One-Day Tour of Bitter Bamboo Stockade and Jiutian Cave

Day 1: Depart downtown as early as possible in the morning to visit the thousand-year-old ancient stockade, Bitter Bamboo Stockade. Do not miss the tranquil lake cruise here. Lunch can be arranged at the stockade, then head to Jiutian Cave, known as "Asia’s Largest Cave". After the cave tour, take a coach back to the urban area.

The name "Bitter Bamboo" originates from the Tujia language, meaning "a riverside market town sandwiched between high mountains on both sides". Located in Lifuta Township, Sangzhi County, it is 2.5 kilometers away from Jiutian Cave. As the best-preserved ancient town in northwest Hunan, it was first built in the Tang and Song dynasties and flourished during the Ming and Qing dynasties, with a history of nearly 2,000 years.

Nestled between mountain ridges and rivers, with the county government upstream and precipitous gorges downstream, it occupied a strategically important location. It used to be a bustling ancient dock on the upper reaches of the Lishui River, lined with countless merchant ships and crowded with traders. The river flows on quietly, witnessing endless vicissitudes of life.

In modern times, the rapid development of land transportation led to the decline of waterborne shipping, and the small town was gradually forgotten deep in the gorges. Though stripped of its former prosperity, it still retains most of its antique charm. Today, visitors can still trace its vanished splendor through its worn streets, old buildings and shops. Ancient fire partition walls and low stilted dwellings demonstrate the extraordinary wisdom of the Tujia people. Flagstone paths and the melodious tune of the Dongdongkui wind instrument recount the stockade’s glorious past.

Jiutian Cave is situated in Shuidong Village, Lifuta Township, Sangzhi County, Zhangjiajie City, 17 kilometers from downtown Sangzhi. It gets its name from nine natural skylights inside the cave that connect the underground space to the outside world.

It is a giant karst cave with complex geological structures, formed within Permian carbonate strata. Divided into upper, middle and lower three layers, the cave covers a total area of 2.5 million square meters. The cavern is filled with gem-like speleothems of countless fantastic shapes, including layered stalagmites, stone curtains and stalactites. This rare underground treasure trove is celebrated for four unrivaled features: grand scale, fantastic formations, exquisite beauty and profound seclusion, earning it the reputations of "Crown of World Marvelous Caves" and "Asia’s Largest Cave".

Jiutian Cave boasts more than one hundred scenic spots, such as the Statue of the Nine Heavenly Goddess, Longevity Palace, Jade Spring, Smiling Buddha Welcoming Guests, Guanyin Seated on a Lotus Throne, Lovers’ Tryst, Galaxy Waterfall, Dancing Fairies and Natural Marble Pillars. A full sightseeing tour takes 2 to 2.5 hours.