Impressive Tour of Zhangjiajie

 

Chris Chang edited the DVD video album for Tour of Zhangjiajie to allow everybody to share precious enjoyments. We should be grateful for supports of Backstage Colleagues. You may log on to website: http://10.10.10.30 to watch videos for your convenience. Ever since the Company announced Zhangjiajie as the biennial long trip, I have been very concerned about the weather there, always browsing the weather forecast on Internet. The query result of moderate to heavy rain disappoints me a lot. But since destination cannot be changed, I shall console myself that the tour of Zhangjiajie during rainy days would be a distinctive scenic.

 

On 5 pm, 17th June, a total of eight tourist buses departed from the company. After one night sleep on the bus, we did not get to zhangjiajie until 11 oclock the next morning due to the No.2 bus breakdown. Fortunately, that day was so sunny once we finished the lunch in the restaurant by Wu Ling hotel. We can hardly wait to head toward Tianzi Mount and there we met a local guide who was a young girl; her surname was Chai so we called her Miss Chai. On the way to the scenic spot wood Miss Chai gave a brief introduction to Zhangjiajie, describing the impressive feeling after visiting Zhangjiajie, "Be missing-sick before coming Zhangjiajie, be dog tired upon arriving Zhangjie, and be Non-human if go sightseeing in Zhangjiajie again”.

 

Later we arrived at the foot of Tianzi Mount by bus, where Miss Chai told us there were two roads going to the peak of Mount. One was the painstaking road starting from The-Mile Gallery to Tianzi Loft because it took about 4 hours to climb over 5800 steps. The other was through Tianzi ropeway which only took more than 8 minutes to get to the peak. To save strength and time, we decided to take cable car to go up the Mount and went down on foot. Being built on June, 1996, Tianzi Mount ropeway came into operation officially after one-year construction. With the length of 2084 meters and vertical height of 692 meters, Tianzi Mount was considered as the fastest and safest channel to get to Tianzi Mount and the best spot to enjoy spectacular views like Two-face Mount, First Emperor of Qin Mount, Mount of night talking persons and Mount of ancient roman warrior.

 

Tianzi Mount, with altitude 1262.5 meters, claims the title of King of the Peaks and this title is said to come from the Tujia leader. The mountain is very grand on sunny days: cloud formation, waterfalls, waves, mingling with each other in various forms. In the east, west and south of mount stand SHILIN rocky hills, wriggling like big swords and spear, or running as a large number of foot soldiers, or twinkling as one living in wonderland ambiguously... And such wonderful views like YuBi peak, Fairy flowers. Covered with mysterious veil, it seems that they are telling stories to attract people for enjoying.

 

According to Miss Chai, Tianzi Mount belongs to Plateau, high in middle area while low all round. This natural landform provides a wide perspective for tourists with a long line of mountain peaks and multiple layers. Standing in Tianzi Mount, you will get a totally different view from Huangshi village and Golden Whip Stream. Because you will sit at the same level of peaks in Huangshi village while looking up to peaks in the drawing picture swimming Golden Whip Stream. But in Tianzi Mount, universe lies below your eyes and the feeling of being only man emerges into your mind immediately.

 

Around 2 o clock in the afternoon; we got down the mountain by walking along steps. After about two and half hour, we finally arrived at the next scenic spots The-mile Gallery”, which was a valley with more than 10 miles length. Walking in such a natural landscape, you would feel like playing in a picture. That was why it was called gallery”. With dense trees on both sides of the valley, the different shapes of peaks made you stand in a vast landscape painting. On entering gallery, along the way had such views as Three Sisters Peak, The Old Man, Herb Gathering Man and Couples Embracing Son. Herb Gathering Man was alike in spirit, for his gesture of taking a basket on shoulder and busy with herb gathering with bent wrinkles year after year in the vast mountain.

 

By tour bus, we returned to Wuling hotel where we would spend the evening. After supper, company staff arranged a charming Xiangxi” ethnic minority show for us. Undoubtedly this was the art performance possessing strong west Hunan ethnicity features, for it was once awarded as National Culture Demonstration Base” on September, 2008, which took up the fourth Chinese custom show following Impression Sanjie Liu, LiShui and Gold Dust, and Yunan Impression. There were two parts in Charming Xiangxi shows, inside-court and outside court shows. Inside court shows included wonderful plays such as Maogusi dance, Za Wine (a kind of home-brewed by Qiang ethnicity), Drum dance of Miao nationality, Daughters party and Xiangxi Leading spirits. With songs and dances, all of us were deeply amazed by Xiangxi culture while laughing and shouting. Another part is outside court shows, which took place by the campfire and they were performed by folk artisans. One of shows was tamping nail board in which a later generation of Kuei Ku-Tzu lay on the ground, covering his body with three long precast panels. Then six male audiences and one female audience were asked to stand on the panels. You may not know that performer below panel has to bear the weight as much as 1,000 kilo-grams. What a thrilling show it is! No doubt that we all highly praise the folk culture of traditional China.

 

The next morning saw a dark sky and sporadic drizzles dropped after breakfast. This was the truth accorded to the weather forecast today. I wish the rain wont affect our subsequent trip.

 

By the same vehicle, we came to the entrance of Golden Whip Stream, which marked that we entered "the most beautiful valley" and "the most poetic stream" in the world. Renown for flowing through Golden Whip Rock, the stream had 5.7 kilometers length from the west to the east in twists and turns water. Streams flowed through the high valleys, with its lush vegetation on both sides, surrounding by tall peaks and trees. Entering Into the stream scenic, you got a positively verdant view and bubbling stream. Breathing the fresh air and moisture, we can not help stand still to enjoy peaceful and quiet nature.

 

Passing a long way, a spring spaying water by the rood came into our sight. The big characters were carved on the stone: Longevity Spring”. Then we stopped and bowed down to drink a handful of water. Water into throat generated a feeling of fresh and sweet, making person refreshing thoroughly. Rains became heavier after visiting Longevity Spring when visitors took out their umbrellas and raincoats.

 

Along the way, we saw the scenic spots of "Master and apprentice go for Buddhist scriptures " (Outdoor shooting place of TV Pilgrimage to the West), "Condor and Whip", "Deep affections of Mother & Kid", "Cutting cliffs to save mother", "Turtles in Stream", "Wisdom Rock", and "Scholar Hiding Books". After hearing many legends, one of which left us with deep impression was about "Golden Whip Rock" and "Condor and Whip".

 

The end of the Golden Whip Stream was the Three Water Joint One Stream, where water got around here and jointed with the Dragon Tail Stream, Tianzi Stream, and Mine Cavity Stream. Four streams altogether flowed through entrances of east, south, west and north orientations, making it obvious of sandbar in a pretty landscape.

 

A heavy downpour arrived early before finishing visit of Golden Whip Stream and also failed the planning of wandering Huangshi village in the afternoon. With refreshment after dinner, bus team set out to Changsha city, heavy rains kept accompany with us. Finally buses arrived at Changsha center at 10 p.m., everybody went to bed for break early at the thought of visiting Yuelu Mountain and Orange Beach.

 

Thanks to a night of heavy rain refreshing, fresh air came out in the third day morning. It also has a fine day so our driving time to Yuelu Mountain was just an hour after breakfast.

 

Locating in the west of Changsha city and facing Xiang River, Yuelu Mountain covers a total area of 8 square kilometers and wins the reputation of "Shining as green jade, elegant as snowy pearl" among the ancient poets. Also it is famous for the grace forest and deep gully. Of them that enjoy widespread renown are Yule Academy and Love Dusk Pavilion.

 

Yuelu Academy is seated in Changsha beautiful scenery of Yuelu Mountain, taking the leading position among four renowned academies in ancient Chinese Song Dynasty. Founded in 976 A.D., the Academy rises to fame because of the name given by Emperor Zhenzong of Song. It is denominated as Hunan University afterwards in 1926 until today.

 

Love Dusk Pavilion is located inside the canyon under Yuelu Mountain, sitting at west toward east by hills from three sides. Established in 1792, it is formerly known as Red Maple Pavilion and is renamed by Biyuan Hu as Love Dusk Pavilion according to poetries of Du Mu poet in Tang Dynasty. Four of Chinese most distinguished Pavilions include Love Dusk Pavilion, Old Drunk Man Pavilion (built in 1046) in Chuzhou, Mid-lake Pavilion (built in 1552) in Hangzhou West Lake and TaoRanTing Park (built in 1695) in Beijing.

 

Picture: Yuelu Mountain - Yuelu-Love Dusk Pavilion

 

Picture: Yuelu Mountain-Yuelu Academy

 

The final attraction is Orange Beach after visiting Yuelu Mountain, which is situated at inner Yuelu District. In fact, it is a small island in the middle of Xiang River, lasting about 5 kilometers over a long history of 1,600 years. Succulent oranges make this small island well-known.

 

Adjoin to Yuelu Mountain, keeping Xiang River as company; Orange Beach displays an incomparably lovely scene of both green hills and walls add radiance and beauty to each other” worth appreciating. It heads toward west with Yulelu Mountain of high peaks rising in emerald verdure and border upon Yulelu Academy and Love Dusk Pavilion.

 

Although we just fulfilled visiting several attractions of Zhangjiajie landscapes in just three days’ tour, the impression of peaks and stones of Zhangjiajie could be removed form our memory. 30% image and 70% imagination” constitutes what the tour guide concluded. I believed everyone must have their own Zhangjiajie wonders and illusions after visiting.

 

Thanks to the diligent planning and arrangement of Chairman Wang, from The Travel Company Welfare Committees and its members, we had an unforgettable tour and went home happily, safely.

 

Chris Chang edited the DVD video album for Tour of Zhangjiajie to allow everybody to share precious enjoyments. We should be grateful for supports of Backstage Colleagues. You may log on to website: http://10.10.10.30 to watch videos for your convenience.