Yueyang 岳阳

About Yueyang

The tower and neighbouring waterfront provide the most direct introduction, while Junshan adds a separate island visit with literary legends and tea associations. The lake is dynamic: seasonal water levels change shorelines, views and access. Use the city as a base for a focused lakeside day, then choose an additional excursion according to current transport rather than assuming every lake attraction connects by one continuous boat route.

Yueyang was established as a prefecture called Hanchang by Sun Wu in 210 AD during the Three Kingdoms period, after being known as Ximi under the state of Chu in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. Under the Song dynasty it was fortified with walls about 4 miles in circumference and became the seat of a military prefecture named Yueyang, the origin of its present name; it became a county under that name in 1911.

The city lies between the eastern Dongting Lake plain and hill country to the east, bordered by the Mufu (幕阜山) and Lianyun (连云山) mountains and facing the East and South Dongting Lake. The Xiang River (湘江) runs south to north through the city and meets the Yangtze River in the urban area, while the Miluo River (汨罗江) joins the Xiang to the south. The city covers 14,858 square kilometers, with a resident population of about 5.02 million.

Yueyang holds the designation of a national historical and cultural city (国家历史文化名城). The city has been described as a center of 'banished officials' culture' (贬官文化), since exiled officials and poets gathered here along the Yangtze. The Miluo River (汨罗江), where the poet Qu Yuan drowned himself, is regarded as the birthplace of Chinese dragon boat culture, and hosted the first World Dragon Boat Championships in 1995.

What to look for

• The tower and historic city edge facing Dongting Lake.
• The contrast between urban waterfront life and Junshan’s wooded legendary landscape.

Location & getting there

Getting to Yueyang

Check whether your train arrives at Yueyang East or the central Yueyang station, then transfer to the specific hotel or tower entrance. For Junshan, confirm the current island access separately from the city transfer.