China picturous mountains : Zhangjiajie national forest park

Zhangjiajie is located in the northwest of Hunan province in China.  It is China's first national forest park which covers an area of 4800 hectares. 

Zhangjiajie mountain is not too high. Its height is about 1000 meters.  However, it acts as the divide line between warm coastal climate in the South and continental climate in the North.  As the meeting place between cold and warm fronts, Zhangjiajie has moist subtropical weather and dense foliage.

After million years of erosion, the landscape of Zhangjiajie is filled with tall free standing pillars and land platforms.  If you have seen the movie Avatar, you will remember those floating mountains in the sky.  When you visit Zhangjiajie after rain, you will see clouds floating in between the land platforms and pillars.  This forms a beautiful picture.



(Pillars of different shapes)



(Does it look like an old man?)

(Avatar's Hallelujah mountain?)

(Hanging arch)

Zhangjiajie is the homeland of few ethnic groups, including Tujia and Miao people.  During the Ming Dynasty in the sixteenth century, there was serious fighting between Ming Han and local ethnic groups.  

(Local farmers at work - making oil from flower seeds)

Zhangjiajie also has large limestone caves in Wanglongdong (Yellow Dragon Hole).  So far, I have visited over ten limestone caves at different countries.  This is the largest one.  We followed the tour guide and walked through the caves in over an hour.  

(Limestone caves in Wanglongdong)