The morning mist of the Wuling Mountains drifts over the thousand-peak stone forest. Beneath the dome of Lichuan’s Tenglong Cave, a grand narrative is about to unfold—one where landscape and light intertwine, driving the upgrade of the cultural tourism industry.

The Enshi Daughter’s Festival, carrying the charm of Tujia and Miao cultures, will converge with the second China Screenwriters Week and the 2025 Enshi Love Film Festival promotion event, focused on visual storytelling, in the “cool city” of Lichuan.

This grand event is not only a practice of the “new paradigm of cultural and tourism integration” but also marks the first time a national-level film and television event has been held in the central and western mountainous regions, signaling Enshi’s “culture-tourism + film” strategy entering a new phase of high-quality development.

Epic Landscapes Through the Lens

Enshi’s extraordinary peaks and beautiful waters are a natural stage for light and shadow. Its globally rare karst landform resources—featuring “one mountain, two rivers, and three landforms”—create a natural setting for fantasy and sci-fi films:

The hundred-mile cliffs of the Enshi Grand Canyon provided the backdrop for the poetic worlds of “The Assassin” and “Once Upon a Time,” making it one of China’s top ten film and television internet-famous check-in spots in 2024.

Enshi Grand Canyon.

Lichuan’s Tenglong Cave, the largest cavern in Asia, supported the mystical worlds of “The Wrath of the Xiangxi” and “Journey to the Center of the Earth.”

The 98% forest coverage of Xingdou Mountain makes it a green base for ecological themes. Tujia stilted buildings and Miao Nuo culture further imbue various film and television works with a mysterious quality.

In recent years, local creative forces in Enshi have produced 43 film works, eight of which have won national awards, building a multidimensional structure of “theatrical films + online films + microfilms.”

This unique landscape has attracted dozens of film and television productions, elevating the Wuling secret realm to a “Chinese fantasy film and television shooting paradise.” From the echoes of gunfire in “Blood Oath” in the canyon to the cruise ship sailing through Wu Gorge in “Sailing Over Love,” film and television narratives have become vivid annotations of Enshi’s natural beauty.

Deep integration with film and television is quietly transforming the tourism experience. Xuanen’s Xianshan Gongshui night tour combines light art with live water performances, leading to a rapid year-on-year increase in nighttime visitors. The hand-waving dance featured on “Zhengda Variety Show” ignited a consumption boom. At the cliff hotel in Jianshi’s Dixin Valley, looping screenings of locally shot film and television content have become a clever way to extend visitors’ stays. Xuanen’s Pengjiazhai stilted buildings, featured in “Embrace Again,” saw a surge in tourism searches, with the film IP evolving into a cultural link that connects the “Qinglong Gorge” tourism corridor.

The “filming location effect” has further catalyzed industrial chain upgrades. After the online series “The Wrath of the Xiangxi” aired, bookings for Lichuan’s Tenglong Cave and surrounding boutique homestays surged fourfold week-on-week. Following the popularity of the TV series “Blood Oath,” Enshi’s homestay clusters experienced a qualitative explosive growth. Lichuan’s Maoba Tea Garden became a recommended base for film and television shoots, driving a sharp increase in the premium value of “Lenghouhun” black tea. Light and shadow are illuminating a new path for shared prosperity in the Wuling Mountain region’s cultural tourism.

Enshi’s Accelerated Development in All-For-One Tourism

Enshi’s cultural tourism upgrade is clearly reflected in the data. “9.15 million!”—Ctrip’s destination heat index for the first half of this year indicates strong momentum, with a 14.4% year-on-year growth rate, steadily ranking second in Hubei. The quality and efficiency of inbound tourism confirm an international breakthrough: foreign visitor numbers increased by 25.66%, and spending rose by 16.7%, with experts praising it as a “new benchmark for Chinese mountain tourism.”

Each county and city leverages its unique endowments, forming a differentiated pattern:

Lichuan City has refined its wellness and residential tourism brand based on its ecological climate, with summer homestays in the Sumadang

Wuling Mountains

The Wuling Mountains are a scenic mountain range in south-central China, historically significant as the home of the ancient Ba people and a region of strategic importance. Today, they are renowned for their dramatic karst landscapes, deep gorges, and status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site within the Wulingyuan Scenic Area.

Tenglong Cave

Tenglong Cave is a massive karst cave system located in Hubei Province, China, renowned for its underground river and enormous entrance. Historically, it has been a significant natural landmark, with its subterranean passages having been explored and used by local populations for centuries. The cave’s name, which translates to “Soaring Dragon Cave,” reflects its grand scale and the awe it has inspired throughout its history.

Enshi Grand Canyon

The Enshi Grand Canyon is a spectacular geological formation in Hubei Province, China, renowned for its towering karst cliffs, deep ravines, and lush forests. It was formed over millions of years through erosion and tectonic activity, with its history deeply intertwined with the local Tujia and Miao ethnic cultures. Today, it is a major natural attraction, featuring breathtaking landmarks like the “One-Line Sky” fissure and the “Cloudy Bridge.”

Xingdou Mountain

Xingdou Mountain is a scenic and culturally significant mountain located in Hubei Province, China, renowned for its lush forests, unique rock formations, and ancient temples. It has a long history as a sacred site in Taoism, with many of its temples and religious structures dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Today, it remains a popular destination for both pilgrimage and ecotourism, celebrated for its natural beauty and spiritual heritage.

Tujia stilted buildings

Tujia stilted buildings, known as Diaojiaolou, are traditional wooden houses built on stilts, a distinctive architectural style of the Tujia people in southern China. Historically constructed to adapt to the mountainous terrain and humid climate, they provide ventilation and protect against floods and wild animals. This ancient building technique, passed down for centuries, remains a vital symbol of Tujia cultural identity.

Miao Nuo culture

Miao Nuo culture refers to the ancient Nuo religious practices and rituals of the Miao ethnic group in China, which are a form of shamanistic folk belief aimed at exorcising evil spirits and praying for good fortune. This tradition, with a history stretching back thousands of years, is preserved through dramatic masked dances and ceremonial performances. It represents a vital part of the Miao people’s intangible cultural heritage, reflecting their spiritual worldview and social history.

Xianshan Gongshui

Xianshan Gongshui is a temple complex in Taiwan dedicated to the Buddhist goddess Guanyin. Its history dates back to the 18th century when a statue of the goddess was discovered at the site, leading to its establishment as a place of worship. It is renowned for its beautiful mountain setting and is a significant pilgrimage destination.

Pengjiazhai stilted buildings

The Pengjiazhai stilted buildings are a traditional architectural complex of the Tujia ethnic minority, located in Hunan Province, China. Historically built on wooden stilts to adapt to the mountainous terrain and protect against animals and humidity, these multi-story structures date back centuries. They represent a significant cultural heritage, showcasing the Tujia people’s unique building techniques and communal way of life.