Hunan
Mao began his education in this simple country school, next door to his childhood home.
Must-see attractions in Hunan
Fenghuang
This small, one-time Taoist temple is now home to a silversmithing training centre.
Changsha
A colossal aluminium/magnesium alloy statue of Mao Zedong, cast in Heilongjiang, affably greets you at the entrance. This is the first clue that, despite…
Changsha
This large park on the slopes of Yuelu Mountain makes a pleasant city break. You can climb to the top in less than an hour, or else go up on the chair…
Hunan
This magnificent old house is now lived in by several families (and guarded by a vicious poodle), but it used to belong to a wealthy merchant and is named…
Hunan County No 1 Teachers’ Training School
Changsha
Between 1913 and 1918, Mao studied here and returned to teach classics from 1920 to 1922. It’s still a working college, and sometimes students keen to…
Fenghuang
The famous modern novelist was born here in 1902. (His tomb is east of town.) His most famous novel – Border Town (边城) – is definitely worth a read.
Hunan
This museum celebrates Mao's life through paintings and old photos, assisted with decent English captions. However, it was closed on our last visit.
Changsha
Tree-shaded and dotted with lakes, leafy – and incredibly huge – Lieshi Park is very popular in the mornings for singing, dancing and taichi.
Fenghuang
One way to get across the river. It's a bit narrow but just about wide enough for two people to pass going in opposite directions.
Fenghuang
The old city gate leading into Wenhua Sq from Sanwangge Lu is a robust and impressive chunk of architecture.
Fenghuang
Off Dongzheng Jie, this temple was once dedicated to the patron of seafarers. It's not open to the public.
Fenghuang
A survey of the old town’s history; sadly, most of the captions are in Chinese only.
Fenghuang
This 18th-century walled temple is now a middle school and cannot be entered.
