Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain Self-Driving Tour Guide

An immersive experience of mountains, waters, and wonders; a journey of discovery into legend and mystery

Zhangjiajie Tianmen Mountain Self-Driving Travel Guide

Upon arriving in Zhangjiajie, the soul of Zhangjiajie—Tianmen Mountain—will immediately deliver the most stunning visual impact. Tianmen Mountain is the highest mountain in Zhangjiajie and the earliest famous mountain in Zhangjiajie to be recorded in history. It is named after the natural wonder Tianmen Cave, and is hailed as the "Soul of Zhangjiajie" and the "First Sacred Mountain of Xiangxi" for its profound historical culture and rich, colorful cultural relics.

Tianmen Mountain's unique karst platform landform is rare in the world. The forest coverage rate at the summit reaches 90%, making it a natural oxygen bar, with numerous exotic rocks and rare trees, like a breathtaking sky garden. The world's longest high-mountain passenger cableway—Tianmen Mountain Cableway—soars like a rainbow dragon; the world's highest natural mountain-piercing cave—Tianmen Cave—connects earth and sky; the winding 99-bend Heaven-Linking Avenue spirals upward; and the Guigu Plank Road on the sheer cliffs will leave you screaming with excitement.

In 1999, an aircraft flew through Tianmen; in 2006, the Russian Air Force flew over Tianmen; in 2007, French spider-man Alain Robert free-climbed Tianmen Cave; in 2008, famous actor Sun Honglei passionately challenged the Heaven-Linking Avenue; in 2009, the true relic of Sakyamuni Buddha was enshrined in Tianmen Mountain Temple; in 2010, the world's first large-scale high-mountain canyon live-action musical <Tianmen Fox Fairy · New Liu Hai Cuts Firewood> premiered with a bang. Every year, a hot and novel major event keeps Tianmen Mountain creating brilliance and miracles!

● Self-Driving Transportation Guide:

1. Travelers from the South (entering Hunan from Guangdong, Guangxi, Jiangxi, etc.):

Via Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway → Changsha → Changsha-Zhangjiajie Expressway → Zhangjiajie.

2. Travelers from the North (entering Hunan from Hubei)

① Via Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway → Changsha → Changsha-Zhangjiajie Expressway → Zhangjiajie

② Drive directly to Changde (Shimen County) → Changsha-Zhangjiajie Expressway → Zhangjiajie

☆ Recommended attractions along the way: Shimen Jiashan Temple, Changde Peach Blossom Spring, and the unforgettable Changde spicy duck

3. Travelers from the Northwest (entering Hunan from Chongqing, Guizhou, etc.)

Huaihua → Jishou → Zhangjiajie

☆ Recommended attractions along the way: Between Huaihua and Jishou, you can visit the thousand-year-old ancient town Fenghuang to experience Xiangxi customs; between Jishou and Zhangjiajie, there is the hometown of famous singer Song Zuying—the tea town of Guzhang, the "Number One Drift in the World" Mengdong River, and the characteristic small town where Liu Xiaoqing once sold rice tofu—Furong Town (Wangcun)

● From the City Center to Tianmen Mountain:

Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area is only 8 kilometers from Zhangjiajie city center. To ascend Tianmen Mountain, no climbing is needed—the Tianmen Mountain Cableway goes directly to the summit. The lower station of the Tianmen Mountain Cableway is located in the Guanliping area of the city, accessible by multiple bus routes including No. 4, No. 5, and No. 10. The entirely transparent glass structure, combined with the shape of two blue wings, makes the entire cableway lower station look like a dove spreading its wings to fly—a unique scenic sight in the bustling city.

The lower station of the Tianmen Mountain Cableway is 3 kilometers from Hehua Airport, 0.5 kilometers from the railway station, and only 8 kilometers from the Changsha-Zhangjiajie Expressway exit. Around the scenic area, there are also roads such as Zhangluo, Zhangqing, and Zhangsang leading to various directions within the province. Traffic guidance signs are installed on the roads into the city and major city roads. The spacious roads and clear guide signs make it especially convenient and smooth for tourists to reach Tianmen Mountain.

● Tianmen Mountain Tickets:

Scenic area ticket: A package ticket that includes the entrance ticket, round-trip cableway, and the scenic area's eco-friendly shuttle bus. Specifically:

Peak season 258 (March 1 to November 30 each year) Discounted ticket price 183

Off-season 225 (December 1 to February 28 of the following year) Discounted ticket price 150

Notes:

① The summit sightseeing cable car fee is not included in the ticket package: round trip 39 RMB/person, one way 23 RMB/person.

② The fee for viewing the Buddha relic at Tianmen Mountain Temple is not included in the ticket package: 50 RMB/person/visit.

Discounted tickets:

① Children under 1.2 meters in height are admitted free of charge.

② Minors between 1.2 and 1.5 meters in height, full-time students over 1.5 meters in height and under 24 years of age (with ID card and student ID), elderly people aged 60–70 (with ID card), and those holding the "Urban and Rural Residents' Minimum Living Guarantee Certificate" issued by the civil affairs department can enjoy discounted ticket prices with valid documents.

③ Active-duty military personnel holding officer certificates and soldier certificates, as well as active-duty or retired disabled military personnel holding a "Revolutionary Disabled Military Personnel Certificate," are entitled to a discount of 100 RMB/person.

④ Elderly people over 70 years of age, disabled persons, and family members of martyrs with valid documents are entitled to a discount of 100 RMB/person.

● Tianmen Mountain One-Day Tour:

Take the world's longest high-mountain passenger cableway (7.5 km long) and experience the thrill of soaring through the clouds, reaching the summit in 30 minutes; go to Lingxiao Terrace to overlook the splendid scenery of Zhangjiajie city and take in the majestic momentum of the landscape scroll; walk the Guigu Plank Road, scream freely among the cliffs and clouds, and fully challenge your sense of “daring”; view the mysterious Guigu Cave from afar, wander through the art of alliance and strategy, and experience the subtlety of the School of Vertical and Horizontal; pray at Qiuer Cave, where those who seek children may be blessed with children and those who seek blessings may receive blessings; visit the Tianmen Mountain Temple, a Buddhist realm in the heavens, and pay respects to the true relic of Sakyamuni Buddha; take the forest sightseeing cable car to Yunmeng Immortal Summit, the highest point of Zhangjiajie, where birds startle up from the treetops and you feel as if treading on clouds to become immortal; take the sightseeing bus and experience the wonder of the world's number one road marvel, the “99-Bend Heaven-Reaching Avenue,” while enjoying along the way such extraordinary sights as the Golden Turtle Carrying Ingots, General Peak, and Arrow Shaft Peak; climb the 999-step Heaven-Reaching Ladder to the world's highest natural mountain-piercing karst cave, “Tianmen Cave,” and experience the wonder and stunning impact of nature's craftsmanship.

Tour Tips: The summit of Tianmen Mountain is divided into east and west routes. The west route is relatively shorter in time, with concentrated attractions, fun and exciting without being too tiring. There is also a sightseeing cable car at the summit running from south to north through the summit forest. It is recommended to take the cable car once during the round trip to enjoy the feeling of floating like an immortal while also saving time and energy.

● Eating at Tianmen Mountain:

Restaurants: There are three major restaurants in the scenic area, namely the Cherry Bay Restaurant at the summit, the Vegetarian Dining Hall at Tianmen Mountain Temple, and the Tianmen Cave specialty dining area. Cherry Bay Restaurant mainly serves stir-fried dishes and set meals, the Vegetarian Dining Hall offers specialty vegetarian cuisine, and at Tianmen Cave there are various snacks such as Tujia cold noodles, golden pancakes, fresh fruit, and northern-style pastries. At Tianmen Cave there is also “Tianmen Workshop,” a specialty shop for Tianmen Mountain local products and handicrafts, allowing you to bring home the uniqueness of Tianmen Mountain!

Fruit: In the Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area, it can truly be said that “wild fruits are everywhere, and every month there are mountain delicacies.” Visiting here really means wild fruits are available in all four seasons: in the first lunar month there is “ice-cool wine fruit,” in the second month “stick milk fruit,” in the third month strawberries (locally called “pao”), in the fourth month loquats, in the fifth month cherries, in the sixth month wild peaches, in the seventh month wild pears, in the eighth month carambola (wild kiwi), in the ninth month chestnuts and wild lychees, in the tenth month Laba melon, in the eleventh month clove persimmons, and in the twelfth month Jiubingliang fruit (commonly known as “mugua seed”), and so on.

Tea: “Good water comes from high mountains, and fine tea is nurtured by mist and clouds.” Tianmen Mountain is 1,518.6 meters above sea level, the highest mountain in Zhangjiajie. For at least 260 days a year, Tianmen Mountain is shrouded in mist and clouds, with long sunshine hours and large temperature differences between day and night. Under these conditions grow high-mountain cloud-mist teas with a fragrant aroma, mellow taste with sweet aftertaste, bright green liquor, and uniform leaf base—Tianmen Mountain Maofeng, Tianmen Mountain Yinhao, and others.

Snacks: At the summit and at Tianmen Cave there are also many small stalls offering various seasonal items picked or grown by local mountain people, such as fresh cucumbers with dew, cherry-sweet cherry tomatoes (locally called small tomatoes), golden boiled corn, fragrant roasted sweet potatoes, and different wild fruits in each season—absolutely natural foods and absolutely natural enjoyment.

At the foot of Tianmen Mountain there are many small stalls selling sour and spicy snacks, with several large jars and bottles containing red radishes (both sweet and sour types), tender white mountain bamboo shoots, thin kelp, clear jellyfish shreds, crisp celtuce strips, and so on, priced from 1 to 3 RMB per jin. The owner first gives you a small basin, and you can choose whatever you like, then hand it to the owner to season with chili, ginger flowers, chopped scallions, salt, MSG, vinegar, and whatever flavor you choose. It is strongly recommended that travelers buy a bag before going up the mountain and, while on the mountain, enjoy a bite of the Tujia specialty sour-and-spicy flavor with cool mountain spring water—it will definitely refresh you like nothing else!

☆ Warm Tips

(1) Weather: Tianmen Mountain is the highest mountain in Zhangjiajie, and the temperature on the mountain is about 10℃ lower than in the city. Please adjust your clothing according to the different seasons. Down jackets are available for rent year-round at the kiosk at the upper cableway station.

(2) Sightseeing: Because of the special geological landforms, there are many bottomless heavenly pits on Tianmen Mountain, so please follow the direction of the tour route signs, and especially in dense fog and rainy weather, pay attention to slip prevention underfoot. In icy and snowy weather, it is recommended to wear a pair of straw sandals over your shoes. Rainproof and anti-slip clothing is sold at all kiosks at the summit; when climbing the 999-step Heaven-Reaching Ladder at Tianmen Cave, be sure to pay attention to safety, do not play around while going up or down, hold firmly to the stone pillars or iron chains on both sides, and take special care of the elderly and children to prevent falls and injuries.

(3) Dining: There are three major restaurants in the scenic area, namely the Cherry Bay Restaurant at the summit, the Vegetarian Dining Hall at Tianmen Mountain Temple, and the Tianmen Cave specialty dining area. Cherry Bay Restaurant mainly serves stir-fried dishes and set meals, the Vegetarian Dining Hall offers specialty vegetarian cuisine, and at Tianmen Cave there are various snacks such as Tujia cold noodles, golden pancakes, fresh fruit, and northern-style pastries. At Tianmen Cave there is also “Tianmen Workshop,” a specialty shop for Tianmen Mountain local products and handicrafts, allowing you to bring home the uniqueness of Tianmen Mountain!

⑷ Eco-friendly buses: The round-trip travel time of the eco-friendly bus from the middle station to Tianmen Cave is 25–30 minutes, with one departure every 10 minutes (vehicles for backpackers and tour groups only need to wait at the lower station of the Tianmen Mountain cableway).

⑸ Tickets: The ticket card must be used twice within the scenic area, at the upper and lower cableway stations. Please keep it safe, and it is valid only for the person it was issued to.

⑹ Hours: The scenic area's ticket sales hours are from 08:00 AM to 4:30 PM; the sightseeing time in the scenic area can be arranged according to your specific

itinerary, but it is recommended to head down the mountain around 6 PM in summer, and around 4 PM in winter, especially when the weather is bad, because night falls relatively earlier in the mountains than in the city.

⑺ Buddha's Relic: Tianmen Mountain Temple enshrines the only relic of Sakyamuni Buddha in Hunan. It is very precious, and friends who come here must not miss the chance to pay their respects!

⑻ Korean friends: Tianmen Mountain is very popular in South Korea, so don't be surprised to see groups of Korean tourists in the scenic area. Learn the simplest Korean greeting, "Annyeonghaseyo," and make a few more Korean friends!

⑼ The official website of the scenic area is , where you can log in to check more information.

● Must-visit attractions:

1: Tianmen Mountain Cableway

Tianmen Mountain Cableway is 7,455 meters long, with a horizontal height difference of 1,279 meters, making it the world's longest high-mountain passenger cableway. The cableway took 2 years to build and cost 250 million RMB. One section features a climbing angle of up to 38°, which is extremely rare in China and even in the world. The entire cableway starts from the city garden in downtown Zhangjiajie and goes directly to the primitive sky garden at the top of Tianmen Mountain, like a rainbow spanning the human world and heaven, and also like a giant dragon soaring through the clouds, clinging to the mountain and cliffs, magnificent and spectacular. Along the way, the cableway passes modern city scenery, beautiful rural scenery, and majestic high-mountain scenery, making it worthy of being called the world's number one moving aerial sightseeing corridor.

2: Tongtian Avenue

On aerial satellite cloud images, a road with many bends is as obvious as the Great Wall. This is Tianmen Mountain's Tongtian Avenue, known as the "Number One Highway Wonder in the World." Tongtian Avenue winds and turns, soaring upward, and is named because it leads to Tianmen Cave, known as the gateway to heaven. The avenue starts from the landmark gate at the mountain entrance and winds all the way to the foot of Tianmen Cave, with a total length of 11 kilometers. Between the elevation difference of 200 meters and 1,100 meters, 99 sharp hairpin turns fully bring out the thrill of driving. On both sides of the avenue are sheer cliffs thousands of meters high and deep empty valleys, with 180° hairpin turns rising one after another, layer upon layer. Because of its extraordinary steepness and danger, Tongtian Avenue is also praised as the "Road to Heaven." Construction of Tongtian Avenue began in 1998 and was not fully completed until 2005. The eight years of construction gathered the hard work and sweat of many engineering builders, and it is a miracle in the history of human architecture. An international friend once exclaimed: This is a miracle as great as the Great Wall; this is a road that only Chinese people could complete. In 2008, famous actor Sun Honglei and renowned Hong Kong stunt master Lo Lai-yin drove to challenge Tongtian Avenue, triggering a wave of self-driving enthusiasm. Tongtian Avenue became the ultimate "Road to Heaven" that many self-driving enthusiasts wanted to challenge. In 2009, Tongtian Avenue was listed as the ultimate devil racing section in China's first 3D racing game "Crazy Racing," and was also voted by the media and netizens as the "King of China's Extreme Roads," highlighting Tongtian Avenue's extraordinary "track" charm. In order to satisfy the desire of many drivers to take on the challenge, Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area has now made "Challenge the Road to Heaven" a separate open project, allowing drivers to race with a different kind of excitement on Tongtian Avenue.

3: Tianmen Cave

Tianmen Cave is the most representative attraction of Tianmen Mountain. It is located in the middle-upper part of the Tianmen Mountain massif and year-round breathes in clouds and mist, like a heavenly palace in a fantasy realm, captivating people's imaginations. The famous Yuan dynasty poet Zhang Dui once wrote in praise: "Tianmen Cave opens and cloud qi flows through; Jiangdong and Emei are all inferior." Tianmen Cave is 1,300 meters above sea level, with a gate height of 131.5 meters, a width of 57 meters, and a depth of 60 meters. It is the world's highest natural mountain-piercing cave. Since it suddenly opened in 263 AD, Tianmen Cave has always been a spiritual place for people to pray and make wishes. Rare wonders such as Tianmen spitting mist and Tianmen rosy clouds add even more mystery to Tianmen Cave. As the landmark attraction of Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area, Tianmen Cave not only has unique scenery, but also has all kinds of supporting service facilities. Tianmen Cave Square integrates entertainment, leisure, dining, and shopping, and is currently the most fully equipped leisure square in Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area. In 1999, world stunt flying masters piloted aircraft through Tianmen Cave, achieving the first feat in human history of flying an aircraft through a natural mountain cave. More than 800 million viewers worldwide witnessed this exciting moment, and Tianmen Cave instantly became the focus of world attention. Since then, Russian fighter jets and French spider-man Alain Robert have both created their own exciting legends at Tianmen Cave, making Tianmen Cave a birthplace of miracles.

⊙Legendary short stories about Tianmen Cave:

The myth of "Tianmen Cave Opening" — a tale of heaven and earth?

Tianmen Mountain was called Songliang Mountain in ancient times. In the sixth year of Yong'an of the Wu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period (263 AD), the mountain cliff suddenly opened into a cave, bright and clear like a gate, forming a rare world wonder — Tianmen Cave. Emperor Sun Xiu of Wu considered this an auspicious sign, so he renamed Songliang Mountain to Tianmen Mountain.

Tianmen Cave is 131.5 meters high, 57 meters wide, and 60 meters deep. It opens from north to south atop a sheer cliff of immense height, soaring upward to the heavens, with ever-changing atmospheric conditions. Like a bright mirror or a heavenly gate inlaid upon the vast sky, it swallows white clouds and exhales purple mist year-round, evoking an air of unfathomable mystery and an otherworldly elegance. It could be said to have captured all the creative power of heaven and earth and concealed all the divine secrets of the universe. As for its formation, geologists have tried to judge and reason from its geographical location, climate changes, and other aspects, but no convincing conclusion has been reached to this day. "Tianmen Cave Opening" has thus become an eternal unsolvable mystery of Tianmen Mountain. For this reason, over the past 1,700 years, this peerlessly spectacular sight has attracted countless visitors flocking to see it.

"Tianmen Turning" — hidden mysteries?

One of the six great ancient mysteries related to "Tianmen Cave Opening" is "Tianmen Turning."

According to local elders, seventy or eighty years ago, standing at the South Pier by the riverside in Zhangjiajie city proper, one could clearly see the majestic and spectacular Tianmen Cave. Today, from the same spot, one can only see the mountain but no longer the cave. To view this spectacular sight, one must now go to Dayong Bridge, four kilometers away. Could it be that Tianmen Cave is quietly rotating its angle to conceal some heavenly mystery? Even more incredible is that the direction Tianmen Cave faces always corresponds to places with favorable feng shui that prosper and flourish. Seventy or eighty years ago, the South Pier was like Shanghai's Nanjing Road — once the most prosperous area of Zhangjiajie. Today, Dayong Bridge, which Tianmen Cave faces, is likewise a prime piece of golden real estate that merchants compete for. No wonder some say that "Tianmen Cave Opening" also interprets the natural mystery of the wheel of fortune turning.

"Tianmen Water Reversal" — a warning from heaven?

One of the six mysteries of Tianmen Mountain — "Tianmen Water Reversal" — can be considered a rare and extraordinary spectacle.

On the cliff to the left of Tianmen Cave, even after torrential rain, water does not normally cascade down the rock face. Yet sometimes, during the dry season, a sudden flood wildly surges out of nowhere, raging down the sheer precipice with a roar like thunder — an extremely spectacular sight. This is the "Tianmen Water Reversal" wonder. But such a spectacle occurs only once every decade or several decades, and each time it lasts only 15 to 45 minutes. "Tianmen Water Reversal" is called a "mystery" because of its three bizarre aspects: First, every waterfall has a source, but the Tianmen Water Reversal waterfall has no source — each time, a surge of water gushes from underground out of thin air. Second, floods should occur in the rainy season, but Tianmen Water Reversal always happens in the dry season. The third point, and the hardest to explain, is that each occurrence of "Tianmen Water Reversal" is closely linked to major historical events in China. Often, not long after the water reversal, social upheaval or natural disasters occur on Chinese soil. For example, in 1949, after the "water reversal," the People's Republic of China was founded; in 1965, the largest-scale "water reversal" occurred, and the following year the "Cultural Revolution" broke out; in 1976, shortly after the "water reversal," the Tangshan earthquake struck.

"Guigu Apparition" — unparalleled in history?

Guiguzi was a famous figure in Chinese history, one of the "Hundred Schools of Thought," the founding father of the School of Vertical and Horizontal (diplomatic strategy), and an accomplished educator. The well-known Su Qin, Zhang Yi, Sun Bin, and Pang Juan were all his disciples. Guiguzi possessed the six strategic arts and three stratagems of a statesman, excelled in the diplomatic arts of vertical and horizontal alliances, and also inherited the mantle of the Yin-Yang school and the mystical calculations of a prophet. Therefore, people called Guiguzi a genius and a polymath. He authored the book "Guiguzi," also known as "Baike Ce."

This remarkable Master Guigu once lived in seclusion and cultivated himself inside Guigu Cave on Tianmen Mountain. The "Yongding County Annals," "Yongding County Local Records," and other texts all contain detailed and wondrous descriptions of this.

The most incredible thing happened in 1991, when a cave-exploring hero named Li Guangyu appeared at Tianmen Mountain. From 1991 to 2004, he lowered ropes down the cliff face seven times to have "intimate contact" with Guigu Cave. During these cave explorations, he encountered all kinds of inexplicable miraculous phenomena. Especially on the fourth occasion, Li Guangyu accidentally used his camera to capture an image on the stone wall inside the cave that closely resembled an ancient old man, with a lean face, high hair bun, slightly upturned chin, and clear facial features, remarkably similar to the widely circulated portrait of Guiguzi. Later, when exploring the cave, photos deliberately taken at this spot came out blank after development. Whether this "Guigu apparition" was accidental, a coincidence, or a deliberate arrangement by heaven has become one of the six mysteries of Tianmen Mountain.

Was "Yefu's Hidden Treasure" a real event?

Yefu was Li Guo, a senior general under Li Zicheng, leader of the peasant uprising army at the end of the Ming Dynasty. After becoming a monk, his dharma name was "Yefu." He had once followed Li Zicheng on campaigns north and south, achieving outstanding military merits. It is said that after the failure of resisting the Qing, Li Zicheng and Yefu lived in seclusion together at Jiashan Temple in Shimen, Hunan. After Li Zicheng passed away, Yefu led more than 100 people, hired nine large wooden boats, and secretly sailed up the Lishui River into Dayong (what is now Zhangjiajie City), quietly ascending Tianmen Mountain.

After going up the mountain, Yefu became a monk at Tianmen Mountain Temple. But his becoming a monk was not about "instantly attaining Buddhahood"; instead, he remained ready for battle, always preparing to rise again at the right moment and restore the Central Plains. During his time as a monk at Tianmen Mountain Temple, the Qing government repeatedly ordered local authorities to send spies to arrest him. To improve his martial arts skills, Yefu explored Guigu Cave at night. From the traces carved on the stone walls inside the cave and Guiguzi's expositions on political strategy, he comprehended a set of hard qigong. With these skills, he repeatedly defeated the martial arts masters sent by the imperial court to hunt him down.

As time passed, Yefu saw that the situation was declining day by day, and finally fell ill from anxiety and never recovered. Everyone knows that when Li Zicheng retreated from the capital, he had looted all the gold and silver treasures from the national treasury, intending to make a comeback later. Yefu had always followed Li Zicheng, and only after Li Zicheng passed away did he transfer to Tianmen Mountain Temple, using nine large boats to move his belongings. One can imagine that what he secretly transported to Tianmen Mountain must have been the large amount of gold and silver treasures looted from the national treasury. Seeing that the plan to make a comeback had failed, Yefu simply, before dying, scattered and buried these treasures in several secret locations on Tianmen Mountain. For hundreds of years, under the lure of enormous profits, countless people entered the mountain to seek treasure, but all returned empty-handed. Where exactly these treasures were hidden has become an unsolvable mystery of Tianmen Mountain.

Is the "Tianmen Auspicious Beast" only a legend?

According to records, someone once accidentally saw a unicorn in the primitive forest of Tianmen Mountain. This animal looked very close to the auspicious beast figures handed down from ancient China, with a body similar to a tiger and a bright red color, and a curved single horn in the very center of the top of its head. This unicorn was very alert. Upon discovering that someone had seen it, it immediately turned around and disappeared deep into the forest. The person who saw it had no camera and did not dare chase into the forest to search for traces, so this inconclusive encounter became an unsolvable mystery of Tianmen Mountain. It is said that the Tianmen auspicious beast is one kind of auspicious beast. It is strong and powerful, incomparably mighty, holding its head high and chest out, seeming to look down on everything, majestic over the world, and bestowing blessings in all directions. Its most notable physical feature is a curved single horn growing on its head. It is circulated in the Wuling Yongding area and is a guardian auspicious creature in the hearts of the people of Wuling County.

4: Tianmen Mountain Temple

Tianmen Mountain Temple was first built in the Ming Dynasty. After going through the integration and adaptation of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism, it has had flourishing incense since its establishment, with believers throughout Chen, Yong, Li, and Chang. It is the Buddhist center of the Xiangxi region, and Tianmen Mountain also gained the name "First Sacred Mountain of Xiangxi" because of this. After the Republic of China period, the old temple at Tianmen Mountain gradually declined, and ruins can still be found today. In order to inherit the historical context of Tianmen Mountain Temple and carry forward the long Buddhist culture of Tianmen Mountain, in 2002, Tianmen Mountain Tourism Co., Ltd. spared no expense to rebuild Tianmen Mountain Temple, and it was completed on June 9, 2009. The rebuilt Tianmen Mountain Temple covers an area of more than 20,000 square meters and is currently the highest-altitude Buddhist architectural complex in Hunan Province. The entire temple adopts the style of ancient Chinese official architecture and consists of buildings such as the Mahavira Hall, Guanyin Pavilion, and Sutra Library. The temple also enshrines the true relics of Buddha Shakyamuni and his two major disciples Maudgalyayana and Sariputra, making it the only temple in Hunan Province that enshrines Buddha relics. Taking the forest sightseeing cable car at the summit of Tianmen Mountain and looking from the air, the temple sits in a mountain hollow with a broad field of vision, overlooking the southeast, solemn and elegant, fully displaying the majestic bearing of a Buddhist kingdom in heaven. Tianmen Mountain Temple strives to become the largest Buddhist cultural garden in the Xiangxi region, integrating Zen worship, Buddhist study and practice, Dharma education, Zen cultivation and wellness, and sightseeing tourism.

5: Guigu Cave

On the cliffs of Tianmen Mountain, there is a square cave opening, which is the most famous of the sixteen caves of Tianmen Mountain, Ghost Valley Cave. This cave is a hundred meters below the summit and above a bottomless abyss, with steep terrain, and it is named after the revered Master Ghost Valley, who once lived in seclusion here to cultivate himself. Among the "Ten Scenic Spots of Tianmen," Ghost Valley Cave is known as "Mysterious Wall Hiding an Immortal."

According to the "Yongding County Annals" from the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty, Ghost Valley Cave contains a deep stone chamber, with clear springs flowing below. Ghost Valley Master once lived here to study the "I Ching," and seal-script characters of the Jiazi cycle are still preserved on the stone walls. Since 1991, Tianmen Mountain adventurers have descended by rope from above the cliff to the precipice seven times, making "close contact" with Ghost Valley Cave. During these cave explorations, they encountered various inexplicable and wondrous phenomena. Especially on the fourth occasion, the cave-exploring adventurers accidentally photographed on the stone wall inside the cave the head of an elderly man from ancient times, with a thin face, high hair bun, slightly protruding chin, and clear facial features, remarkably similar in spirit to the widely circulated portrait of Ghost Valley Master. On later cave explorations, photos deliberately taken at this spot came out completely blank. Whether this "Ghost Valley apparition" was accidental, a coincidence, or a deliberate arrangement of heaven has become one of the six mysteries of Tianmen Mountain.

6: Child-Begging Cave

One of the sixteen cave heavens of Tianmen Mountain, with a diameter of nearly 4 meters and a bottom of unfathomable depth, it is recorded in the "Yongding County Local Gazetteer." Folk legend says that the Child-Granting Guanyin manifested here. It is said that after devout worship, if you throw a stone into the cave, one sound means a son, two sounds mean a daughter, and three sounds mean twins. Interested travelers can give it a try!

7: Summit Forest Sightseeing Cable Car:

The cable car runs from the main peak of Tianmen Mountain, Yunmeng Immortal Summit, to the Cherry Bay Square in front of Tianmen Mountain Temple. The total length is 800 meters, and a one-way trip takes about 10 minutes. It is an uncovered two-seat chairlift and an excellent aerial sightseeing corridor at the summit of Tianmen Mountain. Riding the cable car slowly drifting above the sea of forest, the breathtaking primitive aerial garden unfolds before your eyes, with curling white clouds and lush green everywhere. Sometimes birds skim beneath your feet, and sometimes blossoms on the treetops seem within reach. The immortal-like elegance and incomparable joy make people linger and forget to return.

8: Ghost Valley Plank Road:

Located in the Seeking Immortals Wonderland Scenic Area, it is named because it hangs along the cliff line above Ghost Valley Cave. The plank road is 1,600 meters long, with an average altitude of 1,400 meters. The entire walkway is neither at the top of the cliff nor at its side, but stands along the middle of a sheer precipice throughout, giving people the feeling of rising and bending together with the cliff. Standing on the plank road, with flocks of birds beneath your feet and vast mountain wilderness before your eyes, the heroic spirit of roaming freely between heaven and earth intertwines with the trembling from the bottom of your heart, blending into an unforgettable ultimate cliff experience. According to the construction workers, this plank road was the most difficult and perilous one they had ever built. Moreover, at the highest point of the plank road there is also a glass platform extending into the air about 5 meters long and a canyon suspension bridge hanging over a bottomless abyss, fully challenging everyone's sense of "dare"! Here, there are no obstacles of reinforced concrete, only bare transparency greeting everyone's screams!

●Staying at Tianmen Mountain

The Tianmen Mountain cable car station is located in the city area. Travelers can choose any hotel or inn in the city. Recommended are Weidi Hotel and Pigeon Flower Hotel near the cable car station. The two hotels are less than 50 meters from the Tianmen Mountain cable car station, and multiple bus routes pass by. Both are four-star hotels newly opened in the past two years, fully equipped, comfortable, safe, and reasonably priced. Recently, the Dacheng Shanshui Hotel, the largest hotel in China, just opened only a hundred meters from the cable car station, giving travelers another luxury accommodation option.

●Tujia Flavor Cuisine:

When visiting Zhangjiajie, you cannot miss the local cuisine. Tujia cuisine is mainly sour, spicy, and pickled foods. Here are a few super specialty dishes:

1. Stone Ear Stewed with Chicken or Duck

Rock ear is a plant that grows on steep cliffs and resembles wood ear fungus. Because it is difficult to harvest, it is extremely precious, delicious, and highly nutritious. Stewed with chicken or duck, it is like ginseng and bird's nest. It has a pale yellow color, an elegant yet irresistible aroma, and when tasted it makes the mouth water. It has the effects of nourishing the body and promoting health, as well as beautifying the face. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, this dish was a tribute that Tusi chiefs had to present to the emperor every year. It is said that when the emperor held grand banquets for his ministers, this dish was also a must. If you want to taste what it was like to be emperor, then enjoy this dish well.

2. Loach Burrowing into Tofu

A masterpiece of Tujia cuisine. First put small loaches in a jar or earthen vessel, pour in clear water and add a small amount of salt, and feed them overnight. Wait until the loaches have spit out all the sand, mud, and other impurities in their bellies, then rinse them with clear water, and pour the live fresh loaches into tender white tofu, letting them burrow around. After they have burrowed out several small holes in the tofu, then put it into an oiled pot to stew and cook, adding Sichuan pepper, chopped scallions, monosodium glutamate, minced ginger, soy sauce, and so on. This dish is especially nutritious, extremely tender, and has a particularly delicious taste. It is a fine delicacy used by Tujia people to entertain honored guests.

3. Sour Marinated Fish

It is a little-known delicacy of the Tujia and Miao ethnic groups. Fresh small fish are caught, gutted and washed, coated with rice flour (a little salt is added to the rice flour and mixed well), then placed into a pickling jar and left to pickle for 3 to 5 days. After it develops a sour taste, it is taken out and fried until cooked in camellia oil. In this way, it turns golden in color and tastes both sour and fragrant, very delicious.

4. Tujia Sanxiaguo

Speaking of Sanxiaguo, anyone who has been to Zhangjiajie knows it without exception. It is said that during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court conscripted Tusi soldiers from western Hunan and Hubei to the front line to resist Japanese pirates. It happened to coincide with the Lunar New Year, and in order not to delay military operations, the Tusi king ordered the New Year to be celebrated one day early. So cured meat, tofu, and radish were cooked together in one pot, called eating “he cai”, which later evolved into Sanxiaguo.

Sanxiaguo restaurants can be found everywhere in Zhangjiajie's urban area. The choices of Sanxiaguo cuisine here are more extensive, with specialized tofu shops, intestine shops, pork tripe shops, and more. Among the most famous are Master Hu's Sanxiaguo at the head of Fengwan Bridge, Brother Jun's Intestine Restaurant at the Fengwan Road intersection, Yongshun Pickled Cabbage and Mutton Restaurant, and Master Li's Crispy Tripe Shop near Hongqi Hotel on Ziwu Road. These four shops are truly top contenders among locals in Zhangjiajie. At mealtime every day, they are packed with customers. Prices range from 15 to 50 RMB per pot, tasty and affordable. Before the food is served, there are also authentic Zhangjiajie appetizers such as pickled radish, fermented tofu, and pickled cabbage to whet the appetite. Here you can truly experience the feeling of eating with great satisfaction.

There are also bitter melon stewed with fresh fish, tender white squash (small pumpkin) stewed with dried beef, blood tofu, lotus residue, Yuanguping cured meat, bangbang meat (stone frog meat), fish with chili, fire-roasted eggplant, fire-roasted chili with preserved egg, and many others, all unique Tujia specialties.

●Recommended Local Specialties:

1. Kudzu Root Powder

Together with fern root powder (wild) and rock ear, it is collectively known as one of Zhangjiajie's Three Treasures. It is made by grinding the root of the kudzu plant, which grows deep in the mountains, into powder form. To eat it, first mix it with a little cold boiled water, then add water in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring, and add white sugar. It immediately becomes a crystal-clear paste, and tasting it gives a silky-smooth sensation down the throat. Because kudzu is hard to find, kudzu root powder became a snack used by the Tujia people to entertain distinguished guests on ordinary days. It is not only uniquely fresh and delicious, but also has the effect of reducing internal heat and cleansing the intestines. It is a typical representative of pure green food. In Zhangjiajie, you can see kudzu root powder packed in small bamboo baskets everywhere, in white round ball shapes, about 2 to 5 RMB each. However, some are made from sweet potato starch, so when buying kudzu root powder, it is best to ask someone knowledgeable to help you identify it. You can also buy it at regular supermarkets, where the quality may be somewhat guaranteed.

2. Litsea Cubeba

Locals call it “spicy ginger seed” and “mountain pepper”. It is a seasoning for many foods. Litsea cubeba can be eaten fresh or pressed for oil. Locals like to add one or two drops when eating dumplings, rice noodles, or noodles, making them fragrant with a slight spiciness. When eating fresh fish, eel, loach, and other fishy foods, adding a few drops gives a unique aroma. However, the special flavor of litsea cubeba is not liked by everyone. Even if you like it, please remember not to add too much, because pure litsea cubeba oil is very concentrated and the flavor is very strong. Generally, 1 to 2 drops are enough for rice noodles, and 5 to 6 drops are enough for hot pot.

3. Tuan San

Tuan San, commonly known as “glutinous rice sanzi”, is a local specialty loved by the Miao, Tujia, Bai, and Han peoples alike. Authentic Tujia glutinous rice is steamed, then poured into a special mold with a wooden board base and a bamboo strip ring. The cooked glutinous rice is flattened, and a kind of purple fruit water grown by farmers or food coloring is used to draw auspicious patterns such as the character “xi” on top. After cooling, it is taken out, sun-dried, and stored. During festivals, it is given to relatives and friends or used to entertain distinguished guests. When eaten, it is fried until crisp in oil, and after expanding it becomes 2 to 3 times its original size. It tastes fragrant and crisp, very delicious. Nowadays, some farmers also bring Tuan San out to sell at market fairs. It is a semi-finished product, about 2 to 3 RMB per jin, economical and affordable, and also distinctive.

*There are also some other flavorful specialty snacks:

Wild vegetable category (generally dried vegetables): wild fern, silver bamboo shoot shreds, mountain bamboo shoots, Chinese toon, dragon tendon vegetable, etc.

Fish category: Tujia cured fish, fire-kang fish, Tujia firewood fish, etc.

Game category (generally cured products): wild boar, wild rabbit, Tujia cured mutton, Tianmen beef, flying civet cat, bamboo root pig, etc.

Snack category: kudzu root strips, kiwi slices, Tujia roasted rice, sesame stick candy, etc.

Pastry category: kudzu root cake, fern root cake, lotus seed cake, lily cake, Xianglian cake, chestnut cake, osmanthus cake, etc.

Tea category: eucommia tea, berry tea, Tianmen Yunwu tea, kuding tea, bitter melon dew, etc.

Liquor category: Tianmen Mountain Xiangxi liquor, Bizika holy liquor, pure rice wine, Zhangjiajie corn liquor, kudzu root king liquor, baigen bing liquor, lantern fruit wine, Guigu liquor, Tujia chun, Xiang lotus seed wine, etc.

These specialty products are sold in every street and alley of Zhangjiajie. The more concentrated ones are respectively at the Tujia Mei Local Products Specialty Store and Wanjia Department Store, and between these two markets there are scattered specialty shops of various sizes. Travelers can have a good shopping spree according to their own preferences.

An immersive experience of mountains, waters, and wonders; a journey of discovery into legends and mysteries. Explore Zhangjiajie, cruise Tianmen Mountain!