Beautiful Places On Earth

Fenghuang means phoenix in China. Do you know phoenix is a mystical Chinese bird reborn after fire? It symbolizes good omen and longevity. So does the case for the Ancient City of Fenghuang, an old town in Hunan Province which was once lauded as the most beautiful town of China by New Zealand writer Rewi Alley. The Ancient City of Fenghuang is located in the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. It is approximately 140 kilometers from Zhangjiajie City.

The Ancient City of Fenghuang is an old town having 2,500 years of history. It was built along the river of Tuojiang and embraced by surrounding green mountains. Diaojiaolou is one of the unique attractions here. Diaojiaolou are houses built on tilts situated along the riverbank. The design keeps the building safe from flood. There are tens of ancient narrow cobblestone streets running through the old town. Not to miss out are the ancient buildings with distinct Ming and Qing Dynasties architectures such as Huangsiqiao Castle, Xiangxi Border Walls, Chaoyang Palace, Longevity Palace, Heavenly King Temple and many other. The Tujia and Miao minorities still keep intact their customs, living styles and festivals. And this is another attraction of the colorful Ancient City of Fenghuang!

Riverside antiquity, Fenghuang, China

Zhangjiajie is a city as well as the National Forest Park within it in the northwestern part of Hunan Province in China. Zhangjiajie was named after a small village located within its bounds. In 1992, Wulingyuan Scenic Area, consisting of Zhangjiajie, Suoxi Gully, Tianzi Mountains and Yangjiajie was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Zhangjiajie covers a total area of 3,600 square kilometers. The area is distinguished by its karsts landforms of more than 3,000 quartzite sandstone pillars and peaks, many of them over 200 meters high. Between the peaks lie ravines and gorges with streams, pools and waterfalls and some 40 caves. Among the most popular are Baofeng Lake, Huanglong Cave and Longwang Cave. Video below was taken while walking around in the scenic area as well as on the cable car. The scenery is absolutely beautiful and stunning!

Zhangjiajie is always covered in a mist due to the low cloud coverage and endless array of streams in the region. There are some 550 different species of trees there include rare dove trees, ginkgos, dawn redwoods and highly prized Chinese herbs. In Zhangjiajie also lives many species of rare animals and birds. Among them are Rhesus monkeys, giant salamanders, civets and golden pheasants.

Zhangjiajie is inhabited by a variety of ethnic groups; include Tujia people, Bai people and Miao people. Together, they create a unique culture. It is pleasant to visit Zhangjiajie all year round. It is also very convenient to find accommodations there, as there are many hotels in the scenic area, ranging from budget hostels to high end hotels.