1. Wanfo Mountain National Geopark (National Natural Heritage, National 4A Scenic Spot)
Address: Taipingtan Village, Wanfoshan Town, Tongdao County
Tel: 0745-7871637
Wanfo Mountain is the core of the Wanfo Mountain Scenic Spot and is linked to Jiangjun Mountain to the south and Ziyun Mountain to the north. As the biggest scenic spot in Tongdao County, it covers an area of 28.04 km2 and is dotted with many natural sceneries such as Fairy Residence, Wangfu Rock and Forest Maze. As the main peak, the Wanfo Mountain is 635 meters above sea level and is surrounded by mist-covered fairyland-like mountains.
2. Tongdao Red Army Long March Transfer Memorial Hall (National Patriotism Education Base, National 4A Tourism Scenic Spot)
Address: Gongjiang Village, Xianxi Town, Tongdao County
Tel: 0745-8411239
The scenic spot consists of two parts: Tongdao Red Army Long March Transfer Memorial Hall and the Former Site of the Tongdao Meeting (the Gongcheng Academy).
The memorial hall covers an area of 35 mu (about 23,333 square meters) with a construction area of 3,000 square meters. Comprising five exhibition halls, it boasts an exhibition space of 1,600 square meters. It utilizes modern audio-visual and lighting techniques to showcase the historical facts of the emergency meeting of the CPC Central Committee held in Tongdao during the Long March, through a vast array of photographs, sculptures, paintings, cultural relics, and precious artifacts. Additionally, it highlights lesser-known stories and individuals associated with the Seventh Army Group, the Sixth Army Group, and the Third Army Group of the Central Red Army in Tongdao during the four-year period from December 1930 to December 1934. This memorial serves as an excellent venue for patriotic and revolutionary tradition education for cadres, the general public, young students, and military personnel.
The Gongcheng Academy, formerly known as Luomeng Academy, was originally built in 1105 and was later destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt by Dong craftsmen at the original site in the 57th year during the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1792) of the Qing Dynasty (1736-1796) and renamed as Gongcheng Academy. Covering an area of 1,860 square meters, the academy consists of a gatehouse, residential houses, a lecture hall and corridors, and is the most preserved ancient school of Dong ethnic group in China.
On December 12, 1934, the main leaders of the Communist Party of China held an emergency meeting at Gongcheng Academy to discuss the direction of the Red Army. The meeting finally took Mao Zedong’s suggestion that instead of marching farther into Hunan, the force should change direction and head toward Guizhou, where the enemy’s defenses were expected to be weak. The strategic transfer that had saved the Red Army and the Party was called the strategic “Transfer in Tongdao” in the history. In 2002, the Gongcheng Academy was listed as a patriotism education base in Hunan Province. In 2005, it was included in the 30 national and 4 provincial boutique routes for red tourism. In 2010, it was listed as a national defense education base by the provincial government and an ideal and belief education base by the Second Artillery Force. In 2013, it was designated by the State Council as a national key cultural relics protection unit and as an anti-corruption education base by the provincial government. In 2017, it was designated by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee as a national patriotism education base.
3. Huangdu Dong Culture Village (National 4A Tourism Scenic Spot)
Address: Huangdu Dong Culture Village, Pingtan Town, Tongdao County
Tel: 0745-8548018
Huangdu Dong Culture Village is 10 kilometers away from the county seat and consists of four Dong villages including Touzhai, Weizhai, Panzhai and Xinzhai. It began business operation in 1995 and is a comprehensive tourist resort integrating sightseeing, folk culture experiencing, leisure and recreation. Visitors can watch Dong folk shows, taste local rice wine, and take part in the long-table banquet. It is the ideal version of a harmonious society and has been called a harmonious and beautiful paradise by countless literati.
4. Yutou Ancient Dong Village (National 4A Tourism Scenic Spot)
Address: Yutou Village, Shuangjiang Town, Tongdao County
Tel: 0745-8621636
Yutou Ancient Dong Village Dong was built during the reign of Hongwu Emperor (ruled 1368-1398) in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and was destroyed by fire during the reign of Shunzhi Emperor (ruled 1644-1661) in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Seven settlements were formed with the axis of the Yutou Creek after reconstruction. In the 42nd year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1778) in the Qing Dynasty, the Yutou Dragon Bridge, the Yashang Drum Tower and the Longshi Drum Tower were built. During the reign of Emperor Daoguang (1821-1850) and Guangxu (1875-1908) in the Qing Dynasty, the Lusheng Tower and the Longmen Gate were built, and the ancient post roads were repaired. The ancient Dong village is located in the mountains and has a typical Dong architectural style. There are complete facilities such as drum towers, gate towers, Lusheng fields, pavilions, ancient wells, Saisui Altar, and stilt houses which are well preserved and have high historical, cultural and artistic value. The village is called as the Museum of Dong Architecture by experts and enjoys the reputation of being the “Little Potala Palace” of Dong people. In 2001, it was listed by the State Council as one of the fifth batch of national key cultural relics protection units.
5. Longdi Ecological Rafting Scenic Zone (National 3A Tourism Scenic Spot)
Address: Xishang Village, Wanfoshan Town, Tongdao County
Tel: 0745-8486118
Longdi Ecological Rafting Scenic Zone is 39 kilometers from the county seat. It is a 3A national scenic area, with clean water, original ecology, picturesque landscape and pleasant climate. The section for rafting winds for about 10 kilometers including over 50 rapids along the Longdi River, providing a fast-paced, bare-knuckled and whitewater excitement for tourists. It is one of the top 100 scenic spots and one of the new eight scenic spots for leisure in Hunan.
6. Hengling Dong Village (National 3A Tourism Scenic Spot)
Address: Hengling Village, Pingtan Town, Tongdao County
Hengling Dong Village is located on the bank of the Pingtan River, 18 kilometers southwest of Shuangjiang Town and is nestled in the mountains and surrounded by water. The village was first established during the reign of Emperor Yingzong (1457-1464) in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and was named for its location at the extension of a horizontal mountain ridge. Currently, the village has 305 households with a total population of 1,377, and 99.8% of the villagers are Dong people.
The village boasts a long history. According to folklore, before the Song Dynasty (960-1127), the ancestors of Hengling Village lived together with those of Pingri Village and Pingtan Village in Wuping and later moved to the current location.
Villagers have a rich array of festivals and cultural activities, including the Lusheng Festival, the Harvest Festival, the Winter Festival as well as the Sacrificial Ceremony dedicated to Goddess Sa. The village’s major cultural relics include the Tongshan Bridge, Liangsheng Temple, Drum Towers, Leizu Temple, Nanyue Temple, and Chenghuang Temple. The village also boasts several national intangible cultural heritages such as the Dong Lusheng Dance, Dong Opera, and Dong Brocade Weaving Techniques; provincial intangible cultural heritages such as Dong Pipa Song and Dong Kuant Song; and municipal-level ones like the Dong Grand Chorus and Weiye Song. The village also preserves traditional folk customs such as holding Dong market fairs.
The distinctive architecture of Hengling Village encompasses both residential and public buildings. More than 300 “Ganlan-style” stilted houses account for over 90% of the residential buildings. The public buildings mainly consist of five Drum Towers, among which the Sanchao Drum Tower, built in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), is a provincial cultural relics protection unit and serves as an important venue for public gatherings, discussions, and entertainment. Liangsheng Temple, located across the river to the east of the village, enshrines two statues of Gods and is the primary site for sacrifice ceremonies. Other ancient buildings like Nanyue Temple, Chenghuang Temple, and Leizu Temple not only retain the traditional “Ganlan-style” architectural features but also embody the exchange and integration of Dong traditional culture with Han culture.
7. Fairy Cave Scenic Spot (National 3A Scenic Spot)
Address: Zhenjiangzhai Village, Wanfoshan Town, Tongdao County
The Fairy Cave Scenic Spot, 30 kilometers away from the county town, is adjacent to Seven-Star Mountain Scenic Spot in the southeast and connected with General Mountain Scenic Spot in the northwest. The scenic area as a whole is characterized by Danxia landform. The Fairy Cave Peak is nearly 600 meters above sea level and is surrounded by 25 peaks above 500 meters and more than 30 peaks of 459-500 meters. The Dazhai Rock to the north of the Fairy Cave Peak is 657.8 meters above sea level, which is the highest peak in the scenic area.
The Fairy Cave is about 25 meters high and 35 meters wide at the entrance, and runs 23 meters into the depth of the mountain. It is formed mainly by wind and water erosion of millions of years. Cave landforms are relatively common in Danxia landforms, but it is very rare for a cave of such a large scale to be well preserved.
The Fairy Cave scenic area boasts an abundance of tourism resources. Within the area, the peak-forest-like Danxia landform displays a rich variety, with its geological structure holding significant scientific value. The extremely rare and wondrous Danxia landform, characterized by its peaks, cliffs, valleys, and caves, is scattered with marvelous spectacles, offering immense aesthetic appreciation. The area maintains the integrity of its ecosystem, making it a rare biological research base among similar geological types in China. Furthermore, the Fairy Cave scenic area is imbued with a strong religious culture, widely regarded as a holy place for blessings among the people.
(Translated by Yang Hong)