Jinggangshan travel guide
井冈山
Mention Jinggangshan and the picture from middle-school textbooks comes to mind: the Red Army's victorious reunion. The spark that “can start a prairie fire” was first kindled here.…
10 places · In the guidebook: pages 1491–1497
Jinggangshan, Jiangxi Province · AI illustration for China Trip
Quick itinerary
Jinggangshan in 2 days
- Day 1
- Huangyangjie→
- Shuikou→
- Wulongtan→
- Wuzhi Peak→
- Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery
- Day 2
- Bijia Mountain
The feel of the place
- Cradle of the Revolution
- Mention Jinggangshan and the picture from middle-school textbooks comes to mind: the Red Army's victorious reunion. The spark that “can start a prairie fire” was first kindled here. Jiangxi's Jinggangshan is the cradle of China's revolution, and its many historical sites offer a profound patriotic education.
Choose Comfortable Shoes
Jiangxi's attractions are mountainous, so for your safety please pay special attention to your choice of footwear.
Viewing Wuzhi Peak from Across the Gorge
There are no hiking trails up Wuzhi Peak yet, so visitors can only gaze at its majestic form from the viewing platform across the gorge.
Preparation and Enquiries
Climate and Best Season
Jinggangshan's annual average temperature is fairly low. Summer is a good cool retreat, while winter is very cold and damp, and the chill lingers into March and April, especially in the mornings and evenings. Even in summer, be sure to pack enough clothing. In April and May, when the azaleas bloom, Jinggangshan is at its most beautiful, making it the best time to visit.
Things to see
The Jinggangshan Scenic Area pass costs ¥160 and is valid for 5 days. It covers 21 sights, including Wuzhifeng (Five Fingers Peak), Huangyangjie, Wulongtan, the Beishan Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery, the former residence in Ciping, the former residence in Dajing, the Xiaojing Red Army Hospital, Red Army Valley, Huishi Square, Bijia Mountain and the Huishi Memorial Hall. Note that Bijia Mountain can only be visited by cable car, which costs an extra ¥160; this is the longest cable car in Asia. The Jinggangshan Revolutionary Museum is free to enter.
Wuzhi Peak
Wuzhi Peak is the highest peak of Jinggangshan. It takes its name from its cluster of peaks, which look like five fingers, and it stands 1,586 meters above sea level. The scenic area is a maze of mountains, ravines and waterfalls, with exceptionally rich flora and fauna. It is a primeval, deep and beautiful landscape of mountains, water, forests, caves and wildlife.
Hiking & Outdoors · Photography · Nature
Huangyangjie
Huangyangjie lies north of Ciping. Its mountains are majestic and steep, and it has long been summed up by the saying, “Once past Huangyangjie, there is no need to look at the dangerous spots.” Due to its terrain and other natural conditions, the weather here changes rapidly, with strong winds, heavy fog and dramatic clouds. The misty clouds make the sunrise here especially spectacular, making Huangyangjie the best place to watch the sunrise over Jinggangshan. It was the site of the famous Battle of Huangyangjie, and there are many revolutionary sites and relics here, making it a must-visit for almost every traveller to Jinggangshan.
Photography · Nature
Longtan Waterfalls
The sheer number, dramatic drops and beautiful forms of the Longtan Waterfalls have earned them the nickname “Five Pools and Eighteen Waterfalls.” The five pools are Biyu Pool, Suolong Pool, Zhenzhu Pool, Jigu Pool and Xiannü Pool. Of these, Jigu Pool has the most beautiful form.
Photography · Nature
Ciping
Ciping lies in the middle of the scenic area and is the political, economic and cultural centre of Jinggangshan City, as well as its main hub for tourist services. In 1927, Mao Zedong led the Autumn Harvest Uprising troops to Ciping for the first time, and it became one of the Red Army’s main bases. Main attractions include the Former Residence of Mao Zedong in Ciping, the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Museum, the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Martyrs’ Cemetery, the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Sites Cluster, Yicui Lake Park, Nanshan Park and more.
History & Culture · Photography
Shuikou
Located to the left of Wuzhi Peak, 9 kilometres from Ciping, Shuikou offers exceptionally beautiful scenery, especially Quxi Valley, the Bitan peaks and its azalea forests. Main attractions include Shuikou River Valley, Golden Ox Playing in the Water, Hundred-Terrace Spring, Rainbow Falls, Suolong Pool, Zangxing Rock and Longmen.
Hiking & Outdoors · Photography · Nature
Shili Azalea Corridor
Located on Bijia Mountain, this is the scenic area shown on the back of the fourth-series ¥100 banknote. The famous azaleas of Jinggangshan bloom mainly here. A 2,800-metre plank walkway has been built through the mountain specifically for admiring the azaleas. There are many varieties here, and the tree-form azaleas each stand more than 10 metres tall. Every April they bloom profusely, forming an azalea forest belt stretching for more than ten li (about 5 kilometres), which is very rare in the world.
Photography · Nature
Getting there & around
Getting There and Away
Jinggangshan is located in Ji'an, Jiangxi. To get there, you can enter from Nanchang, Ji'an or Taihe, all within Jiangxi Province.
Flights
You can fly to Ganzhou Jinggangshan Airport (Taihe Airport) or Changsha Huanghua Airport and then take a bus to the Jinggangshan scenic area. Jinggangshan Airport currently has scheduled flights in both directions to seven cities (Xi'an, Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xiamen and Guangzhou), with one flight a day, which is very convenient.
Railway
Take the Beijing-Kowloon Railway to Ji'an and transfer to a bus, or take the same line to Jinggangshan Railway Station (Taihe County) and transfer to a bus. Trains from Shanghai, Guangzhou and Nanjing also run to Jinggangshan.
Road
Long-distance buses run directly from Nanchang, Ji'an and Suichuan to Ciping in Jinggangshan City. Public buses also run from Ciping to the scenic spots. From Nanchang, Ganzhou and Changsha in Hunan, you can enter the area via Taihe, Suichuan and Ninggang respectively.
Eat & drink
Jinggangshan belongs to the Luling cuisine style and has many flavourful dishes. “Quanfu Luanjia”, “Jiaxiang Chao Xueya” (home-style stir-fried duck blood) and “Wan'an Boli Yu” (Wan'an glass fish) are all long-celebrated delicacies. Bamboo-tube red rice, pumpkin soup and autumn eggplant are classic dishes from the revolutionary era, and are not to be missed when visiting Jinggangshan.
Where to stay
In Jinggangshan you'll find accommodation at every price level. The cheapest option is staying in a local villager's home, where the price is negotiable. There are also many ordinary guesthouses and three-star hotels to choose from.
Jinggangshan Lushe Hotel
Themed around mountain-dwelling culture, this is Jinggangshan's first boutique mountain-retreat hotel. Clean, hygienic and good value for money.
- Address:
- Building 27, No. 6 Wujing Road, Ciping New Village, Jinggangshan
- Phone:
- 18701996751
Ji'an Hotel
Right on the riverbank, with tidy rooms and affordable prices.
- Address:
- No. 99 Yanjiang Road, Jizhou District, Ji'an City
- Phone:
- 0796-8263537/8263888
Shopping
Bamboo products in Jinggangshan have long been popular, and health-promoting bamboo mats are the main summer souvenir.
Local Specialties Street
Next to the Jinggangshan Hotel is a “Local Specialties Street” catering to visitors.
Ciping Town
Ciping is both a scenic area and the base camp for Jinggangshan tourism. If you don't want to return to Ji'an city, you will need to stay overnight here. The specialty street in town is well worth a visit in the evening.
Day trips & beyond
Ruijin Revolutionary Sites
Ruijin was once the red capital of the Chinese Soviet Republic, and the city preserves many revolutionary sites. The most famous are the Yeping Revolutionary Sites Cluster and the Shazhouba Revolutionary Sites Cluster. Yeping is the venue of the First National Congress of Soviets, and the Red Well at Shazhouba is the birthplace of the story “Those who drink water should never forget those who dug the well.”
History & Culture
Longnan Weiwu (Fortified Hakka Houses)
The finest of the fortified houses of southern Jiangxi, these are mainly home to Hakka people. The most representative are Guanxi Xinwei, Yangcun Yanyi Wei, Liren Liyuan Wei and Taojiang Longguang Wei. Guanxi Xinwei was built over 29 years by local gentry Xu Mingjun. The whole complex is shaped like the character 回 (huí), making it virtually impregnable. Yangcun Yanyi Wei has a long history, and it is the best place to feel the rich Hakka atmosphere. Liren Liyuan Wei is shaped like a bagua (eight trigrams), and its layout follows feng shui principles. It is the largest Hakka fortified house in Longnan City. In the same town of Liren, Yuzitan Wei is a classic defensive Hakka fortified house.
1–2 hours
Wugongshan Scenic Area
Wugong Mountain is well known among outdoor enthusiasts. There is a saying: “Once you have hiked Wugong Mountain, your outdoor education is complete,” which shows just how challenging it is. Wugong Mountain is known for seven signature landscapes: peaks, caves, waterfalls, rocks, clouds, pines and temples. Its boundless alpine grasslands and mysterious, shifting seas of clouds are breathtaking. Adventurous travellers can try the Despair Slope. With more than 20 slopes, large and small, it gives a sense of an endless climb.
1–2 days
Beigu Village
The village was founded in the early Southern Song Dynasty and has 28 ponds, symbolising the 28 constellations of the heavens. The ancient village retains 367 residences from the Ming and Qing dynasties, along with more than 20 ancestral halls and academies. Its architecture strongly reflects the Confucian merchant culture of the feudal era. In 1930, Mao Zedong presided over the important “Erqi” (February 7) Conference here, a landmark meeting in the history of the Chinese Communist Party.
2–3 hours
Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 1491–1497. Translated from the Chinese edition; names and prices follow the guidebook. · Plain text version