Beautiful Wudaoshui
On the border of Hunan and Hubei, at the source of the Lishui River, there is a charming little town called Wudaoshui. In midsummer of the Gengchen year, the author and a friend stayed in this town for a few days. As a result, during our visit we not only felt that this place offered cool relief from the summer heat, but also discovered that Wudaoshui is another beautiful, undeveloped scenic area in Zhangjiajie. The reason I say this is that the scenery of Wudaoshui can be summed up in ten beauties. What are the ten beauties? First, the beauty of the mountains. The mountains of Wudaoshui stretch closely along...
On the border of Hunan and Hubei, at the source of the Lishui River, there is a charming little town called Wudaoshui.
In midsummer of the Gengchen year, the author and a friend stayed in this town for a few days. As a result, during our visit we not only felt that this place offered cool relief from the summer heat, but also discovered that Wudaoshui is another beautiful, undeveloped scenic area in Zhangjiajie. The reason I say this is that the scenery of Wudaoshui can be summed up in ten beauties. What are the ten beauties? First, the beauty of the mountains. The mountains of Wudaoshui stretch closely along the Lishui River, with steep gorges on both banks and peaks towering into the clouds. The mountains are densely vegetated, a lovely stretch of deep blue-green. Second, the beauty of the water. Wudaoshui is the source of the northern branch of the Lishui River. Because the water here flows directly out of the great mountains on the Hunan-Hubei border, the source is unpolluted; it looks clear and emerald green, and the flow is fairly large. You can also go rafting on the river and catch fish and shrimp, to everyone's delight. Third, the beauty of the clouds and mist. The clouds and mist of Wudaoshui come and go as they please. Especially on clear mornings or after rain, you see clouds and mist rising over the river and the mountains, now gathering, now scattering, looking light and ethereal, misty and illusory, and quite wonderful. Fourth, the beauty of the ancient willows. At the junction of the two rivers in Wudaoshui town there are several ancient willow trees; the largest are over one meter in diameter, and the trees are at least several hundred years old. These ancient trees, graceful and varied in form, cast dense shade that blocks the sun, forming an especially fine scenic feature of Wudaoshui. Visitors here often love to have their photos taken beside the ancient willows. Fifth, the beauty of the small town. The town is not large and has few houses, but it is rationally laid out. Dozens of two- and three-story buildings built along the water give off the fresh vitality of modern rural dwellings. The several hundred meters of streets in the town are all hardened with concrete, and walking along them is relatively clean and comfortable. Sixth, the beauty of Chajiao Stream. Chajiao Stream is a scenic spot about 4 kilometers from the town. Here a dam has been built in the gorge and a hydropower station constructed; the high drop forms a huge waterfall that gives off a deafening roar of water. Above and below the waterfall, the mountain and water scenery is like a painting. Standing on the highway bridge halfway up the slope above the power station and viewing the beauty here feels like entering a fairyland. Seventh, the beauty of the Seven-Eye Spring. The Seven-Eye Spring is downstream from the power station, about two kilometers from the town. In this section of the Lishui River and on its banks, seven springs of varying size bubble up with spring water; this is also one of the wonders and beauties of Wudaoshui. Eighth, the beauty of folk customs. The residents of Wudaoshui have for generations been Tujia mountain people, and the tradition handed down from their ancestors is simple honesty and hospitality, with little deceit. This place is also a sea of mountain songs; the mountain songs sung by local folk singers were once performed in Beijing for leaders such as Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai. Ninth, the beauty of abundant products. The timber, tea, and knotweed bamboo leaves of Wudaoshui were once the local pillar industries, and the output of medicinal herbs such as gastrodia, coptis, eucommia, magnolia bark, and gallnut is also very large. Precious aquatic products such as giant salamander and bangbang fish are famous far and near. Tenth, the beauty of the girls. Because the mountains and waters of Wudaoshui are beautiful, the people nurtured by this good feng shui, especially the daughters, all grow up lively and delicate, fair and clean, truly as beautiful as flowers and jade, in no way inferior to the beauties of Taohua River; they too form a special scenic beauty of Wudaoshui.
With these ten beauties, Wudaoshui can truly be called another superb scenic resort in Zhangjiajie.