It’s a time to enjoy the enchanted early winter sceneries: spectacular mountains, parks, lakes, and ethnic minority villages. So let’s find them out together.

Hunan Botanical Garden, Changsha

Sunflowers are in full bloom at the Hunan Botanical Garden, attracting numerous tourists. 

Yuelu Mountain, Changsha

Leaves of some trees in Yuelu Mountain have already begun to turn red. A few days later, most tree leaves shall be tinted with a deep crimson red.

Yuelu Mountain is one of the four best places to view maple leaves. A vast of maple leaves turn red in late November through December every year, which is the peak viewing time.

Hunan Martyrs Park, Changsha

Ginkgo trees at Hunan Martyrs Park Ginkgo trees are mostly distributed near the North Gate, Hongjundu (one-hundred-year-old ginkgo), behind the Shishan Baozi Shop, and inside the Xiaoxiang Qishi Pavilion. The largest group of ginkgo trees is the Xiaoxiang Qishi Pavilion in the northwest corner of the park. There are 20 or 30 ginkgo trees, the oldest in Changsha city's radius.

Five-color Valley, Yanling 

Yanling Five-color Valley in Zhuzhou is located at the foot of the mighty Zhifeng Mountain, the highest mountain in Hunan. Late-October through late November are the peak viewing times. Mountains, forests, streams, and the colors of this autumn together present a most beautiful picture.

Tangwang Village, Yanling

Every year since autumn begins, thousands of migratory birds migrate from north to south in the Tangwang Village, Luyuan Town, Yanling County. Migratory birds sometimes have fun on the branches or hover in the air. Looking from a distance, houses, terraces, green hills, and migratory birds form a beautiful and harmonious ecological picture.

Jiubujiang, Youxian County

In the late autumn or early winter of Jiuxian Lake in Youxian County, Zhuzhou, white clouds in the sky and trees in the mountains are all at ease. Mountains, rivers, and gorgeous fall colors present fascinating, quiet and alluring scenes.

Hengshan Mountain, Hengyang

Photo/Cao Zhengping

Fuyan Temple is hidden in the mountains, a most simple, quiet, and humble place. Several thousand-year-old ginkgo trees inside and outside the temple are said to have been planted by Zen Master Huisi, and they are still thriving today.

Ginkgo trees have stood in Hengshan Mountain for a thousand years in the morning bell and evening drum. Listen to the rustle of the breeze blowing over the leaves, and enjoy the tranquility.

Dongkou County, Shaoyang

In October, Xuefeng mandarin oranges are ripe in Qutang Village, Zhushi Town, Dongkou County, Shaoyang City. The orchard is full of intoxicating orange fragrance and golden oranges. Fruit farmers are busy picking oranges with overflowing joy.

Dongting Lake, Yueyang

Photo courtesy of Discovery Yueyang

With autumn being so splendid everywhere, reed flowers around Dongting Lake in Yueyang are extremely beautiful. The flowers are very dense, but they seem to be weak against the wind. So the lake breeze gently blows them, and they effortlessly sway in the wind together.

Although the reeds are "soft", they grow 2 to 3 meters high. You are "submerged" in them all at once. Push aside the reeds and walk in; the reeds behind you quickly meet again. It is easy to get lost in the reeds.

Taohuayuan Scenic Area, Changde

The autumn and early winter breeze are blowing; the fallen leaves are yellow. The sceneries in Taohuayuan Scenic Area, Changde City, are always so fascinating. Any place here is beautiful and intoxicating.

Chengtoushan, Lixian County

Walking into Chengtoushan Scenic Area, Lixian County, you may see the signs of late autumn and early winter. It is a must-see for travelers. There is a large vast of pink muhly grass and a grove of dawn redwoods. Pink muhly grass and dawn redwoods together present a beautiful landscape.

Tianzi Mountain, Zhangjiajie

Tianzi Mountain, Wulingyuan Scenic Area (Photo by Zhou Jianxin)

Colorful mountains and trees decorate the peaks of Tianzi Mountain, Huangshizhai, and other scenic spots with various styles. Leaves on the top of the cliffs constantly turning red and yellow, and pastoral scenery with abundant harvest attract many tourists.

Climbing the mountains and looking far into the distance, you may see a sea of beautiful sunny clouds. The majestic stone forest maybe like swords, spears, and halberds that pierce the sky, like a thousand horses galloping forward, or faintly like a fairyland. The mountains are no longer just the monotonous green in summer but some of them are tinted with different hues such as red, yellow, green, purple, and gray.

Dongjiang Lake, Zixing

There are beautiful red and yellow leaves and the misty little Dongjiang that most people adore. If there is good weather, the sun will pass through the clouds, over the mountains, and spill onto the river. It looks like a fairyland.

Zixing Dongjiang Lake Tourist Area features rapids of the Dongjiang River and canyons. It combines the beauty of mountains and the charm of waters.

Tea Farm, Guiyang County

A grove of 100-mu (6.7-ha.) ginkgo trees in a tea farm of Guiyang County, Chenzhou, is golden, as if it has placed on a golden suit of armor.

Jiuyi Mountain, Yongzhou

Jiuyi Mountain in Yongzhou has quietly changed her outfit, decorated with autumnal maple leaves, gentle autumn sun, golden wheat waves, and splendid mountain flowers. The signs of late autumn and early winter are everywhere. This makes people wonder, how many colors are there now in Jiuyi Mountain?

Paiya Mountain Forest Park, Jingzhou 

Hidden in the hinterland of Jingzhou, Paiya Mountain Forest Park has more than 1,000 mu (66.7 ha.) of dawn redwoods. The red canopies look like a flame igniting the entire Paiya Mountain.

Paiya Mountain is located in Jingzhou Miao and Dong Autonomous County of Huaihua, so it is not surprising that you can stumble upon locals in ethnic costumes by chance. Rays and shadows penetrate through the leaves and shine on the exquisite ethnic costumes as if they had walked out of the remote past.

Yutou Dong Village, Huaihua

Huaihua’s Yutou Dong Village is located at the junction of Hunan, Guangxi, and Guizhou. Dong people have settled here for generations since the Ming Dynasty. Welcome to the Dong Village and now see the Drum Tower, Fengyu (wind and rain) Bridge, Gate Tower, Ancient Well, Sasui Altar, stilted buildings built on the hillside, and see the "Little Potala Palace" of the Dong people.

Ziquejie Terraced Fields, Xinhua

Photo/Wu Fei

Ziquejie Terraced Fields in Xinhua, Loudi, turn golden yellow and make people reluctant to leave. In the terraced fields, the waves of rice are undulating, and the ears of rice are fragrant.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: official WeChat account of the Hunan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism