Published on : 11/07/2022
Zhangjiajie, China's first national forest park since 1982, is one of the first major tourist attractions in China to be developed.
For nearly 40 years, Zhangjiajie has been one of the top 10 must-see tourist attractions in China, especially since it became the setting of the movie "Avatar" and has become even more popular with domestic and international visitors who love Chinese culture.
999 Steps to Tianmen Mountain
Known as the "First Divine Mountain in Western Hunan" and "The Soul of Zhangjiajie," Tianmen Mountain (天門山) is one of the most popular attractions in Zhangjiajie.
It is said that during the Three Kingdoms period, a large hole suddenly opened up in Tianmen Mountain. The Emperor of the Kingdom of Wu believed this to be a good omen and thus named it "Heaven's Door" (天門洞).
Tianmen Cave is the highest natural cave in the world. During the rainy season, the steamy fog will come out of the cave, creating the unique “Tianmen Spitting Mist” (天門吐霧) scene.
In front of Tianmen Cave, there are 999 steep stairs with the highest gradient of 45 degrees, requiring immense courage and patience to reach the entrance of the cave, which is a great test of willpower.
Read more: China's Top ten waterfalls - The "Bazhang Gully": Is it related to this legendary military history?
The hidden Tujia culture of Zhangjiajie
Apart from admiring the magnificent landscapes in Zhangjiajie, you can also experience unique Tujia (土家) culture.
Zhangjiajie is also a place where 33 ethnic minorities live, such as the Han, Miao, Bai and Tujia, bringing together a rich diversity of cultural colours, with the Tujia being the most populous, forming a unique Zhangjiajie Tujia culture.
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Speaking of the most special customs among the Tujia culture, it has to be the "Crying Marriage" (哭嫁).
When a Tujia bride gets married, she sings a crying song. The tears on such an important day are not shed out of sorrow, rather, to express gratitude for her parents' nurturing and feelings of farewell. It is also a measure of a woman's intelligence and virtue among the Tujia people, which is really unique.
Apart from weddings, the customs of the Tujia people during Chinese New Year are also distinct from other ethnic groups. The New Year is the most important traditional festival for the Tujia people, especially for the custom of celebrating the New Year one day in advance, known as "rushing the year" (趕年).
