Daguan Platform in Zhangjiajie

Daguan Platform (张家界大观台) is a popular scenic spot located in the Wulingyuan Scenic Area (武陵源风景名胜区) of Zhangjiajie (张家界), Hunan Province (湖南省). It is open year-round, Monday to Sunday, from 08:00 to 18:00.

Climate Conditions

The area is situated in a subtropical mountain monsoon climate zone.

Famous Scenic Spots

  • Tianzi Seat (天子座)
  • Xianren Bridge (仙人桥)
  • Shenji Zuo Shi (神鸡啄食)
  • Yibu Nanxing (一步难行)

Introduction to the Scenic Area

The Daguan Platform (大观台) is one of the four wonders of Zhangjiajie (张家界), which include the sunrise, peak forest, winter snow, and sea of fog. The platform provides one of the best views for watching the sunrise.

“Shenji Zuo Shi” (神鸡啄食) is located within the same scenic area as “Xianren Zuo Shi” (仙人啄食), “Yibu Nanxing” (一步难行), and “Tianzi Seat” (天子座). From this vantage point, visitors can enjoy the breathtaking views of the “Ten-Mile Gallery” (十里画廊).

Xianren Bridge (仙人桥) is a legendary spot where a fairy is said to have thrown down her sash to rescue the local chieftain, Xiang Dakuan (项大坤). The stone bridge spans over a one-meter-wide surface, with no railings on either side, creating a very dangerous passage. Only those with courage and strong physical condition can walk across it.

Scenic Features

At Daguan Platform (大观台), the view stretches out to reveal thousands of strange peaks. A poet once described Wulingyuan’s sandstone peaks as an artistic masterpiece: “Step by step, a new view unfolds; every step is a new form. One mountain has four seasons, and every ten steps show a different perspective.” The Wulingyuan Scenic Area (武陵源) is home to 3,103 stone peaks, each one uniquely shaped by nature.

The peaks resemble various objects, such as:

  • A seashell rising from the water,
  • A golden turtle holding the sun,
  • A blooming lotus flower,
  • A sky bridge spanning the heavens,
  • A long spear piercing the sky,
  • A towering pagoda,
  • An elderly figure picking herbs,
  • A maiden combing her hair,
  • A general preparing for battle,
  • A warhorse’s cry,
  • Lovers meeting in secret,
  • A couple embracing,
  • A fairy scattering flowers,
  • A village girl watching from a distance.

Some peaks stand alone in solitude, others rise sharply into the clouds, some are slender and graceful, while others are mighty and imposing. The diversity of shapes and sizes offers a spectacle that seems like a forest of peaks, a world of mountains, an ocean of stones. This is the essence of Wulingyuan (武陵源).

An artistic master once said, “The peaks of Wulingyuan rewrite the concept of mountains.” Renowned photographer Chen Bo (陈勃) commented, “The Three Mountains and Five Sacred Peaks are beautiful, but the landscapes of China surpass them all.” Wang Jijie (王继杰) remarked, “A two-day tour of Wulingyuan is worth a thousand Li and Du poems.” Xu Shijie (许世杰) praised, “The beauty and danger of Wulingyuan surpasses even the Five Mountains and Huangshan.”

Li Chengrui (李成瑞) expressed his dissatisfaction: “Who can truly define the best scenic spot in China? Only Mr. Xia Gong can make a final judgment.” Unfortunately, Xu Xiake (徐霞客) never had the opportunity to visit Daguan Platform (大观台), and thus could not offer his own evaluation of Wulingyuan.

Notable Scenic Spots

  • Tianzi Seat (天子座)
  • Xianren Bridge (仙人桥)
  • Shenji Zuo Shi (神鸡啄食)
  • Yibu Nanxing (一步难行)