A snapshot of Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County
2023-01-02 19:01:53
Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County, formerly Changle County before 1914, is located in the southwestern region of Hubei province and bordered by Hunan province. It is home to the Tujia and other minority groups, who constitute nearly 85 percent of the total 193,300 population.
Wufeng is recognizable by its karst landscape and is made up in part by the Wuling Mountains. Nearly 90 percent of the county’s surface area consists of mountains more than 500 meters above sea level. The forest coverage rate in the area reaches 81 percent, the highest among Hubei’s counties. It is known as a "natural oxygen bar" and is an important ecological barrier for the province.
Wufeng is recognizable by its karst landscape and is made up in part by the Wuling Mountains. Nearly 90 percent of the county’s surface area consists of mountains more than 500 meters above sea level. The forest coverage rate in the area reaches 81 percent, the highest among Hubei’s counties. It is known as a "natural oxygen bar" and is an important ecological barrier for the province.
An aerial view of Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County. Photo by Chen Liang.Wufeng has obvious ecological advantages when it comes to agricultural products like tea, vegetables, and Chinese medicinal materials. It has a long history of tea culture, as it is the birthplace and core production area of Yihong tea. Wufeng has often been referred to as the "Hometown of Famous Tea in China.” Tea gardens there cover 221,000 mu (14,733 hectares) and produce more than 20,000 tons of tea each year. With an output value of 3 billion yuan (US$435 million), the tea industry’s success has led to increased incomes for roughly 120,000 tea growers.
Qinggangling ecological tea garden in Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County. Photo by Ji Weimin.Wufeng is rich in intangible cultural heritage resources, including four national intangible cultural heritages: Weeding Drums, Tujia Daliuzi, Nanqu folk songs, and the Funeral Dance.
Wufeng has jurisdiction over five towns and three townships, covering a land area of more than 2,300 square kilometers. Its GDP in 2021 surpassed 10 billion yuan (US$1.4 billion), a year-on-year increase of 19.2 percent.
Wufeng has jurisdiction over five towns and three townships, covering a land area of more than 2,300 square kilometers. Its GDP in 2021 surpassed 10 billion yuan (US$1.4 billion), a year-on-year increase of 19.2 percent.
