City guide · 张家界 Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie

Three thousand strange peaks rise from the earth — where the old city of Dayong meets the quartz-sandstone peak forest

Photo: ICOLEF / visualtravelguide.com · CC BY-SA 4.0

Zhangjiajie City lies deep in the Wuling Mountains in northwestern Hunan; it was originally named Dayong and was renamed in 1994 after the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park within its borders. Its core landscape is a peak forest of more than three thousand quartz-sandstone pillars; Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain, the Golden Whip Stream and Huangshizhai form the main body of the Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area, inscribed as World Natural Heritage. Ethnic minorities — Tujia, Bai, Miao and others — make up the majority of the population, and stilt houses, the hand-waving dance and Xilankapu brocade give it a vivid local culture. The city is divided into Yongding and Wulingyuan districts; the scenic gateway of Wulingyuan is about 30 kilometres from the city centre.

History

How the city came to be

Zhangjiajie was ancient Chu land; the Qin set Qianzhong Commandery here and the Han made it Chong County of Wuling Commandery. In the Ming and Qing it belonged to Yongding Guard and Yongding County; the tusi (chieftain) system lasted for centuries here, and the Tujia tusi culture of the Lishui basin accumulated deeply. The name "Zhangjiajie" is said to be linked to Zhang Liang, the Han marquis: legend has it that Zhang Liang, his merits complete, retired to hermitage here, and his descendants later moved to the foot of the peak forest and called the place "Zhangjiajie" ("jie" meaning a high mountain settlement in the Tujia context). In 1982 the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park was established — China's first national forest park; in 1988 Dayong was upgraded to a prefecture-level city; in 1992 Wulingyuan was inscribed on the World Natural Heritage list; in 1994 Dayong City was renamed Zhangjiajie City, and tourism-led development was established from then on.

221 BCThe Qin set Qianzhong Commandery; the Zhangjiajie area entered the commandery-county system
Ming–QingThe tusi system was practised and Yongding Guard established; Tujia culture took shape
1982Zhangjiajie National Forest Park was established, China's first national forest park
1985The Journey to the West TV series filmed at the Golden Whip Stream and Huangshizhai; the peak forest became famous
1988Dayong was upgraded from county to prefecture-level city
1992Wulingyuan was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List
1994Dayong City was renamed Zhangjiajie City
2010The film Avatar became a hit; Yuanjiajie's "Southern Sky Pillar" was renamed "Hallelujah Mountain", sparking discussion

Must see

Places you shouldn’t miss

Landscapes & cultureZhangjiajie, Hunan, China

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

3,000 stone peaks rising from the ground — the model for Avatar's floating mountains.

Local life

Food and local daily life

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park

Must-try

Sanxiaguo (three-ingredient pot)
Chicken stewed with rock-ear fungus
Tujia braised pork

Sanxiaguo ('three in a pot' — Tujia cured pork, sausage and tripe), rock-ear mushroom chicken stew, Tujia steamed pork belly, kudzu-root starch, vine tea (a local drink)

Where to eat	Restaurants in Wulingyuan town, Xibu Street, and the Nanzhuangping area in the city
Dining etiquette	Pace yourself when Tujia hosts sing toasting songs
Typical price per person	CNY 50–90
Tips	Food inside the scenic area is scarce and expensive, so stay and eat in Wulingyuan town; sanxiaguo comes dry or as a soup pot — state your spice level first.

Prices are typical rates as of October 2026, not exact quotes; CNY equivalents are approximate where exchange rates fluctuate.

Sources