Get on the bus in Changzhi (3.5M population) at Dongguan station. This station is east of the main Changzhi train station, and is not far. The bus fare is about 20RMB for the 480km distance to Licheng. Sometimes there will be a crash along the route so the bus will vote on taking the highway. This is more expensive and everyone pays for the toll. It is still better than waiting on the road for hours. Crashes are common on these roads, particularly the coal trucks. The bus is a small mianbaoche, seating about 30 people, including luggage. Buses are reasonably clean. Licheng is on the train line.

The Changzhi-Licheng bus starts at Dongguan bus terminal in Changzhi, Shanxi, China

The overall route takes you from Changzhi’s Dongguan bus station, along the National 309 road (G309), which parallels the Changhan Expressway. G309 goes for about 48 kms to Licheng (1M population), where you can then take a bus to Dongyangguan (4k population) and eventually Changning. Cut off G309 north on a side road for another 2 kms to ChangNing (2k population). Further north is Longwangmiao (1k population) and Quixiuyuan (1k population).

The trip Changzhi-Licheng-Dongyangguan-Changning-Longwangmiao, Shanxi, China

The Changzhi-Licheng bus will drop you off at the main Licheng bus terminal. You will need to exit the bus terminal, and walk north to the main square, on the 15s of the hour a bus will stop that will go to Changning. The central square is north and east of the bus stop. The bus stop is in front of a 2 story department store. The cost is 4RMB, but there are private taxis that, while crowded, are faster and only cost 2RMB. They are, of course, illegal.

Downtown Licheng's central square, where you catch the bus to Changning, Shanxi, China

The Licheng bus terminal (bottom right) is south-east of the Main Square. Licheng, Shanxi, China

The Licheng-Dongyangguan map, Shanxi Province, China

Dongyangguan-Changning-Quixiuyuan map, Shanxi, China

along the road north to Changning, on the left side you’ll pass a large fertilizer factory. At the Changning stop there is a circular pond, about 15m wide. To the east is ChangNing’s main road. To the west is the road to Xincun. The 1 km long road into the village is bordered on both sides with crop fields. As you enter the village turn north until the road ends. At this intersection there is the old road into the village back to the main road. Take this road at your peril. It is dirt and washed out, difficult to traverse by motorcycle but walkable. The bus will stop if you flag it down. On the east side of this intersection about 40m is XiaoYi’s house.

Map of ChangNing, Shanxi Province, China

From ChangNing the road will continue north and then fork at Longwangmiao. Take the east road (right) to Quixiuyuan.

Map of QiuXiuYuan, Shanxi, China

The entrance to Qiuxiuyuan has large concrete blocks that prevent large buses and trucks from entrance, but there is space for a car. Continue into the village but be careful of villagers and children walking to their homes. There are so few cars here that most people don’t expect anything larger than a loud motorcycle. At the pond (50m from the entrance), car traffic northbound is difficult. Travel north 15m, going up the steep hill. Turn left and follow this to the end, which will make a right hand turn. The entrance has a gate with a roof.

Following the main road that parallels Quixiuyuan gets very bumpy. There are large concrete blocks at the border of Shanxi and Hebei, blocking cars and trucks, around 3.5m from Qiuxiuyuan. Coal trucks stop and turn around here. Further travel is possible by motorcycle into Hebei Province, but there are no larger towns in the area. There are no authorized gas stations in the area, but one illegal one.

This area of Shanxi Province, China is restricted to foreigners. Police will prosecute and expel foreigners. If you are not of Chinese heritage you cannot hide, as this area is homogeneous Chinese. You need to be fluent in Mandarin to be understood. The local dialect is markedly different from Mandarin. There are numerous police in Changzhi and a Shoupaichu at Dongyangguan. From Dongyangguan to Qiuxiuyuan there are many coal trucks but few cars, some motorcycles and almost no police.

Outlining this trip with maps could not be done without Google Maps. Even peering into the countryside of The People’s Republic of China, finding roads used, looking into villages that are no larger than 1,000 people and being able to almost identify individual houses that you visited is quite remarkable. Even more remarkable is to be able to do this in a strictly controlled communist country.

Chinese cave from Shaanxi Province, Tim Johnson/MCT

___Chinese caves, called yaodong, are ancient but became quite famous during the Long March, when Mao hid in them to escape bombing raids from American planes. After spending a significant amount of time living in a Chinese cave I would like to tell you that they are a totally awesome accommodation, but alas that would be a baldfaced lie. You may judge for yourself.

___Caves do have great benefits, which is why they are very common in some parts of China. Temperature-wise they are neither hot in the summer nor cold in the winter, as the subterranean location acts to moderate climate. The cave on the right is decidedly high end, earning a 4 star rating. Most people who live in caves are farmers who usually are not rich, or rather live a subsistence living scratching the bare earth with their bloody hands just to stay alive. Most caves do not have externally clad stone, white tile and red trim tile. No, the cave I lived in was clad in a combination of straw and mud, which bakes to a hard crust in the summer. Slap it and a cloud of dust will plume in your face.

___The box on the wall between the two cave doors is the main electrical panel, where you can use a stick to turn off and on your family’s electricity. Electricity in China is 220v, so be careful where you shove that stick or your hair could go curly. The two white circular objects above the box are knob and tube wiring, still common in rural China. It seems all modern caves have electricity, but maybe not modern electrical wiring. Yes, that 10 watt lightbulb is almost as bright as a candle.

___The white wire running down into the cave from the apex of the cave’s curve is coax cable, connected to their satellite TV. This is only available in caves for richer folk, or at least for the main room of the house. A guy on a 3 wheeled motorcycle can come to your house and for 400RMB you too can have satellite TV. The TV is not included. This service is only available in rural areas where there is much less government snitching. Once installed you can watch CCTV channel 9 English TV. I feel so special.

Cave school in Shaanxi Province

___The white lattice structure above the glassed area is a frame of wood. Newspapers and discarded books, mixed with glue (flour and water) are used to cover the lattice. Note that this yaodong’s lattice is actually painted and the paint is not peeling off. Classy. The central area of the lattice also has green bug screen. This is so the mosquitoes have at least a little competition as they enter the yaodong and repeatedly pierce and drink your Laowai blood each and every night. I recommend After bite over Benadry. Benadryl leaves a sticky residue on your skin that collects dust, leaving you with dark skin blotches. The locals will think you have some unique disease. This after bite treatment is most effective in the winter. Also note that Chinese wenzi yao, those spiral coils you light to keep the mosquitoes at bay may smell nice but don’t work at all.

___The dark discolouration on the bug screen is from a coal burning stove, used during the winter. The little hole to the left and slightly above the door is an externally vented pipe, used to connect directly to the stove. This is so you don’t kill yourself with carbon monoxide poisoning as you try not to freeze your ass off at night. Still, some of the smoke does get into the room and vents out through the window, discolouring the screen.

Curt and Deborah Sleeper's three-bedroom cave, Festus, Mo.

___The roof of your yaodong can be used to dry wheat, corn, hay or other crops. This yaodong is very highbrow because it actually has a stone railing. My yaodong had no such frills and we had the freedom to fall 20′ off the roof if we so desired. It seems rural kids already know to not play ball here. While you’re up there, ensure that all weeds are pulled out because any vegetation will retain water and could allow the yaodong to collapse. That would be bad.

___This cave seems to have a blanket covering the door. Blankets are sewn with loops in the corners to make it easy to mount. Our yaodong was covered with a grass mat that supposedly does not allow mosquitos to get inside. This was not effective. Doors are bifold of solid wood construction. A wood bar goes across the door on the inside that acts as a lock. These doors are not air tight and let in mosquitos.

___Caves often spruced up prior to a wedding. It may get a new coat of paint, holes in the lattice are sealed, bug screening is replaced, windows are washed, and walls are repaired. They then gracefully degrade until another family member gets married. Larger rural families do have secondary benefits.

___Inside the cave can feel a little humid and musty. It is important to take out all bed linen and blankets to air dry and bake in the sun every single day. Critters like high humidity. The yaodong door and windows are left open in the summer to allow humidity to escape. It is best to not spill water inside your cave as this will raise the humidity level. Under any circumstances, do not spill the pee pot, no matter how sleepy and uncoordinated you feel when you wake up. Dump at your earliest convenience. Some things are best left near the wall.

___Some caves have a concrete or brick floor and ceiling, though mine had a dirt floor and ceiling. The ceiling was covered with paper and glue. Dirt walls and floors allow bugs to penetrate the cave, which you must kill before you go to bed. Please beware of scorpions. Did you know that baby ones actually glow in the dark? Cool. Larger scorpions are sold by the locals for Chinese medicine. Scorpions are safely handled by young boys using metal chopsticks. Smart! Most bugs found are harmless and provide a great source of supplemental protein.

___While cave living cannot be compared to a 4 star Hilton, it is a damn sight more comfy than the 2 story concrete and brick slab buildings that are in most villages. Concrete buildings bake in the summer, while in your lowly yaodong you’ll feel as cool as a cucumber.