Fenghuang Ancient Town
Fenghuang Ancient Town, aka Phoenix Ancient Town and Feng Huang Gu Cheng in Chinese, is situated on the western boundary of Hunan Province in an area of outstanding natural beauty where mountains, water and blue skies prevail. 'Fenghuang' is Chinese for 'Phoenix', the mythical bird of good omen and longevity that is consumed by fire to be re-born again from the flames. Fenghuang Ancient Town is so called as legend has it that two of these fabulous birds flew over it and found the Fenghuang Town so beautiful that they hovered there, reluctant to leave.
Upon arrival visitor will be impressed by its air of mystery, elegance and primitive simplicity. The scenic spots inside the Fenghuang Old Town remain attracting the whole year, but the best time to visit is July to September, when the weather is rather pleasant. This is a world that is dominated by the colour green. The mountain slopes are covered with green foliage, the fields are green and even the Tuo Jiang River reflects the greenery. The bridges over the water and unique houses built on stilts display a harmony that is so often portrayed in traditional Chinese paintings. This is particularly true when mist pervades the scene in the early morning or after rain. It soon becomes apparent that the claim to being one of the two most beautiful towns in the whole of China is more than justified; the other town is Chang Ting in Fujian Province.
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Tourist Map of Fenghuang Ancient Town |

Tuo Jiang River
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Miao Village
Buildings in Fenghuang Ancient Town

Famous People from the Town
Fenghuang Ancient Town was home to the versatile writer Shen Congwen (1902-1988) who contributed greatly to the development of modern Chinese literature. Venerated by the local residents, the one time home and the tomb of this famous writer have become tourist attractions.
There are two other notable people from the town worthy of mention. The first is Xiong Xiling the famous philanthropist who was the first premier of the Republic of China (1921-1949) following the fall of the Manchu. The other famous citizen is Huang Yongyu, an outstanding contemporary painter in the traditional Chinese style. His frescoes illustrating Buddhist stories in the Zhunti Nunnery are a major tourist attraction.
How to get to Fenghuang Ancient Town
From Changsha
Schedule | Ticket Price | Duration | |
South Bus Station | 15:40 | CNY 134 | around 5.5 to 6.5h |
West Bus Station | 09:00, 10:50, 14:20, 16:50 | CNY 145 | |
Changzhutan Bus Station | 07:30, 10:00, 13:30, 16:20 | CNY 158 | |
Lituo Express Bus Station | 12:30, 16:00 | CNY 149 |

From Zhangjiajie
Central Bus Station (near the Zhangjiajie Railway Station):
Bus schedule: 08:30, 09:00, 10:00, 12:30, 14:30, 15:30, 16:20 and 17:20
Bus fare: around CNY 80
Duration: around 4 hours
Or alternatively, you can take regular buses from the bus station to Jishou first. It costs around CNY 55 per person. The whole journey is around 2.5 hours. Upon arrival, you can take regular bus to get there. It takes around 1 hour.
Zhangjiajie Airport is also a choice. Upon arrival, visitors can catch a taxi to the Central Bus Station. Then refer to the instruction above. See also: How to Travel between Zhangjiajie and Fenghuang
From Tongren
Tongren Tourist Bus Station (near Tongren Railway Station):
Buses depart around every one hour from 08:40 to 16:30. Bus fare is around CNY 20. It takes about 1.5 hours.
Tongren Fenghuang Airport:
It is a feeder airport about 30km from Fenghuang Ancient Town. It offers flights to and from Beijing, Changsha, Guiyang (Guizhou Province), Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Kunming, Nanjing, Shanghai at present. Visitors can take tourist bus from the airport to reach the town directly, which takes around 1 hour.
From Jishou
Turn to Jishou North Bus Station near Jishou railway station. There are regular buses to Fenghuang Ancient Town, 80 minutes. Bus fare is around CNY 25.
From Huaihua
If visitors arrive at Huaihua Railway Station, they can take bus 7, 8, 48, 116, 204 or K204 to West Bus Station. There are regular buses to the town. It takes around 1.5 hours. Bus ticket is around CNY 39. Arriving at Huaihua South Railway Station, they can take bus 116 or K12 to the bus station. See also: How to Travel between Fenghuang and Guilin
Entrance Fee | Visitors don't need to pay for admission of the ancient town, but they need to buy a ticket if they want to visit the scenic spots inside. |
Opening Hours | The town opens all day. |
Fenghuang Ancient Town Community Fenghuang Ancient Town Photo Album
Further Reading
Top 9 Things to Do in Zhangjiajie
Top 10 Ancient Cities in China

Thank you.







Generally speaking, the bus takes around 1.5 hours on the way.




About the transportation, you need to take a coach to Zhangjiajie Central Coach Coach. The duration is around 3.5 hours on the way. After arriving, take a taxi to the airport. It takes around 15 mins on the way.

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