Farmhouse leisure tourism is one of the highlights in Deqing. In Mount Mogan, "western-style farmhouses" have become a fashion label. What amazes people is that there are numerous low-carbon details here. In order to reduce carbon emissions, they try not to bring furniture and building materials from outside: in the yard, the large beams taken down from old houses are split in half to become long tables; the bar covered with straw is entirely built with stacks of old beer bottles, adding a unique charm; common clay jars are scattered by the wall, serving as ashtrays; the most creative use is the pig troughs from farmhouses, where a drain hole has been drilled underneath, turning it into a double sink for hand washing.
Zhu Jiaqiang, the captain of Hangzhou Liangyou Team, is one of the representatives. Members of this team range from young guys to elders over 70 years old. Zhu said that the small mountains, rivers, and bamboo groves of Deqing give off an elegant feeling. The environment and accommodation conditions in Deqing are excellent, and it's only 50 kilometers away from Hangzhou, making it very convenient to come and go. More importantly, the western mountainous area of Deqing is extremely suitable for cycling, with flat roads as well as some slopes, which is highly attractive to cyclists. Since the first Zhejiang Ring Cycling Event in 2006, the members of the Liangyou Team became addicted to coming to Deqing, organizing activities such as exploring Biku Valley, cycling from Xiadu Lake to Mount Mogan, and touring the ancient town of Xinshi to taste mutton and yellow wine. Deqing has become their training base and leisure base, and they visit more than ten times every year.
Mount Mogan today has become the trendsetter for Deqing’s "low-carbon tourism." As Director Yao Haigen of Deqing County Tourism Bureau said, through developing outdoor sports projects like cycling, Deqing is gradually revealing its "ambition" to build an international resort tourism platform around the Mount Mogan Scenic Area. By grasping the low-carbon tourism economy, Deqing will further promote its brand of "Famous Mountains, Wetlands, Leisure Deqing."
In fact, leisure vacations and cycling in Mount Mogan have also become a lifestyle for the local people of Deqing. There is a club named after Mount Mogan - the Mount Mogan Cycling Club. The "Mount Mogan Bicycle Outdoor Activities Forum" opened by Deqing cycling enthusiasts is one of the most active sections on the cycling website. Deqing has also seen the emergence of teams like Giant Bicycle Community and Shunda Progressive Team, with more people joining this happy, healthy, environmentally-friendly, and harmonious sport.
Hangzhou residents love to visit Deqing, this "backyard garden," on weekends. Especially after the discount measures using Hangzhou Citizen Cards at Deqing scenic spots were introduced, it attracted even more people. Among these visitors, a group of outdoor enthusiasts stands out particularly.
In Laoling Village, there is a small village called "Sanjiuwu". In 2008, a South African young man named Gao Tiancheng rented several mud-brick houses from farmers, and after some personal modifications, turned them into distinctive "western-style farmhouses".
Here, the "western-style farmhouses" do not have air conditioners or gas stoves. Fans are used in summer, and fireplaces installed in each room provide heat in winter. They burn locally-made wood chips compressed from waste wood. Rainwater is collected in front of the house in a reservoir and must be reused. Garbage needs to be sorted, and leaves, apple peels, etc., are buried underground...