Hunan 湖南

The Sun Has Set

The Sun Has Set By Steve Webel. Sourced via Flickr under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License.

Húnán (湖南) province is in central China, south of the Yangtze river. The famous Chinese leader, Mao Zedong, was a native of Hunan. During the 1927, he setup the short-lived Hunan soviet in this region. Hunan remained a communist stronghold until 1934 then they were finally ejected by the Nationalist KMT soldiers causing the communists to undergo the infamous "Long March" to Shaanxi province. The village of Shaoshan, where Mao Zedong was born, is a popular tourist attraction with both Chinese and foreign visitors. Wuyingyuan UNESCO World Heritage Site is also located in Hunan province.

Tourist Attractions

Below is a list of tourist attractions in Hunan:

(衡阳市南岳衡山旅游区; nán yuè héngshān fēngjǐngmíngshèng qū): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAAA on China's national tourism scale.

the park near where Nat lived last yea by john. Sourced via Flickr.

(张家界武陵源旅游区; Wǔ Língyuán fēngjǐngmíngshèng qū): This tourist attraction is listed as a UNESCO World Herritage Site. This tourist attraction is rates as AAAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(岳阳楼旅游区; yuèyáng lóu lǚyóuqū): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(常德桃花源风景区; chángdé táohuāyuán fēngjǐngqū): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(郴州莽山国家森林公园; chēnzhōu mǎng shān guójiā sēnlín gōngyuán): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(张家界宝峰湖风景区; Zhāng Jiājiè bǎo fēng hú fēngjǐngqū): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(张家界龙王洞旅游区; Zhāng Jiājiè lóng wáng dòng lǚyóuqū): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(张家界黄龙洞旅游区; Zhāng Jiājiè huánglóng dòng lǚyóuqū): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(长沙天心阁; chángshā tiān xīn gé): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(郴州东江湖风景旅游区; chēnzhōu dōng jiānghú fēngjǐng lǚyóuqū): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(永州九嶷山舜帝陵景区; yǒng zhōu jiǔ yí shān shùn dì líng jǐngqū): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(湖南省博物馆; húnánshěng bówùguǎn): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(张家界江垭温泉度假村; Zhāng Jiājiè jiāng yā wēnquán dùjiàcūn): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(岳阳市任弼时纪念馆; Yuèyáng shì rènbì shí jìniàn guăn): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(长沙市雷锋纪念馆; chángshāshì léifēng jìniànguǎn): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(岳阳市君山公园; yuèyáng shì jūn shān gōngyuán): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(郴州市汝成温泉福泉山庄; chēnzhōushì rǔ chéng wēnquán fúquán shān zhuāng): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(长沙世界之窗; chángshā shìjiè zhī chuāng): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(张家界土家风情园; Zhāng Jiājiè tǔ jiā fēngqíng yuán): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(郴州苏仙岭风景名胜区; chēnzhōu Sū Xiānlǐng fēngjǐngmíngshèng qū): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(张家界市茅岩河九天洞旅游区; Zhāng Jiājiè shì Máo Yánhé jiǔtiān dòng lǚyóuqū): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(长沙海底世界; chángshā hǎidǐ shìjiè): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(长沙岳麓山风景名胜区; chángshā Yuè Lùshān fēngjǐngmíngshèng qū): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(刘少奇同志纪念馆; liúshǎoqítóngzhì jìniànguǎn): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(益阳奥林匹克公园; yìyáng àolínpǐkè gōngyuán): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(湘潭市韶山滴水洞景区; xiāngtánshì shàoshān dīshuǐ dòng jǐngqū): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(韶山毛泽东故居景区; Shàoshān Máo Zédōng Gùjū Jǐngqū): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(湘潭市彭德怀纪念馆; xiāngtánshì péngdéhuái jìniànguǎn): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(郴州天堂温泉; chēnzhōu tiāntáng wēnquán): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(株洲炎帝陵旅游区; zhūzhōu yán dì líng lǚyóuqū): This tourist attraction is rates as AAAA on China's national tourism scale.

(麻阳滕代远纪念馆; má yáng téng dài yuǎn jì niàn guǎn): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(溆浦向警予同志纪念馆; xù pǔ xiàng jǐng yǔ tóng zhì jì niàn guǎn): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(沅陵县凤凰山; yuán líng xiàn fèng huáng shān): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(郴州悦来温泉; chēn zhōu yuè lái wēn quán): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(湘潭农博园; xiāng tán;dǎn nóng bó yuán): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(张家界秀华山馆; zhāng jiā jiè xiù huā;huá shān guǎn): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(杨开慧纪念馆; yáng kāi huì jì niàn guǎn): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(浏阳道吾山; liú yáng dào wú shān): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(秋收起义文家市会师纪念馆; qiū shōu qǐ yì wén jiā shì huì shī jì niàn guǎn): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(湖南省凤滩水力发电厂; hú nán shěng;xǐng fèng tān shuǐ lì fā diàn chǎng): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(湖南省五强溪水力发电厂; hú nán shěng;xǐng wǔ qiáng;qiǎng qī shuǐ lì fā diàn chǎng): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(郴州万华岩旅游区; chēn zhōu wàn huā;huá yán lǚ yóu qū): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(株州大京风景旅游区; zhū zhōu dà jīng fēng jǐng lǚ yóu qū): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(常德柳叶湖度假区; cháng dé liǔ yè hú dù jià qū): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(常德夹山国家森林公园; cháng dé jiá;jiā shān guó jiā sēn lín gōng yuán): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(常德花岩溪景区; cháng dé huā yán qī jǐng qū): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(怀化受降馆; huái huà;huā shòu xiáng guǎn): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(彭德怀纪念馆; péng;bāng dé huái jì niàn guǎn): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(长沙石燕湖; cháng;zhǎng shā shí yàn hú): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(长沙大围山; cháng shā dà wéi shān): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(长沙雷锋纪念馆; cháng shā léi fēng jì niàn guǎn): This tourist attraction is rates as AAA on China's national tourism scale.

(怀化侗文化城; huái huà;huā tóng wén huà chéng): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(辰溪燕子洞旅游区; chén qī yàn zi dòng lǚ yóu qū): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(洪江芙蓉楼旅游区; hóng jiāng fú róng lóu lǚ yóu qū): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(通道独岩公园; tōng dào dú yán gōng yuán): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(常德市博物馆; cháng dé shì bó wù guǎn): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(益阳北峰山森林公园; yì yáng běi fēng shān sēn lín gōng yuán): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(桃花江竹海旅游区; táo huā jiāng zhú hǎi lǚ yóu qū): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(郴州市北湖公园; chēn zhōu shì běi hú gōng yuán): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(安化红岩旅游风景区; ān huà;huā hóng yán lǚ yóu fēng jǐng qū): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(娄底新化狮子山公园; lóu dǐ xīn huà;huā shī zi shān gōng yuán): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(沅江胭脂湖旅游区; yuán jiāng yān zhī hú lǚ yóu qū): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(永兴龙华山风景区; yǒng xìng;xīng lóng huā;huá shān fēng jǐng qū): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(衡阳市回雁峰景区; héng yáng shì huí yàn fēng jǐng qū): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(新邵白水洞旅游区; xīn shào bái shuǐ dòng lǚ yóu qū): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(张家界紫霞观; zhāng jiā jiè zǐ xiá guān): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(张家界军声画院; zhāng jiā jiè jūn shēng huà yuàn): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(浏阳花炮博物馆; liú yáng huā pào bó wù guǎn): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(浏阳古风洞; liú yáng gǔ fēng dòng): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(沅江德群庄园; yuán jiāng dé qún zhuāng yuán): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(沅陵龙兴讲寺; yuán líng lóng xìng;xīng jiǎng sì): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(桂阳东塔公园; guì yáng dōng tǎ gōng yuán): This tourist attraction is rates as AA on China's national tourism scale.

(益阳花乡农家乐旅游区; yìyáng huā xiāng nóngjiālè lǚyóuqū): This tourist attraction is rates as A on China's national tourism scale.

(安化柘溪旅游风景区; ānhuà zhè xī lǚyóu fēngjǐngqū): This tourist attraction is rates as A on China's national tourism scale.

(永兴人民公园; yǒngxīng rénmín gōngyuán): This tourist attraction is rates as A on China's national tourism scale.

History

Hunan's primeval forests were first occupied by the ancestors of the modern Miao, Tujia, Dong and Yao peoples. It entered the written history of China around 350 BC, when under the kings of the Zhou dynasty, it became part of the State of Chu. At this time, and for hundreds of years thereafter, it was a magnet for migration of Han Chinese from the north, who cleared most of the forests and began farming rice in the valleys and plains. To this day many of the small villages in Hunan are named after the Han families who settled there. Migration from the north was especially prevalent during the Eastern Jin Dynasty and the Southern and Northern Dynasties Periods, when nomadic invaders pushed these peoples south.

During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, Hunan was home to its own independent regime, Ma Chu.

Hunan and Hubei became a part of the province of Huguang (湖廣) until the Qing dynasty.

Hunan became an important communications center due to its position on the Yangzi River (Changjiang). It was also on the Imperial Highway constructed between northern and southern China. The land produced grain so abundantly that it fed many parts of China with its surpluses. The population continued to climb until, by the nineteenth century, Hunan became overcrowded and prone to peasant uprisings.

The Taiping Rebellion began to the south in Guangxi Province in 1850. The rebellion spread into Hunan and then further eastward along the Yangzi River valley. Ultimately, it was a Hunanese army under Zeng Guofan who marched into Nanjing to put down the uprising in 1864.

Hunan was relatively quiet until 1910 when there were uprisings against the crumbling Qing dynasty, which were followed by the Communist's Autumn Harvest Uprising of 1927. It was led by Hunanese native Mao Zedong, and established a short-lived Hunan soviet in 1927. The Communists maintained a guerrilla army in the mountains along the Hunan-Jiangxi border until 1934. Under pressure from the Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) forces, they began the famous Long March to bases in Shaanxi Province. After the departure of the Communists, the KMT army fought against the Japanese in the second Sino-Japanese war. They defended the capital Changsha until it fell in 1944. Japan launched Operation Ichigo, a plan to control the railroad from Wuchang to Guangzhou (Yuehan Railway). Hunan was relatively unscathed by the civil war that followed the defeat of the Japanese in 1945. In 1949, the Communists returned once more as the Nationalists retreated southward.

As Mao Zedong's home province, Hunan supported the Cultural Revolution of 1966-1976. However it was slower than most provinces in adopting the reforms implemented by Deng Xiaoping in the years that followed Mao's death in 1976. Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji is also Hunanese.

People and Culture

As of the 2000 census, the population of Hunan is 64,400,700 consisting of forty-one ethnic groups. Its population grew 6.17% (3,742,700) from its 1990 levels. According to the census, 89.79% (57,825,400) identified themselves as Han people, 10.21% (6,575,300) as minority groups. The minority groups are Tujia, Miao, Dong, Yao, Hui, Bai, Zhuang, Uyghurs and so on.

Xiang is a subdivision of spoken Chinese that originates from Hunan.

Hunan cuisine is noted for its use of chili peppers.

Nü shu is a writing system that was used exclusively among women in Jiangyong County.

Hunan's culture industry generated 87 billion yuan (US$11.76 billion) in economic value in 2007, a major contributor to the province's economic growth. The industry accounts for 7.5 percent of the region's GDP - 0.9 percentage points higher than the previous year.

In recent years, Hunan's cultural exports to the rest of China have been making a big impact. For instance, the Supergirl contest – a Chinese version of Pop Idol – was a significant and ground-breaking achievement for Chinese television. It included live broadcast, voting by mobile phones, and featured quirky and atypical characters. Another television export has been the television cartoon series Blue Cat.

The gross profit for the Supergirl contest in 2005, for example, was 17.79 million yuan (US$ 2.48 million). As a result of programs like Supergirl, Golden Eagle Broadcasting System's Hunan satellite television channel has become the most-watched regionally-produced channel in China, with over 5.6 billion viewers. According to Golden Eagle, its programming also airs in the US, Japan, and Europe.

The local government started developing its cultural industry earlier than other cities, which is the main reason why they are ahead. There is a mature entertainment chain and standardized management in Hunan`s cultural industry. A prime example of this is Golden Eagle Broadcasting System.

Industry

Hunan's traditional crop is rice. The Lake Dongting area is an important center of ramie production, and Hunan is also an important center of tea cultivation.

The Lengshuijiang area is noted for its stibnite mines, and is one of the major centers of antimony extraction in China.

Its nominal GDP for 2008 was 1.12 trillion yuan (US$160 billion). Its per capita GDP was 17,521 yuan (US$2,523).

Geography

Hunan Province is located on the south bank of the Yangtze River (Changjiang, 长江), about half way along its length. Shanghai lies 1000 km away, Beijing 1200 km away, and Guangzhou 500 km away.

Hunan is situated between 109°-114° east longitude and 20°-30° north latitude. The east, south and west sides of the province are surrounded by mountains and hills, such as the Wuling Mountains to the northwest, the Xuefeng Mountains to the west, the Nanling Mountains to the south, and the Luoxiao Mountains to the east. The mountains and hills occupy more than 80% of the area and the plain comprises less than 20% of the whole province.

The Xiangjiang, the Zijiang, the Yuanjiang and the Lishui Rivers converge on the Yangtze River at Lake Dongting (Dongting Hu, 洞庭湖) in the north of Hunan. The center and northern parts are somewhat low and a U-shaped basin, open in the north and with Lake Dongting as its center. Most of Hunan Province lies in the basins of four major tributaries of the Yangtze River.

Lake Dongting is the largest lake in the province and the second largest freshwater lake of China. Due to the reclamation of land for agriculture, Lake Dongting has been subdivided into many smaller lakes, though there is now a trend to reverse some of the reclamation, which had damaged wetland habitats surrounding the lake.

Hunan's climate is subtropical, with mild winters and plenty of precipitation. January temperatures average 3 to 8 °C while July temperatures average around 27 to 30 °C. Average annual precipitation is 1200 to 1700 mm.

Hunan is divided into fourteen prefecture-level divisions, of which thirteen are prefecture-level cities and the remaining division an autonomous prefecture. The prefecture-level cities are:

Map # Name Hanzi Hanyu Pinyin Type
Map of Hunan province in China 1 Changsha 长沙市 Chángshā Shì Prefecture-level city
2 Changde 常德市 Chángdé Shì Prefecture-level city
3 Chenzhou 郴州市 Chénzhōu Shì Prefecture-level city
4 Hengyang 衡阳市 Héngyáng Shì Prefecture-level city
5 Huaihua 怀化市 Huáihuà Shì Prefecture-level city
6 Loudi 娄底市 Lóudǐ Shì Prefecture-level city
7 Shaoyang 邵阳市 Shàoyáng Shì Prefecture-level city
8 Xiangtan 湘潭市 Xiāngtán Shì Prefecture-level city
9 Yiyang 益阳市 Yìyáng Shì Prefecture-level city
10 Yongzhou 永州市 Yǒngzhōu Shì Prefecture-level city
11 Yueyang 岳阳市 Yuèyáng Shì Prefecture-level city
12 Zhangjiajie 张家界市 Zhāngjiājiè Shì Prefecture-level city
13 Zhuzhou 株州市 Zhūzhōu Shì Prefecture-level city
14 Xiangxi (Tujia & Miao) 湘西土家族苗族自治州 Xiāngxī Tǔjiāzú Miáozú Zìzhìzhōu Autonomous Prefecture

News About Hunan

Mao the new God in Red China
In Hunan province, his hometown, locals take every precaution to protect his "other-worldly life", reported Global Times, published by the ruling Communist Party of China today. When Mao's six-meter statue had to be repositioned in 1993, ... »

Year of the Takeout Day 36: Homes Kitchen
7 2012 at 1:15 AM Most of the time, there's little difference between a selection that's billed as Hunan, Sichuan, or Cantonese at Year of the Takeout's go-to restos or the slightly more chichi sit-down varieties we sample from time to time. »

Mao money
By Liang Chen in Shaoshan (Global Times) In Chairman Mao Zedong's hometown, a former backwater in Central China's Hunan Province, locals take every worldly precaution to protect the other-worldly life of the Great Helmsman. When Mao's six-meter statue ... »

China shipwreck death toll rises to 9
CHANGSHA - Rescuers have recovered the bodies of nine people from a shipwreck and are still searching for another two missing in Central China's Hunan province, local officials said Monday. Seventeen people fell off of a boat last Tuesday when the ship ... »

Fortescue rises 5.7 percent on talk of strategic stake build-up
Hunan Valin Hunan Valin 000932.SZ, a Chinese state-owned steelmaker is second-ranked, with 14.72 percent, making it a difficult target unless one of the top two sell out. However there have been opportunities to buy the stock in recent times, ... »

Conclusion of Premier Wen's Visitation.
In the morning of July 2, 2010, the member of the Political Bureau of the Central Standing Committee of the CPC and the Prime Minister of the State Council Wen Jiabao was accompanied by the secretary of the party committee of Hunan Province Zhou Qiang, ... »

Central China shipwreck kills 7
Authorities in central China's Hubei province said on Sunday that seven people have been confirmed dead and another four are still missing, three days after their boat capsized in the neighboring province of Hunan. A Hubei-registered sand carrier, ... »

Man triggers explosion after tossing firecracker into sewer
According to Chinese news media, the incident occurred in a part of Hunan province on Jan 29. Firecrackers are commonly found in China and are used to celebrate the lunar new year. In the clip, the man is shown lighting a firecracker and bending over ... »AsiaOne

A new neighbor for RDU: Chinatown
Much of the mainland China financial support for the project comes from Hunan Province, which has signed a letter of intent to become a sister state of North Carolina. Xie said a co-developer on the Chinatown project is the chamber of commerce in ... »News & Observer

2 dead after barge capsizes
TWO people have been confirmed dead, with nine others still missing, two days after a barge from Hubei Province capsized in the neighboring province of Hunan, local authorities said yesterday. One body was found at the scene as a barge transporting ... »

2 dead, 9 missing in Hunan lake
WUHAN - Two people have been confirmed dead, with nine others still missing, two days after a boat from Central China's Hubei province capsized in the neighboring province of Hunan, local authorities said Saturday. One body was found on the scene as a ... »

Weibo: Order to Detain Petitioner
@Journalist Li Guosheng: Hunan Provincial Discipline and Inspection Commission Order to Detain Petitioner: Li Xiang is from Kaifu District in Changsha. In 2006, her village land was reclaimed and her house was demolished. She then began to petition. »

5 Local Places For Valentine's Day
Hunan L'Rose: I wouldn't instinctively think of a Chinese restaurant as the ideal place for Valentine's Day, but then I came across a review of Hunan L'Rose on Trip Advisor. A reviewer from Gambrills writes: “My wife and I have always loved this place. »

Skyburst lights up with Chinese deal
The Mayor of Liuyang in China's Hunan Province – known as the city of fireworks - commissioned the company to create a display to bring in the new year while on trip to the region to source materials. "We travel to the region regularly because they ... »

11 identified in central China boat accident
WUHAN - The list of 11 victims, one dead and 10 missing, in a boat accident in Central China's Hunan province, was released Friday by local officials from the neighboring province of Hubei where the victims came from. The sand-carrying boat capsized at ... »

11 identified in central China boat accident
3 (Xinhua) -- The list of 11 victims, one dead and 10 missing, in a boat accident in central China's Hunan Province, was released Friday by local officials from the neighboring province of Hubei where the victims came from. »

SF's Metreon ready for its 2nd act
They include Buckhorn Grill, SoGreen Yogurt and San Francisco Soup Co., to be followed in days or weeks by Cako Creamery, La Boulange Bakery, Massage Envy Spa, Brandy Ho's Hunan Food and many others. "Every space is committed. »

Playing dirty with poverty tag
But this seemingly absurd phenomenon involving a county in Shaoyang of Hunan province has a reason and logic of its own, says an article on xinhuanet.com. Excerpts: Though local departments later clarified that the "poster" was not approved and removed ... »

Slow Start Tipped For China Stock Market
Among the gainers, Ping An Insurance surged 6.0 percent, while Industrial Bank climbed 4.4 percent, China Life Insurance jumped 4.0 percent, Hunan Jinjian Cereals Industry spiked 5.3 percent, Hunan Zhenghong Science soared 4.9 percent and Heilongjiang ... »

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