Phoenix

Author: Liu Changgang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: Fenghuang County is located in the western edge of Hunan Province. The total area of the county is 1,751.10 square kilometers, stretching 66 kilometers from north to south and 50 kilometers from east to west. The entire territory is divided into 9 towns, 22 townships, and 344 administrative villages. As of the end of 1998, the total population of the county was 358,000, of which 321,100 were agricultural population and 237,400 were ethnic minorities, accounting for 66.32% of the total population. It is a mountainous county with a predominantly Miao ethnic population. The county belongs to the mid-subtropical monsoon humid climate zone, characterized by distinct seasons, mild climate, an average annual rainfall of 1,308.1 millimeters, an average annual sunshine duration of 1,266.3 hours, and an average annual temperature of 15.9°C. The county seat is 200 kilometers north of the scenic gem Zhangjiajie and 90 kilometers south of the railway transportation hub Huaihua City. The Zhiliu Railway Xin Fenghuang Station, National Highway 209, and Provincial Highway 1867 pass through the county, making it a convergence point for economic and trade activities between the Hunan-Guizhou border region.
Fenghuang County has a long history. It was first established as Weiyang County in the third year of the Chenggong era (688 AD) during the Tang Dynasty. In the 39th year of the Kangxi era (1700 AD) during the Qing Dynasty, it was upgraded to Fenghuang Prefecture, with its administrative seat set in Zhenган Town (now Taojiang Town). In the second year of the Republic of China (1913), it was renamed Fenghuang County, a name that has been retained to this day.
Fenghuang County is renowned for its talent and natural beauty. It has produced notable figures such as Xiong Xiling, who served as the Premier of the Interior Ministry during the Republic of China era, Shen Congwen, a modern famous writer and material cultural historian, and Huang Yongyu, a renowned painter both domestically and internationally. The county is blessed with abundant natural resources. By the end of 1998, the county had 349.45 square kilometers of cultivated land, accounting for 19.96% of the total land area, with an average of about 1 mu of cultivated land per capita. The forest and pastoral land area is large, with 998.67 square kilometers of forest land, accounting for 57.03% of the total land area, and 1.138 million mu of pastoral grasslands, with a theoretical carrying capacity of nearly 100,000 yellow cattle units. The county has a hydropower potential of 36,400 kilowatts, with 156 streams and rivers of varying sizes, totaling 709 kilometers in length. The largest river, the Taojiang, is 96.9 kilometers long, with a drainage area of 732.42 square kilometers, an average annual flow of 11.89 cubic meters per second, and a natural drop of 533 meters. There is one medium-sized hydropower station, Changtan Gang, with a installed capacity of 120,000 kilowatts, and 92 medium and small reservoirs. The county is also rich in mineral resources. Currently, 35 types of minerals have been identified and are available for exploitation, including natural diamonds, mercury, lead-zinc, cement limestone, bituminous coal, stone coal, marble, silica, and antimony. Among these, mercury reserves rank fourth in the country, and lead-zinc reserves rank second in the province.
The county is known for its abundant agricultural products, including Jiangzhudou beans, corn, tea, tung oil tea, raw lacquer, ponkan oranges, chestnuts, kiwifruit, huangbai, duzhong, and red flue-cured tobacco, as well as a variety of mountain wild plants. The county is dotted with numerous scenic spots and historical sites. There are four provincial-level scenic areas: the ancient city of Huangsiqiao, built during the Chenggong era of the Tang Dynasty; the Qiliang Cave, renowned for its spectacular karst formations; the ancient architectural complex of Chaoyang Palace with its upturned eaves and upturned brackets; and Shen Congwen’s former residence. There are also two nature reserves: the national-level Nanhua Mountain Forest Park and the provincial-level Shuangtouyang Nature Reserve.
The county seat is built in a classical and elegant style. The ancient city towers in the north and east gates, while the stilted houses along the Taojiang River are unique. The Feiyuan Dougong-style Wanshou Palace, Daceng Temple, Tianwang Temple, Xichang Pavilion, and Wannianta form a beautiful landscape, earning the county the reputation of being one of China’s "most beautiful small cities" and the "land of painting."