Junshan Island Scenic Area is located in Junshan District, Yueyang City, Hunan Province, in the middle of Dongting Lake. It is a national key scenic area and a 5A-level tourist attraction. The scenic area covers a total area of 0.96 square kilometers, consisting of 72 peaks of different sizes, with the highest point at an altitude of 63.3 meters. Junshan Island is famous for its beautiful natural scenery and profound cultural heritage, and is one of the important birthplaces of Chinese love culture and Taoist culture. The vegetation coverage rate on the island is over 90%, with more than 400 species of plants, among which rare tree species such as silver osmanthus and podocarpus are widely distributed, known as the "Pearl of Dongting Lake". Due to its unique geographical location, it forms the four-season landscape characteristics of "enjoying rare flowers in spring, watching Dongting Lake in summer, admiring the bright moon in autumn, and viewing snow scenery in winter".
History and Culture
The history of Junshan Island can be traced back to the Neolithic Age. According to archaeological findings, there were traces of primitive human activities on the island. During the Warring States Period, Junshan was incorporated into the territory of the Chu State. Qu Yuan mentioned Junshan many times in The Songs of Chu, leaving famous sentences such as "The waves of Dongting Lake are surging, and the leaves of trees are falling". After unifying China, Qin Shi Huang conferred Junshan as "Xiangshan" and erected a stele to commemorate it.
Junshan is one of the "Seventy-two Blessed Lands" of Taoism. It is said that Ehuang and Nuying, the two concubines of Emperor Shun, searched for their husband here and their tears stained the green bamboo into spots, forming the "Xiangfei Bamboo", which became a symbol of love culture. In the Tang Dynasty, many temples were built on the island, such as Dongting Temple and Langyin Pavilion, and Taoist culture flourished for a time. Poets such as Li Bai, Du Fu, and Liu Yuxi once climbed Junshan, leaving behind eternal poems such as Looking at Dongting Lake.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Junshan became a gathering place for literati and scholars. There are many existing cliff inscriptions and ancient buildings, such as "Longxian Well" and "Flying Bell". Among them, Langyin Pavilion was built to commemorate the legend of Lü Dongbin and is still well preserved.
Main Attractions
Xiangfei Shrine
Xiangfei Shrine was built to commemorate Ehuang and Nuying, the two concubines of Emperor Shun. It was first built in the Tang Dynasty, and the existing building was rebuilt during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, covering an area of 3,600 square meters. The shrine enshrines statues of the two concubines, surrounded by Xiangfei Bamboo. It is said that the tears of the two concubines formed spots on the bamboo, becoming a unique cultural symbol of Junshan. The shrine preserves more than 10 ancient inscriptions from various dynasties, among which the "Tomb of the Two Concubines of Emperor Yu" stele is a relic from the Song Dynasty.
Junshan Silver Needle Tea Garden
Located in the northeast of the island, Junshan Silver Needle Tea Garden covers an area of about 200 mu and is the origin of "Junshan Silver Needle", one of the top ten Chinese teas. The tea garden was first built in the Tang Dynasty and has a history of more than 1,400 years. The produced silver needle tea has plump buds and is covered with white hairs. Due to its needle-like shape and apricot-yellow soup, it is known as "Gold Inlaid with Jade". Visitors can participate in tea picking and making experiences to understand the production process of yellow tea.
Dongting Temple
Dongting Temple was first built in the Northern Song Dynasty and is a temple for worshipping the God of Dongting Lake. The existing building was rebuilt during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, covering an area of 2,400 square meters. The temple has statues of the God of Dongting Lake and the Eight Immortals. In front of the main hall, there is a pair of Ming Dynasty stone lions, 2.8 meters high, with a majestic shape. The temple preserves inscriptions such as "Records of Dongting Temple", recording the history of water control in Dongting Lake.
Longxian Well
Longxian Well is a famous ancient well on Junshan, with a diameter of 1.2 meters and a depth of 8 meters. The well water is clear and sweet, and never dries up throughout the year. It is said that this well is connected to the Dragon Palace of Dongting Lake, hence the name "Longxian" (dragon saliva). The wellhead is paved with bluestones, and the well wall is engraved with the three characters "Longxian Well", written by Mi Fu, a calligrapher of the Song Dynasty.
Langyin Pavilion
Langyin Pavilion, located at the highest point of Junshan Island, was first built in the Tang Dynasty to commemorate the legend of Lü Dongbin "chanting poems while flying over Dongting Lake". The existing structure was reconstructed in 1981. Standing 7 meters tall with a hexagonal pointed roof, the pavilion offers a panoramic view of Dongting Lake and a distant sight of Yueyang Tower. Inside the pavilion, there is a statue of Lü Dongbin, and the surrounding walls are inlaid with inscriptions by renowned figures from past dynasties.
Food
Junshan Silver Needle Tea
Junshan Silver Needle is one of the top ten Chinese teas, belonging to the yellow tea category, named for its needle-like shape and white hairs. The tea is picked before the Qingming Festival and made from single buds. After brewing, the buds stand upright, the soup is apricot-yellow, the aroma is fresh, and the taste is mellow. It can be tasted in the island's tea gardens and surrounding tea houses, priced at about 500-1,200 yuan per catty.
Dongting Silver Fish
Dongting Silver Fish is a specialty of Dongting Lake, 6-8 centimeters long, transparent throughout, and tender in meat. Common practices include silver fish fried with eggs and silver fish soup, which can be tasted in restaurants around Junshan Island, priced at about 40-60 yuan per portion. Dried silver fish are popular specialties, sold at about 80-120 yuan per catty.
Junshan Osmanthus Wine
Junshan Osmanthus Wine is brewed from local glutinous rice and osmanthus using traditional techniques, with an alcohol content of 12-15 degrees. It is golden in color, rich in aroma, and sweet in taste. It is sold in the island's wineries and specialty stores, with bottled wine priced at about 30-50 yuan per bottle.
Yuezhou Fan
Yuezhou Fan is a traditional handicraft of Yueyang, made from high-quality bamboo and wood on Junshan, with a production process of more than 400 years. The fan faces are mostly decorated with landscapes and flowers and birds, with strong local characteristics, priced at about 20-100 yuan per fan, and are popular souvenirs.
Tickets
The ticket price is 78 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "岳阳文旅公司" to get the latest updates or purchase tickets online.
Opening Hours
The scenic area is open year-round, with opening hours of 07:30-18:00 (summer, April 1-October 31) and 08:00-17:30 (winter, November 1-March 31 of the following year). The last boat departs at 17:00, so it is recommended to arrange the island visit time reasonably.
Tour Routes
Recommended one-day tour route: Take a boat from Yueyang Port to the island in the morning. First, visit Xiangfei Shrine to learn about Xiangfei culture, about 1 hour; then go to Junshan Silver Needle Tea Garden to experience tea picking and making, about 1.5 hours; have lunch in the island's restaurants to taste special foods such as Dongting silver fish, about 1 hour; visit Dongting Temple and Longxian Well in the afternoon to feel Taoist culture, about 1.5 hours; finally climb Langyin Pavilion to overlook Dongting Lake and return to the boat pier before 16:30 to leave the island. The whole journey is about 3 kilometers on foot, and those with insufficient physical strength can take a sightseeing car.
Transportation
- Boat: There are direct boats from Yueyang Port (Yueyang Tower Wharf) to Junshan Island, with one class per hour from 08:00 to 17:00, the voyage is about 20 minutes, and the round-trip boat ticket is 70 yuan per person.
- Speedboat: Yueyang Tower Wharf provides speedboat services, one-way 10 minutes, ticket price 50 yuan per person, suitable for tourists in a hurry.
- Urban transportation: Take bus routes 15, 17, and 50 in Yueyang City to the "Junshan Island" station, and walk 10 minutes to the boat pier after getting off.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Xiangfei Shrine: A symbol of Chinese love culture, covering an area of 3,600 square meters, preserving Song Dynasty inscriptions and Xiangfei Bamboo, and learning the legend of Ehuang and Nuying.
- Junshan Silver Needle Tea Garden: A 200-mu core production area, experiencing tea picking and making, tasting the top ten Chinese teas, and feeling tea culture.
- Langyin Pavilion: The highest point of Junshan, 63.3 meters above sea level, climbing the pavilion to overlook the eight-hundred-mile Dongting Lake, a distant sight of Yueyang Tower, and enjoying the lake and mountain scenery.
Tour Tips
- Spring (March-May): Flowers are in full bloom on the island, especially wild azaleas and cherry blossoms. It is recommended to wear light clothing and carry a camera to take photos of the flower sea.
- Summer (June-August): The water volume of Dongting Lake is abundant, and you can take a boat to tour the beautiful scenery in the lake, but pay attention to sun protection and carry sunscreen and a sunhat.
- Autumn (September-November): The weather is clear and refreshing, suitable for climbing Langyin Pavilion to view the lake. At this time, new Junshan Silver Needle tea is on the market, and you can taste the new tea.
- Winter (December-February): In case of snowfall, Junshan is wrapped in silver, and you can enjoy the "Dongting Snow Scenery" landscape. Pay attention to keeping warm.
- After arriving on the island, it is recommended to take a sightseeing car to the farthest attraction first and then walk back to save physical strength.
- When purchasing Junshan Silver Needle tea, it is recommended to go to the regular tea gardens on the island to avoid buying inferior tea.
Notes
- Boats and speedboats are greatly affected by the weather. In case of bad weather such as strong winds and heavy rains, navigation may be suspended. Pay attention to the weather forecast before traveling.
- Some attractions on the island are cultural relics protection units. When visiting, do not touch the inscriptions and ancient buildings and keep quiet.
- The water area of Dongting Lake is complex. Do not swim or play in the water in non-designated areas to avoid danger.
- During the tourist peak season (May Day, National Day), there are many tourists. It is recommended to book boat tickets in advance to avoid queuing.
- There are few restaurants on the island. For lunch, you can choose farmhouses and are recommended to try special dishes such as silver fish fried with eggs and Junshan braised fish.
- Tourists carrying children need to pay attention to safety. Some attractions have steep steps, so take good care of children.