Its soaring steeple of rock topped by a small oasis of trees looks straight out of the 3D blockbuster Avatar.
But
this is no special effects illusion, it's a real-life tower of
quartz-sandstone deep in the rugged mountain terrain of southern Hunan
in China.
The 3,544ft Southern Sky Column is one of 3,000 in the Zhangjiajie
National Forest Park and became the inspiration for the magical
'floating peaks' in James Cameron's film after a Hollywood photographer
spent time shooting there in 2008.
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While researching landscapes for the
blockbuster movie Avatar, Hollywood special effects wizard Eric Hanson
visited the Zhangjiajie Scenic Area in Hunan Province to collect images
of its spectacular mountains.
Hanson's photos, some of which he mailed
back to a digital media research center in Hunan University, confirm
that the "Southern Sky Column" mountain is the prototype for Hallelujah
mountain sacred to the Na'vi people in the movie.
On January 25 this year, the local Tujia
ethnic minority held a ceremony to rename the spectacular peak "Avatar
Hallelujah Mountain."
Officials hope that Zhangjiajie, just an
hour away from the prosperous city of Guangzhou (Canton) by high-speed
rail, will be able to cash in on its new-found fame.
Sun Yan, manager of the local branch of
China International Travel Service, says that since they started to
offer Avatar-themed tours, countless individual and group travellers
have visited the area.
Unique quartz sandstone landscape
Zhangjiajie's unique quartz sandstone
landscape was formed 380 million years ago. It first came to the
attention of the Chinese public after the painter Wu Guanzhong recorded
his impressions of the area in a 1980 essay Deep in the Chamber. Twenty
years later, Avatar launched Zhangjiajie onto the international stage.
Six unique sights in Yuanjiajie
The most spectacular area of Zhangjiajie
is Yuanjiajie in the Wulingyuan Scenic Area. Take the Huangshizhai
(Yellow Stone Village) cable car to a mountain-top platform overlooking a
1,000 meter vertical drop to the valley beneath. A spectacular view
awaits those brave enough to peak over the edge.
From nearby Liuqi Pavilion you have a
panoramic view of the entire park: to the east is Tianzi (Son of Heaven)
Mountain; to the west are Chaotianguan (Heavenward Taoist Temple),
Longfeng'an (Dragon and Phoenix Nunnery), Yuhuanggong (Supreme Heavenly
Emperor's Hall) and Qipanta (the Chessboard Pagoda); to the north you
can see Heizongnao Virgin Forest, while to the south is a view of
Zhanjiajie City.
But the most spectacular feature is
Hallelujah Mountain itself. As the local tourist brochure says: "Walk
through the south gate and after 120 meters you will see an isolated
peak, over 200 metres in height. Its summit covered with foliage, a
middle section of bare rock, its foot forested, the mountain stands like
a pillar connecting heaven and earth"
A two-minute cable car trip takes you to
the idyllic Jingbianxi valley. Dozens of Tujia ethnic minority families
live on the valley floor which is criss-crossed by crystal clear
streams. If you are lucky you may catch a glimpse of a giant salamander.
Travel tips
Climate: Zhangjiajie has a subtropical
monsoon climate with abundant rainfall and sunshine. Winters are short
and the average annual temperature is around 16 degrees Celsius but bear
in mind that temperatures at the top of the mountains will be 3-4
degrees lower.
Accommodation: In the Wulingyuan Scenic
Area, the Wulingyuan International Resort, the Qinghe Grand Hotel, and
the Wulingyuan Hotel offer top-class accommodation. If you prefer to
stay in the city, the Zhangjiajie International Hotel, the Jindu Hotel,
and the China Southern Fulilai Hotel are good options.
Food: The spicy cuisine of Tujia Ethnic
Minority is another reason for visiting Zhangjiajie. Tujia people are
also famous for their wind-dried delicacies. The Yuanjia Village
restaurant in Yuanjiajie is a good option for sampling the local
cuisine.
Shopping: Local produce include green tea, kiwi fruit and bean curd. Handicrafts including brocades and batik are good buys.
While researching landscapes for the
blockbuster movie Avatar, Hollywood special effects wizard Eric Hanson
visited the Zhangjiajie Scenic Area in Hunan Province to collect images
of its spectacular mountains.
Hanson's photos, some of which he mailed
back to a digital media research center in Hunan University, confirm
that the "Southern Sky Column" mountain is the prototype for Hallelujah
mountain sacred to the Na'vi people in the movie.
On January 25 this year, the local Tujia
ethnic minority held a ceremony to rename the spectacular peak "Avatar
Hallelujah Mountain."
Officials hope that Zhangjiajie, just an
hour away from the prosperous city of Guangzhou (Canton) by high-speed
rail, will be able to cash in on its new-found fame.
Sun Yan, manager of the local branch of
China International Travel Service, says that since they started to
offer Avatar-themed tours, countless individual and group travellers
have visited the area.
Unique quartz sandstone landscape
Zhangjiajie's unique quartz sandstone
landscape was formed 380 million years ago. It first came to the
attention of the Chinese public after the painter Wu Guanzhong recorded
his impressions of the area in a 1980 essay Deep in the Chamber. Twenty
years later, Avatar launched Zhangjiajie onto the international stage.
Six unique sights in Yuanjiajie
The most spectacular area of Zhangjiajie
is Yuanjiajie in the Wulingyuan Scenic Area. Take the Huangshizhai
(Yellow Stone Village) cable car to a mountain-top platform overlooking a
1,000 meter vertical drop to the valley beneath. A spectacular view
awaits those brave enough to peak over the edge.
From nearby Liuqi Pavilion you have a
panoramic view of the entire park: to the east is Tianzi (Son of Heaven)
Mountain; to the west are Chaotianguan (Heavenward Taoist Temple),
Longfeng'an (Dragon and Phoenix Nunnery), Yuhuanggong (Supreme Heavenly
Emperor's Hall) and Qipanta (the Chessboard Pagoda); to the north you
can see Heizongnao Virgin Forest, while to the south is a view of
Zhanjiajie City.
But the most spectacular feature is
Hallelujah Mountain itself. As the local tourist brochure says: "Walk
through the south gate and after 120 meters you will see an isolated
peak, over 200 metres in height. Its summit covered with foliage, a
middle section of bare rock, its foot forested, the mountain stands like
a pillar connecting heaven and earth"
A two-minute cable car trip takes you to
the idyllic Jingbianxi valley. Dozens of Tujia ethnic minority families
live on the valley floor which is criss-crossed by crystal clear
streams. If you are lucky you may catch a glimpse of a giant salamander.
Travel tips
Climate: Zhangjiajie has a subtropical
monsoon climate with abundant rainfall and sunshine. Winters are short
and the average annual temperature is around 16 degrees Celsius but bear
in mind that temperatures at the top of the mountains will be 3-4
degrees lower.
Accommodation: In the Wulingyuan Scenic
Area, the Wulingyuan International Resort, the Qinghe Grand Hotel, and
the Wulingyuan Hotel offer top-class accommodation. If you prefer to
stay in the city, the Zhangjiajie International Hotel, the Jindu Hotel,
and the China Southern Fulilai Hotel are good options.
Food: The spicy cuisine of Tujia Ethnic
Minority is another reason for visiting Zhangjiajie. Tujia people are
also famous for their wind-dried delicacies. The Yuanjia Village
restaurant in Yuanjiajie is a good option for sampling the local
cuisine.
Shopping: Local produce include green tea, kiwi fruit and bean curd. Handicrafts including brocades and batik are good buys.
The Hallelujah Mountains are also where mountain banshees choose to roost. This location makes the final challenge on the path to becoming a Na'vi hunter (known as Iknimaya)
even more difficult and dangerous, as the route taken to the top of the
mountains is treacherous. One wrong move will send a candidate
plummeting to his or her death. The danger of wild mountain banshees is
also present.
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