 mins) → Taxi to the scenic area (¥30). 2. Yaohu Lake (A gentle yet stunning ink-wash painting) ✅ Hidden gems: - Rent a traditional boat (¥80/boat) and photograph "oars slicing through jade-green waters"—a ready-made Jiangnan ink painting. - Forage for wild gorgon fruit after rain (don’t eat it raw! Ask locals to identify safe varieties). 3. Ceramic Art Center (Eastern aesthetics at your fingertips) ✅ Legendary experiences: - Try "Zisha carving" (¥100/person), etching the Heart Sutra onto teapot blanks with bamboo knives. - Join the "kiln transformation blind box" (¥80) for a heart-pounding surprise when the kiln opens! 4. Tea Fragrance Trail (A healing escape where time stands still) ✅ Must-capture: - Wear a white dress and photograph the Yangxian Snow Bud tea fields, using slow shutter on your phone for swaying leaves. - Stumble upon tea farmers roasting leaves (bring a telephoto lens! But don’t disturb). 5. Stargazing Campsite (Where the Milky Way descends) ✅ Ultimate thrills: - Pitch a tent (¥80/tent) and photograph "Vega + Yaohu’s silhouette"—see the Milky Way with naked eyes! - At night, listen to "crickets and streams," recording nature’s white noise with your phone’s noise reduction. 🍜 Yixing Food Frenzy | The culprit behind my 5-pound weight gain in 3 days - Must-eat list: 1. Steamed black rice (¥25): Liyang black rice with salted pork, sweet and savory. 2. Braised pork with bamboo shoots (¥80): Yixing thunder bamboo shoots with free-range pork, rich and flavorful. 3. Tea tofu with wild greens (¥15): Yangxian Snow Bud tea tofu tossed with foraged vegetables, fresh and crisp. - Avoid: Overpriced "Zisha teapots" in tourist shops—custom orders at workshops are cheaper! 🛏️ Stay Recommendations | Sleep inside the scenery - Yaohu Homestay: Taoran Yunqi (¥680/night), floor-to-ceiling windows facing the lake, with complimentary freshly picked Yangxian tea. - Tea Culture Hotel: Chayin Retreat (¥480/night), tea fields outside your window, breakfast included. 💡 Pitfall Guide (Learned the hard way!) 1. Transport: - Taxi from Yixing Station to the scenic area should cost under ¥30—avoid unlicensed cars! - No signal in the scenic area! Download offline maps in advance. 2. Essentials: - ID, sunglasses (anti-glare), cash (some shops only accept cash). - Sports shoes! Expect 20,000+ steps daily. 3. Hidden gems: - Zhanggong Cave: Free photos of "karst formations + light play," even more stunning with a drone! - Hufu Old Street: Hike through ancient villages and stumble upon century-old persimmon trees (bring a telephoto lens!). 📸 Legendary Shots - Blue smoke from the ancient kiln (straight-out-of-camera! ISO100 + wide aperture for bokeh). - Reflections of traditional boats on Yaohu Lake, using your phone’s pro mode: ISO100, shutter speed 0.5s. 💰 3-day budget: Transport ¥100 + Accommodation ¥1,160 + Food ¥400 = ¥1,660 ✨ Ramblings Yaohu Town is truly "a ceramic utopia for city dwellers!" Though I lost my phone, the steamed black rice and starry skies healed everything～Next time, I’ll bring my parents for a week—pottery lessons, tea tasting, and sunrise views, living lazily spoiled by clay! (Also, I could eat tea tofu with wild greens forever!)