World Natural Heritage: Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area

Date of Inscription: 1992

World Natural Heritage: Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area

Chinese Name: Wu Ling Yuan Feng Jing Ming Sheng Qu

English Name: Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area

Heritage category: Natural heritage

Selection Criteria: Based on the standards N(III) for selecting natural heritage, the Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area was listed in the World Heritage List.

Assessment of the World Heritage Committee:

The splendid and fantastic Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area is located in China’s Hunan Province, and covers an area of over 26,000 hectares. The most distinctive landscape of this area is the more than 3,000 gritstone columns and peaks, most of which are over 200 meters high. In the area, mountains, valleys and gorges are widely scattered and streams, pools and waterfalls can be seen everywhere. There are also over 40 caves and also two huge natural stone bridges. In addition to the charming natural landscapes, the area is also attractive for being the home of many endangered animals and plants.

Introduction:

The Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area is located in the northwest of Hunan Province in central China. It is made up of three parts, the Zhangjiajie Forest Park, the Suoxiyu Nature Reserve in Cili County, and the Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve in Sangzhi County. The area is about 500 square kilometers. Recently, the Yangjiajie new scenic area was also founded. Billions of years ago, Wulingyuan was a vast expanse of the ocean, and the continual changes to nature in the past billions of years created Wulingyuan’s current landscape of gritstone forests and valleys. In the area, you can see rare plants and flowers, thrifty pines and cypresses, unique stones and mountain peaks, as well as fog-surrounded streams, valleys and cliffs. The natural value and the pure wildness of Wulingyuan can easily conquer people hearts. The area is well known in the world for its “five unique landscapes,” the special peaks, the strange stones, the deep and secluded valleys, the beautiful water, and the karst caves.