My friends Thomas Clara, Claude Lily and I are a group of hunting enthusiasts who often explore and challenge ourselves in different places. This time, we chose Qiqu Mountain in Mianyang, Sichuan, China, a place with beautiful scenery, rich history, and profound cultural heritage as our destination. We planned to go hunting at night, experiencing the excitement and fun of tracking and capturing wild animals in the dark.
To ensure our safety and efficiency, we purchased the professional night vision binoculars from the Shenzhen brand Wildguarder, which can provide clear vision and images in complete darkness. This night vision binoculars adopts an infrared-enhanced CMOS sensor and a 5W infrared 850nm LED infrared illuminator, which can observe and record large targets up to 984 feet away. It also has a 2.7-inch LCD screen for easy viewing and playback of pictures and videos. It also has a 3x digital zoom function and 7 levels of infrared adjustment to adapt to different dark environments.
We flew to Chengdu with this night vision binoculars and then took a car to Zitong County, Mianyang, where we found a local tour company who arranged our accommodation and transportation and took us to the scenic area of Qiqu Mountain. Qiqu Mountain is an offshoot of the Jianmen Mountains and was formed by the accumulation of mud from the Nine-Bend Loop of Tuojiang River during the flood control of Dayu. It is the birthplace of Zhang Yazhi, the god of culture and literature in Taoism, and a place where Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty stayed. The mountain also has the Qiqu Temple, the ancestral temple of Zhang Yazhi, which is the only local religion in China among Taoism. There are also historical sites such as Zhang Xianzhong’s ancestral temple, Ying Mengxiantai, and Langdangyi on the mountain. There are also more than 40,000 ancient cypresses, known as “Zhang Fei Cypress.”
We rested in the hotel arranged by the tour company in the afternoon and then set off to Qiqu Mountain in the evening. We walked along the ancient post road to the mountain top, enjoying the scenery along the way and feeling the fresh air in the mountains. We saw the ancient Zhang Fei Cypress, which was said to be planted by Zhang Fei himself during the Three Kingdoms period, and some of them have a tree age of more than a thousand years. We also saw Qiqu Temple, the ancestral temple of Zhang Yazhi, and the general office of Taoist Wenchang Palace. The temple has buildings such as Wenchang Hall, Kuixing Tower, and Yu Huang Ge, which are magnificent and rich in historical and cultural charm. We also saw historical sites such as Zhang Xianzhong’s ancestral temple, Ying Mengxiantai, and Langdangyi, feeling the profound humanistic heritage of Qiqu Mountain.
As night fell, we found a flat place to set up camp on the mountain top. We lit a bonfire, sat around, sharing our stories and experiences. We also took out our night vision binoculars and tried to observe the animals around us in the dark. We found some small wild animals such as rabbits, hedgehogs, and squirrels, as well as some unknown birds and insects. We marveled at the clarity and functionality of the night vision binoculars and thought it was a highly recommended product.
We decided to challenge ourselves to hunt for some wild game at night. We divided into two groups, each with a night vision binoculars and a hunting gun. We quietly walked down the mountain road, looking for suitable targets. We used the night vision binoculars to scan around and found some larger wild animals such as wild boars, pheasants, and wild ducks. We approached them carefully and then shot them with the hunting guns. We successfully caught several pheasants and a wild duck, but also startled some other animals such as wolves and wild dogs. We immediately packed up our loot and quickly returned to the campsite.
Back at the campsite, we cleaned the game we caught and marinated them with salt, pepper, and spices. Then we grilled them on the bonfire, emitting a tantalizing aroma. We ate and chatted, enjoying the delicious food of the mountains and feeling very satisfied and happy. We also used our phones to take some videos and photos, recording this unforgettable night hunting trip.
The next morning, we packed our bags and prepared to go down the mountain. On the way down, we also met some local villagers and tour guides. They told us that Qiqu Mountain not only has beautiful natural scenery and profound culture, but also many delicious specialties and snacks. They warmly invited us to taste them, and we gladly accepted. We went to a store called “Qiqu Mountain Pastry,” where the pastry was made from local high-quality wheat flour, sesame, peanuts, walnuts, and other ingredients, crispy and delicious, sweet and salty, and one of the favorite snacks of locals. We also tasted a food called “Pianfen,” which is a wide noodle made from sweet potato flour, served with chili oil, Sichuan pepper powder, sesame paste, and other seasonings, with a fresh, spicy, and refreshing taste, and one of the most commonly eaten staple foods by locals. We also bought some local specialties such as embedded bowls and plain mats, which are woven from natural materials such as bamboo and grass and have high collection and practical value.
We spent a pleasant and unforgettable two days and one night in Qiqu Mountain. We not only experienced the excitement and fun of night hunting, but also enjoyed the beauty and culture of Qiqu Mountain, as well as tasted the delicious food and specialties of Qiqu Mountain. We felt this trip was very worthwhile and also grateful for the night vision binoculars we brought, which allowed us to see more clearly and farther in the dark and also record these wonderful memories. We hope to have the opportunity to come to Qiqu Mountain again and also recommend it to more hunting and travel enthusiasts.
