Mount Shaoshan

Mount Shaoshan is located to the east of Changsha City in Hunan Province and Ningxiang County. It is said that when Emperor Shun, on a visit to the south, arrived at Mount Shaoshan, where he was struck by the beauty of the scenery and performed a beautiful melody which caused a phoenix to take flight and a hundred other birds to break into song. As the birthplace of the father of the People’s Republic of China Mao Zedong, the area has been allocated a National 5A Level Scenic Area.

Phoenix Ancient Town

Phoenix Ancient Town is located in west Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan. Listed as a National 4A Level Scenic Area, it is within the top ten ancient towns and is one of the cultural heritage sites of Hunan Province. The name of the ancient town originates from the shape of the surrounding slopes of Mount Qingshan, which resembles a phoenix stretching out its wings before taking off in flight.

Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan-Tianmen Mountains

The Zhangjiajie Wulingyuan-Tianmen Mountains is a world geopark and China’s number one National Forest Park. It is the filming location of the Halleluiah Mountain and Pandora Planet from Avatar, a Hollywood movie.

Yuelu Academy

Yuelu Academy is located within the campus of Hunan University at the foot of Yuelu Mountain in Changsa, Hunan. It is one of the four most prestigious academies in China. Established during the Northern Song Dynasty, the academy endured the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties Period, bringing about revival of academia. Towards the end of the Qing Dynasty the academy became closed in accordance with various reforms of the educational system. Following the Chinese Revolution, the academy was transformed into Hunan University.