Surrounded by water and mountains, Qianjiang is a Jade Mountain in Chongqing. Dating back to 1,400 years ago, Qianjiang was an old stone city with a unique and integrated culture of Tujia, Miao, and Han.
Located in Southeastern Chongqing, Qianjiang is a city of development, nature, and distinct ethnic groups.
A spirit to support the endeavor for development
Located in a deep mountain, people in Qianjiang keeps striving to be more well-off. To reach this goal closer, transportation construction becomes extremely crucial to open the city to the public.
Qianjiang section of Chongqing-Huaihua Railway
The Qianjiang section of Chongqing-Huaihua Railway completed its construction in 2006; Qianjiang Wulingshan Airport began the trial voyage in 2010; Chongqing-Hunan Highway, including Qianjiang section, was open to traffic in 2012. By integrating railway, flight, and highway, the convenience of transportation not only shortens the distance between Qianjian and the world outside but also accelerates economic development there.
People’s spirit of passion, endeavor, and positive will help them to change their life, thus, getting rid of poverty.
Mysterious Balahu and attractive A’peng River, to compose the beautiful image
Since Qianjiang embraces water and mountains, Balahu Scenic Spot collects mountains, water, valley, limestone caves, temples, etc. together. Balahu means valley in Tujia language, as the only one city valley in China. Throughout seven geologic eras, Balahu belongs to karst landform, as the symbol of culture, lifestyle, and tourism figure there. It is an amazing place stands on valley and limestone caves.
It looks like a green silk sash in a long-distance, connecting the old town with the new one, therefore, integrating the city as a traditional Chinese ink painting. The valley has 80 to 100 meters’ width and 200 meters’ depth on average. Most cliffs there are perpendicular to the land.
The walkway of Balahu
For exciting activities lovers, there is a stilted walkway, with 808 meters’ length, for you, including a glass stilted walkway, which is 500 meters high away from the land. When walking on the walkway, just imagine that to fly in the air.
Meanwhile, A’peng River is the largest branch of Wujiang River, which means magnificence in Tujia language. A’peng River breaks through the mountain, forming as Shengui Valley, with 27 bends in total. You can see the next bend when you are crossing the previous one. Since the section of the river is not that wide, when visitors cross there and look up the sky, they can only see a crack. Therefore, this section is called Yixiantian, which means a thin strip of sky. Meanwhile, precious wild plants and animals are widespread along with the river.
A'peng River is a beautiful river with incredible natural viewing
Moreover, visitors can find some caves, supported by two trees. Some people regard them as hanging coffins, but others think they are living caves from a long time ago. However, we do not know the answer. It becomes an unsolved mystery now.
Tujia villages present the unique culture of ethnic groups
In the image of freshwater and green mountains, Qianjiang is a place full of distinctive customs of ethnic groups. With a majority of Tujia and Miao, ethnic groups occupy 72.81% of the total population there. They have their own unique and special culture and lifestyle. In addition, Qianjiang is the hometown of Bizika, which is the name Tujia people call themselves.
One group of Thirteen Villages of Tujia in Qianjiang District
The most representative spot is the Thirteen Villages of Tujia, which presents stilted houses or building there. Each village has a family name, different from others’, forming a group of villages of traditional Chinese culture.
Baishou Dance
Although Tujia’s life is not that rich and developed, they are still positive and happy. For example, they can sing a song no matter wherever they are, or whatever they are doing. Work songs, tillage songs, marriage songs, and so on, are all created by accident and spread to each generation. Baishou Dance is a dance they use to celebrate the harvest or other happy things, for over 500 years of history. The dance uses 70 ritual gestures to represent farming, hunting, courtship, as well as other aspects of traditional life.