Villages of persimmons

early winter, harvested persimmons are strung together and hung up in front of almost every house. Photos by Ju Chuanjiang

In the mountains of Shandong province, Ju Chuanjiang and Zhao Ruixue discover settlements rich in color and blessed by nature.

Autumn seems reluctant to leave the villages in the southern mountainous area of Qingzhou in Shandong province. Although it is already early into the coldest season of the year, these hamlets nestled into the hilly slopes are still wearing their fall colors of rich red, yellow and green, thanks to the smoke and phoenix trees and the pines that surround them.

But there is one color that stands out, dotting the landscape like jewels - orange.