Mangshan Wuzhifeng Scenic Area is located in Rongjiadong, Yizhang County, Chenzhou City, Hunan Province, at the northern foot of the Nanling Mountains and the junction of Hunan and Guangdong provinces, 40 kilometers away from Yizhang County and 70 kilometers away from Chenzhou City. The scenic area covers a total area of 80 square kilometers. It is a national 4A-level tourist attraction and a national geological park, featuring "odd peaks, dangerous cliffs, steep walls and canyons". The average altitude is over 1,000 meters, with the highest altitude of 1,902 meters (Mengkeng Stone). The scenic area has the world's longest suspended plank road (about 8 kilometers in total length), Hunan's first full-view cable car (1.7 kilometers in one-way length), as well as facilities such as tourist service centers and cliff hotels, which can accommodate 3,000 visitors and 500 guests for accommodation at the same time.
History and Culture
The Mangshan area belonged to Chu in ancient times and was a blending belt of Central Plains culture and Lingnan culture. The site of the ancient battlefield in Rongjiadong is preserved in the scenic area. According to textual research, it was a garrison site for resisting the Jin soldiers in the Southern Song Dynasty. The existing stone city wall ruins are about 500 meters long and 2-3 meters high. In addition, it is also a settlement of the Yao people, preserving folk cultures such as the Yao "Panwang Festival" and "Long Drum Dance", and grand sacrificial activities are held on the 16th day of the 10th lunar month every year. Because Mangshan has the best-preserved primeval forest at the same latitude on earth, it is called the "Second Xishuangbanna" by Chinese and foreign experts. It was approved as a national forest park in 1992, and the Wuzhifeng Scenic Area was officially opened to the public in 2012.
Main Attractions
Wuzhifeng (Five Finger Peak)
It is named after five peaks resembling fingers, with the main peak at an altitude of 1,752 meters, being the landmark landscape of the scenic area. The peaks are steep and dangerous, and when surrounded by clouds and mist, they are like a fairyland. The best viewing point is the Wuzhifeng Viewing Platform.
Suspended Plank Road
With a total length of about 8 kilometers, it is suspended on the cliffs at an altitude of 1,400-1,600 meters, 1.5-2 meters wide, and the deepest part from the valley is 400 meters. The plank road runs through many attractions such as "Golden Whip God Column" and "Great Man Meeting Guanyin", being an excellent route for hiking and sightseeing.
Motianling Sightseeing Cable Car
The one-way length is 1.7 kilometers, with a drop of more than 800 meters, taking about 20 minutes. The cable car adopts fully transparent carriages, allowing 360-degree viewing of the whole view of Mangshan, and passes over attractions such as "Tiantai Temple" and "Wanshou Tower" along the way.
Guizizhai Waterfall
With a drop of 120 meters, it falls in three stages. During the rainy season, the water is abundant and the sound shakes 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 Stockade)
It is famous for the wild macaque community. There are more than 200 macaques, distributed in a canyon about 1.2 kilometers long. Visitors can feed in the designated area and experience the harmonious coexistence between humans and animals.
Tiantai Mountain
It is composed of huge granite, with the main peak at an altitude of 1,559 meters. There is a platform with an area of about 2,000 square meters on the top of the mountain, from which you can overlook the mountains. The "Golden Whip God Column" attraction on the mountain is a columnar rock body about 100 meters high, with a strange shape.
Delicacies
Yizhang Navel Orange
It is a national geographical indication product, with a planting area of 300,000 mu. The fruit is round, with a single fruit weight of 200-250 grams. The pulp is tender, juicy and sweet. The picking period is from November to February of the following year, and the per capita consumption is 20-30 yuan/jin.
Mangshan Bitter Bamboo Shoots
Growing in the mountains above an altitude of 800 meters, they are on the market from April to May every year. The bamboo shoot meat is white, slightly bitter and rich in dietary fiber. The common practice is "bitter bamboo shoots fried with bacon", with a per capita consumption of 30-40 yuan.
Linwu Duck
One of the eight famous ducks in China, with a breeding history of more than 2,000 years, the duck meat is tender and firm, and rich in protein. "Sauce-flavored Duck" is recommended, which is salty, fragrant and slightly spicy. The vacuum-packed price is 50-80 yuan/piece.
Qifengdu Fish Noodles
A special snack in Chenzhou, fresh fish from Mangshan streams is selected to make soup, matched with handmade rice noodles. The soup is milky white and the fish meat is fresh. A bowl of fish noodles is about 15-20 yuan, and can be matched with seasonings such as pickled cowpeas and chili.
Yao Family Eighteen Stuffed Dishes
It is a traditional food of the Yao people. Ingredients such as tofu, chili and balsam pear are hollowed out and filled with meat stuffing for steaming. There are 18 practices in total, such as "tofu stuffing" and "balsam pear stuffing", with a per capita consumption of 40-60 yuan.
Admission Tickets
The ticket price is 280 yuan/person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "莽山旅游区五指峰景区" in WeChat to get the latest news or purchase tickets online.
Opening Hours
It is open throughout the year, from 08:00 to 17:30 every day (stopping admission at 16:30). In winter (December to February of the following year), if there is ice and snow weather, the suspended plank road may be temporarily closed, subject to the scenic area announcement.
Tour Routes
One-day tour: In the morning, take the sightseeing cable car to Wuzhifeng Station, walk and tour the suspended plank road (recommended route: Wuzhifeng Viewing Platform → Golden Whip God Column → Great Man Meeting Guanyin), about 3 hours; have lunch at the cliff restaurant along the plank road; in the afternoon, go to Tiantai Mountain Scenic Area, hike and visit "Golden Whip God Column" and "Tiantai Temple", then take the cable car back. Two-day tour: The first day's itinerary is the same as above. On the second day, go to Houwangzhai and Guizizhai Waterfall, hike and tour for about 4 hours. You can bring picnic materials to rest by the waterfall and return in the afternoon.
Transportation
- Self-driving: From Chenzhou City, drive along Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway → Yilian Expressway, get off the expressway at Huangsha Exit, and turn to S324 Provincial Road to the scenic area, with a total distance of about 70 kilometers and a driving time of 1.5 hours; from Guangzhou, drive along Leguang Expressway → Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway, with a total distance of about 300 kilometers and a driving time of 3.5 hours.
- High-speed rail: Take the high-speed rail to Chenzhou West Station, transfer to the intercity bus from Chenzhou to Yizhang (fare 20 yuan, journey 1 hour), and then take the tourist special line from Yizhang County to the scenic area (fare 15 yuan, journey 50 minutes).
- Tourist bus: There are tourist buses directly to the scenic area at 08:00 and 09:30 every day in Chenzhou City, with a fare of 35 yuan and a journey of 1.5 hours; the return time is 16:00 and 17:30.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Suspended Plank Road: The world's longest cliff plank road, with a full hiking journey of about 4 hours, allowing close viewing of odd peaks and grotesque rocks. The best photo spot is the "Golden Whip God Column" viewing platform.
- Wuzhifeng Viewing Platform: At an altitude of 1,700 meters, it can overlook the whole view of the five peaks, and the scenery is particularly spectacular at sunrise (05:30-06:00 in summer, 06:30-07:00 in winter).
- Motianling Sightseeing Cable Car: Hunan's first full-view cable car. It is recommended to take the up-going cable car to gradually enjoy the landscape changes brought by the altitude drop from low to high.
Tour Tips
- The best tourist seasons are April-May (bitter bamboo shoot picking season, azaleas blooming) and October-November (clear autumn weather, red leaves all over the mountains). Pay attention to heatstroke prevention in summer and prepare non-slip shoes in winter.
- The whole suspended plank road is made of stone slabs. It is recommended to wear non-slip hiking shoes and carry a hiking stick; the elderly and children can choose to take the scenic area traffic to the core attractions.
- The catering points in the scenic area are mainly concentrated at Wuzhifeng Station and Tiantai Mountain Station. It is recommended to try "bitter bamboo shoots fried with bacon" and "Yao family eighteen stuffed dishes", with a per capita consumption of 50-80 yuan.
- The macaques in Houwangzhai are wild. When feeding, put the food in the designated area, and do not touch or make loud noises with your hands.
- Pay attention to the official WeChat public account "Mangshan Wuzhifeng Scenic Area" in advance to get real-time weather, plank road opening conditions and other information.
Notes
- Some sections of the suspended plank road have no guardrails. Walk along the inner side. Climbing cliffs or throwing debris into the valley is prohibited.
- The sightseeing cable car may be temporarily suspended in case of strong wind or lightning. It is recommended to reserve sufficient time to avoid catching the last bus.
- Smoking and picnicking are prohibited in the scenic area. Do not carry fire when hiking. Special smoking areas are set up along the way.
- There are many mosquitoes in the Houwangzhai area. Carry mosquito repellent; the ground near the Guizizhai Waterfall is wet and slippery. It is recommended to wear waterproof shoes.
- Mobile phone signals are weak above 1,500 meters above sea level. It is recommended to travel in groups and inform family members of the itinerary in advance.