“It has been around a decade since my last visit. This place is still as beautiful as it was,” said Qin Su. 

 

After nearly six months of restoration, the cliff stone carvings at Suxian Ridge have taken on a new look. The inscriptions on the carvings are now distinct and legible, with vigorous and powerful strokes. The forms and content of the carvings are diverse, including poems praising the natural scenery, verses expressing emotions, and official documents aimed at protecting the temples from evil forces.

 

At present, there are 23 well-preserved stone carvings, including the White Deer Cave entrance cliff carvings, the White Deer Cave east upper cliff carvings, the Jingxing Temple cliff carvings, and the surrounding cliff carvings of the Chenxiang Stone at the top of the mountain, spanning the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing, and Republican eras.

 

 

While taking a photo with friends at the foot of Suxian Ridge, Wang Jinzhi, a tourist from Guangdong Province, sincerely praised, “Chenzhou people are really lucky to have such stunning mountains in the urban area.”

 

The Chenzhou Changjuan Intangible Cultural Heritage Block also drew great attention from tourists during the May Day holiday. The 2023 Chenzhou Intangible Cultural Heritage Display and Exhibition, which was held from April 30 to May 3, attracted an enormous influx of visitors.

 

“The quaint buildings on the street are charming and suitable for us to take photos in Hanfu attire,” said Chen Sitong, a tourist from Changsha City. On May 1, Chen and her companions strolled into Guiyang Hall, where there were hundreds of high-quality agricultural and specialty products, including Guiyang Diced Pork in Pot, Huishan Fog Tea, and Aoquan Oolong Ginger.

 

In the Guiyang ICH hall, ancient dwellings, Yao songs, Taiping Kiln firing techniques, Guiyang Paper-cutting and other ICH culture were also showcased, demonstrating Guiyang’s rich historical and cultural heritage.

 

 

 

 

The “Beihu Lake and the Moon” is one of the eight ancient views in Chenzhou. Over a thousand years ago, Han Yu sailed on a fish-tail boat on the Beihu Lake, and in his honor, an island and a pavilion were built in the middle of the lake. Today, the Beihu Park is adorned with water and moonlight, creating a captivating view.

 

“We’ve been staying in the city for the past two days and have walked around the lake every night. The park is bustling and the night view is stunning. In addition, there is a book house by the lake, which makes for a comfortable place to enjoy some peaceful reading time,” said Mr. Huang, a tourist from Foshan City, Guangdong Province.

 

 

 

Tourists have plenty of options to experience Chenzhou’s rich cultural heritage, such as the Lianxi Academy by Ailian Lake, Shazhou Yao Village where the “Half a Quilt” story took place, and the Hunan Kunqu Opera, which will leave a lasting impression on tourists.