This attraction introduction is compiled from historical materials in the "Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network" (33519.com · Scenic Spots section). Ticket prices, opening hours, transportation, and contact information mentioned in the text may be outdated. Please refer to the latest official announcements from the scenic area before traveling; some content consists of historical background/cultural introductions and is for reference only.
Youxi Forest Park is only one kilometer from the center of Baojing County in Hunan Province, covering 1,030 mu. The park is surrounded by water on three sides and backed by a mountain on one side, running north-south, commonly known as the "Only One Park" of central-south China. Within the park, hills rise and fall, trees are lush, and rare flowers and grasses adorn the park with distinct seasons. Moreover, the plant fossil Idesia polycarpa is found throughout the park. On the main peak stands the tomb of Mr. Yuan Jiliu, Mao Zedong's teacher. In the center of the tombstone, a marble slab is inscribed with Mao Zedong's handwritten inscription "Tomb of Mr. Yuan Jiliu" in seven golden characters. On the western cliff are mysterious and alluring "cliff burial cave eyes" carved during the Sui and Tang dynasties; at the stone cave entrance on the cliff, the "Earth Mother Temple" is wreathed in incense smoke. To the east of the park, on the bank of the 90-degree bend where the You River flows south and then returns north, rises a hill that seems to turn its head to look back at the ancient town of Qianling, called "Wangxiang Terrace." Opposite it across the river are the "Stone Tower Immortal Cave," one of the old eight scenic spots of Qianling, and the tall, towering "Filial Son Rock." In the center of the park is a relatively high slope called "General Mountain," which was once a place where Peng Jinchen, the anti-Japanese general during the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, chatted and strolled with his officers and soldiers in his spare time from training. The park also contains a large sports square and the "Yang Xia Gymnasium," built in honor of Olympic champion Yang Xia, who brought glory to the country.
