Cultural Site
Dayong Town
Zhangjiajie, China
2-3 hours
About
Located in downtown Yongding District of Zhangjiajie, Dayong Ancient City restores the layout of the ancient Dayong Wei city from the Ming Dynasty, covering over 160,000 square meters with clusters of wooden Tujia stilt buildings. The whole pedestrian block is open to tourists free of charge, featuring themed streets for Hunan TV variety shows, folk craft workshops for Tujia brocade and batik, local Xiangxi food stalls, waterfront viewing platforms and interactive folk NPC performances. Core paid optional projects include the immersive live show Meet Dayong, flying cinema, river cruise and DIY handcraft experiences. After sunset, riverside lanterns, dragon boat parades and iron flower shows light up the ancient city, forming the most popular night tourism landmark in central Zhangjiajie.
Travel Tips
- The whole block has fully flat barrier-free walkways, suitable for wheelchairs, strollers and elderly visitors with limited mobility.
- The riverside wind-and-rain bridge is the best photography spot for lantern reflections on the Lishui River after dusk.
- A full range of authentic local snacks are available, including Tujia cured meat, wild berry tea and mixed grain tofu.
- Fixed-time folk performances, dragon boat parades and iron flower shows are held every night, check the daily schedule at the visitor center in advance.
- Weekends and holidays have large crowds; visit on weekdays to take unobstructed photos without crowds.
Facilities
ParkingPhotography Allowed
AdmissionFree Entry
Opening Hours
Mon10:00 - 22:00
Tue10:00 - 22:00
Wed10:00 - 22:00
Thu10:00 - 22:00
Fri10:00 - 22:00
Sat10:00 - 22:00
Sun10:00 - 22:00
Best Time to Visit
17:00–21:30 for lantern lightingriver night views and regular folk performances.