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Hunan Province is
situated in the south of the middle reaches of
the Yangtze River. Its name, meaning ¡° the south
of Lake¡±, was derived from the fact that the
province is located south of Dongting Lake, the
second largest freshwater lake in China. Because
of Xiangjiang River, which flows across the
province from south to north, Hunan is also
called ¡°Xiang¡± in short. Covering a total of
210,000 square kilometers, the province has a
population of 64 million, mainly consisting of
Hans, Miaos, Tujias, Dongs, Yaos, |
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Huis,Uygurs,
Zhuangs, Bais, and other ethnic peoples.
Changsha is the capital city of the province.
Hunan is rich of natural resources, and is
reputed as ¡°land of fish and rice¡±, ¡°land of
nonferrous metal¡± and ¡° the real places of
interests¡±. The province has a long history, and
its landscape is magnificent. There are 25
national and provincial scenic resorts, 22
nature reserves at or above the provincial
level, and large numbers of places of cultural
interest within its territory. Major attractions
of Hunan are Wulingyuan Scenic Resort, a world
natural heritage site, Hengshan Mountain, the
South Sacred Mountain of China, Yueyang
Mountain, Dongting Lake, Yueyang Tower, Han
Tombs of Mawangdui and Taohuayuan Tourist Zone.
Hunan is home to numerous men of great fame in
Chinese history. It was said that Xuanyuan,
Zhurong, Emperors Shundi and Yandi once lived
there and left remains. Hunan is also the home
province of Mao Zedong, the founder of the
People¡¯s Republic of China, and numerous other
outstanding historical figures. Memorial sites
for these great men including Mao Zedong¡¯s
former home in Shaoshan, Liu Shaoqi¡¯s in
Huaminglou, Qu Yuan¡¯s Memorial Temple in Miluo,
Cai Lun¡¯s Memorial Temple in Leiyang and Tomb of
Emperor Yandi. |
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4Changsha |
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With a population of about a million, Changsha
is a relatively small city by Chinese standards, but is nonetheless a commercially and historically significant one.
Located on the Xiang Jiang River, a major
tributary of the
Yangtze, Changsha has been a busy trade and transportation centre |
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for three thousand years and remains one today. It is also the political and administrative capital of Hunan province, and an important focal point of industry and culture.
Though it abounds in
historical sites¡ªsome of which date back to the
Han Dynasty two thousand years ago¡ªthe city
suffered extensive damage during World War ¢ò,and
much of it has been rebuilt since 1949 as a
modern and attractive metropolis.
But in addition, Changsha is a city of ancient charm,
as evidenced by famous and fascinating temples
and monasteries, an Academy of Classical
Learning founded in 976 A.D. and the renowned
Changsha Museum, Which exhibits many treasures
from nearby Han Dynasty tombs.
Changsha is also an excellent base from which to
explore the many natural scenic beauties of
Hunan, including spectacular Dongting Lake.
The area's climate is subtropical, but the temperatures
in January can drop to near freezing. Spring is
rainy season and summer is hot and humid. The
best time to visit is in the cool, dry autumn. |
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