Zhangjiajie
is known for its unique tourist resources. Wulingyuan Scenic Area, made
up of the First National Forest Park--Zhangjiajie and two nature reserves-Suoxi
Gully and Emperor Mountain, possesses 369 square kilometers. The main
land feature is quartzes sandstone that is rare in the world. It is a
perfect combination of the beauty of Guilin, the queerness of Huang Mountain,
the peril of Hua Mountain and the magnificence of Tai Mountain. Pavilions,
bridges, caves, lakes and waterfalls are everywhere. Consequently, it
enjoys the name of "an enlarged potted landscape", "a miniature
fairyland".
Zhangjiajie is a treasure house for natural resources. There are woody
plants of 106 families, 320 genera and 850 species, backboned animals
of 146 species. Among them 56 species of plants and 40 species of animals
are under national protection. Precious plants include gingko, Chinese
dovetrees, Chinese yew, cherry and so on. Valuable medicinal herbs include
glossy ganoderma, the tuber of elevated gastrodia, the tuber of multiflower
knotweed, the bark of eucommia and so on; while rare animals, the giant
salamander, unicorn, Sumen antelope, south China tiger, leopard, macaque,
zibet and so on.
Zhangjiajie enjoys its rich forest resources. It has 1012 acres for forest,
which covers 64.61 percent of the entire city and ranks NO.1 in Hunan
province. The project of "Beautifying, Purifying and Illuminating"
is being carried out. There are 1.55 square meters green land per person.
Undoubtedly, it is an ideal ecological tourist zone and an international
holiday village.
There are over 300 marvelous scenic spots in Zhangjiajie, such as Tianzi
Mountain, Yangjiajie and Baofeng Lake. As the core of Zhangjiajie attractions,
Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area is composed of Zhangjiajie
National Forest Park, two major Nature Reserves -Tianzi Mountain and Suoxi
Valley and the new Yangjiajie Scenic Area, stretching over a total area
of 397 square kilometers. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, set up in
1982, is the first authorized national forest park in China, featured
by its unique hills, queer ridges and peaks, tranquil valleys, clear streams,
abundant fauna and flora and hospitable climate. There are six main scenic
spots and over 90 smaller ones in the park,which will bring you a lot
of excitement and fun.
Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve
Tianzi Mountain (Heaven’s Son Mount) lies in the northwest of Wulingyuan
and stands at a position of tripartite confrontation with Zhangjiajie
National Park, and Suoxi Valley. The mount is dotted with nearly 100 natural
platforms for sightseeing, more than 2000 stone peaks and dozens of waterfalls
and springs. The sea of clouds, the wavelike stone ranges, the snowscape
in the winter and the sunrise are the most spectacular. The surrounding
spots are mainly composed of Yu Bi Feng (Imperial Brush Peak), Xi Hai
(West Sea), Tian Zi Ge (Heaven’s Son Pavilion), Shen Tang Wan (Shentangwan
Gulf), and so on.
Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park
Tianmen Mountain, which is only 8 kilometers away from the downtown and
with elevation at 1518.6 meters, is the holy place of Zhangjiajie City
and revered as “Soul of Zhangjiajie” and the first fairy mountain in western
Hunan Province. Tianmen Mountain is a tourist and holiday resort integrating
miraculous unique geological appearances, old-line religious culture,
extraordinarily splendorous humanity relics and abundant precious natural
resources.
Golden Whip Stream
The Yellow River and the Yangtze River are prominent on a world map, but
even on a small-scale map of Zhangjiajie, Golden Whip Stream appears as
just a fine thread. In the opinion of many tourists, this is the most
beautiful and memorable waterway. When visiting Golden Whip Stream, vice
governor of Colorado, USA, Nancy Dick, remarked these words: "People
commonly say that the Great Canyon (the Colorado Canyon) is very fantastic,
but I think Golden Whip Stream is even more fantastic. It is the most
beautiful place in the world, and I'll remember this place forever."
With a length of 7.5 kilometers, Golden Whip Stream is famous for its
pristine water, its verdant mountains, its steep cliffs and its serene
valley. As a veritable "paradise" for plants, its pathways are
adorned by an abundance of flowers, trees, and grasses. And it is also
a kingdom of animals.
Golden Whip Stream is named after Jin Bian Crag, its landmark spot, and
runs from Laomo Bay to Shui Rao Si Men(water-surrounded gates). The major
spots along the stream include Yingbin Crag (greeting crag), Jinbian Crag,
Zicao Pool, Qian Li Xiang Hui (long distance meeting between man and woman),
Shui Rao Si Men (water-surrounded gates).
Huangshi Village
Located at an elevation of 1300 meters, Huangshi Village is the biggest
sightseeing platform in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. There is
a local saying that he who does not reach Huangshi Village does not pay
a true visit to Zhangjiajie. There are a couple of distinctive spots along
the sightseeing route, such as Tian Shu Bao Xia (a sealed book& a
treasury box), Nan Tian Yi Zhu (pillar of southern sky), Front Garden,
Jin Gui Tan Hai (golden tortoise exploring the sea), etc. The sunrise
is another marvelous spectacle in Huangshi Village. Visitors can climb
up from the front gate or take the cableway to the peak.
Yellow Dragon Cave
The Yellow Dragon Cave has four layers and covers an area of about 20
square kilometers. With a vertical height up to 100 meters, the cave is
composed of one storage, two streams, three waterfalls, four pools, 13
platforms and 46 corridors, as well as countless stalagmites. Among all
stalactites in the Yellow Dragon Cave, the most miraculous are Ding Hai
Shen Zhen (sea-calming needle) and Long Wang Bao Zuo (Dragon King’s Throne).
Ding Hai Shen Zhen stands 19.2 meters high at a diameter of 10 cm. In
1998, Ding Hai Shen Zhen is insured for the value of one hundred million
yuan.
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