Hunan University

Hunan University, where the China-Japan Symposium on Visual Computing will take place, is a key university affiliated with China’s Ministry of Education and is included in China’s “211 Project” and “985 Project”. It ranks in the top 30 among China’s higher education institutions in the field of research. Hunan University is a comprehensive university with 23 colleges, 4,700 faculty and staff and 30,000 students (of whom 11,000 are graduate students). The university attaches great importance to international cooperation and exchange, and has built cooperative ties with more than 104 universities and research establishments. More than 1,000 international students, from over 40 countries, are studying in the University (as of March 2011).

Yuelu Academy

Yuelu Academy, the origin of Hunan University, was founded in 976 A.D., and has been a famous institution of higher learning as well as a center of academic activity and culture. Surviving the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, Yuelu Academy was converted to Hunan Institute of Higher Learning in 1903, and then successively to Hunan Normal College and Hunan Public Polytechnic School, and was finally named Hunan University in 1926. Having witnessed an unbroken history of more than one thousand years, Hunan University is therefore called a “one-thousand-year-old academy”. The historical transformation from Yuelu Academy to Hunan University epitomizes the development of China’s higher education, which mirrors the vicissitudes of China’s education system.

Hunan Provincial Museum

Hunan Provincial Museum is located in Changsha City's Kaifu District, and covers an area of 51,000 square meters. The museum boasts abundant collections featuring cultural relics from the world-famous Mawangdui Tombs of the Han Dynasty, bronze ware of the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, cultural relics of the Chu Dynasty, and pottery, porcelain, calligraphy and paintings from various dynasties. It is listed as one of eight National Foremost Museums, and was co-constructed by central and local governments.

Zhangjiajie

Zhangjiajie is situated in the northwest of Hunan province, at the juncture of Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and Dongting Lake. The most characteristic feature is the quartz sandstone landform, of which very few examples exist in the world. There are mountains overlooking the city and many abrupt peaks and gorges. The highest peak is about 1890 meters above sea level, and the lowest point about 75 meters. Its spectacular natural scenery has fascinated countless visitors from all over the world.