Shiyan

Shiyan (十堰 Shíyàn ) is a city in Northwest Hubei Province, central China.

Get in

By plane

• 1 Shiyan Wudangshan Airport (WDS  ^IATA) (located 15 km (9.3 mi) from the city center and 20 km (12 mi) from Wudangshan, the World Heritage Site after which it is named). Flights from many major Chinese cities.  

By train

• 2 Shiyan Railway Station (十堰站), 11 Chezhan Road, Maojian District (茅箭区车站路11号) (In the city center). Serves regular-speed trains only. (updated Apr 2020)
• 3 Shiyan East Railway Station (十堰东站), Zhangwan District (张湾区) (Buses 96 and 99 connect the station to the city centre. The station can also be reached from Yunyang District via bus no. 98). Serves high-speed trains. (updated Apr 2020)
• 4 Wudangshan Railway Station (武当山站), National Highway 209, Liuliping Town, Danjiangkou (丹江口市六里坪镇209国道) (Buses 202 and 203 connect the station to the entrance to Wudangshan Scenic Area). Serves regular-speed trains only. (updated Apr 2020)
• 5 Wudangshan West Railway Station (武当山西站), Sunjiawan Village North Side, Liuliping Town, Danjiangkou (丹江口市六里坪镇孙家湾村北侧) (A special unnumbered express bus conveys passengers from the station to the Wudangshan Scenic Area. The bus fare is ¥10). Serves high-speed trains. (updated Apr 2020)

By bus

• 6 Shiyan Central Bus Station (十堰客运中心站), 1 Renmin Road, Maojian District (茅箭区人民路1号) (In the city centre), ☏ +86 719 8890276. (updated Apr 2020)
• 7 Shiyan South Bus Station (十堰汽车客运南站), 6 Chezhan Road, Maojian District (茅箭区车站路6号) (In the southern part of the city centre. About 900 metres northwest of Shiyan Railway Station), ☏ +86 719 8888537. (updated Apr 2020)
• 8 Wudangshan Special Zone Bus Station (武当山特区汽车客运站), 19 Taihe East Road, Danjiangkou (丹江口市太和东路19号) (A short distance northwest of the main entrance to the Wudangshan Scenic Area), ☏ +86 15871081327, +86 15871081327. This bus station will be probably be closed down when the new Wudangshan Bus Station opens in the second half of 2020. (updated Apr 2020)

Get around

Cheap way: From the Wudang Shan train station to the mountain you can take the Green Express bus that is usually right out side. If it is not there the local bus will pick you up at the main street. You will want to go East (turn right off the small road). Some of the local buses will stop in the Wudan town center in which case you need to transfer busses going the same direction. Your final stop is usually marked by a line of taxis, and a big white gate. From the gate you need to buy a ticket to come up the mountain. Once on the mountain buses are free. Taxi: A taxi driver will ask you for ¥60 to take you to the Gate. It should not be hard to talk them down to ¥30, or even 10 if they are desperate that day.

From Shiyan City A bus from Shiyan to Wudang Mountain is ¥10. If you ask around "wo (wo in wonder) yao (ou in out) qu (sounds like chew) wudangshan"

See

Central Shiyan

• 1 Shiyan Museum (十堰博物馆), 91 Beijing North Road, Maojiang District (茅箭区北京北路91号) (There is a bus stop named city museum (市博物馆) just outside the museum. Bus routes include routes 15, 16, 18, 28, 31, 85, 86, 87, 99 and Airport Bus No. 1), ☏ +86 719 8489398. 09:00-17:00, no entry after 16:30, closed on Mondays. Free. (updated Apr 2020)
• 2 Shiyan People's Park (十堰市人民公园), 48 Gongyuan Road, Zhangwan District (张湾区公园路48号) (There is a bus stop named People's Park (人民币公园) just outside the park entrance. Bus routes include routes 3, 5, 8, 18, 21, 32, 35, 52, 56, 57, 58, 59 and Airport Bus No. 1), ☏ +86 719 8683359. Jul-Sep 07:30-20:00, Oct-Jun 07:45-18:00. Entry to the park is free. Tickets for the zoo are ¥30. (updated Apr 2020)

Yunyang District

• 3 Qinglong Mountain Dinosaur Egg Fossil Group National Nature Reserve (青龙山恐龙蛋化石群国家级自然保护区, 青龙山恐龙蛋化石群国家地质公园, Qinglong Mountain Dinosaur Egg Fossil Group National Geopark), Qinglongshan Village, Liupi Town, Yunyang District (郧阳区柳陂镇青龙山村) (get an Express 100 bus to Yunyang District from Shiyan Central Bus Station, alight at Yunyang Xintiandi (郧阳新天地), then take the Yunyang Lake Tourist Bus (环郧阳湖旅游公交) to the final stop), ☏ +86 719 7478006. 08:00-18:00. Thousands of fossilized dinosaur eggs dating from the late Cretaceous Period have been unearthed here since the 1990s. The eggs are displayed at an on-site museum. ¥60. (updated Mar 2022)

Wudang Mountains Special Zone

The purple cloud monastery in the Wudang mountains

• 4 Wudang Mountains (武当山 Wudangshan, 武当山风景区 Wudangshan Scenic Area), 13 Yongle Road, Taihe Subdistrict, Danjiangkou (丹江口市太和街道永乐路13号), ☏ +86 719 5668567 (tourist enquiries), +86 719 5665396 (ticket sales), admin@wudangshan.gov.cn. 07:30-17:30. A beautiful mountain range with a fascinating history. Several old buildings have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as "The Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains". Entry tickets are ¥130. Tickets for the sightseeing vehicles are ¥100. (updated Apr 2020)
  • 5 Carefree Valley (逍遥谷 Xiaoyao Gu). A beautiful hikinga area with monkeys, waterfalls, and fresh water pools large enough to take a dip. (updated Apr 2020)
  • 6 Golden Hall (金殿 Jin Dian, 金顶 Jin Ding). Built at the same time as the Forbidden City as a thanks to the god Zhen Wu for helping the emperor take over the country. (updated Apr 2020)
  • 7 Purple Cloud Temple (紫霄宮 Zixiao Gong). A Taoist temple complex dating from the 12th century. (updated Apr 2020)
  • 8 South Cliff Palace (南岩宫 Nanyan Gong). A stunning temple built into a cliff face. (updated Apr 2020)
  • 9 The Three Taoist Temples of Qiongtai (琼台三观) (At the end of the Carefree valley). A 600-year old temple complex. Consists of 3 temples: the upper temple (上观 Shang Guan), the middle temple (中观 Zhong Guan) and the lower temple (下观 Xia Guan). (updated Apr 2020)
• 10 Wudang Museum (武当博物馆), 14 Bowuguan Road, Wudang Mountains Special Zone, Danjiangkou (丹江口市武当山特区博物馆路14号) (Bus no. 208), ☏ +86 719 5667386, wudangmuseum@163.com. 09:00-17:00, no entry after 16:30, closed on Mondays. Free. (updated Apr 2020)

Do

Study Kung Fu. Wudang Kung Fu is one of the two most famous styles of Chinese martial arts. There are many schools to choose from. You can study for a day or for years.

Si Shifu 司师父 If you are interested in learning fighting techniques this is one of the best schools on the mountain.

Purple Heaven Palace School If you are interested in learning Taiji for the sake of motion and beauty, this is one of the best schools.

Eat

1. Gexian Rice Vinegar (葛仙米醋): Gexian Rice Vinegar in Shiyan is a local specialty seasoning, known for its natural fermentation and unique production process.
2. Lao You Bing (老油饼): A traditional snack in Shiyan, it is a pan-fried and deep-fried pastry, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with a delightful aroma.
3. Gexian Mountain Roast Duck (葛仙山烤鸭): Gexian Mountain is a famous scenic spot in Shiyan, and the roast duck here may use local seasoning methods, offering a unique flavor.
4. Gexian Mountain Stewed Chicken Soup (葛仙山炖鸡汤): Named after Gexian Mountain, this stewed chicken soup may use local herbs and seasonings, providing a nutritious and flavorful experience.
5. Three Gorges Grilled Fish (三峡烤鱼): Located in the Three Gorges region, Shiyan's grilled fish may feature fresh local aquatic products, prepared with a unique cooking method for a delicious taste.
6. Gexian Mountain Red Sugar Ba Ba (葛仙山红糖粑粑): This is a local traditional snack, made with red sugar and glutinous rice, resulting in a sweet and chewy treat.

Drink

The Shiyan' rice wine (十堰米酒) in Shiyan is a traditional local beverage.

Sleep

Hotels on Wudang Mountain are by and large very expensive. The Wudang Hostel however has beds for only ¥40 a night. Otherwise, you can pitch a tent for only ¥10. The hike to the hostel is long, but the 73 year old farmer who lives down at the hostel hikes up every day (with vegetables to sell). The hostel is located on the grounds of an abandoned temple, along a beautiful hiking trail. It also has a good restaurant frequented by local farmers: Breakfast ¥15, Lunch ¥35, Dinner ¥35.

Go next

NAN YANG

XIANG FAN

YICHANG