Zhangjiajie's Ten Great Wonders
Zhangjiajie's Ten Great Wonders. A saying circulates in contemporary tourism circles: "For mountains, go to Zhangjiajie; for water, go to Jiuzhaigou." Zhangjiajie's mountains rank among the very best in China's landscape scenery, but there have always been many versions of what constitutes Zhangjiajie's ten great wonders. As Zhangjiajie tourism continues to develop, new attractions keep emerging, so people...
This article is compiled from the original travel notes on the "Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network" (33519.com); it is a record of trips from earlier years. Time-sensitive information such as ticket prices, schedules, and accommodation prices is subject to the latest announcements from scenic areas and transportation authorities; the itinerary ideas and attraction introductions still have reference value.
Zhangjiajie's Ten Great Wonders
In contemporary tourism circles there is a saying: "To see mountains, go to Zhangjiajie; to see water, still Jiuzhaigou." Zhangjiajie's mountains rank among the very best in China's landscape scenery, but there have always been many versions of the so-called Ten Great Wonders of Zhangjiajie. With the continuous development of Zhangjiajie tourism, some new scenic spots keep emerging, so people have come up with a new list of Zhangjiajie's Ten Great Wonders.
1. Yubi Peak (Tianzi Mountain)
Yubi Peak is a typical representative of Zhangjiajie's quartz peak-forest landform. Located in Tianzi Mountain, several slender, upright peaks are very distinctive in shape, resembling several writing brushes inserted upside down. Legend says these were the imperial brushes used by Xiang Dakun, leader of the Tujia uprising, and inserted here upside down. This scenic spot has repeatedly been used as promotional image material by the media, has been a focus scenic spot on film and television screens for many years, and was the subject of Zhangjiajie's first issued stamp in 1999. A poem says, "See the West Sea amid the clouds and mist, Yubi Peak points to the vast sky. On the viewing platform of fantastic peaks and strange rocks, the Three Mountains and Five Sacred Peaks are outdone." It can be said that Yubi Peak is the representative of Zhangjiajie's scenery and unquestionably ranks first among the Ten Great Wonders.
2. Tianmen Cave (Tianmen Mountain)
Tianmen Mountain is 1,518.6 meters above sea level, the highest mountain in Zhangjiajie's Yongding District, only 8 kilometers from the urban area, and is named after the natural wonder Tianmen Cave. Tianmen Cave is 131.5 meters high and more than 50 meters wide, opening north and south through a sheer cliff of immense height. It is majestic and towering, a rare high-altitude mountain-piercing karst cave, and even more a world-class wonder fully displaying the marvels of creation. Tianmen Cave is shrouded in mist and vapor all year round, swallowing clouds and spitting fog, with ever-changing scenes. Sometimes clusters of cloud and mist surge in and out of the cave, and sometimes rays of rosy light shine through the opening, magnificent and magical, like an illusion, as if hiding the endless mysteries of heaven and earth. The Tianmen Mountain cableway has an inclined length of 7,455 meters and is the world's longest single-line circulating detachable-grip cabin-style cableway.
3. Number One Bridge Under Heaven (Yuanjiajie)
Number One Bridge Under Heaven is the world's highest natural stone bridge. The bridge surface is about two meters wide and more than 20 meters long, with an absolute height of 350 meters. Two great mountains are linked by a long corridor, forming a natural bridge arch. In cloudy and rainy weather, the area beneath the bridge often swallows clouds and spits fog, with mist rolling and depths unfathomable, a spectacular and majestic sight. On the bridge, green pines stand tall, and ancient vines hang by its sides. Walking on the bridge, you see rising mist and hear the roaring of pines, and the stone bridge seems to tremble and sway, making one's heart pound. This is a wonder of Zhangjiajie scenery and a miracle of nature, and the title Number One Bridge Under Heaven is not at all exaggerated.
4. Divine Eagle Guarding the Whip (Golden Whip Stream)
Divine Eagle Guarding the Whip is located in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, by Golden Whip Stream. Two stone peaks are connected: the left peak resembles an eagle with spread wings, and the right peak resembles a divine whip. The top of the left peak is pointed and slanting, like an eagle's head, while the lower part of the mountain body resembles the eagle's broad, massive wings. The eagle's left wing tightly surrounds Golden Whip Rock, as if guarding it, hence the name Divine Eagle Guarding the Whip. Golden Whip Rock has a relative height of more than 380 meters and is said to be the tallest of Zhangjiajie's three thousand stone peaks.
5. Fairy Scattering Flowers (Tianzi Mountain)
Fairy Presenting Flowers is hailed as the incarnation of a fairy, the beloved consort of King Xiang Tianzi. The image is vivid and remarkably true to life, like a lovely and touching beauty. She holds a full bouquet of flowers in her hands, scattering flower seeds among the peaks of the West Sea. She has been waiting here all along for the return of King Xiang. A poem says, "The jade maiden of the Yaochi descends to the mortal world, transformed into a stone peak especially enchanting. Holding golden orchids and scattering them at will, ten thousand golden lotuses on the mountainside."
6. Herb-Gathering Old Man (Ten-Mile Gallery)
Herb-Gathering Old Man is located in Ten-Mile Gallery. No one who sees him says he does not look like one. Herb-Gathering Old Man is also called Old Man Rock, not far in front of "Longevity Star Greeting Guests." He carries a full basket of herbs on his back, his waist bent with age, and his wrinkled face and deep-set eyes are full of anxiety and worry. It is said that he was He Banxian, the herbal medicine doctor beside King Xiang. Ever since the uprising army fought with government troops, he crossed mountains and ridges every day gathering herbs and treated the wounded day and night. That day he had just gathered a basket of herbs and was passing Shengtang Bay when he heard that the uprising had failed and that King Xiang had jumped off the cliff and died. He was instantly stunned, his feet no longer obeyed him. Just like that, carrying his herb basket, he stared blankly at Shengtang Bay in a daze. Over time, he turned into a stone statue. A poem praises him: "Heavenly craft finds it hard to sculpt Old Man Rock, travel-worn and full of feeling. Why carry herbs on his back, his hurried steps make one ponder."
7. Sea-Calming Divine Needle (Huanglong Cave)
The landmark scenic spot of Zhangjiajie's Huanglong Cave scenic area, with a total height of 19.2 meters and a circumference of 40 centimeters, is the tallest stalagmite in Huanglong Cave. It is thick at both ends and thin in the middle, and the thinnest part is only 10 centimeters in diameter. If, according to experts' determination, the average annual growth rate of stalagmites in Huanglong Cave is only 0.1 millimeter, then by this calculation, the "Sea-Calming Divine Needle" has already had a history of 200,000 years of growth and development, and it is still continuing to grow. If it grows another 6 meters over another 60,000 years, it could directly reach the dome and truly "stand between heaven and earth"! In order to better protect this landmark scenic spot, the management department of Huanglong Cave scenic area specially bought 100 million yuan in huge insurance for the "Sea-Calming Divine Needle," creating a national precedent for insuring a world natural heritage site.
8. Baofeng Flying Waterfall (Baofeng Lake)
Baofeng Flying Waterfall: more than 40 meters up the mountainside to the left front of Baofeng Bridge, a stream of water flies down like a silver ribbon hanging on the cliff. The waterfall first plunges straight down, then spreads along the slope into the pool at the iron-chain bridge. Two pools overlap, shimmering with light, reflecting green bamboo, red trees, and human figures, just like a painting palette. After touring Baofeng Lake, calligrapher Shen Peng inscribed the four characters "Fei Liu Jie Feng," which were carved on the cliff above the flying waterfall stone.
9. Husband and Wife Rock (Huangshizhai)
Husband and Wife Rock is located on the hilltop opposite Huangshizhai, behind Zhangjiajie Villa and opposite Tianjiatai. There are two naturally formed peaks. These mountains are truly strange: one resembles a man and the other resembles a woman, head leaning against head, body close to body. They have eyes, noses, hair, and lips, and even eyebrows and teeth can be seen clearly and distinctly. They stand on the high mountain and in this divine place, loving each other and never separating. According to legend, this was formed after the flower fairy Shan Hehua and the beekeeper Tian Hualang went through countless hardships and several near-death experiences before finally being united. If you meet your own true love, you can go there and make a wish, which is believed to ensure harmony between husband and wife and happiness in the family.
10. Meeting After a Thousand Miles (Golden Whip Stream)
While touring Golden Whip Stream, you can see a group of fantastic peaks. Two relatively tall stone peaks are closely connected, their lower halves joined as one, while the upper halves are one tall and one short. The taller one leans slightly forward, and the shorter one leans slightly back, forming a wonderful picture of loving embrace, just like a couple reunited after a long separation, hence the name Meeting Peak, also called Meeting After a Thousand Miles. Legend says that the little dragon girl of the East Sea Dragon Palace often came here to enjoy the scenery. By chance, she met a young man who had come from distant Mount Emei. The two found each other congenial and soon fell in love. When the Dragon King learned of this, he was furious and resolved to separate them. He shut the little dragon girl in the Dragon Palace many times, but she always found ways to escape and often met her lover. In a rage, the Dragon King turned them both into stone, and they became the stone peaks "Meeting After a Thousand Miles."