After visiting most famous historic sites and wonderful mountains, people are trying to seek for traveling route with specialty and characteristics. An article from a tour magazine says,“I guarantee to the President Mao, Xiangxi is really beautiful.”After I visited Xiangxiswheresit is famous for beautiful girls and songs, we really have the same feeling. After my travel back from Xiangxi, I started to promote to all friends I meet: would you like to go to a wonderland? Please go to Xiangxi.

　　By Wang Hui Wen

　　Water in Mengdong River

　　“The No. 1 float in China”

　　The famous social activist Mr. Fei Xiao Tong, wrote above words after his float on the Mengdong River at age of 82.

　　Mengdong River is in Yongshun county, Hunan province, it is 80 kilometers away from world famous Zhangjiajie, now a high class road is in construction, it is only one hour tour by train or by car, the transportation in the area is very convenient.

　　This scenic spot with water sightseeing as the main project has been appointed as one of the 10 famous scenic spots in Hunan province. The whole floating distance is 47 kilometers, the most exciting upper stream floating is about 17 kilometers. Started from Hani Palace, going downwards along the river, a small boat, is going through waves passing“triangular rock”,“Chicken House Gate”“Earth waterfall”“Yanwang Beach”“Luoshui Pond”“Mengsi Valley”, etc, totally several dozens of scenic spots. As it flows through the second limestone area, Kesite ground appearance is very clear, along the both banks of the river, mountains are in ranges, limestone caves are everywhere, river is all in curves, water is clear, ancient trees are high, green trees are verdant, waterfalls are beautiful, birds and animal are enjoying, you can see endless beautiful scenes here.

　　People who have visited Mengtong River, are all enchanted by the beautiful scenery, they said, it is the best collection of magnificence in Three Gorges, and it has all the magic from Zhangjiajie, beauty from Lijiang, warm and fragrant like Huaixihu lake, the mountains are green, water is beautiful, caves are magic, and a lot of monkeys. In the bended river, tourists can sing songs very relaxed, or fight against waves, or play in water, to find yourself back from the lost.

　　At Niuluhe River you can take your float to the bank, if you still have interest, you can visit Pinghu Lake, from Wangcun to Houtiaoxia Valley, the whole trip is within the state first class natural protection area, more than 190 precious animals or birds may appear in front of you at any time, and more than 500 precious trees are growing thickly, going upwards against the stream, you see no wave all the way long, and the surface is like a mirror, reflecting blue sky, green mountain and sharp rocks on both banks, in your eyes there are numerous caves like stars in the sky. In caves, there are all shapes of stalactites, telling you secrets and magic collected by the earth in thousands of years.

　　Arriving in Mengdonghe River, you could not miss the sightseeing in Furongzhen. The original name of Furongzhen is Wangcun Village, it is an old village with two thousand years of history, used to be controlled by Xiyang county, in history it is called Xiyangxiongzhen. In year 940, King of Chu, Ma Xi Fan and Xizhou provincial governor Peng Shi Chou negotiate peace after many years of wars, and signed agreement for coalition, and divided two parts for each of them by the boundary, and they cast a 5000 kilo copper pillar as evidence, for thousand years, this copper pillar in Xizhou stands at the river side of Mengdong River, in memory of the history of cultural exchanges of Tujia and Han nationalities. Wangcun is in the north bank of the west water, the Tujia special buildings are scattered along the mountainside, overlapped if you see from far, and it goes to the half way of the mountain, and formed a 5 Li (2.5 kilometers) of Long Street. The street road is covered by stone slabs, and the ages washed them to leave a cold shining surface. Wangcun is famous, as it is also the place for the shooting of famous film“Furongzhen”. The specialty of the scenery attracts artists, all the exterior sceneries of the film“Furongzhen”is taken from here. Furongzhen becomes famous, and Wangchun followed the film and is known to many people now, Wangcun gets another name from this film, coming to Furongzhen, tourists and also enjoy the local holiday–“Shebajie Holiday”with Tujia people.“Diaonian Holiday”,“June 6”day must offer you an interesting scene. When nightfalls, fisherman’s lights are anywhere on the river, and tourist should not miss the colorful nationality shows. And you can join them for hand waving dancing, Maogusi dancing, and taste the original“Daliuzi”,“weeping for marriage”, tourists can feel Xiangxi Tujia peoples strongness, bold and uninhibited manner, simple and full of affection.

　　City of phoenix

　　“In China there are two tiny beautiful cities, one is Changding of Fujian province, and the other is the City of Phoenix in Hunan”

　　A friend from New Zealand has been to many places in China, he evaluates like this after his tour to the City of Phoenix.

　　City of phoenix is situated in the west edge of Hunan province, it is adjacent to Guizhou in the west, it takes only more than one hour from Jishou city to the place. The ancient city has green mountains and beautiful lakes, local people are clever and the soil is rich, it is the hometown for Xiong Xi Ling, Shen Cong Wen and Hong Yong Yu. The ancient buildings have their specialties, stone slab streets, ancient style buildings is full of attractions because of their characteristics.

　　Going to Phoenix, you must visit phoenix mountain city. It is at the side of the Tuojiang River, surrounded by mountains, and mountain ranges are grand, the green river water passes by the foot of ancient city walls, the green mountain range is reflected on the river. In the river there are numbers of tourist boats, you can always hear the beautiful sounds from drums and bells, the angle building on the cliff has cooking smokes, girls at dock are laughing, it is just like a beautiful Chinese ink painting with sceneries. When tourists are walking on the stone slabs of the street, you can see groups of ancient buildings are at both sides, overlapped like a painting, just like dragon flying and fish swimming in water, in the noise of drizzle, it seems you hear the noise from the leather shoes stepping on the street, people are walking to the temples. At both sides of the street, there are many animal slaughterhouse selling meat, dyeing workshops, and silver ware manufacturers, local special foods and arts and crafts shops, everything you could wish for. There are also snacks and restaurants, you can have delicious dog meat and fresh corns. The rice bean curd cook is walking on the street crying to sell his products, and tourists gathered on the street eating without caring about others.

　　When you are waling outside of the east gate, you can step onto the arc bridge, then you can see the beautiful scene of water village in Jiangnan, south of Yangtze River. Clear moon climbs up the east mountain, the shadow of the moon falls on the river, and golden color shining on water surface. Houses, cooking smokes and trees are reflected in the river, you almost don’t knowswheresyou are. If you climb to the high mountain and see to far places, except the ancient style building, you can also see the famous“Eight sceneries in Phoenix”. The Nanhua mountain ranges is sitting horizontally in the south of the ancient city, just like a green protection, beautiful pines, curved stone slab streets, clear springs, eagles are flying and animals are running, birds are singing and flower are in bloom with fragrant smell, it is really a marvelous tourist spot.

　　In Phoenix city, there are many ancient relics, if you have time, you really need to stay here for more time. Nanhua mountain state forest garden, yellow filament bridge and ancient city, Xiachangge, Wanmingta, Tianwangmiao, Dachengdian, Chaoyanggong, Wenchangge, Shencongwen former residence, Qiliangdong, Santanshuyuan, Tianxingshan,….. each of them will attract tourists. Miaojiang Boundary city (Great Wall in south) in Xiangxi is built in Ming Dynasty, and it is very different style comparing with the Great Wall in north China. When you arrive in Phoenix city, don’t forget to try the delicious steamed meat with rice, with a special rice produced in Phoenix county, as such rice is in low productivity, it is very precious, cooked with meat, the food is very delicious with high nutritious value.

　　If you don’t go to Phoenix, your trip to Xiangxi will be meaningless. Take your language and go to phoenix today, you will have a magic feeling and will have a real relaxation.

　　Dehang Village

　　“That place, those trees, stones, houses, all the installations, nice colors, you will be shocked.”

　　Dehang impression of modern famous writer, Mr. Shen Cong Wen.

　　Dehang is Miao nationality language, meaning beautiful valley, situated 24 kilometers in the west suburbs from Jishou city, capital of Tujia and Miao Autonomous region in Xiangxi, it is about 180 kilometers long the Wuyi mountain range and Yungui Plateau, the Wuji Big valley has a height of several hundred meters, in the scenic spot, streams are crossing to each other, deep valleys, beautiful waterfalls, nice mountain ranges, ancient trees and special flowers, precious birds and animals are everywhere, the natural scenery is very beautiful. In this area, live the Miao nationality, they speak Miao dialect, girls and boys are free for love, and they exchange feelings and love with songs. Women like to bear silver wares, and wear broidery blouse with flower designs but without collar, boys like to wear leg wrappings, and blow wood leaves as musical instruments. The local people like to raise silk worms, they make their own textiles, and the local hand textiles are extremely well made. They use the traditional way for oil extraction, papermaking, rice grinding, and they use special wheel with buckets to lift water for irrigation. In this scenic spot, there are programs such as being quest in Miao family, exchange songs at the gate,

offering wines, Miao song and dance party, song and dance party, Miao drum dance, saying good buy to guests with lantern, and many other nationality travel projects, tourists can also extract oil by themselves, make papers, weaving cloth, grind rice, and to become a Maio people for one day. Coming to Dekang for a tour is just like coming to a beautiful and ancient fairy-ttale world.