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.