A memorable hunting trip to the Purple Hat Mountain in Quanzhou with my two good friends Len O’Connor and Mortimer Hemingway gave us a taste of different cultures and landscapes, as well as challenged our skills and excitement in hunting at night. The three of us are outdoor enthusiasts who have enjoyed exploring mountains and forests with friends since childhood, searching for various traces of wildlife. This time, we chose the Purple Hat Mountain in Quanzhou, China as our destination because of its rich historical culture and beautiful natural scenery.
The Purple Hat Mountain is located in Zimao Town, Jinjiang City, Fujian Province, and is one of the “Four Mountains of Quanzhou” along with Qingyuan Mountain, Pengshan Mountain, and Luoshang Mountain. With an altitude of 517.8 meters, it is named after the frequent occurrence of purple clouds above it. The Purple Hat Mountain Scenic Area is the first batch of key scenic spots designated by the Quanzhou Municipal People’s Government and covers a planned area of 8.8 square kilometers. The Purple Hat Mountain is a famous mountain in Quanzhou with beautiful scenery and has been a famous tourist attraction since the Tang Dynasty. The Purple Hat Mountain range is layered and undulating, some steep and towering, some winding and subtle, some exquisite like jade, and some with natural charm. There are high cliffs and waterfalls in the mountains, and the springs flow crisply. The lakes and streams at the foot of the mountain are rippling with waves, some wide and some narrow, twisting and turning with elegant charm. The slopes and fields around the lake are covered with many fruit trees such as longan, lychee, waxberry, and persimmon, providing dense shade and lush greenery. The Jin Su Dong Cave, Gu Xuan Temple, Ancient Yuan Room, and Miao Feng Temple in the mountains were places where famous Taoist scholars studied and practiced during the Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The Baofu Temple, Anfu Temple, Puzhao Temple, and Wutayanyan have also left many imprints of Buddhist carvings and cliff inscriptions by outstanding people of past dynasties. The hundreds of “heart” character inscriptions with different shapes and forms throughout the mountains are also a cultural wonder of our country.
In order to see the target and environment clearly during night hunting, we chose the Wildguarder Owler1 night vision binoculars as our essential equipment. The Wildguarder Owler1 night vision binoculars are a professional outdoor night vision instrument that can provide a clear view in total darkness, supporting 20x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom, and can observe objects up to 500 meters away. It also has excellent optical transparency and a wide-angle field of view, with a built-in 2-inch TFT display screen and HDMI output interface, which can be used to watch and record videos in real-time and save them to the TF card. It also has a lightweight and durable housing and a waterproof and dustproof design, suitable for various harsh environments and climates. Our hunting trip took place on a weekend in April 2023, and there were six of us, all friends who loved outdoor sports and exploration. We booked round-trip bus tickets from Quanzhou downtown to the Purple Hat Mountain Scenic Area in advance online for only 50 yuan per person, which was very cost-effective. We planned to stay in the Purple Hat Mountain Scenic Area for two nights. After arriving in the afternoon of the first day, we settled our luggage in the guesthouse at the foot of the mountain, and then went to nearby Zihu Lake to fish and boat, enjoying the lake and mountain scenery. Early the next morning, we packed our backpacks, brought the Wildguarder Owler1 night vision binoculars and other necessary hunting equipment, and set off towards the mountaintop along the mountain road. On the third morning, we returned to the foot of the mountain along the same route and took the bus back to Quanzhou downtown.
The hunting process was very exciting and interesting. We encountered various wild animals in the mountains, some of which we had never seen before. Once, we found the trace of a wild boar in a dense forest. We immediately divided into two teams, one team went around to the back of the wild boar, and the other team quietly approached its front. When we were ready to fire, we found that there were several piglets eating fruit fallen from the tree beside the wild boar. Seeing this heartwarming scene, we didn’t have the heart to disturb their peace and gave up the hunt. The Wildguarder Owler1 night vision binoculars helped us greatly during the hunting process. It allowed us to observe movements in the distance clearly in the dark and recorded our hunting experience, which we could share with more friends after we returned home. After a day of hard work, we finally harvested two pheasants, a hare, and a goat, which was not a lot but enough to satisfy us.
The Purple Hat Mountain Scenic Area is the first batch of key scenic spots designated by the Quanzhou Municipal People’s Government and covers a planned area of 8.8 square kilometers. The Purple Hat Mountain is a famous mountain in Quanzhou with beautiful scenery and has been a famous tourist attraction since the Tang Dynasty. The Purple Hat Mountain range is layered and undulating, some steep and towering, some winding and subtle, some exquisite like jade, and some with natural charm. We visited many interesting sights, enjoyed the beautiful scenery, tasted local delicacies, and learned about local customs during our two-day visit to the Purple Hat Mountain Scenic Area. First, we went to Jin Su Dong Cave, which is an ancient Taoist holy site. It is said that the Tang Dynasty’s Yuan Dezhen practiced here, and there are many strange stalactites and stalagmites in the cave, as well as a four-character inscription “Jin Su Zhi Dong” handwritten by the Song Emperor Ningzong. We felt a cool and mysterious atmosphere in the cave and took many photos. Then we went to Lingxiao Tower, an octagonal seven-story brick tower built in the Ming Dynasty. The tower is about 30 meters high and carved with various flowers and Buddha statues. We climbed to the top of the tower and overlooked the panoramic view of the Purple Hat Mountain, with overlapping mountains and clouds swirling like a fairyland. Next, we went to the Wutayanyan Scenic Area, where there are five giant stones resembling Buddhist pagodas standing in the mountains, with unique shapes and auspicious meanings. We explored among the rocks and found some cliff inscriptions and Buddhist carvings. Finally, we went to the Zihu Fishing Village, which is a leisure and entertainment place that integrates fishing, boating, angling, and picnicking. We rented a small boat by the lake and enjoyed the mountain and water scenery on the lake. We also caught several delicious fish. We took the fish to a nearby farmhouse and asked the owner to make them into fish soup and fish balls, served with local specialties such as bamboo shoots and ginger duck, which we ate very satisfyingly. We had a memorable journey in the Purple Hat Mountain Scenic Area.
This hunting trip gave me a lot of harvest, not only exercising my body and enhancing friendship but also enjoying the beautiful scenery, experiencing local culture and feeling the high-tech charm of the Wildguarder Owler1 night vision binoculars. It was an unforgettable journey and a rare learning opportunity. I hope to have the opportunity to explore more natural wonders and cultural essences with friends in the future.
