Zhangjiajie Tujia Folk Custom Park

Zhangjiajie Tujia Folk Custom Park

Zhangjiajie Tujia Folk Custom Park is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Situated in Zhangjiajie, a famous Chinese tourist destination, the Zhangjiajie Tujia Folk Custom Park spans over 80 acres with a total investment of 75 million yuan. Its key attractions are the Tusi City and the Bizika Sacred Fire Hall. Since its inauguration, the park has attracted broad attention from all walks of life, hosting visits from over 20 party and state leaders. It has also been featured in special reports by numerous domestic and international media outlets including CCTV, receiving high praise. In 2004, it was listed as a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a premium route within Zhangjiajie’s tourism offerings. Major attractions include the Tusi City, the Bizika Sacred Fire Hall, and the Jiuchongtian (Nine Heavens).

Tujia Folk Custom Park

The Tusi City was originally known as the Yongding Tusi City and is an ancient Tujia mountain village. The Tusi system was first established during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period and became highly developed by the Ming Dynasty. The Tusi kings held supreme authority, and in western Hunan, there were three major Tusi kings: the Xiang family of Sangzhi Tusi, the Peng family of Yongshun Tusi, and the Zhang family of Cili Tusi, among which the Peng family of Yongshun Xizhou Tusi was the most powerful. While other Tusi kings built their own Tusi cities, the Peng family constructed two—one each in Yongding and Yongshun. In the Yongding Tusi City, to demonstrate their status, the Peng family built the tallest stilted building in western Hunan, standing 48 meters high with 12 floors. Remarkably, the entire structure contains not a single iron nail, making it a marvel in the architectural history of Tujia stilted buildings. In September 2002, this building was recognized as the tallest stilted building in the world and awarded a place in the Guinness World Records. At the same time, the Tusi City hosted a performance of the Maogusi dance involving a thousand participants, which was also a Guinness World Record success. Upon entering the Tusi City, visitors are greeted with a traditional welcoming ceremony, featuring Tujia men beating drums, blowing horn trumpets, and setting off firecrackers, while Tujia women perform doorway songs and offer ceremonial wine. Inside, a grand ceremony of Tujia ancestor worship involving hundreds of participants takes place in front of the sacrificial hall, with people of all ages singing hand-waving songs and dancing hand-waving dances. Visitors can then ascend the Jiuchongtian, the world’s tallest stilted building, to explore centuries of Tujia cultural heritage. In the Tujia mountain village, guests can enjoy Tujia songs and witness representative Tujia folk customs such as the “crying marriage,” the three-stick drum performance, and lantern shows.

The Bizika Sacred Fire Hall was built in 2003. Its evening performance, "Tufeng Miao Yun" (Tujia Style and Miao Charm), is a meticulously crafted tourism and cultural product jointly developed by the Zhangjiajie Tujia Folk Custom Park and the Hunan Provincial Ethnic Song and Dance Troupe. Through three chapters—"Prayer," "Folk Customs," and "Marriage Traditions"—it artistically showcases the local culture and way of life of the Tujia and Miao peoples in western Hunan, China. The show vividly reveals the mystique of the region and highlights the diligence, simplicity, and kindness of its people. This one-of-a-kind program combines artistry, visual appeal, and entertainment, offering audiences not only aesthetic pleasure but also delightful surprises, adding a beautiful highlight to the Tujia Folk Custom Park.

The Jiuchongtian Hereditary Hall is the essence and soul of the Tujia Folk Custom Park. Designed by Tujia folk artist Li Hongjin, the building is constructed on an 80-degree steep slope, reaching 48 meters in height with nine tiers and 12 floors. The entire structure is connected using wooden pegs, with not a single iron nail used, making it a wonder in Tujia architectural history. On September 22, 2002, the Jiuchongtian stilted building was recorded in the Guinness World Records as the largest, tallest, and most perfectly structured wooden stilted building in China at the time. On April 6, 2001, during his visit to the Tujia Folk Custom Park, then-Premier Wen Jiabao spoke highly of Jiuchongtian, remarking, “It’s truly remarkable that a group of folk artisans could create such a magnificent stilted building and solve the engineering challenges related to mechanics.” Renowned Tsinghua University architect He Zhongyi said, “The Zhangjiajie Tujia Folk Custom Park is entirely comparable to the gardens of Suzhou. Especially the Jiuchongtian Hereditary Hall—it's like a celestial palace, truly captivating!”

Suggested Duration

1–2 hours

Transportation

By Car:

Located at Wuzipo, Nanzhuangping, Zhangjiajie. It takes just 5 minutes by car from downtown.

By Taxi:

A 10-minute drive from the airport or train station.

By Bus:

In downtown Zhangjiajie, take bus no. 5 or 10 and get off at the “Tujia Folk Custom Park” stop.

Ticket Price

120 yuan

Opening Hours

8:00–17:00 (sometimes extended to 18:00)

Location

Wuzipo, Nanzhuangping, Yongding District, Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province