# Yuelu Mountain Scenic Area (岳麓山风景名胜区)

Changsha, Hunan Province · Central China, China · Guidebook rating: 4/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/yuelu-mountain-scenic-area
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Admission:** Free entry to the mountain; Niaoyu Forest ¥30; cable car up ¥30, down ¥25, return ¥50. The cable car station is at the North Gate at the foot of the mountain.
- **Opening hours:** 3:00–23:00 (July 13 – October 31); 6:00–23:00 (November 1 – July 12 of the following year)
- **Time needed:** 0.5–1 day
- **Getting there:** Near Hunan University (bus stop), Hunan University (metro station)
- **Good for:** History & Culture, Hiking & Outdoors, Nature

## About Yuelu Mountain Scenic Area

At the top of the mountain stands the ancient Yuelu Academy, and at its foot lie Hunan University and Hunan Normal University, both open campuses with no gates or walls. In terms of grandeur, Yuelu Mountain cannot compare with other famous mountains, but it has its own quiet, ancient scholarly charm. Beside the Xiang River, it offers a tranquil setting and many cultural relics and historic sites, including Yuelu Academy, Aiwan Pavilion, Baihe Spring, Feilai Rock, Lushan Temple and Niaoyu Forest, making it a great place to explore history and seek out quiet corners. The Yuelu Mountain slide is also worth trying.

## Tips from the guidebook

- 1. Yuelu Academy: No trip to Yuelu Mountain is complete without a visit to Yuelu Academy, located on the eastern slope of the mountain and founded in 976. The saying “Only Chu produces talent, and it flourishes here” originated here.
- 2. Aiwan Pavilion: Aiwan Pavilion takes its name from the Tang poet Du Mu's line “I stop my carriage to love the maple forest at dusk, for the frost-touched leaves are redder than February flowers.” Mao Zedong often came here to relax with fellow students when he was studying. The plaque reading “Aiwan Pavilion” is in his own handwriting from the early 1950s.

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 1937. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
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