Hunan
Hunan is an inland province in Central China. Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze watershed, it borders the province-level divisions of Hubei to the north, Jiangxi to the east, Guangdong and Guangxi to the south, and Guizhou and Chongqing to the northwest. Its capital and largest city is Changsha, which abuts the Xiang River. Hengyang, Zhuzhou, and Yueyang are among its most populous urban cities. With a population of just over 66 million as of 2020 residing in an area of approximately 210,000 km2 (81,000 sq mi), it is China's 7th-most populous province, the third-most populous among landlocked provinces (after Henan and Sichuan), the third-most populous in South Central China (after Guangdong and Henan), and the second-most populous province in Central China. It is the largest province in South Central China and the fourth-largest landlocked province. Hunan's nominal GDP was US$747 billion (CN¥5.32 trillion) as of 2024, appearing in the world's top 20 largest sub-national economies, with its GDP (PPP) being over US$1.55 trillion. Hunan is the 9th-largest provincial economy in China, the fourth-largest in South Central China, the third-largest in Central China, and the fourth-largest among landlocked provinces. Its nominal GDP per capita exceeded US$11,405 (CN¥81,225), making it the third-richest province in South Central China, after Guangdong and Hubei. As of 2020, Hunan's nominal GDP reached $605 billion (CN¥4.18 trillion),[8][9] exceeding that of Poland, with a GDP of US$596 billion, and Thailand, with a GDP of US$501 billion, the 22nd- and 25th-largest in the world, respectively. The name Hunan literally means "south of the lake". The lake in question is Dongting Lake, in the northeast of the province. Vehicle license plates from Hunan are marked Xiāng (Chinese: 湘), after the Xiang River, which runs from south to north through Hunan and forms part of the province's largest drainage system. The area of Hunan was under Chinese rule as far back as 350 BC. Hunan was the birthplace of communist revolutionary Mao Zedong, who became the Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and the founding father of the People's Republic of China. Hunan today is home to some ethnic minorities, including the Tujia and Miao, along with the Han Chinese, who make up a majority of the population. Varieties of Chinese spoken include Xiang, Gan, and Southwestern Mandarin. Wulingyuan was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. Changsha, the capital, is in the eastern part of the province; it is an important commercial, manufacturing, and transportation center. The busiest airports serve domestic and international flights for Hunan, including Changsha Huanghua International Airport, Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport, and Changde Taohuayuan Airport. Hunan is the seat of the Yuelu Academy (later Hunan University), one of the four major academies over the last 1,000 years in ancient China. As of 2023, Hunan hosts 137 institutions of higher education, ranking fifth among all Chinese provinces, and it houses five Double First-Class Universities of Hunan, Defense Technology, Central South, Hunan Normal and Xiangtan. As of 2024, two major cities in Hunan (Changsha 23rd and Xiangtan 199th) ranked in the world's top 200 cities by scientific research outputs.
One-Day Hunan Tour Itinerary Recommendations
Theme:
Landscape, Island and City + Hunan and Chu Culture + Hot Food
Suitable for:
Short-distance in-depth tours in Changsha/Zhangjiajie/Yueyang, flexible combination of high-speed rail + subway/scenic bus
Practical Tips
Transport Notes:
Changsha attractions are directly accessible by subway, and Zhangjiajie recommends staying in Wulingyuan to save time
Yueyang Tower to Junshan Island requires a boat (one every half an hour)
Ticket Prices:
Yuelu Mountain is free (cable car 30 yuan), Tianmen Mountain 278 yuan (including cableway), Yueyang Tower 70 yuan
Must-Try Flavors:
Changsha: Sugar-coated Baba, Perilla Peach Ginger
Zhangjiajie: Blood Duck, Stewed Pork with Fir Mushrooms
Yueyang: Shrimp Cake, Pingjiang Dried Tofu
Optimization Tips:
Changsha has a rich nightlife, and you can add a bar experience on Jiefang West Road
Zhangjiajie has good physical strength and can challenge the Tianzi Mountain hike (requires 2 days)
Yueyang is better with the Dongting Lake bird watching season (November-March of the following year)
Option 1:
Changsha Internet celebrity check-in line
Best for:
young tourists, food lovers
Transport:
Metro Line 2 + walking
07:30-09:30 Yuelu Mountain morning exercise
East Gate cable car up the mountain, Aiwan Pavilion to enjoy maple leaves (best in November), Hunan University Red Building photo
10:00-12:00 Orange Island
The small train goes directly to the statue of young Mao Zedong, and the panoramic view of "Landscape, Island and City" is taken by the Xiangjiang River
12:30-14:00 Hunan lunch
Recommended: Cooking Smoke Era (Stir-fried beef + preserved egg and pepper)
14:30-17:00 Super Wenheyou
Travel through the old Changsha of the 1980s and shoot a cyberpunk style blockbuster
18:00 Taiping Street Night Market
Black classic stinky tofu + Cha Yan Yue Se, buy souvenirs of braised duck
Option 2:
Zhangjiajie Qifeng Wonderland Line
Best for:
natural scenery lovers, photography experts
Transport:
Zhangjiajie Central Bus Station Scenic Area Special Line
07:00-09:00 Tianmen Mountain Cableway
The world's longest alpine cableway, walk on the glass plank road, and watch the Tianmen Cave open
09:30-12:00 Yuanjiajie
Avatar filming location, Mihuntai + Tianxia First Bridge
12:30-14:00 Tujia three-pot
Master Hu's three-pot (bacon + tofu + radish stewed in one pot)
14:30-17:00 Jinbianxi Hiking
6 km Qingxi Trail, encounter wild macaques
18:00 "Charming Xiangxi" performance
Experience Xiangxi's folk customs such as corpse-driving and crying at weddings
Option 3:
Yueyang Tower Jianghu Line
Best for:
literature lovers, history fans
Transport:
Yueyang Bus Tour Route 1
08:00-10:00 Yueyang Tower
Recite "Yueyang Tower" for free, see "Dongting Tianxia Water"
10:30-12:00 Junshan Island
Look for Xiangfei bamboo on Love Island, taste Junshan Silver Needle Tea
12:30-14:00 Dongting Lake Fish Feast
Well Water Baling (Huitou Fish + Three Treasures of Lotus Pond)
14:30-17:00 Bianhe Street + Cishi Tower
Listen to Huagu Opera in Ming and Qing Old Street, climb the ancient tower of Tang Dynasty
18:00 Baling Square Sunset
Watch the fishing boats singing in the evening in front of the sculpture of Houyi beheading the Ba Snake