Mangshan Wuzhifeng Scenic Area is located in Rongjiadong, Yizhang County, Chenzhou City, Hunan Province. It sits at the northern foot of the Nanling Mountains and the border of Hunan and Guangdong provinces, 40 kilometers away from Yizhang County seat and 70 kilometers away from Chenzhou urban area. Covering a total area of 80 square kilometers, it is a national 4A-level tourist attraction and a national geopark, featuring "fantastic peaks, steep cliffs, precipices, and canyons". With an average altitude of over 1,000 meters, its highest point is Mengkeng Stone at 1,902 meters above sea level. The scenic area boasts the world's longest suspended plank road (about 8 kilometers in total length), Hunan's first full-view cable car (1.7 kilometers for one-way trip), as well as facilities like a tourist service center and a cliff hotel. It can accommodate 3,000 visitors and 500 overnight guests at the same time.
History and Culture
In ancient times, the Mangshan area belonged to the Chu region and was a fusion zone of Central Plains culture and Lingnan culture. The scenic area preserves the ruins of the Rongjiadong Ancient Battlefield, which is verified to be a garrison site for resisting the Jurchen troops during the Southern Song Dynasty. The remaining stone city wall is about 500 meters long and 2-3 meters high. In addition, this area is a settlement of the Yao ethnic group, where traditional Yao cultural practices such as the "Panwang Festival" and "Long Drum Dance" are still kept alive. A grand sacrificial ceremony is held here every year on the 16th day of the 10th lunar month. Known by Chinese and foreign experts as the "Second Xishuangbanna" for having the best-preserved primeval forest at the same latitude on Earth, Mangshan was approved as a national forest park in 1992, and the Wuzhifeng Scenic Area officially opened to the public in 2012.
Major Attractions
Wuzhifeng (Five-Finger Peak)
Named for its five peaks resembling fingers, it has a main peak at an altitude of 1,752 meters and is the iconic landscape of the scenic area. The peaks are steep and precipitous; when shrouded in clouds and mist, they look like a fairyland. The best viewing spot is the Wuzhifeng Observation Deck.
Suspended Plank Road
With a total length of about 8 kilometers, it hangs on the cliff faces at an altitude of 1,400-1,600 meters, with a width of 1.5-2 meters and a maximum depth of 400 meters from the valley bottom. The plank road runs through multiple attractions such as the "Golden Whip Divine Pillar" and "Great Man Meets Guanyin", making it an excellent route for hiking and sightseeing.
Motian Ridge Sightseeing Cable Car
The one-way length is 1.7 kilometers, with a drop of over 800 meters, and the ride takes about 20 minutes. The cable car uses fully transparent cabins, allowing 360-degree views of the entire Mangshan area. It passes over attractions such as the "Tianta Temple" and "Wanshou Pagoda" along the way.
Guizizhai Waterfall
With a drop of 120 meters, it falls in three stages. During the rainy season, it has abundant water flow and roars through the valley. The negative ion concentration around the waterfall is as high as 100,000 per cm³, making it a natural oxygen bar.
Houwangzhai (Monkey King Village)
Famous for its colony of wild rhesus monkeys, it currently has more than 200 rhesus monkeys distributed in a canyon about 1.2 kilometers long. Visitors can feed the monkeys in designated areas and experience the harmonious coexistence between humans and animals.
Tiantai Mountain
Composed of huge granite rocks, its main peak is at an altitude of 1,559 meters. There is a platform of about 2,000 square meters on the top of the mountain, offering a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains. The "Golden Whip Divine Pillar" attraction on the mountain is a columnar rock mass about 100 meters high with a unique shape.
Tour Routes
One-day Tour: In the morning, take the sightseeing cable car to Wuzhifeng Station and hike along the Suspended Plank Road (recommended route: Wuzhifeng Observation Deck → Golden Whip Divine Pillar → Great Man Meets Guanyin), which takes about 3 hours. Have lunch at the cliff restaurant along the plank road at noon. In the afternoon, go to Tiantai Mountain Scenic Area, hike to visit the "Golden Whip Divine Pillar" and "Tianta Temple", then take the cable car back.
Two-day Tour: Follow the one-day tour route on the first day. On the second day, go to Houwangzhai and Guizizhai Waterfall, and hike for about 4 hours. You can bring picnic supplies to rest by the waterfall, then return in the afternoon.
Travel Tips
- The best travel seasons are April-May (bitter bamboo shoot harvesting season and azalea blooming period) and October-November (clear autumn weather and mountains covered with red leaves). Take precautions against sunstroke in summer and prepare non-slip shoes in winter.
- The entire Suspended Plank Road is paved with flagstones. It is recommended to wear non-slip hiking shoes and bring trekking poles. The elderly and children can take the scenic area shuttle bus to the core attractions.
- Catering spots in the scenic area are mainly concentrated at Wuzhifeng Station and Tiantai Mountain Station. It is recommended to try "stir-fried bacon with bitter bamboo shoots" and "Yao-style Eighteen Stuffed Dishes", with an average cost of 50-80 yuan per person.
- The rhesus monkeys in Houwangzhai are quite wild. When feeding, place food in designated areas; do not reach out to touch them or make loud noises.
- Follow the official WeChat public account "Mangshan Wuzhifeng Scenic Area" in advance to get real-time weather, plank road opening status and other information.
Notes
- Some sections of the Suspended Plank Road have no guardrails. Walk along the inner side and do not climb cliffs or throw debris into the valley.
- The sightseeing cable car may be temporarily out of service in windy or thunderstorm weather. It is recommended to reserve sufficient time and avoid rushing for the last trip.
- Smoking and camping are prohibited in the scenic area. Do not carry kindling when hiking; there are designated smoking areas along the way.
- There are many mosquitoes in the Houwangzhai area, so bring mosquito repellent. The ground near Guizizhai Waterfall is wet and slippery, so it is recommended to wear waterproof shoes.
- Mobile phone signals are weak at altitudes above 1,500 meters. It is recommended to travel in groups and inform family members of your itinerary in advance.
Transportation
- Self-driving: Starting from Chenzhou urban area, drive along Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway → Yilian Expressway, exit at Huangsha, then turn to Provincial Highway S324 to the scenic area. The whole journey is about 70 kilometers, taking 1.5 hours. Starting from Guangzhou, drive along Lechang-Guangzhou Expressway → Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway, with a total distance of about 300 kilometers and a driving time of 3.5 hours.
- High-speed Railway: Take the high-speed railway to Chenzhou West Station, transfer to the intercity bus from Chenzhou to Yizhang (ticket price: 20 yuan, travel time: 1 hour), then take the tourist special line from Yizhang County seat to the scenic area (ticket price: 15 yuan, travel time: 50 minutes).
- Tourist Bus: There are tourist buses directly to the scenic area from Chenzhou urban area at 08:00 and 09:30 every day, with a ticket price of 35 yuan and a travel time of 1.5 hours. The return times are 16:00 and 17:30.
Opening Hours
Open year-round. Daily opening hours are 08:00-17:30 (admission stops at 16:30). In winter (December-February), the Suspended Plank Road may be temporarily closed in case of icy and snowy weather; please refer to the scenic area announcement for details.
Tickets
The ticket price is 280 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "莽山旅游区五指峰景区" on WeChat to get the latest updates or buy tickets online.
Online Booking
Click here to jump to the Trip.com ticketing platform for ticket purchase.
