On July 7, the Hunan Provincial Tourist Attraction Quality Rating Committee announced the designation of five scenic areas as national 4A-level tourist attractions. This marks a new breakthrough in the high-quality development of Hunan's cultural and tourism industry, injecting fresh momentum into the province's efforts to build all-for-one tourism demonstration zones.
The 6501 Scenic Area
The 6501 Scenic Area in Linxiang City in Yueyang is renowned as the "Underground Great Wall of China." The scenic area boasts the largest subterranean cave complex in China's central and southern regions, with an area of 80,000 square meters. The site combines national defense education with aerospace science, featuring a Long March Rocket Exhibition Hall and military-themed interactive experiences. This makes it a top destination for study tours. Thanks to an upgrade project implemented in 2025, the site's tourism carrying capacity has been significantly enhanced.
Zuo Zongtang Cultural Park
The Zuo Zongtang Cultural Park in Xiangyin County, Yueyang, is dedicated to showcasing the life and achievements of Zuo Zongtang, a renowned statesman of the late Qing Dynasty. Spanning 280 mu (about 18 hectares), the park features the Zuo Zongtang Ancestral Hall which is a national key protected cultural relic unit, as well as a modern memorial museum. Moreover, an imposing 11.1-meter-high granite statue of Zuo Zongtang stands as a centerpiece on the square. The cultural park serves as a key platform for promoting Hunan's cultural heritage. Its nighttime tourism offerings and integrity-themed educational programs have earned high praise from visitors.
Zijin Mountain Scenic Area
The Zijin Mountain Scenic Area in Hengshan County serves as an urban "green lung" with a forest coverage of 87%. Spanning 4.35 square kilometers, the tourist attraction encompasses natural landscapes and cultural heritage sites, with temperatures 5-10°C cooler than surrounding regions in summer. The site is an emerging summer retreat for the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan area.
Longshan Mountain Scenic Area
The Longshan Mountain Scenic Area in Loudi's Lianyuan City centers around its 1,513-meter-high Yueping Peak and boasts exceptional ecological quality with a forest coverage of 97.16%. The site features Tang Dynasty architectural relics like the Medicine King Temple. The temple was built in honor of Sun Simiao, the King of Medicine, who once gathered herbs and compiled medical texts in this scenic area. The region also offers an oxygen-rich environment with 45,000 negative oxygen ions per cubic centimeter - making it central Hunan's premier destination for wellness tourism.
Huabi Scenic Area along the Yuanshui River
The upgraded Yuanshui River Huabi Scenic Area in Xiangxi's Luxi County now boasts a newly-built tourist center equipped with smart service systems. Covering an area of 4.5 square kilometers, the scenic area is dotted with over ten attractions including a river-viewing pavilion and a riverside grassland. The site is dubbed as a "natural oxygen bar," due to its national Class I air quality and high concentration of negative oxygen ions. The region has developed into a new benchmark for cultural-tourism integration in the Yuanshui River basin.
This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.
Translator: Xiao Juan
Chinese source: hunantoday
