China Heaven Gate in Hunan Province is named after an unbelievable cave natural arch eroded through the karst syncline. The Heaven’s Gate, as the arch is called, is situated about 8 kilometers south of the city of Zhangjiajie. The Gate is accessed from Zhangjiajie by what may be the world’s longest passenger cableway, at a length of 7.5 kilometers. Then it is followed by a bus ride along an 11-kilometer-long winding road with 99 bends. That is called the “Heaven-Linking Avenue,” which reaches the top of the mountain.
The purpose of these huts is contested in Chinese legend. Looking to serve either as a place of rest and worship or to relax while looking out over the world. China Heaven Gate is a magnificent location that is usually shrouded in ethereal fog or blinding sunlight. When police responded to the man’s residence after his family reported him missing and the bear on the loose, they discovered his “skeletal remains.” From this point, a set of stairs with exactly 999 steps takes visitors right underneath the 130-meter-tall and 57-meter-wide arch.
Tianmen Shan may be distinctive among the world’s great arches in that its formation is recorded in history. Documents from China’s “Three Kingdoms” period report that the full opening formed in one cataclysmic event when the back of a giant cave collapsed in 263 AD. As a result, the name of the mountain was changed from Songliang Shan to Tianmen Shan. It is also one of the very few natural arches with a precisely known age.
In recent times, Tianmen Shan has become a target for stunt fliers. due the location adjacent to the Zhangjiajie airport as well as its large opening. Acrobatic flying teams have flown through the opening. Tianmen Shan has a span of about 55 meters and a height of about 130 meters.
It is really amazing how the Chinese managed to package this entire place for tourism. A hole in a mountain is now a major RMB/dollar earner. Anyway, the walk around the mountain and finally to Tianmen Cave would seem to be well worth it. If you go to Tianmen Shan, then China Heaven Gate is a must-visit place.
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