Hunan Province was the birthplace of Mao Zedong, one of China's three best known 20th century figures in the world alongside Sun Yat-sen and Deng Xiaoping. He once wrote these lines of poetry about his native province: "Happy, I see wave upon wave of paddy and beans, and all around heroes, home-bound in the evening mist." Hunan is indeed a land of rich natural resources and home of many heroes.

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It is easy to have a auick look at China's past and present, but it takes time to gain a panoramic knowledge of China. The "Pan oramic China" series is meant to assist readers, especially those overseas, in this respect. Each volume in the series focuses on a province, municipality or autono mous region, describing, with illustrations, the outstanding char acteristics of each area from dif ferent perspectives.

The province of Hunan has nurtured many famous historical figures-from Emperor Yan who created the culture and history of south China to Mao Zedong, founder of the People's Repub lic of China; from the poet states man Qu Yuan who dedicated his life to his country to Wei Yuan who advocated "studying enemy technology to use against the enemy;" from Cai Lun who in vented the world's first paper to Yuan Longping, the "father of hy brid rice".

All are inheritors of the Hunanese spirit of patriotism and innovation-an influence on China's past, an influence on its present. They are like bright stars at night, sparkling in the sky of history, an inspiration to all both now and for the future. Be low these resplendent skies, now as ever, Hunan continues to perpetuate their spirit.

Mountains and Rivers

Zhangjiajie -- Wildlife Paradise

Dongting Lake -- Pearl of China

Hengshan -- Mountain of Longevity

Taohuayuan -- Lost Peach Blossom Heaven

Historic Sites

Resting Place of Two Ancestors

Western Han Tomb

Yuelu Academy

Yueyang Tower

Shaoshan -- Hometown of Mao Zedong

Home of Chinese Celebrities

Origins of the Chinese People

Huxiang Chuture

Eminent Hunnanese

Dynamic Hunan

A Flourishing Cultural Sector

High Technology

Modern Enterprises

Transportation

Tourism

Contact with the Wider World

Places in the Spotlight

Changsha -- the Dynamic Capital

Western Hunan -- Tourist Destinations

 Away from It All

Yueyang -- Guardian of the Yangtze River

Changde -- a Granary of the Country

Liling -- the Porcelain City

Appendix