Xingdoushan

　　    Xingdoushan is situated at the intersection of Lichuan, Xianfeng, and Enshi counties (cities) in the Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Hubei Province. It lies 70 kilometers northwest of Lichuan City. The mountain range slopes from the northwest to the southeast, stretching from Motadou in Enshi in the east, to Sanzhenyan in Xianfeng in the south, to Tianba in Lichuan in the west, and bordering Huabanxi in Lichuan in the north. The total area covers 2,880 hectares, with the main peak reaching an elevation of 1,751.2 meters and the lowest point at 840 meters, resulting in significant relative height differences. Legend has it that the main peak of the mountain is very close to the heavens, where immortals often plucked stars to use as lanterns while traveling between Xingdoushan and the celestial realm, hence the name Xingdoushan, meaning "Mountain of Stars."

　　    The mountain slopes from the northwest to the southeast, extending from Motadou in Enshi in the east, to Sanzhenyan in Xianfeng in the south, to Tianba in Lichuan in the west, and bordering Huabanxi in Lichuan in the north. The mountain's shape resembles the back of a bow, and its ridges are sharp like knife blades. Within Lichuan, ten major gullies spread out fan-like on the mountain, all converging into the Bajiaoxi Stream. At the mountain's base, three small rivers meander swiftly, with clear, sweet mountain springs. A temple known as Sanyi Temple, built during the Tianqi era of the Ming Dynasty, once stood at the mountain’s summit. An ancient poem reads: “A towering tower a hundred feet high, where one could pluck the stars above. I dare not speak too loud, for fear of startling the celestial beings!”

　　    Xingdoushan is located in the second and third transitional tiers of China’s southwestern high mountains to the southeastern low mountains and hills. During the Quaternary glacial period, it was minimally affected by glaciers, allowing many ancient and rare plant species to be preserved. Due to its favorable climate and complex, diverse natural landforms, the mountain has become a gathering and evolutionary hub for a wide variety of plants. It not only features characteristics of being ancient, old, and rare but also exhibits transitional traits from all directions—east, west, south, north, and central. The vegetation here is complex in origin, ancient in lineage, and extremely rich in species. Ancient, rare, and precious tree species include the bald cypress, dove tree, ginkgo, teakleaf rhododendron, and Lichuan silver fir, among more than 40 types. Precious flowering plants include orchids, trumpet creepers, various azaleas, and Magnolia denudata var. alba, totaling over 100 varieties. Known as a “herbal garden,” the area also grows a large quantity of valuable medicinal herbs such as gastrodia elata, panax notoginseng, Dactylicapnos scandens, Paris polyphylla var. stenophylla, and Paris polyphylla. The mountain is also home to a diverse range of animals, including 41 bird species across 6 orders and 13 families, over 20 mammal species, and more than 10 snake species.

　　    In 1981, the Xingdoushan Nature Reserve was established. Additionally, the “Xingdoushan Plant Resources Protection and Management Office” was set up to study ecosystem development patterns and protect and propagate rare tree species. The proportion of key protected plants within the national and provincial totals is as follows: first-class species account for 37.5% nationally and 100% provincially; second-class species make up 7% nationally and 52.6% provincially; third-class species represent 4.4% nationally and 47.4% provincially.

　　    Xingdoushan is a green gem, boasting beautiful scenery with warm springs and cool autumns, no severe summers or harsh winters, and distinct four seasons. Notable scenic spots include Eagle Beak Rock, Deer Pond, Immortal Cave, Gourd Dam, and Dripping Rock Waterfall, among others.

　　    Address: Northeast of Luoyang Village, Yuanbao Township, Lichuan City, Enshi Prefecture

　　    Type: Mountain

　　    Recommended visiting time: About 1 hour

　　    Ticket information:

　　    Public price: 15.0 RMB