Zhangjiajie

Synopsis

Zhangjiajie is located in Hunan Province and is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site (1992), renowned worldwide for its more than 3,000 peculiar peaks and stone pillars. The prototype of the Hallelujah Mountain in the movie Avatar, the Qiankun Pillar, is situated in the Yuanjiajie Scenic Area. The Tianmen Mountain Glass Walkway, Tianmen Cave, and the world's longest high-altitude cableway are must-visit attractions. In 2023, Tianmen Mountain received over 5 million visitors for the first time in a year.

Overview

Zhangjiajie, located in the northwestern part of Hunan Province, is one of China's most famous natural landscapes. In 1992, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, as the core component of the Wulingyuan Scenic Area, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List. Renowned for its over 3,000 quartz-sandstone pillar peaks, it is hailed as a miniature fairyland and an enlarged bonsai garden.

Zhangjiajie gained global fame through the movie Avatar. Director James Cameron stated that the prototype for the Hallelujah Mountains in the film was the Qiankunzhu (Heaven and Earth Pillar) in the Yuanjiajie Scenic Area—a standalone stone pillar approximately 150 meters high. In 2010, Qiankunzhu was officially renamed "Hallelujah Mountain," becoming a significant symbol of Zhangjiajie's international recognition.

The Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan Scenic Area covers a total area of about 397 square kilometers, comprising four parts: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve, Yangjiajie Scenic Area, and Suoxiyu Nature Reserve. Within the area, there are over 3,000 sandstone peaks, with more than 2,000 exceeding 1,000 meters in elevation. The highest peak, Kunlun Peak, stands at 1,262 meters.

Core Scenic Areas

Yuanjiajie — Avatar Filming Location

Yuanjiajie is the core scenic area of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and the location of the prototype for Avatar's Hallelujah Mountain:

The Bailong Elevator is the world's tallest fully exposed outdoor elevator, standing at 326 meters. Riding the elevator offers a panoramic view of the spectacular quartz-sandstone pillar forest.

Tianmen Mountain

Tianmen Mountain is another iconic scenic area in Zhangjiajie, located on the edge of the city:

Tianmen Cave is a natural cave penetrating the mountain, 131.5 meters high and 57 meters wide, making it the world's highest natural mountain-penetrating karst cave. A staircase of 999 steps leads from the mountain base to the cave, known as the "Stairway to Heaven." The Panlong Cliff Glass Walkway hangs over sheer cliffs with a deep abyss below, offering the ultimate thrilling experience in Zhangjiajie.

International Influence

Zhangjiajie enjoys extremely high international recognition. In recent years, a large number of South Korean tourists have flocked to Zhangjiajie, creating a unique phenomenon of concentrated Korean visitors. In the South Korean tourism market, Zhangjiajie is promoted as a destination for filial piety tourism—taking parents to Zhangjiajie has become a popular choice among Koreans.

Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan is a top-tier tourist destination with triple certification as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site, a UNESCO Global Geopark, and a National 5A-level Tourist Attraction. It is a representative symbol of China's natural scenery on the global stage.

Travel Information

References

1. UNESCO — Wulingyuan: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/640
2. Wikipedia — Zhangjiajie: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-cn/张家界
3. China News — Tianmen Mountain annual visitors surpass 5 million: https://wap.chinanews.com/wap/detail/chs/zw/292981.shtml