Junshan Island

Facing Yueyang Pavilion in Dongting Lake, Junshan Island is in Yueyang City of Hunan Province. The island is also called Love Island because it is associated with two love stories. The first is between Chief Shun, one of the greatest sovereigns in the Prehistoric Times (1.7 million years ago - the 21st century BC) and his two consorts. And the second one is a legend of love between a scholar in the Tang Dynasty (618~907) and the third daughter of Dragon King.  Junshan Island is famed for cultural and historic relics, whereby visitors may learn more stories about Chinese history. Below are the most attractive sites on the island:
 The two empresses were the two consorts of Chief Shun: E Huang and Nu Ying. In his old age, Shun made a tour to the south and didn’t come back. The two wives went to look for him. They arrived at Junshan Island and got the sad news that Shun had died. Hearing this, they burst into tears and then plunged into the lake in a ritual to accompany their husband in death. The tomb stands in their memory.
 Erected during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), Xiangfei Memorial Temple is one of the earliest temples in China. Xiangfei refers to the two wives of Shun too. Local people build the temple to commemorate them.
 Mottled Bamboo is also called Xiangfei Bamboo. There is a moving story about it. After hearing the news of Shun’s death, the two empresses cried so sorrowfully. Their tears dropped on the bamboos to form the mottles. In reality the mottles are formed by fungi because of the unique geographical conditions on the island.
 The well was first drilled in the Sui Dynasty (581-618) and named Orange Well as there was an ancient orange tree beside it. Later, local people changed the name according to a legend related to this well: Liuyi, a scholar in the Tang Dynasty (618~907), met the third daughter of Dragon King one day. To help her get rid of the bully who forced her to herd sheep, he took a letter and jumped into the well, which led to the palace of Dragon King in the ocean. The King saved his daughter soon after reading the letter. After sharing lots of suffering, Liuyi and the princess fell in love and got married.
 Located about two yards behind the Liuyi Well, it consists of two connected pavilions, representing Liuyi and Dragon Princess the two lovers. People regard Sending-Letter Pavilion as the vow of love between Liuyi and the Dragon princess, showing their desires for true love.
 The temple includes two parts: a Statue of a black-faced Duke stands in the first part; and visitors glimpse the domestic bliss of the duke in the second part. The black-faced duke is Liuyi, who was crowned the Dongting Duke by the Dragon King. To augment Liuyi’s authority, Dragon King granted him a scary black mask. He was required to wear the mask during the day but put it away at night after work. But one day he forgot to take it off and the mask was glued to his face. Ever since, he had to wear the mask all the time. Liuyi did a lot of good deeds to local people, so they build the temple in his honour.
 Laying in the southwest of Junshan Island, the hill is one of the most mysterious places on the island. Visitors stepping their feet on it may hear the sound of a drum.
 In the west of the island, there are some mysterious patterns carved on the hard rocks. Some people say that this is the totem of ancient people, while others point out this is the nebula map the ancient people carved 7,000 years ago.

There are other sites on the island, such as Royal Tea Garden, Love Garden, and Lakeview Pavilion tourists can visit.
 1. The island is large; tourists can take a sightseeing bus to traverse from site to site.
2. Offering incense in the temples may need some donation. You may forego this expenditure by refusing the incense and other stuff offered to you.
  By Bus:
Take bus line 15 and get off at Junshan Park Station. The bus starts from Yueyang Railway Station; the major stops are Yueyang Pavilion, Dongting Lake Bridge, and Yueyang Pavilion Wharf. Duration is one hour and ticket fare is about CNY 5. However, the bus runs only from October to next May.

 By Boat:
From June to September, the road leading to Junshan Island will be flooded owing to the rise of water level of Dongting Lake, and tourists can only get to the island by boat.
1. Take a ferryboat at Junshan Wharf and get off at Junshan Island. It takes CNY 30 for a round trip. But this ferry runs only from June to September.
2. Take a boat at Nanyuepo Tourist Wharf to reach the island. Ticket price is CNY 60 for a round trip.
3. Take a yacht at Yueyang Pavilion to get to the island; CNY 80 is needed for a round trip.
 

Admission Fee	CNY 80. * Children of 3.9~ 4.6 feet (1.2~ 1.4 meters): CNY 40. * Children below 3.9 feet (1.2 meters): Free of charge
Sightseeing Buses on the Island	CNY 10
Opening Hours	07:00-17:30