The trail up to Ji Chang village from the valley takes two to three hours return, climbing through tea plantations before opening out to rice terraces with views back down to the Linxi River and the Wind-and-Rain Bridge. The path is well marked and the gradient is manageable — stone steps for the steeper sections, packed earth trail through the tea fields. The upper sections pass through forest with decent bird life, and the views from the ridge are significantly better than anything visible from the valley floor.
Ji Chang itself is a working village with a drum tower and a couple of guesthouses where you can get a simple lunch. The village sees far fewer visitors than the lower settlements and the welcome is accordingly more relaxed. On clear days the view north takes in several ridges of the Miao Mountains. Most visitors make this a morning excursion and are back at the bridge for lunch.