The Dehang Grand Canyon cuts through the mountains at Aizhai town west of Jishou, the capital of the Xiangxi prefecture. The gorge, the Aizhai Bridge that spans it 336 metres overhead and Shibadong village over the ridge form one graded scenic area, listed 5A in 2021. The valley belongs to the peoples the prefecture is named for — Jishou's population divides roughly into thirds of Tujia, Miao and Han, and its Miao residents still speak the Xiangxi dialect of their language. The canyon is the prefecture's clearest single image of what its geography means: deep water-cut gorges under high engineered crossings.
The Dehang gorge at Jishou runs under the Aizhai suspension bridge and beside Miao and Tujia villages, bundled into a 5A scenic area with Shibadong. The visit now runs from the engineering of the deck down to the water.