Zhangjiajie -- Famous Mountain in Western Hunan, Wuling Shengjing

Author: Shang Ailan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: Zhangjiajie is home to over 20 ethnic groups, including the Han, Tujia, Miao, Bai, and Hui, each with distinct cultural traditions. Representative folk arts include the Tujia's Shua dance and Maogusi dance, the Bai's Zhanggu dance, the Miao's Jielong dance, the multi-ethnic Jiuzibian, Nuo Yuan opera, flower lanterns, and Dayongyang opera. The Tujia and Miao villages, (diao jiao mu lou - wooden (diao) houses), stone grinding mills, chain water wheels, and small bridges over clear streams are all iconic. These vibrant ethnic cultures harmonize with the natural landscape, forming an integral part of Zhangjiajie's tourism resources.
Zhangjiajie is located in the northwest of Hunan Province, at the source of the Lishui River and the heart of the Wuling Mountains. It lies between the uplifting Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and the subsiding Dongting Lake Basin, influenced by both geological forces. Strong surface water erosion and highly developed karst topography have created the dramatic natural wonders of towering peaks, jagged cliffs, and intersecting streams.
After renowned painter Wu Guanzhong discovered this magical land in late 1979, Zhangjiajie gained widespread fame. Today, it has become a nationally rare, large-scale, comprehensive tourist destination, combining mountain climbing, cave exploration, leisurely walks, rafting, and ethnic cultural performances. The Wulingyuan Scenic Area, comprising Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Suoxiyu Nature Reserve, Tianzishan Nature Reserve, and Yangjiajie, is a national-level scenic area.
Additional attractions include "The Soul of Wuling" Tianmen Mountain, "The (bai li mu luo - hundred-li gallery)" Maoyan River, "Asia's Largest Cave" Jiutian Cave, the national-level Baogongshan Nature Reserve, "Famous Temple of Jiangnan" Puguang Zen Temple, and "Magnificent Scenery of Chu South" Wulei Mountain. Other notable sites include the former revolutionary committee of Hunan-Hubei-Sichuan-Chongqing, the starting point of the Long March for the Red Army's Second Corps, and the former residence of He Nong.