Changsha

Changsha (Wade-Giles: Chang-sha) is the capital city of Hunan, a province of south-central China, located on the lower reaches of Xiang river, a branch of the Yangtze River. It covers an area of 11,819 sq. kilometers and has a population of 6,017,600 (2003 population census).

Changsha was important from the time of the Qin dynasty (221-207 BC). In AD 750-1100 Changsha was an important commercial city, and its population increased greatly. Under the Qing dynasty, from 1664, it was the capital of Hunan province, and it was a major rice market. It was besieged during the Taiping Rebellion but never fell. Changsha was the site of Mao Zedong's conversion to communism. It was the scene of major battles in the Sino-Japanese War of 1937-45 and was briefly occupied by the Japanese. Rebuilt since 1949, the city is now a major port and a commercial and industrial center.

What to see and do in Changsha

Hunan Provincial Museum - see the Han-era tomb of Xin Zui, the Marquess of Dai, and her 2,100 year old preserved body. Its extraordinary and looks more real than Ho Chi Minh. Her body was still moist and flexible when they found her, complete elastic skin. Also at the museum, is many exhibits on all kinds of Han Dynasty artifacts, including pottery, to lacqureware, to an impressive collection of intact silk, etc. Admission is free, but it is on a first come first serve basis - your ticket will have a time stamped on it that will show when you are allowed to enter the exam. Show up early in the morning if you want to get in right away - otherwise you might have to pick up a ticket then return in a few hours to enter. Museum hours are posted as 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (except closed Mondays), but expect to get kicked out 20 minutes before closing.

Hunan University - across the river you'll find lots of great places to eat in and around the studious atmosphere of the various campus' south of Yuelu Shan. Mao Zedong attended Hunan University and there is a statue in honour of this most famous of their alumni.

There are still some classic cultural sights to see in Changsha, although it is not a city that is all-encompassing when it comes to heritage and wonder. Some tourists choose Changsha as their transfer point when traveling on to Zhangjiajie, Yueyang, Hengyang or the famous Phoenix Town in the western part of Hunan, so here are some things to do and see whilst there.

Cultural Relics
The famous Yuelu Academy, located at the foot of the scenic Mt. Yuelu on the west bank of Xiangjiang River, is a 'must-see' attraction in the city. Originally built in 976, it has a history of more than one thousand years. Either for its glorious past as a reputed feudal academic school in ancient times, or for being the site of Hunan University today, Yuelu Academy is a place in the city that both tourists and students like to visit while appreciate the charming natural vista of the surrounding mountains.

A walk across the No. 1 Bridge over the Xiangjiang River, just opposite the Yuelu scenic area is the Long Island (Juzi Zhou). In midstream of the Xiangjiang River, it runs almost the entire length of the city and gets the name for its long and narrow sandbank. It was said that Chairman Mao Zedong studied in the No. 1 Normal School here when he was young, and often went swimming in the river or took a walk with friends around the island. Today, a scenic park has been built with a marble monument in the middle with Mao's inscriptions and it is a good place for people to escape the summer heat.

The village of Shaoshan, over 100 kilometers south-west of Changsha is a significant place for Chinese Communists for it was home to Chairman Mao Zedong. It is a good place to learn more about this great Chinese man. The old houses where he lived, a museum, a monument and other memorial spots are well preserved in the scenic area and create a kind of solemn atmosphere. Chinese come to pay their respects here during the memorial days.

Historical Sites
The most fantastic historical relic should be the well-preserved mummified remains of a Western Han Dynasty woman excavated from Mawangdui Han Tombs . The remains have lasted over more than 2000 years and the skins are still stretchy. Thousands of unearthed relics include silk products, paintings, lacquer works, potteries, bamboo slips used for writing, weapons, herbs, and so on. These are all exhibited in Hunan Provincial Museum.

Another history gift is the ancient porcelain kiln site of Tongguan from the late Tang Dynasty (618 - 907). Many pottery and porcelain works decorated with painting and inscription decorations are excavated. It is recorded that these porcelains and pottery products were exported to neighboring Korean, Japan, Indonesia, Iran and even Egypt.

At the very north end of the city near the No. 2 Xiangjiang Bridge is a Buddhist temple called Kaifu Temple. It was originally built in 927 and is featured in the typical Chinese Buddhist temple architectural style.

There are several parks in the city including Wangyue Park at Jiaxiang Lu, Southern Suburb Park, Xiaoyuan Park to the east of the city center near the railway station and a zoo near the provincial museum.

Weather in Changsha

Situated in the river valley along the lower part of Xiang River, Changsha is the capital city of Hunan Province. The recorded history of Changsha can be traced back 3000 years. Tomb relics from the primitive periods witnessing the earliest human of activities have been discovered in this regThe scorching summer and cold winter are two distinctive seasons in this area. The summer comes around the later May with high heat and heavy humidity. The sweltering days of July and August are particularly stifling. Changsha's winter comes around November bringing little sunlight and heavy fogs. Although it is reported that the average temperature in winter is about five degrees, the winter days in Changsha can be severely cold as those in the northern China cities due to the great humidity carried by the river winds from Xiangjiang River. Llike Wuhan, the city has no heaters and we suggest travelers bring cotton and packed clothes, gloves and scarves and a hat for the windy days. Most of the rest days in a year are misty and cloudy.

Spring, during the months from March through May, is the best time to travel to the city. Likewise, September is a good time to visit, during the short but pleasant autumn period when the red maples on Long Island (Juzizhou) are in full blossom and the temperatures in this period are around 15 C (59F) to 20 C (68F).

One thing a traveler should bear in mind is that the weather changes greatly during the transit period between spring and summer or summer and autumn. An unexpected summer rainstorm could arrive suddenly on a sunny day, so make sure to bring an umbrella with you. The long rain period starts in October and continues for one or two months, therefore one should plan indoor tourist activities during the latter part of a year

January                  7 C to 1 C

February                9 C to 2 C

March                   14 C to 7 C

April                       20 C to 13 C

May                       25 C to 18 C

June                       29 C to 22 C

July                        33 C to 25 C

August                   33 C to 24 C

September           28 C to 20 C

October                 22 C to 14 C

November              16 C to 8 C

December              10 C to 3 C

Airport in Changsha

Changsha Huanghua International Airport (IATA: HHA, ICAO: ZGHA) is located in the Huanghua township of Changsha munucipality, about 20 kilometers east of central Changsha, Hunan, People's Republic of China. The airport is managed by the Hunan Airport Authority, a publicly owned corporation managing all five airports in Hunan Province.

Changsha Datuopu Airport/AFB (IATA: CSX, ICAO: ZGCS) (also called Changsha City) is the second airport serving Changsha and mainly used for military purpose.

Location: Huanghua Town, 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) to the city center

Brief Intro: The largest and best-equipped airport in Hunan Province, Changsha Huanghua International Airport is also famous as one of the top 20 busiest airports in China. Its terminal building, built in 1986 and enlarged in 2000 to cover an area of 34,000 sq m (8 acres), is capable of handling 4,600,000 passengers every year and 1,890 at peak hours. Apart from a 2,600-meter-long (1.6 miles) runway and a taxi track of the equal length, the airport is also equipped with such communication navigation systems as ILS, VOR/DME, NDB and advanced ground security facilities, which enable it to handle Boeing 737, 757, 767 and A320, etc. International flights to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong are available while over 60 air routes connect it to more than 40 domestic cities.

Facilities:
Xinta Shopping Center: north end of the Departures Hall (Level 2) Xinta Shopping Counters: Lounge 1-7, Lounge 10 Xinta Supermarkets: Lounge 10 (Level 2), north end of the Arrivals Hall (Level 1) Yinlu Tea House: south end of the Departures Hall

Jingui Restaurant: north end of the Departures Hall Coffee Time: Lounge 4 Jingui Tea House: Lounge 6 Jinxiangge Restaurant: Lounge 7 Yixiangyuan Restaurant: south end of Level 1 Arrivals Hall Commercial Lounges: Expedited boarding procedures and friendly service can be enjoyed in the commercial lounges, which are located at the south end of Level 2 Departures Hall. Tel: 0731-4797606

Services:
Airport Hotlines: 0731-4797255, 0731-4798777
Information Desks: The information desks situated in the center of the Departures Hall,
Lounge 6 and the Arrivals Hall are available for flight information and boarding procedure, copying and faxing services as well as arranging the special needs of seniors, the disabled or unaccompanied children. Lost&Found: the information desk in the center of the Departures Hall, 0731-4797255 Ticketing: south entrance of the Departures Hall, 0731-4798666, 0731-4799666 China Southern Airlines: north entrance of the Departures Hall, 0731-4787666

Transportation:
Airport shuttle buses ply the main roads between the airport and the city center (Civil Aviation Hotel and South Bus Station); a single trip takes about 40 minutes. You can take the shuttles from the front of the Civil Aviation Hotel (Minhang Jiudian) at No.75, Wuyi Road (East) at RMB 15 per person; the shuttles pass by Liuyang River Bridge, Wanjiali Avenue and the 2nd Round Line. The first bus leaves at 06:20 and the last one serves the final flight; buses depart every 30 minutes each day. The shuttle buses plying between the airport and the South Bus Station pass by Airport Expressway, Wanjiali Avenue and Shaoshan Road (South); a single trip costs RMB 15.

In the city center, city bus No.114 from the railway station goes to and from the airport between 06:30 and 18:30. The single trip takes approximately one hour. You can take a taxi. A taxi ride from the airport to the city center costs RMB 100.

Visa

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