12 Cultural and Ecological Tourism Routes in Xiangxi

The Hunan Provincial Development and Reform Commission and the Hunan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism recently issued the "Implementation Plan for the Upgrade Project of Cultural and Ecological Tourism Routes in Western Hunan”.

It is proposed that by 2025, the "One Ring Road, Two Vertical Landscape Corridors, and Four Horizontal Landscape Corridors" will be built, with unimpeded cross-provincial tourism routes and initially-built Wuling Mountain national tourism scenic road.
 
“One Ring Road” refers to the building of a ring road around western Hunan or Xiangxi linking Changsha, Changde, Zhangjiajie, Jishou, Huaihua, Shaoyang, Loudi, Xiangtan, and Changsha, with highways as the axis.

“Two Vertical Landscape Corridors” refer to two corridors featuring Xiangxi ecological culture and Xiangxi folk culture.
“Four Horizontal Landscape Corridors” refer to four corridors highlighting world cultural heritage, folk culture along the Yuanshui River, Shanghai-Kunming High-speed Railway culture, and original ecology in southwestern Hunan.
 
Since 2015, Hunan has promoted the construction of 12 high-quality cultural and ecological tourism routes; arranged more than 2 billion yuan of special funds; stimulated social investment of more than 20 billion yuan; upgraded 86 rural tourist attractions; built 1,096 "Xiang Village Inns", 138 projects for the preservation of intangible cultural heritage items, and 51 tea-tourism integration demonstration projects; and, constructed a number of tourist service centers, ecological parking lots, tourist toilets and other supporting facilities. More than 1,000 poor villages have been lifted out of poverty. These efforts greatly helped promote Xiangxi tourism brands.
 
The 12 Xiangxi cultural and ecological tourism routes include:
 
1. Explore Tujia Ethnic Culture

Connected areas: Yongshun County, Guzhang County, Longshan County, and Baojing County
Theme: Relying on rich Tujia folk customs, history, and culture, the route links Zhangjiajie and Huaihua’s Yuanling in the east and connects Chongqing in the west.
 
2. Discover Mysterious Miao Villages

Connected areas: Huayuan County, Jishou City, Baojing County, Guzhang County, Luxi County, Fenghuang County, and Mayang Miao Autonomous County

Theme: Relying on rich Miao nationality folklore and mysterious folk culture, the route connects Chongqing in the north, Huaihua in the south, and Guizhou in the west.
 
3. Tour to Ancient Cities and Commercial Roads

Connected areas: Dongkou County, Hongjiang District, Hongjiang City, Hecheng District, Zhongfang County, Zhijiang Dong Autonomous County, and Xinhuang Dong Autonomous County

Theme: Relying on Huaihua’s unique anti-Japanese war culture, business culture, and Yelang culture, the route connects Shaoyang in the east and Guizhou in the west.
 
4. Explore Dong and Miao Villages

Connected areas: Hongjiang District, Huitong County, Jingzhou Miao and Dong Autonomous County, and Tongdao Dong Autonomous County

Theme: Relying on Huaihua’s profound ancient architectural and cultural resources and rich Dong and Miao folk culture, the route connects Hongjiang City in the north and Guangxi’s Guilin City in the south.
 
5. Ecological Tour to Experience Danxi Landform

Connected areas: Xinning County, Wugang City, Chengbu Miao Autonomous County, Suining County, and Tongdao Dong Autonomous County

Theme: The geological ecotourism route features ecotourism resources such as Danxia landforms in Langshan and Wanfo mountains, ancient city culture, and Miao folk customs.
 
6. Ecological Tour to Explore Mountains and Waters

Connected areas: Yongding District, Yuanling County, and Changde City

Theme: Relying on the unique natural resources of Yongding District of Zhangjiajie, and original ecological natural and cultural resources of Yuanling County of Huaihua, the route connects Great Dongting region in the east and Zhangjiajie urban area in the north.
 
7. Cultural Tour to Former Residences of Hunan Celebrities

Connected areas: Shuangfeng County, Louxing District, Lianyuan City, Beita District, Shuangqing District, Daxiang District, Shaoyang County, Xinshao County, Shaodong City, Longhui County, and Dongkou County

Theme: Relying on Loudi’s rich cultural tourism resources of Hunan army celebrities like Zeng Guofan and Shaoyang’s unique former residence resources of celebrities, the route connects Changsha in the east and Huaihua in the west.
 
8. Explore Meishan Culture

Connected areas: Anhua County, Xinhua County, Lengshuijiang City, Longhui County, Xupu County, and Chenxi County

Theme: The route integrates experience of culture, folk customs, and gourmet food, aiming to build Meishan Culture brand with Meishan cultural resources centered in Xinhua County, dark tea culture of Anhua County, Huayao folk customs of Longhui County, and landscape and cultural resources of Xupu County. It connects the Great Dongting region and southwestern Hunan.
 
9. Leisure Tour to Explore the Land of Peace, Harmony and Idyllic Beauty

Connected areas: Taoyuan County, Shimen County, Lixian County, Dingcheng District, and Wuling District

Theme: Relying on rich rural eco-tourism, tea and Zen cultural resources in Taoyuan County and Shimen County of Changde, the route connects Huaihua in the west and Zhangjiajie in the north.
 
10. Leisure Tour to Explore Spectacular Peaks

Connected areas: Wulingyuan District and Cili County

Theme: Relying on Wulingyuan tourism resources in Zhangjiajie and rich hot spring resources of Cili County, the route connects Great Dongting region in the east and Zhangjiajie urban area in the west.
 
11. Folk Customs Tour in Zhangjiajie

Connected areas: Wulingyuan District, Sangzhi County, and Yongding District

Theme: Relying on Wulingyuan tourism resources in Zhangjiajie and unique Bai nationality’s folk culture of Sangzhi County, the folklore eco-tourism route connects Zhangjiajie urban area.
 
12. Discover Yao Villages in Southern Hunan

Connected areas: Ningyuan County, Jiangyong County, and Jianghua Yao Autonomous County

Theme: Relying on Yao nationality's folk culture, the route connects Yongzhou urban area in the north and Guangxi’s Guilin in the south.