Zhangjiajie Introduction

City Introduction

(Image source: www.travelzjj.com)

Zhangjiajie is located in the northwest of Hunan Province and in the hinterland of Wuling Mountain Chain. Its peculiar geological forms the rare marvelous “Zhangjiajie Landform”, and the grand and mysterious Wulingyuan Quartz Sandstone.

Stick-Peak is the most impressive and can be reputed as “Earth's memorial”. What will impress you most is the grand and mysterious.

Tianmen Mountain, Karst Mountain Terrace, is of typical significance, and it is acclaimed as the “the soul of Wuling Mountain Chain”.

You may be frightened by the steep and high mountain, but you will be shocked by the magnificence of it. Standing on the top of the mountain, you can get a panorama of the city, which can provide you the chance to feel marvels of nature. Maybe that is why so many people comes here and risk their safety to challenge the nature. Zhangjiajie has been list among the first batch world natural heritage and the first batch world geology park in China because of its particular landform.

The charm of Zhangjiajie also lays in its distinct seasons, which provide the land with abundant rain, dense forest as well as many and varied biologics. Zhangjiajie, with high aesthetic value, ecological value and scientific value and advantaged nature tourist resources, attracts tourists both home and abroad.

History & Culture

Zhangjiajie is a new type of city, and a new tourist city as well. In ancient times, Zhangjiajie was regarded as remote and inaccessible. The history of Zhangjiajie can be traced back to the Neolithic Age when it was still named “Dayong”. The first human traces in this area have been registered about 100,000 years ago. According to the historical records such as "Yongding Wei History" published in the 24th year (1685 AD) of Kangxi period of Qing Dynasty, and "Yongding County History", "Cili County History", "Sangzhi County History" revised in the 3rd year (1652 AD) of Daoguang period of Qing Dynasty, Qin state unified six other states in 221 BC and divided the whole country into 36 counties. At that time Dayong and Cili belonged to Qianzhong County, which was the first prefecture in Hunan, even earlier than the provincial capital Changsha. Qianzhong County had jurisdiction over Cigu County, Sangzhi County, Dayong County, Shimen County, Anxiang County, Li County, Jin City, Linli, as well as some parts of Gongan County and Hefeng County in Hubei Province and Taoyuan County in Hunan Province.

Like other places in China, a legend has been developed by ancient people. It said that Zhang Liang - a famed strategist of the Western Han Dynasty, lived here after leaving the imperial court. He lived in fear he would be killed by Liu Bang, the first emperor of the Han Dynasty who had ordered some of his subjects executed out of suspicion they might rebel against him. Zhang found Qingyan (now Zhangjiajie) Mountain is an ideal refuge due to its haunting beauty and tranquility. Due Liu Bang’s reign, Qianzhong County was divided into Wuling County, and Cigu County was converted to Chanling and Chong County.

In the 6th year (263 AD) of Yongan period of the Three Kingdoms Period, Emperor Sun Xiu saw the gate of Haoliang Mountain wide open, and then renamed Haoliang Mountain as Tianmen Mountain, meanwhile changing Wuling County as Tianmen County. In the 4th year (283 AD) of Taikang period of Western Jin Dynasty, Chong County was abolished and established as Linli County.

During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Emperor Liu Jun of Southern Dynasty "divided Jingzhou into Wuling, and Tianmen belonged to Yingzhou" in the 1st year (454 AD) of Xiaojian period. In the 3rd year (467 AD) of Qinshi period under the reign of Emperor Songming, Wuling and Tianmen County still belonged to Jingzhou.

Emperor Gong of Western Wei Dynasty abolished Tianmen County and established Lizhou in 555 AD. In 575 AD during the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Louzhong and Linli County were abolished, Chongyi County was established. In 598 AD, Emperor Wen of Sui Dynasty changed Beihengzhou into Chongzhou, and Lingyang County into Cili County. Later, Emperor Yang of Sui Dynasty abolished Chongzhou, and changed Lizhou County into Liyang County in 606 AD.

Emperor Li Yuan of Tang Dynasty established Lizhou and Liyang County in 621 AD, which had jurisdiction over Cili and Chongyi County.

During the period of Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-960 AD), current whole area of Zhangjiajie was under the jurisdiction of Chu State.

During the Song Dynasty in order to strengthen the centralization, the whole country was adjusted to 23 roads, followed by house, state and army. Emperor Zhao Kuangyin set the current whole area of Zhangjiajie as Liyang County in 963 AD, as known as Cili County.

In Yuan Dynasty, Kublai Khan ordered to establish Lizhou Road Explorer House, which had jurisdiction over Cili County (i.e. current whole area of Zhangjiajie) in 1277 AD. In 1295 AD, Temür Khan ordered to promote Cili County to Ciguzhou, governing four counties, and established Anding and Shixi. Emperor Yuan Shun changed Lizhou Road to Liyang House, governing four counties, and abolished Anding and Shixi.

In Ming Dynasty, Cili County was demoted to Dayong County in 1369 AD, belonging to Lizhou. In 1376 AD, Cili was planned to belong to Changde House. In 1389 AD, Dayong Wei was changed to Yongding Wei. One year later, Jiuxi Wei was established in Cili as well. Yuezhou House was planned in 1396 AD.

In Qing Dynasty, 20 provinces were established in the country, followed by house, state and county. In 1730 AD, Lizhou was promoted to state, governing Anxiang, Shimen and Cili County. In 1735 AD, Maliaosuo of Jiuxi Wei was combined into Rongmeisi, belonging to Yichang House of Hubei Province, meanwhile cutting Anfusuo and Sangzhisi, and establishing Sangzhi County, which belongs to Yongshun house. In addition, some parts of Cili, Yongshun and Maogangsi were set as Yongding County, belonging to Lizhou.

During the Republic of China, Hunan Province abolished Wulingdao and planned Dayong, Sangzhi and Cili County into Chenyuandao in 1916. In 1922, the system of “dao” was abolished, leaving only two levels as province and county, hence Dayong, Cili and Sangzhi all became municipalities, which belonged to Hunan Province. On November 24th, 1934, Dayong County was liberated by the Red Army, which was leaded by He Long, Ren Bishi, Xiao Ke, and Guan Xiangying, and then the Chinese Soviet Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, Guizhou Revolutionary Committee was established. Cili County was set up by the Red Army in 1935, governing Cili, Dayong, Sangzhi, Linli, Shimen, and Li County. Between1938 and 1949, Hunan Province was adjusted to ten Inspector Districts. Dayong and Sangzhi belonged to the 8th Inspector District (the commission office was in Yongshun), and Cili County belonged to the4th Inspector District (the commission office was in Changde).

After People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, the whole area of Zhangjiajie was liberated. Between 1949 and 1988, Cili County belonged to Changde’s jurisdiction, and Dayong and Sangzhi County belonged to Yongshun’s jurisdiction between October 16th, 1949 and August 1952. From 1988 to 1990, approved by the State Council, Dayong City was established, which had jurisdiction over Cili and Sangzhi County, and Yongding and Wulingyuan District. On April 4th, 1994, approved by the State Council, Dayong City was renamed as Zhangjiajie City, still governing Cili and Sangzhi County, and Yongding and Wulingyuan District.

Natural environment

Zhangjiajie is located on the northwest border of the Hunan Province in south-central China, 398 km away from the provincial capital Changsha. It is located between north latitude 28°52´ and 29°48´N, and east longitude 109°40´and 111°20´E.It bordered Shimen and Taoyuan County to the east, connected to Yuanling County to the south, linked with Yongshun and Longshan County to the west, and neighbored Hefeng and Xuanen County of Hubei Province to the north. It has a total area of 9516 square kilometers, and the maximum length from east to west is 167 kilometers, while the maximum width from south to north is 96 kilometers.

Zhangjiajie has a complex landform, and mainly consists of mountains, caves, hills and plains, with mountainous area accounting for 76% of the total area. The marvelous quartz sandstone peaks are extremely rare in the world. Its terrain is high in the northwest, leaning towards the southeast along Lishui River. Wuling Mountains originate from Guizhou, and then are divided into three mountain chains passing through the whole city. Zhangjiajie is filled with mountains, and the surface elevations vary dramatically. The highest point is 1890.4 meters above sea level, and the lowest point is 75 meters above sea level.

The city landscape is mainly mountains, and the terrain is high in the northwest, leaning towards Lishui River. It’s low in the northeast along Lishui River in the middle. Wuling Mountains originate from Guizhou, and then are divided into three mountain ranges passing through the whole city. The north mountain range originates from Laifenglong Mountain in Hubei to Li Mountain, Guiying Mountain and Qinglong Mountain in Sangzhi County; the middle one consists of Tianxing Mountain, Hongxi Mountain, Chaotian Mountain, Qingyan Mountain and Maohua Border along the north part of Lishui River. The south mountain range consists of Qixing Mountain, Chong Mountain and Tianmen Mountain, and then connects to Dalong Mountain and Tianhe Mountain in Cili County. Three mountain ranges all disappear in the alluvial plain of Dongting Lake.

Climate

Situated in the midst of the semitropical climate zone, Zhangjiajie has a moderate climate, lots of sunshine and enough rainfall to keep the vegetation gloriously green. Zhangjiajie is called a "city of spring" due to its comfortable year-round temperatures that hover around 16°C. The average temperature of the hottest month in summer is 27°C, and the average temperature of the coldest month in winter is 4.3°C (January is the coldest, with the extreme temperature between 0 to 4°C). This climate is not only suitable for the reproduction of animals and plants, but also perfect for tourism.

Holiday arrangements

The same as Chinese legal holidays.

New Year's Day January 1st- January 3rd

Spring Festival February 7th - February 13th

Tomb Sweeping Day April 2nd - April 4th

Labor Day April 30th - May 2nd

Dragon Boat Festival June 9th - June 11th

Mid-Autumn Festival September 15th - September 17th

National Day October 1st - October 7th