5 highlights of Hunan province in China

Hunan, a province in central China, is a cheeky mix of contradictions, old and new, clatter and tranquility, traditional and trendy. It is a region of mountains, rivers, lakes and urban areas. China’s most respected leader, Chairman Mao, was born here. The peaks of Zhangjiajie National Park provided an excellent setting for the movie Avatar. In particular, the striking pillar, now known as Hallelujah Mountain, represented the floating mountains in this popular film. Changsha, the capital, is located on the banks of the Xiang River, the largest river in this province. Many aspects of this vibrant province come together along Pozi Street in Changsha.

Walk along Pozi Street in Changsha

Pozi Street is a fusion of traditional China and trendy China. Walking along this street, visitors can pass under a huge LED screen that leads in one direction to a modern shopping center. Or stroll past the typical Chinese architecture and enter the busy courtyard in front of the ancient Fire Temple, now occupied by the Fire Temple Restaurant. Dance groups enjoy cultural displays in this area.

The entire length of this street is lined with small stalls laden with delicacies enjoyed by locals, including the boiled, flattened carcasses of ducks, a popular local delicacy. A shabby alley lined with red Chinese lanterns diverts from the main road and leads to a traditional Chinese food market. Here skewers of every conceivable insect are on display, from large scorpions to small mealyworms. If insects aren’t appealing, there’s also a wide variety of fresh skewered vegetables, including local favorites like sliced ​​lotus root and Asian baby cucumbers.

Cruise the Xiang River in Changsha

Changsha is the capital of Hunan Province in China, stretched along the banks of the Xiang River, also called the Xiangjiang River. This modern city has a skyline full of skyscrapers and hotels, including the fifty-story Meixi Lake Hotel. At night, the buildings along the riverbank light up. Bright, ever-changing colors flow across these windows. Illuminated boats and the dark shadows of working boats travel up and down the expanse of water, passing the reflections of the multi-colored buildings next to them.

This cruise goes around Orange Island, a long, narrow island known for producing good quality oranges. It is also known for the enormous sculpted head of Chairman Mao Zedong as a young man. The shoulders of this statue are large enough to accommodate an exhibition center underneath.

Explore Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie

Take the high-speed train from Changsha to Zhangjiajie and enjoy the spectacular scenery surrounding the city, including Tianmen Mountain which is part of the Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park, one of two national parks here. This huge, natural playground offers a day of fun, starting with a climb to the top in the longest cable car in the world.

Walkways from the top of this mountain lead to the start of the glass walkway. It juts out from a sheer cliff face, nearly 5,000 feet above the valley below. Before entering the glass windows that offer beautiful views of the landscape below, visitors should cover their shoes with the provided fabric slip-ons to protect the glass. This sturdy structure is an exciting way to enjoy the spectacular scenery surrounding Tianmen Mountain.

After navigating the glass walkway, another set of footpaths leads to the plank road, a wooden walkway suspended from giant pillars along the rock face. Walkers on the plank have a clear view of the Tianmen Academy. This building, on the sacred site of the mountain, was built in 1352 to replace the original academy built in 1303.

The Heaven-Linking Avenue with 99 sharp turns symbolizing the nine palaces of heaven winds through the valley below. The zigzag turns are impressive and provide an alternative route to climb Tianmen Mountain using the park’s shuttle bus service. But in the end, all paths lead to Tianmen Cave. But a simpler alternative is a series of twelve escalators. At the bottom of the seventh escalator, visitors can walk out to the platform beneath the Heavenly Gate, a large opening in Tianmen Mountain. There are two alternative ways to descend to the square below: a steep stone staircase of 999 steps or the last five escalators.

Watch the Mount Tianmen Fox Fairy Show in Zhangjiajie

This moving spectacle takes place at the foot of Tianmen Mountain in a huge setting that cleverly incorporates the natural elements of the area. The show reenacts the legend surrounding the love of the Fox Fairy, a white fox with 9 tails, for the local woodcutter. Although she is already engaged to the Fox King, she finds her true love for a woodcutter when they meet by chance. It’s a complicated story, but the public is kept informed through commentary on illuminated information boards. The strange translations are all part of the fun.

More impressive than the legend is the Tianmen Fox Fairy Grand Theater itself. This natural stage contains ancient trees and the rocky canyon floor in which it is located. It is divided into two sections. On the left, a cluster of wooden Tujia houses on stilts form a village that represents the human world. One of the houses takes center stage when this world meets the fantasy kingdom of foxes, based on the stones and caves to the left of this massive stage. The large cast includes a choir in traditional costume who provide some background vocals as the story unfolds. An evening full of entertainment that you should not miss.

Visit the Junsheng Sandstone Painting Gallery in Zhangjiajie

The Junsheng Sandstone Painting Gallery showcases the work of local artist Li Junsheng and his students. Junsheng is the founder of the sandstone painting technique. He draws his inspiration from the landscapes surrounding Zhangjiajie, where the gallery is located. He also uses the natural materials found in this area, including sand, pebbles and plants, to create works of art that closely resemble traditional Chinese art. On four levels, the ground floor is dedicated to Junsheng’s work and only by looking closely at the photographs can you appreciate the complexity of these 3D works of art. In this space there is also an impressive display of the colors he has developed from natural materials and a central feature created from the raw materials he incorporates into his photographs.

English-speaking curators are tasked with explaining the development of sandstone painting, also known as ‘green painting’ and ‘environmental painting’. Only they can open the heavy wooden doors that protect a beautiful scene representing the artist’s hometown. Li Junsheng came from a poor family, but managed to save enough money to attend art school in Changsha. His desire to create art from natural materials was inspired by colored stone decorations on the walls of houses to be painted with colored sand and stone. The popularity of these paintings inspired him to further develop this technique, from landscapes to portraits and abstract art. His techniques are taught at the Junsheng Art Academy and the Sandstone Painting Gallery, opened in 2001. Visitors can take pictures of the photographs displayed on the ground floor as a souvenir of their visit. Photography is not allowed on the upper floors, but the art shown here is for sale.

How do you get there?

Hainan Airlines operates direct flights to Changsha and there is a bullet train service from Changsha to Zhangjiajie. Wendy Wu Tours, the Asia specialist, includes Hunan Province in some of their wide range of tours to China.