World Natural Heritage World Geopark The First National Forest Park of China
The Eight Old Views of Xiaoxiang , or the legendary eight scenic spots in the basin area of the Xiangjiang River, represent the charming sceneries of Hunan. Shen Kuo, a famous man of letter from the Song Dynasty once depicted the eight views in his literature work Sketches and Notes Written in Mengxi Park. Wits in various times also followed his suits. However, the Eight Old Views are not easy to be found nowadays due to the old age and changes of the society. On April 2005, the Hunan Provincial Tourism Association launched an activity to single out the Eight New Views of Xiaoxiang in order to seek after the lost splendor of the Eight Old Views. It has taken one year to finish the selection work of the Eight New Views of Xiaoxiang, which covers three categories, including landscape culture, sceneries of humanities and ecological leisure. The New Eight Views of Xiaoxiang, the epitome of the best features of Hunan scenic spots, have succeeded in passing on history and civilization, and giving a new light to the Eight Old Views in the new era.
