Xisai National Forest Park

Xisai National Forest Park

Xisai National Forest Park is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a national forest park.

Xisai National Forest Park is located in Yiling District, Yichang City. It was promoted to national forest park status in January 2015. The park is divided into the Xisai area and the Bifeng Cave area, covering an operating area of 8,630.47 hectares, including 8,525.6 hectares of forested land. The Xisai area is located within the Zhangcunping Forest Farm and consists of four major scenic zones: Jiuzhai Zhaiwan, Quanyitang, Wangjiangshan, and Xisai Country. With the highest elevation reaching 1,970 meters, it is known for its pristine forests that host extremely rare alpine rhododendron communities and large areas of uncommon southern alpine meadows. Legend has it that when the Tang monk and his disciples passed through this area on their journey to the West to retrieve Buddhist scriptures, they were so awestruck by the resplendent scenery of Xisai Country that they mistook it for a heavenly paradise, hence the name "Xisai Country" (meaning "Western Country"). The Bifeng Cave area is located in Fenxiang Township. Legend says that the abbot of Yuantong Temple, Monk Bifeng, discovered a beehive cave behind the mountain and practiced scriptures and preached there, leading to the renaming of the site as Bifeng Cave. Xisai National Forest Park boasts abundant forest resources, including over 70 types of rare trees such as the national first-class protected species Davidia involucrata, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, and second-class protected species such as Pterostyrax psilophyllus, Ginkgo biloba, Cyclocarya paliurus, Liriodendron chinense, and Tsoongiodendron odorum. There are also more than 100 kinds of precious medicinal plants, such as figs, “a pearl atop the head,” “two-faced sword,” “three treasures,” “four-season green,” “five-cloud flower,” “sixth-month snow,” “seven-leaf one-flower,” “eight-angle lotus,” “nine-lives resurrection herb,” and “ten great merits.” The park is home to around 20 types of endangered animals, including the Chinese giant salamander, masked palm civet, red-bellied tragopan, monkeys, small Indian civets, vultures, and Lady Amherst’s pheasants. The park features numerous attractions, including historical sites such as the Cangbingzhai and Lijiazhai, natural landscapes such as One-Line Sky, Fish-Coming Pool, Snake-Face Rock, Divine Sword Peak, and Watchtower, as well as rich folk culture and customs like shadow puppetry, brass band music, and local flower-drum performances. It is a rare treasure of natural ecological tourism.

Transportation: The park is 100 kilometers from downtown Yichang, with all asphalt and cement roads. It takes about two hours to drive there.

Ticket/Opening Hours: 40 RMB