Abstract: Located in the Five Streams of the Middle Land,Western Hunan is inhabited by many nationalities such as Tujia, Miao, Dong and Han. Its culture, with the local civilization as the bottom, the Chu and Ba civilization as the mainstream, and the Han civilization as the wave, is diversi fied as well as integrated, and is the living fossil for studying the ancient cul ture, especially the ancient Chu and Wu culture.

Key words: Western Hunan, five streams, culture, source and course