Southern Maoxian: a drive through Nanxin
Nanxin (南新) is the town spread out over the southern “tip” of Maoxian. It is the closest Maoxian town to Wenchuan (汶川), the neighboring county that was the epicenter of the 2008 earthquake. The Minjiang and Highway 213 (G213) run alongside each other through Nanxin, going south into Wenchuan. G213 is rather noteworthy for running all the way from Inner Mongolia to Yunnan (where it reaches Laos). Over 1,700 miles through four provinces. In 2008 it was an essential route…