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Shennongjia Travel Guide

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 Facts
Phone Code: 0719
Postal Code: 442400
Area: 3,253 square kilometers (1,256 square miles)
Population: 80,321 (2009 statistics)
Nationality: Han, Hui, Tujia, Zhuang, Miao 

Location: Shennongjia is located to the west of Hubei Province. It adjoins Wushan County with Chongqing in the west; it is close to the Three Gorges in the south and the near to Wudang Mountain in the north. Its longitude lies between 109°56′ E and 110°58′E, while the latitude is 31°15′to 31°75′17" N.

 Physical Features: The landform in Shennongjia is quite complicated due to crustal and glacier movement in ancient times. There are verdant forests which cover 85% of the area, steep peaks with deep valleys and rivers. The highest point in the area is 3,105.4 m (10,188.3 feet) at the Shennong Top, while the lowest point is only 398 m (1,306 feet) at the Shizhu River in Xiaguping County.

 History: Shennongjia was named after Shennong, the Yan Emperor, one of the two legendary ancestors of the Chinese people along with the Yellow Emperor. He built wooden ladders (jia means wooden ladders in Chinese) to collect herbal medicines in the region, hence the name Shennongjia. In 1970, it became China’s only administrative area which was named after the forest district under the administration of Hubei Province.

 Attractions: When you are tired of busy city life filled with grey buildings, cars and pollution; you can visit Shennongjia to embrace nature. In the Shennongjia Forest Zone, you will see primitive forests, steep peaks of all kinds of shapes, limpid rivers and various plant life. Major scenic spots include: Shennong Top, Tianyan Primitive Ecologic Tourist Zone, Hongping, Yanziya and the Source of Fragrance Stream.

Many geological mysteries can be found in Shennongjia. There is a Tide Water River in Honghua County, where tide rises three times a day. More interesting is that the water is clear in rainy seasons but muddy in the dry seasons. Another mystery is the Ice Cave in Songluo County. The water in the cave turns to ice in hot summers when the temperature outside reaches 28°C, but the ice melts from late autumn, and the temperature inside the cave will be much higher than that outside the cave when winter comes.

Moreover, the legend of Shennong Collect Herbal Medicine, the unique customs of Tujia people and the mythical “wild man” make Shennongjia more attractive and charming.

 Transportation: 
 Getting to
Shennongjia has no airports or railway stations, but has the National Road G209 traversing the region, so the best way to get there is by taking a bus.
Visitors in Wuhan can take the sleeper bus from Xinhua Road Long-distance Bus Station to Xingshan County, which departs at 20:00 every night and arrives at Xingshan County at 06:00 the next morning. The bus fare is CNY 90 per person. Then take a mini bus to Muyu County in Shennongjia, which leaves every half an hour. The bus fare is CNY 10 per person.
You can also take the train from Wuhan to Shiyan (leaves at 22:00 and arrives at 06:00 in the morning), and then take the 07:30 bus from Shiyan Long-distance Bus Station to Shennongjia (arrives around noon).

 Getting back
Visitors who are going back to Wuhan can take the 05:00 bus from Songbai Town, which costs CNY 120 per person. Another bus leaves from Songbai Town at 06:00 arriving in Yichang in 7 hours; the bus fare for this bus is CNY 45 per person. If you miss the direct buses, you can take a mini bus or taxi from Xingshan County (1.5 hours, CNY 10 per person), and transfer to the bus returning to Yichang (CNY 30 per person)

 Within the region
the buses depart from Muyu and Songbai counties before 07:30 and stop at each scenic spot in the region. You can also rent a car or a mini bus if you miss the bus. The approximate cost is CMY 200 per day for one car.

 Weather: Shennongjia has a subtropical monsoon climate, but the unique forest and mountainous landforms make this region cooler and rainier than other regions, so it has a cool summer but a mild winter. The average annual temperature is 12°C (53.6°F) and the annual precipitation is 900 – 1,000 mm.
The best time to visit Shennogjia is between June and October.

 Dining and Shopping 
Famous foods: fried small potatoes, stewed chicken, boiled tofu with green vegetables, preserved meat and wild vegetables. The locals also make wine from maize, which can help to dispel the cold in winter.

Local products are black fungus, honey made by wild bees, August melon, kiwi fruit and tea, which can be found in the towns and counties in Shennongjia.

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