Unfolding a map of China, you will fnd a province situated in the south that takes its name from its position below the mighty Dongting Lake – Hunan (literally south of the lake). Hunan’s rivers defne the province, with the Xiang cutting it in two from north to south, and the Yuan and Li the fowing arteries that make the landscapes so striking and fertile.
Te mountain ranges to the south, east and west of Hunan cradle the province, enclosing the rivers, hills and valleys in mist. Amid this hypnotic scenery live the people of Hunan, whose customs and traditions are little changed in centuries.
Natural wonders
Dongting Lake
Travel south on the train from Beijing to Guangzhou, and you’ll see the glassy expanse of Dongting Lake beside the railway. Since ancient times, this lake has taken in and drained out the water of the Yangzi River, providing a form of natural food relief.
Dongting means ‘grotto court’, and was named after the huge cavern that is believed to exist beneath the lake, and which is said to be home to a powerful dragon-king.
Te Song dynasty poet Mi Fu travelled here more than nine centuries ago and encapsulated its majesty and brilliance in the verses of his poem,Moonlight on Dongting Lake.
Beautiful autumn leaves and misty peaks in Zhangjiajie
Zhangjiajie
When Zhangjiajie was granted Unesco World Heritage status, the experts who commended the site described it as ‘comparable to the Grand Canyon in the US’, and it’s not hard to see why. This protected national park is one of the most remarkable landscapes in China, with more than 3,000 quartz-sandstone pinnacles rising from subtropical and temperate forests. The collection of karst structures resembles a scene from another world, especially when a sea of mist rolls in around them, giving the illusion that the peaks are foating in mid-air.