Chengcun's black-and-white Hui-style houses covered in mist with the backdrop of green mountains. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Meanwhile, autumn is also the harvest time for chrysanthemum in Wuyuan. At that time, villagers pick the flowers and dry them in a large oven rather than in the sun, to keep their original shape. Chrysanthemums are then packed separately in small bags, making them easy to carry. Teashops are ubiquitous in Wuyuan's villages and shop owners put flower in a glass and add hot water to make a fragrant tea.

It takes about seven hours from Beijing to Wuyuan by train, thanks to the Hefei-Fuzhou High-speed Railway unveiled this summer. The route is dubbed the most beautiful high-speed line in the country because it connects the capital with picturesque destinations in southern China such as the Wuyi Mountains in Fujian province and the Huangshan Mountains in Anhui province.

If you go

There are four round-trip trains between Beijing and Wuyuan every day. It's convenient to reach the county by high-speed train or car from neighboring Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces and Shanghai. It's better to take a bus or taxi to go from one scenic spot to another because they're scattered around the county.