For many people, the first glimpse of Pandora in Avatar felt almost impossible to process. Mountains drifted through the sky, suspended above clouds and connected by forests hanging in mid-air. The landscape looked like pure fantasy, the sort of place that could only exist inside a visual effects studio.
Yet the roots of that vision lie in a very real corner of central China. Hidden among the mountains of Hunan Province is a landscape so unusual that even photographs can seem misleading. Vast stone pillars rise from the earth in clusters, disappearing into mist and cloud. On some mornings, only their upper reaches are visible, giving the impression that entire mountains have detached themselves from the ground. According to the BBC, the dramatic scenery of Zhangjiajie became widely associated with the floating Hallelujah Mountains seen in Avatar, transforming a once lesser-known destination into one of China's most recognised natural attractions.
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!
