Changsha – One of the happiest cities in China, Chairman Mao’s hometown.

Changsha Huanghua International Airport was built in 1986 and was put into operation in 1989. It has become the largest airport in Hunan Province and one of the major domestic airports in China. It has an annual transport capacity surpassing ten million passengers. The airport serves more than 100 regular flight routes to 73 cities at home and abroad. There are 31 Chinese and foreign airline companies operating in this airport, including China Southern Airlines, Xiamen Airline Co, and OKAIR.

Public bus routes serve all parts of the city and its suburbs and there is a choice of ordinary buses or those with air-conditioner. Fares are CNY1or 2. The Hong Kong based Lishan Bus line operates a service between the railway station in the east of the city and Central South University via the famous Mount Yuelu but we would recommend that your best choice is the air conditioned vehicles as they are far more comfortable in the hot weather.

Situated in the river valley along the lower part of Xiang River, Changsha's summer comes around the later May with high heat and heavy humidity. The sweltering days of July and August are particularly stifling. Changsha's winter comes around November bringing little sunlight and heavy fogs. Although it is reported that the average temperature in winter is about five degrees, the winter days in Changsha can be severely cold as those in the northern China cities due to the great humidity carried by the river winds from Xiangjiang River.

Rice vermicelli are thin noodles made from rice and are a form of rice noodles. They are sometimes referred to as rice noodles or rice sticks, but they should not be confused with cellophane noodles, which is an Asian type of vermicelli not made from rice.

Stinky tofu or chou doufu is a form of fermented tofu that has a strong odour. It is a snack that is usually sold at night markets or roadside stands or as a side dish in lunch bars rather than in restaurants. Unlike cheese, stinky tofu fermentation does not have a fixed formula for starter bacteria; wide regional and individual variations exist in manufacture and preparation.

Mawangdui Han Tombs found in the eastern suburb of Changsha, which is a family graveyard from the early Han Dynasty. The most fantastic historical relic should be the well-preserved mummified remains of a Western Han Dynasty woman excavated from the tombs. Some of thousands of relics unearthed include silk products, paintings, lacquer works, potteries, bamboo slips used for writing, weapons and herbs, all of which are exhibited in Hunan Provincial Museum.

Mt. Shaoshan, about 130 kilometers south-west of Changsha, is the hometown of Chairman Mao Zedong. Today, the village has become a memorial place for Chinese people to remember this extraordinary man. People erected a statue of the Chairman and have preserved the houses he lived as a tourist site. A museum and other memorial spots in the scenic area create a kind of solemn atmosphere. Many Chinese come to pay respect and visit here during the memorial days.