Things to do in Xinhua

No. 4 of Fall Viewing Attractions in Hunan

Ziquejie Terraces

Ziquejie Terraces is a globally important agricultural cultural heritage, a world irrigation engineering heritage, a national natural and cultural heritage site, a national scenic spot, a national water conservancy scenic spot, and a national AAAA tourist attraction. Located in Shuiche Town, Xinhua County, Hunan Province, it belongs to the Fengjiashan System of the Xuefeng Mountains. The highest point is 1,585 meters above sea level and the total area is 120 square kilometers. Layers upon layers of terraced fields stretch around with Ziquejie as the center, between 500 meters and 1,200 meters above sea level, with slopes between 30 and 50 degrees, with a total of more than 500 levels and an area of more than 100,000 acres. The Qin people's rice terraces in Ziquejie are a historical relic of the integration of southern rice farming culture and Miao-Yao mountain fishing and hunting culture. They are a great masterpiece between man and nature. The Ziquejie Rice Terraces combine the grandeur of the Yuanyang Rice Terraces in Yunnan, the elegance of the Longsheng Rice Terraces in Guangxi, the steepness of the Banaue Rice Terraces in the Philippines, and the elegance of the Shaba Rice Terraces in Vietnam. It is known as the "Terrace Kingdom". The original beauty, morphological beauty, cultural beauty, long history and natural gravity irrigation system of the terraces are world-class.

Meishan Dragon Palace

Meishan Dragon Palace is also known as the Weapon-hiding Cave. According to legend, when the Yellow Emperor climbed the Xiong Mountain, he turned the Nine-dragon Peak into nine green dragons, which swam along nine springs into the Nine Dragon Pool which was accessible from all lakes and seas. When the nine dragons arrived in Zishui, they loved the alluring scenery of the Shizhu Bay in Meishan, and they have lived in the cave for hundreds of thousands of years. The Dragon Palace has nine layers consisting of tens of thousands of underground karst caves. Magic and beautiful, Meishan Dragon Palace has both an unusual underground landscape and more beautiful structures consisting of underground rivers and dry caves.

No. 17 of Fall Viewing Attractions in Hunan

Daxiong Mountain National Forest Park

Daxiong Mountain National Forest Park is a gene bank of species in mid Hunan Province. After Chi You's failure against the Yellow Emperor, he planted prune trees, rhododenron and maple trees with his Jiuli tribe to pay respect to the ancients' idea of "plum blossom amid snow accompanies a sea of maple trees." The Meri Mountain Dragon Cave is situated in the mountain. Legend has it that it is the place where the Yellow Emperor transformed nine green dragons. The cave features fantastic and abundant land-and-water combinations, including the landscape of the long underground stream, dry caves, halls, and the flowstone, as well as impressive stalagmites and stalactites.

Sanlian Dong Scenic Area

Sites of interest with the Guanyin Cave Ice Springs Scenic Area include Ice Spring Canyon, Guanyin Valley, and Huashan Road as well as Yueguang Mountain, Eight Immortals Peak, and Jinji Cave. Sanlian is a branch of the Xuefeng Mountain Range. The peaks of the mountains undulate and form many beautiful valleys. because of the high volumes of rain in the area, the valleys have a number of beautiful waterfalls. The scenic area is surrounded north, south, east, and west on all four sides by magnificently beautiful and towering mountain peaks. The plateaus are broad and wide with vistas reaching all the way to the nearby Xinhua County. Within the valley there are many endangered plant species and a wide variety of wild animals.

Xinhua Ancient City

Boyue Cave

Boyuedong Scenic Area is a comprehensive park with underground karst cave landscape as the main body and ground attractions as the foil. Surrounding it are Dachengshan Forest Park, waterfalls and Tin Mine Mountain, known as the world's antimony capital, and other scenic Attraction. It is a scenic spot integrating mountain sightseeing, cave viewing, waterfall viewing and karst research. It is located in the northern suburbs of Lengshuijiang City, Hunan Province, 3.8 kilometers away from the city center. Boyuedong is divided into three layers, with more than 1,800 meters of underground tour routes, 27 halls, 81 scenic spots, and a total area of ​​more than 40,000 square meters. The cave is generally 3-10 meters high and more than 20 meters high, and the cave is generally 5-10 meters wide and more than 70 meters wide. The entire cave is centered on the maze hall. The front cave hall is broad and magnificent, and the rear cave hall has dense lines and is crystal clear. Thousands of pillars stand upright in the cave, and thousands of skirts hang upside down. Mountains, fields, waterfalls, stone pillars, stone curtains, and stalactites are everywhere. Every step is a scene, and every step is a scene, and every scene is magical. There are three kinds of karst cave treasures in the cave that have attracted the world's admiration: the first is a 1.1-meter-long hollow crystal clear goose pipe, which is 44 centimeters longer than the karst cave goose pipe that was previously known as the world's largest; the second is a 1.98-meter-high giant stone dam, which is 50 centimeters higher than the world's largest karst stone dam in Yugoslavia; the third is a 1.5-meter-deep network stone trough hanging upside down on the top, which is currently the deepest hanging top geotrough in the world. The Water Curtain Cave and the Palace of the White Bone Demon in the TV series "Journey to the West" were both filmed in this cave. When a well-known domestic scholar visited the cave, he wrote: "Boyue Cave is a culmination of other cave karst landscapes. In addition to stalactites, it has almost all stalactite-type sediments of the same type, which are huge in scale, diverse in variety, varied in form, complex in combination, and colorful and bright in color. The multi-period of stalactites and stalagmites, the disparity in the size of deep deposits, and the density of development are all rare in other karst caves." When experts from the Institute of Geology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Guilin Karst Research Institute of the Ministry of Geology, and all over the country came to inspect and identify it, they believed that "it is an underground cave museum that is rare in China and rare in the world, with high tourism and scientific value, and is at the forefront of my country's currently developed tourist caves."

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Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park

Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park is named after the natural wonder "Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park - Tianmen Cave." When visiting the attraction, you can enjoy a bird's-eye view of the winding Heaven-Linking Avenue and the stunning mountain scenery from the cable car. The brave can also walk along the cliff-hugging glass skywalk for an exhilarating aerial experience. Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park is located close to Zhangjiajie city. The Tianmen Cave in the park is a natural karst cave, and locals believe it leads directly to heaven. For ordinary travelers, Tianmen Cave is not open year-round. During winter each year, due to snow and icy roads, both Tianmen Cave and the Avenue toward Heaven (a winding mountain road with 99 turns) leading to it are closed. The lower station of the attraction's cableway is located in Guanliping, Yongding District, and the upper station isTianmen MountainTop. In 2020, the attraction opened the express cableway. The lower station of the express cableway is near the entrance to Tianmen Mountain, and the upper station is atTianmen CaveNear the parking lot. Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park is filled with ancient towering trees and intertwined vines. The attraction is divided into several main areas, including Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park - Tianmen Cave, central route, eastern route and western route. Travelers can choose different routes and areas to explore based on their preferences and physical condition. The core attraction along the central route is Tianmen Mountain Temple. Nearby lies the "Child-seeking cave," where folk legends claim Guanyin, the child-giving bodhisattva, manifested her divine power—devout prayers here are believed to grant offspring. The western route's highlight is a 60 m-long glass walkway clinging to sheer cliffs, with fully transparent flooring that induces both vertigo and exhilaration as visitors tread above abysses. Currently, the eastern route and Panlong Cliff each feature their own approx. 60 m glass walkways. No stay is allowed in the attraction, so it can only be visited within one day. There is a "Cherry Bay Restaurant" near Tianmen Mountain Temple, which offers snacks and fast food. Near the lower station of Tianmen Mountain cableway, there is transportation to the "Grand Canyon Theater", where you can watch the live show and magical musical "Tianmen Fox Fairy". Adapted from the mythological tale "Liu Hai cuts firewood", it tells a touching love story between a human and a fox. With live music, lighting effects, and captivating scenes like a giant moon, fox spirit transformations, snowflakes filling the sky, and high-altitude flying bridges, this legendary romance is vividly brought to life.

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Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is where Zhangjiajie tourism starts. "The world knows Zhangjiajie, but who knows Wulingyuan?" Many travelers cannot distinguish the relationship between Zhangjiajie and Wulingyuan. Generally, Zhangjiajie has two concepts: Zhangjiajie City and Zhangjiajie Scenic Area. Zhangjiajie Scenic Area refers to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, which together with Tianzi Mountain, Suoxiyu, and Yangjiajie forms the Wulingyuan attraction. Because Zhangjiajie National Forest Park was developed early and is well-known, even Zhangjiajie City was renamed after it, and people are accustomed to using Zhangjiajie National Forest Park or Zhangjiajie Scenic Area to refer to the Wulingyuan attraction. "Three thousand exotic peaks and eight hundred beautiful waters." The three thousand exotic peaks, in particular, are renowned worldwide. The mountains of Wulingyuan are entirely different from famous mountains around the world. Within its 398-square-kilometer area, more than 3,000 dense and intact sandstone peak pillars are scattered throughout, including 243 peak pillars over 1,000 meters tall. When the sea of clouds surges, these peak pillars appear to have no base, rising abruptly from the ground and piercing straight into the sky. Together with the redwood forests of North America and the glacial landscapes of Greenland, they constitute one of the world's four major natural geological wonders. Wulingyuan has a low elevation and is located in the subtropical zone. The area features lush forests and abundant water sources, and is home to a large number of endangered animal and plant species. Every peak pillar is full of vitality. Peak pillars, natural bridges, gorges, waterfalls, streams, pools, caves, and dense broad-leaved forests are often shrouded in mist and clouds on site, enhancing the beauty of the view. Together with the unique landforms, they form a distinctive view characterized by "steep mountains, elegant waters, wondrous peaks, secluded gorges, and beautiful caves," and are hailed as "an enlarged bonsai and a miniature fairyland." On December 14, 1992, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee unanimously approved the inclusion of Wulingyuan in the World Heritage List, filling the gap of China having no World Natural Heritage sites. The recognized outstanding universal value is: the quartz sandstone peak forest landform is rare in the world and has extremely high aesthetic value. UNESCO points out: "In terms of scenery, Wulingyuan can be compared with several national parks and monuments in the United States, such as the Grand Canyon, and can also be compared with the prominent sandstone peak areas of the Kimberley in Western Australia. However, because Wulingyuan has a lower elevation and is located in the subtropics, it has lush forests and abundant water sources. It also possesses a large number of peaks, displaying a more vertical profile than the heritage sites of the United States and Australia." At the end of 2009, the mesmerizing planet Pandora in the globally popular movie "Avatar" attracted countless viewers, and the prototype of its floating mountains originated from Wulingyuan. Meanwhile, Wulingyuan is also a live-action filming location for the Chinese classics "Dream of the Red Chamber" and "Journey to the West," as well as for films and TV dramas such as "Zhong Kui: Snow Girl and the Dark Crystal" and "Monster Hunt." In 2010, the unique landform of Wulingyuan was named "Zhangjiajie landform," becoming a globally recognized term and a rare landform type in the world named after a region. Attraction highlights Yuanjiajie: Landing on Pandora, the planet of Avatar Yuanjiajie is the filming location for the "Hallelujah Mountain" in the movie "Avatar," where you can explore the magical world of floating and scattered mountains from the film. If you happen to encounter a light rain in the mountains, or wait until the sky clears after the rain, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of misty fog and layered peaks even more. The Mihun Platform is an ideal viewing spot; standing on it, you are surrounded by hundreds of towering stone peaks with magnificent momentum. Tianzi Mountain: once you've seen Tianzi, no other mountain will do When visiting Tianzi Mountain, you will see various uniquely shaped geological views and oddly formed peaks, such as Yubi Peak, Fairy Presenting Flowers, Dianjiang Terrace, Hanging Garden, and Immortal Bridge. There is no need to worry too much about whether these natural formations resemble what they are named after, because "the primitive scenery and natural beauty" are what make Tianzi Mountain so captivating. Especially in the hazy fog after a fresh rain, it feels as if you are in a fairyland. By winter, when the mountain is covered in silvery white, the scenery becomes even more enchanting. Huangshizhai: see all the other mountains as small from the summit "If you don't climb Huangshizhai, your trip to Zhangjiajie is in vain." Huangshizhai is a viewing platform in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, surrounded by sheer cliffs and lush trees, and the top of the village is often shrouded in mist and clouds. Standing atop Huangshizhai and looking around, you can experience the lofty sentiment of "seeing all the other mountains as small." Yangjiajie: Thrills found in danger Yangjiajie is primarily known for its pristine natural beauty. With high mountains and narrow paths, it is famous for being "perilous" and is deeply favored by backpackers and adventurers. Wulong Village within the attraction is a very magical place in Zhangjiajie. It was once inhabited by bandits from western Hunan, and was later renamed after the TV series "Tales of Suppressing Bandits in Wulong Mountain." The village is built along the mountain, and there is a path up and down the mountain that requires using both hands and feet to climb to the summit. Suoxiyu: A natural ink wash landscape painting Suoxiyu is also called Suoxi, named because the stream within the attraction is shaped like a rope. Unlike other parts of the forest park, which are so steep and rugged, this place is shrouded in mist and clouds year-round, with clear streams flowing continuously through all four seasons and graceful peaks visible everywhere. Ten-Mile Gallery is the highlight attraction of Suoxiyu; within the 5 km-long gorge, wildflowers fragrance the air and fantastic peaks and unusual rocks abound. Walking through it is like stepping into a natural landscape painting. Golden Whip Stream: filming location of Journey to the West Jinbian Stream Gorge is the earliest developed area in the attraction. A clear stream runs through the valley, with towering peaks on both sides and lush greenery as far as the eye can see. This is also one of the filming locations for the classic version of Journey to the West, where fans can come and see iconic scenes such as the Water Curtain Cave and Cleaving the Mountain to Save the Mother.

No. 3 of Best Things to Do in Hunan Jiangxi Fujian Region

Orange Isle Scenic Area

Orange Isle Scenic Area is a narrow sandbar lying across the heart of the Xiang River in Changsha, stretching approx. five km. It faces Yuelu Mountain to the west and borders Changsha's old city to the east, surrounded by water on all sides. Named after the abundant orange trees planted on the isle, it was historically called Shuiluzhou. Formed by river alluvium, this sandbar has existed for over a millennium, where the "River and sky in evening snow" scenery was once among the Eight Views of Xiaoxiang. In 1925, the poem "Spring in a pleasure garden - Changsha" was composed here, with its iconic line "Alone I stand in the biting fall, watching the Xiang River flow north past Orange Isle's head," which made this riverine landmark widely renowned. The highlights of the visit are concentrated at the islet's head: A granite art sculpture over 30 m tall, modeled after the 1925 youth image, stands facing the river as Changsha's highly recognizable landmark. Nearby, the Questioning Heaven Platform extends toward the river center, where leaning on the railing reveals the mighty Xiang River flowing northward, with Yuelu Mountain and the city skylines on both banks facing each other across the water. The Songju Pavilion, white marble poetry stele, and the 200-year-old ancient phoenix tree at the islet head are all in this area. Heading north from the islet head, a hundred-acre orange orchard bears golden fruits in fall, while bamboo groves, peach orchards, plum gardens, and osmanthus groves take turns showcasing seasonal flora. The historic Zhuzhang Ferry (where Zhu Xi and Zhang Shi once crossed the Xiang River for lectures) and the Huxiang Culture Exhibition Hall are scattered along the way. At the islet's tail, the reconstructed Jiangshen Temple and Gongji Tower area was precisely where ancients admired the "River and sky in evening snow" scenery. The island is long and narrow, making round-trip walks quite tiring. A sightseeing train is available for transportation, with multiple stops along the way for hopping on and off. Travelers with limited time are advised to head straight to the island's tip to see the sculpture and river views, then stroll leisurely along the riverside path. At dusk, watching the sunset over the Xiang River and seeing the lights gradually illuminate both shores from the island's tip is especially worth setting aside time for.

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Fanjing Mountain

Fanjing Mountain is located in Tongren City in the northeastern part of Guizhou Province. It is the main peak of the Wuling Mountains, spanning the junction of three counties: Jiangkou, Yinjiang, and Songtao. Its highest peak, Fenghuang Mountain, rises over 2,500 meters above sea level; the Old Golden Summit is over 2,400 meters, and the New Golden Summit, also known as the Red Cloud Golden Summit, is over 2,300 meters. The three peaks stand side by side in majestic grandeur. Fanjing Mountain was originally named "Three Valleys Mountain," derived from "Fanjing Pure Land." Buddhism was introduced to this area during the Song Dynasty and flourished in the Ming Dynasty, when temples and monasteries dotted the mountain. Because its towering height rivaled the Five Great Mountains, the ancients honored it as "the patriarch of famous mountains." The Red Cloud Golden Summit is the iconic view of the entire mountain—a solitary peak rising straight from the ground and piercing the sky. The Golden Knife Gorge splits the summit from top to bottom into two halves, with only a narrow canyon where one can climb up along iron chains, and the gorge tops are connected by a flying bridge, making it extremely precipitous. At the summit, the Shakyamuni Hall and the Maitreya Hall face each other, serving as the core symbol of the Maitreya sacred site. The three main peaks connect to form a reclining Maitreya statue stretching over 10,000 m, which locals call "Fanjing Mountain." The Mushroom Stone is another representative view—a sandy slate pillar that is large at the top and small at the bottom, shaped like a mushroom, approx. 10 m tall, appearing on the verge of toppling yet having stood for many years. The surrounding stone forest peak clusters, such as the Ten Thousand Scrolls of Scriptures and Eagle Rock, are geological relics formed over a billion years ago and sculpted by wind and rain erosion. The mountain also preserves a well-intact subtropical primary ecosystem, where the Guizhou golden snout monkey is distributed, and ancient rare plants such as the dove tree also thrive and reproduce here. In fall, the layered forests are dyed in brilliant colors, and the red leaves in the mountains set off the ancient temple; you can take a cable car to overlook the autumn colors across the mountain, or follow the mountain trails to experience them up close.