Hotel & Travel

The Star City-Changsha, situated in the river valley along the lower part of Xiang River, is the capital city of Hunan province. The recorded history of Changsha can be traced back 3000 years. Tomb relics from the primitive periods witnessing the earliest human of activities have been discovered in this region.

There are many attractions, such as Yuelu Academy in Changsha, Yuelu Mountain, Hunan Provincial Museum, Mawangdui Han Tombs in Changsha and the hometown of Chairman Mao, which uncover its brilliant glory of the past and also the incomparable natural beauty.

 

Top tourist attractions in Changsha：

1. Orange Island（or Orange Isle Scenic Spot, Juzi Island, 橘子洲风景区）

Orange Island, or Juzi Island, is located in the center of Xiangjiang River in Changsha City of Hunan Province. The original area of the island is about 17 hectares. It is the largest of the alluvial sandbanks in the lower reaches of Xiangjiang River and is known as the “Top1 Sandbank in China”. Orange Isle runs from south to north, faces Yuelu Mountain in the west and Changsha City in the east. It is 6 kilometers long and is only 300 meters wide at its widest point.

According to records, Orange Isle was silted up by sand and stones in 305. There is Mao Zedong’s Statue, Thinking Platform and other attractions on the island. Thousands of species of plants, including 143 rare plants, grow in the Orange Isle scenic area. Many rare animals such as gulls, foxes, and badgers can be also seen on the island.

Orange Isle Scenic Spot

2. Yuelu Academy（岳麓书院）

The Yuelu Academy is on the east side of Yuelu Mountain in Changsha. As one of the four most prestigious academies over the last 1000 years in China, Yuelu Academy has been a famous institution of higher learning as well as a center of academic activities and cultures since it was formally set up during the Northern Song dynasty.

Yuelu Academy has gone through thousands of years and is still alive today. In the Northern Song Dynasty, the government funded and officially founded Yuelu Academy. After the Southern Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, to the end of the Guangxu dynasty in the late Qing Dynasty (AD 1903), the Yuelu Academy and the Hunan Provincial University Hall were merged into the Hunan Higher School, and the former site of the Academy was used.

Today’s Yuelu Academy is not only the cultural and literary talent training and research base of Hunan University, but also the tourist attraction of Hunan Province. It is the cultural window and cultural business card of Changsha.

Yuelu Academy

3. Mawangdui Han Dynasty Tombs（马王堆汉墓）

Located in the eastern suburb of Changsha city, Mawangdui Han Tomb is about 4 kilometers away from the downtown. It is recorded that this area was the graveyard of Mayin (马殷) family who was the king of Chu State (a state in the Spring and Autumn Period (770BC-476BC)). There are three tombs, Number 1 and Number 3 tombs were in excellent condition when excavated and Number 1 tomb is the largest among the three. Number 1 and Number 2 tombs have been filled and Number 3 tomb has been preserved and covered by a ceiling for the benefit of the visitors. From scientists’ textual research, the owners of these three tombs are the prime minister of Changsha State Li Cang (利苍), his wife Xin Zhui (辛追) and his son Li Xi (利狶).

The reason why Mawangdui Han Tomb is one of the most fascinating attractions in Hunan province is the corpse of this tomb’s owner, which was buried for more than 2000 years but was extremely well-preserved.

When disinterred from the tomb, this noble lady’s corpse was complete and the whole body was still moist and supple. Some parts of the joints could move, her surrounding tissues were still in good state, and the skin was still flexible. This lady was as if she had been buried yesterday. After the autopsy, scientists were surprised to find that her organs were still in intact shape, and some muskmelon seeds were even found in her stomach which showed the cause of this lady’s death. What still makes scientists bewildered is some 80 liters of liquid in which the corpse was when found. Though it is still a myth about this kind of liquid up till now, some researchers believe that this unknown liquid is the reason why the corpse could be preserved in mint condition.

Mawangdui Han Dynasty Tombs

Changsha Railway Station -> Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Changsha Wangcheng

By subway: take Line 2 (Towards West Meixi Lake) ->Yingwanzhen Station, transfer to line 4(Towards Guanziling) ->Guanziling Station, exit at Entrance 2, transfer to Bus No.W212(Towards Wangcheng Bus Station) ->Jinqiao International Building Materials Market Station, walk about 283 meters-> Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Changsha Wangcheng, about 90 minutes;

By taxi: Changsha Railway Station -> Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Changsha Wangcheng, about ¥70, 50 minutes.

Changsha South Railway Station -> Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Changsha Wangcheng

By subway: take Line 4(Towards Guanziling)->Guanziling Station, exit at Entrance 2, transfer to Bus No.W212(Towards Wangcheng Bus Station) ->Jinqiao International Building Materials Market Station, walk about 282 meters-> Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Changsha Wangcheng, about 100 minutes;

By taxi: Changsha South Railway Station -> Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Changsha Wangcheng, about ¥100, 55 minutes.

 

Changsha Huanghua International Airport -> Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Changsha Wangcheng

Maglev Express(Towards Changshanan Station)->Changshanan Station, transfer to Bus No.W212(Towards Wangcheng Bus Station) ->Jinqiao International Building Materials Market Station, walk about 283 meters-> Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Changsha Wangcheng, about 150 minutes

By taxi: Changsha Huanghua International Airport -> Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Changsha Wangcheng, about ¥160, 60 minutes