The Tianzi Mountain
Tianzi Mountain is named after Xiang Dakun who led the local farmers' revolt and called himself Tianzi---the Son of Heaven. Bounded by Suoxi Valley on the east, Zhangjiajie on the south, Sangzhi County on the north, Tianzi Mountain is one of the four scenic zones in Wulingyuan.
It lies on the highest point of "Golden Triangle", its highest point being 1262.5m(Kunlun peak) and lowest point being 534m(Shilan valley). It has an area of 67 square kilometers, a touring line of 45 kilometers, an average temperature of 12oC, an annual waterfall of 1800 mm, a frost-free period of 240 days and a frozen period of 60-80 days. Except a layer of limestone and a few areolate stones at the peak, some hundred meters above sea level, the majority of scenic spots is formed of quart stones, belonging to sandstone ground feature which is the same as Suoxiyu Valley and Zhangjiajie.
The 500-meter or 600-meter thick quartzite sandstone has evolved from neptunic rocks that subsided from oceans 380,000,000 years ago and after a complicated and long process formed strangely shaped spectacles. To sum up, the landscape in Tianzi Mountain is natural and primeval. Every scenic spot is created by nature and of no artificial trace. There are not only primeval forests and beautiful water but also plain folkways, special customs and local specialities and delicacies awaiting tourists from home and abroad. No wonder people make comments, like " people who have climbed Tianzi Mountain will not climb any other mountains" and "It can not be said that you have been to Wulingyuan without reaching Tianzi Mountain".
West Sea
Situated in the west of Suoxiyu Valley, it is a basin-like landform with a collection of peaks and woods. In this "sea", numerous peaks stand with different shapes and poses, covered with lush vegetation. Therefore, it is called "sea of trees" and "sea of peaks". In spring or summer or a clear day immediately after a rain in autumn, the clouds are surging and rolling like waves, covering the whole sky and earth. The view is so magnificent that it is called "sea of clouds". The combination of the three seas is the characteristic of West Sea. In it, Gate to Heaven and Sky Terrace are wonderful scenes.
Shentang Valley
Shentang Valley is also named Shentang Fort. It is a gorge shaped like a huge basin walled by lofty precipices. The bottom of the gorge is veiled in mists and clouds all day, adding to its mysteriousness. As the saying goes, the most beautiful scene is seen from the most perilous peak. There are almost no roads to Shentang Valley, only a quite dangerous flight of stairs that is as wide as a foot being available. Local people say, " Every step kills one soul". In the center of the bottom lies a fathomless green pond. Looking down the pond from the mouth of the gorge, one can't help shivering. What's peculiar is that visitors can hear sounds of gongs and drums, neighs of battle steeds and shouts of men echoing from the bottom. Nobody can give a reasonable answer to this mystery. Therefore, Shentang Valley was a forbidden place in Wulingyuan and a puzzle for hundreds of years.