Location advantage
The Longganhu Scenic Area is located in Dongxiacao Village, Baiyangping Town, Enshi City. It borders Shadi Township to the east, Longfeng Town to the west, Sancha Township to the south, and Xiongjiayan Village to the north. The scenic area is about 15 kilometers from the center of Baiyangping Town, only 20 kilometers from Enshi’s urban center, and roughly 222 kilometers from Yichang City. This area serves as a vital transportation hub for those traveling eastward toward Wuhan and westward toward Chongqing and Sichuan, and it also constitutes an important node along the ancient Shiyi Road, giving it distinct geographical advantages. Surrounded by towering mountains, the village boasts stunning natural scenery, making it an ideal retreat for people seeking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and immerse themselves in nature.
Transportation location
Dongxiacao Village is 15 kilometers from Baiyangping Township, about 20 kilometers from the central urban area of Enshi City, less than 15 kilometers from the highway interchange, and only 3 kilometers from National Highway 318. Dongxiacao Village enjoys convenient external transportation, with six access points leading into the village—three of which are located along National Highway 318—and just 4 kilometers from the Enshi East highway exit. With a half-hour drive to reach the city’s road network, a 15-minute radius centered on the highway interchange, and a 10-minute connection to tourist roads, this village offers both the tranquility of being away from the hustle and bustle of the city and the convenience of easy access to the city’s road network.
Location advantage
1. The Longgan Lake Scenic Area has strong uniqueness. Longganhu Scenic Area is among the first batch of key villages for rural tourism nationwide, a National Forest Village, a National Ecological and Cultural Village, a Chinese Village with Distinctive Ethnic Minority Characteristics, a Model Village for Beautiful and Livable Rural Areas in Hubei Province, a Green Demonstration Village, a Model Village for the Joint Initiative to Create a Better Environment and a Happy Life, and an Attractive Village in Enshi Prefecture. It has also been successively awarded by various Party and government agencies and departments—including the CPC Central Committee, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, and the Hubei Provincial Party Committee—such honors as “National Advanced Primary-Level Party Organization,” “National Model Village for Democratic Rule of Law,” “National Key Village for Rural Tourism,” “Hubei Provincial Model Site for Lei Feng Activities,” and “China’s Forest Health and Wellness Homestay.”
2. Prominent aquatic tourism resources Longgan Lake covers an area of approximately 0.1 square kilometers and integrates family-friendly recreation, water-based activities, and educational research into one destination. The lake area boasts prominent advantages in aquatic tourism resources, with significant potential and value for tourism development.
3. Abundant cultural and tourism resources The Longganhu Scenic Area boasts abundant cultural and tourism resources related to lantern opera. Here, there is a professional lantern opera performance troupe led by Meng Yongxiang, an inheritor of intangible cultural heritage and the ninth-generation descendant of Enshi lantern opera. With the joint efforts of the inheritors and the local government, lantern opera culture has continued to thrive and be passed down. Villagers actively participate in learning and performing lantern opera, ensuring that this traditional culture remains vibrant in rural life. In addition, the Longganhu Scenic Area has created the “Lantern Opera Tea Village” stage, providing a platform for lantern opera performances and attracting numerous tourists to come and enjoy them. The cultural activities within the scenic area are not limited to lantern opera alone; they also include a variety of artistic performances and engaging games. These activities enrich the tourist experience and enhance the appeal of local culture. With its unique lantern opera culture and enchanting natural scenery, the Longganhu Scenic Area has become a charming tourist destination. Here, visitors can not only appreciate traditional lantern opera performances and experience the folk customs of the Tujia ethnic group but also savor the tranquil rural lifestyle and breathtaking natural landscapes—a perfect blend of cultural immersion and eco-tourism.
4. Excellent combination of tourism resources Tourist resources are distributed along both banks of Longgan Lake, with naturally pristine sightseeing and rural leisure activities organically integrated spatially. The water surface is vast and breathtakingly beautiful, the forests are lush and verdant, and the ecological environment is excellent.
5. Excellent ecological environment The area features a subtropical monsoon humid mountain climate characterized by mild temperatures, distinct four seasons, and warm winters with cool summers. The annual average temperature is 18°C, and the annual precipitation amounts to 1,400 millimeters. The scenic area has an average elevation of 900 meters, with a forest coverage rate reaching 85%. The concentration of negative oxygen ions is as high as 2,690 ions/cm³, and the average summer temperature is 25°C. During the development process, we have put into practice the philosophy that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," adopting a conservation-oriented approach to rural tourism development. This approach has enabled us to largely preserve the traditional ecological characteristics of rural areas while also enhancing and beautifying the rural landscape, thus building beautiful countryside communities.