Huanglong Power Plant (Huanglong Industrial Tourism Area)

Huanglong Power Plant (Huanglong Industrial Tourism Area)

Huanglong Power Plant (Huanglong Industrial Tourism Area) is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

Huanglongtan Industrial Eco-Tourism Park

Huanglongtan Industrial Eco-Tourism Area, a national 3A-level scenic spot. Located in Huanglong Town, Zhangwan District, Shiyan City, Hubei Province, about thirty kilometers from the city center, accessible via the Han-Shi Expressway and the Xiangyu Railway to Shiyan, with National Highways 316 and 209 running through Zhangwan District. It is an ecological tourism area and industrial tourism demonstration site centered around the Huanglongtan Hydropower Plant, integrating tourism, sightseeing, entertainment, and science education.

Traveling 29 kilometers west from Liuyan will bring you to the Huanglong Small Gorge entrance. Entering through the electric gate on the right side of the gorge, the first thing you’ll see is a two-star international hydropower hotel. Nestled against the mountains and by the water, the environment here is serene and elegant. As a 3A-level eco-tourism area, visitors can explore attractions within the Huanglong Reservoir, a natural water resource conservation zone, such as "Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl" and "Pigu Scenery." You can also tour the large-scale power generation facilities of the Huanglongtan Power Plant and admire the beautiful "Huanglong Eco-Tourism Park." Downstream of the reservoir, you can enjoy thrilling rafting activities. The hotel’s interior decoration meets the standards of a three-star establishment. With its high-end furnishings, reasonable prices, and unique geographical location, the hydropower hotel shines as a dazzling jewel in the auto city.

Walking up the stairs on the left side of the hotel, you’ll reach the “Hundred Flowers Garden” of the Huanglongtan Eco-Tourism Area, where the scenery is picturesque and filled with birdsong and floral fragrance. Look at how vibrantly the winter jasmine is blooming—also known as "golden sash," it belongs to the Oleaceae family and is a semi-evergreen shrub that can grow up to five meters tall with many branches. The branches are either straight or curved, with green, four-angled twigs often arching and drooping. It has odd-pinnate compound leaves with 3–5 small elliptical or ovate leaflets, their edges finely haired. The flowers grow on the leaf axils of the previous year’s branches, with green bracts and six yellow, split petals that bloom before the leaves in early spring (February to March), hence the name winter jasmine. Both the branches and flowers of winter jasmine have medicinal properties, known for detoxifying, reducing swelling, and clearing heat. Now, look at the rows of crape myrtle trees thriving vigorously, showcasing their unique beauty to visitors. Crape myrtle, also called "hundred-day red," "itchy tree," or "full-house red," is a deciduous tree of the Lythraceae family that can grow up to 10 meters tall. Its trunk is smooth, with gnarled, quaint, and elegant branches. The bark comes off in long, thin flakes, leaving a smooth and delicate surface underneath. The twigs are slightly four-angled, often with narrow wings. The leaves are simple, opposite or nearly opposite, oval to obovate, nearly hairless or with hairs along the midrib on the underside, and have short petioles. The panicles bloom at the tips of the current year’s branches, gracefully displaying flowers in white, red, purple, and other colors. The flowering period lasts from summer to autumn, spanning nearly a hundred days. Crape myrtle is an excellent environmental plant. It shows strong resistance and absorption capabilities against harmful gases like sulfur dioxide, hydrogen chloride, and chlorine. Its flowers, leaves, bark, and roots all have medicinal uses. Notice how its green leaves stand out distinctively from the surrounding foliage, offering a refreshing visual experience. Every summer, it displays its beautiful blossoms, emitting a fragrant scent that brings a cool, pleasant feeling. In autumn, chrysanthemums of various colors bloom in the crape myrtle grove—exquisite and graceful, not relying on showy colors but winning with their simplicity, steadfastness, and blooming proudly after most other flowers have faded. People admire their refined charm and even more their resilience in blooming against the frost, standing tall without yielding to the west wind. China has bestowed upon them noble and strong virtues, regarding them as symbols of the national spirit and treasured cultural emblems. As flowers that defy the frost, chrysanthemums have long been favored by poets, especially for their representation of lofty integrity and unyielding spirit. The Chinese hold chrysanthemums in high esteem, with annual chrysanthemum festivals dating back to the Song Dynasty. In ancient mythology, chrysanthemums are also associated with good fortune and longevity—for example, chrysanthemums paired with magpies signify “family joy,” while those paired with pine trees represent “longevity.” They are widely used in folk culture. Here, you’ll find chrysanthemums in yellow, red, white, and more, stretching as far as the eye can see—a true ocean of flowers.

Huanglong Town: Located at the western gateway of Shiyan, Huanglong Town borders Yun County to the west and Zhushan to the south. It is 26 kilometers from the city center, with the Xiangyu Railway and National Highway 316 passing through. The Du River, the largest tributary of the Han River basin, resembles a green ribbon winding through the town. The Huanglongtan Reservoir, one of the water source areas for the Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, is situated here. Huanglong Town is a historic town with nearly 300 years of rich heritage, often referred to as the “Little Hankou.” The town covers an area of 133 square kilometers, comprising 12 administrative villages and 2 community committees, with a total population of 23,400, including 1... [More detailed information about Huanglong Town]++