China Travel

Located on Dongfeng Road, near Nianjia Lake (Nianjia Hu), the Hunan Provincial Museum (Hunan Bowuguan), is one of China's better museums. The complex has three main buildings, one of which covers revolutionary history and two that are devoted to the Western Han (206 BC-24 AD) tombs that were discovered at Mawangdui, 4km northeast of Changsha.    The tombs, discovered in 1972 and containing over 3,000 antiques, were the burial ground for the Marquis of Dai, Li Cang, and his family. Li Cang was Prime Minister to the King of Changsha between 193 and 186 BC. The bodies, considering their age, remain in very good condition, especially the Marquis's wife, Xin Zui, who died in 186 BC. The reason for her excellent preservation was the body, that was wrapped in over 20 layers of silk and linen, a triple layered wooden sarcophagus, that was sealed with charcoal and white peat, an... more »

Yuelu Hill Park (Yuelushan Gongyuan) is located on the Xiang River's (Xiangjiang) western shores. It's one of Changsha's most historic spots and is most notable for its academic establishments. The hill rises to a height of around 300 meters above sea level, and the park covers an area of 500 hectares, part of which is occupied by the Hunan University.   The most famous academic establishment here was the Yuelu Academy (Yuelu Shuyuan), a Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) institution that was designed to train scholars for the civil examinations. The Academy was built in 976 AD, and was named by King Zheng of the Northern Song Dynasty in 1015. The area, around 25,000 square meters, where this academy once stood now holds a Hexi Altar, a classroom, the King's Book Pavilion, the Wen Temple and Gardens, and one stele remaining from the Song Dynasty.   The Loving Dusk Pavilion (A... more »

Shaoshan, 100 km southwest of Changsha, is a mountain village with some fairly beautiful and birth place of the oft-lamented Mao Zedong. The village is adorned with propaganda, loudspeakers blare revolutionary songs and speeches to welcome approaching tourists. But aside from the novelty of being Mao's hometown, Shaoshan is not much more than a rural Hunan village.   Tourist attractions in town include the Former Residence of Mao Zedong (Mao Zedong Guju), the Ancestral Temple of the Mao Family, now Comrade Mao's Museum (Mao Zedong Tongzhi Jinianguan), Stone Steles covered with Mao's poems, and a Revolutionary Martyr's Cemetery. Mao's house is probably the most interesting. Entering through a courtyard, the house is a sunny yellow, mud brick walls, with a nicely thatched roof, and is found on a wooded hillside, above some lush paddy fields. You can visit all of the 13 rooms ... more »

Heng Shan (Mount Heng), sometimes called Southern Heights Mountain (Nanyue Shan), is located about 120km south of Changsha. It is one of the five sacred Buddhist mountains in China, although much of the mountain is also dedicated to Taoist belief. The mountain sprawls out for 80 kilometers or so and there are a total of 72 peaks in all, the highest of which, Wishing for Harmony Peak (Zhurong Feng), rises to 1,298 meters above sea level. It is a pretty area that quite popular (crowded), although charming Buddhist and Taoist temples, some dating back over 1000 years, and delightful scenery to make it worth your while. At the foot of the mountain stands the largest temple in southern China, the Grand Southern Heights Temple (Nanyue Damiao), which is the largest group of ancient buildings in Hunan Province. It is thought that the original temple dated back as far as the Tang D... more »

Located next to the Hunan Provincial Museum, Martyr's Park is the city's largest park, complete with lush gardens, a large lake, carnival games and rides (the latter two carry their own admission fee). Outside of these choices for rest and relaxation, Martyrs' Park is best known for its 58-meter Memorial Tower, which pays homage to a generation of China's fallen heroes, adorned with well-known inscriptions and quotations from Mao Zedong.   more »

Pozi Jie is Changsha's central eating and drinking street. Lined with restaurants and clubs, Pozi Jie is the top draw of Changsha's nightlife. Experience the city's limited bar scene or do as the locals do and chow down at any one of the many eateries on the main drag, Pozi Jie a great place to relax after a day of sightseeing. more »

Although Changsha is by no means one of China's live music capitals, 4698 Livehouse is a great venue which regularly hosts shows by out of town bands. Featuring a solid stage and sound system, 4698 can hold up to 400 sweaty rock fans and with a bar that serves RMB 10 Tsingtao, it's a tough venue to beat. On off nights, locals gather to drink, listen to music and play billiards, but Thursday through Sunday this club is a vibrant locale in ordinarily drab Changsha. more »