Yangtze Three Gorges: Visit Ancient Sites Hidden Under the Dam

Author: Xu Jiaguo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The Yangtze Three Gorges, each with its unique charm and wonder: Qutang Gorge is majestic, Wuxia Gorge is elegant, and Xiling Gorge is perilous, together forming a magnificent and spectacular scroll. Qutang Gorge is characterized by its towering and steep mountains, with cliffs on both banks hanging high and sharply descending, as if carved by an axe. Some peaks reach as high as 1,500 meters. The cliffs between the rivers are extremely narrow, making the river width no more than 100 meters, and in the narrowest places, only dozens of meters. Among them, Kuimen Mountain is particularly majestic and is known as the "Greatest Pass Under Heaven," with the five characters "Kuimen is the Greatest Under Heaven" inscribed on the cliff. Beyond the mountain's grandeur, Qutang's water is also "majestic," as it "locks the water of the entire Sichuan Basin and controls the throat of Bashu." A poem describes it as "All waters gather at Fuwan, Qutang competes for one gate." Here, the river water becomes swift and turbulent, creating a magnificent spectacle. Qing Dynasty poet He Mingli once wrote a poem that perfectly captures the "majesty" of Qutang's landscape: "Kuimen connects as a single line, strange stones pierce the flowing water. Peaks connect with the sky, boats travel through the earth's gullet." Kuimen is also known as Qutang Pass. The high mountains on both sides of the river form a gate for the Yangtze River as it enters the Three Gorges from the Sichuan Basin. The high mountains on both sides of the river are named "Baiyan Mountain" in the south and "Chiji Mountain" in the north, rising abruptly from the ground and soaring into the clouds. Near the riverbanks, the cliffs stand vertically, as if man-made gates. Baiyan Mountain is named after the calcium-rich water solutions adhering to the rocks, giving it a white salt-like appearance. Chiji Mountain is named after the iron oxide-rich water solutions that adhere to the weathered rock layers, turning the mountain's soil and stones red, as if a person is bare-backed. Across the river, one is dressed in red while the other is in white, creating a spectacular scene. Both mountains are limestone, and long-term wind and rain erosion have left the cliffs as if they were carved by knives, forming beautiful fragments of landscapes. The sheer cliffs facing the river, though barren, display various colors, which, when illuminated by morning light, evening glow, and moonlight, create scenic wonders such as "Chiji's Sunny Glow," "Baiyan's Dawn Color," and "Kuimen's Autumn Moon." Du Fu once wrote a poem praising these red and white mountains: "Red Chiji and white Baiyan pierce the sky, streets and houses winding up to the mountain peaks. Maple and orange trees in red and green, double roads and golden towers hang like brocade." Here, the river is only about 100 meters wide, tightly compressing the vast river into a, yet the flow often reaches as much as 50,000 cubic meters per second. "All waters gather at Fuwan, Qutang competes for one gate," Du Fu's use of the word "competes" vividly portrays the powerful water flow of Kuimen. After the cruise ship exits Qutang Gorge, if you walk to the back of the ship and look up, the panoramic view of Kuimen's majestic scenery will be before your eyes. This is the best angle for taking photos. Today, the stone walls by the river still bear Sun Yuanli's ten large regular script characters: "Kuimen is the Greatest Under Heaven, warships and planes pass lightly." Li Duanhao's seal carving "Great Kuimen" and regular script "Kuimen · Qutang" are still clearly visible. Wuxia Gorge is deep, mysterious, and exquisitely beautiful. The peaks on both banks are tall and elegant, with shades of dark green; ancient trees and vines thrive among the rocks; waterfalls and springs cascade from the cliffs. The river twists and turns in the gorge, creating a sense of "meandering water leading to secluded places." The most famous sight in Wuxia Gorge is the twelve peaks of Wushan. Among them, the most enchanting is the Goddess Peak. She stands by the river, with her peak often shrouded in clouds and mist, and light rain, making it feel as if one's clothes are about to get wet, yet refreshing upon touching. The green peaks and cliffs in the clouds and rain resemble a traditional Chinese landscape painting with varying shades of ink. The beauty of Wushan's clouds and rain is best described by Tang Dynasty poet Yuan Zhen: "Having seen the vast sea, nothing else compares to the clouds of Wushan." Famous attractions in Wuxia Gorge include the Three Platforms, Eight Scenes, Twelve Peaks, and Zhuge Liang's Stele: The Three Platforms are the Chu, the Book-Giving Platform, and the Dragon-Slaying Platform; the Eight Scenes are the Spring Morning at Nanling, the Sunset Reflection, the Ning River Evening Crossing, the Fishing at Qingxi, the Autumn Moon at Clear Pool, the Zen Temple at Xiu Peak, the Maiden's Viewstone, and the Morning Clouds and Evening Rain; the Twelve Peaks are the Holy Spring Peak, the Dragon-Rising Peak, the Cloud-Seeing Peak, the Goddess Peak, the Pine Ridge Peak, the Flying Phoenix Peak, the Green Screen Peak, the Gathering Crane Peak, the Pure Cloud Peak, the Rising Cloud Peak, the Ascending Peak, and the Gathering Immortal Peak. The Goddess Peak, also known as the Dawn Cloud Peak, is located about 15 kilometers east of Wushan County on the northern bank of the Yangtze River. A giant stone stands prominently among the green peaks and clouds, resembling a graceful and beautiful young woman, hence the name Goddess Peak. The ancients said, "The peaks rise to the heavens, the mountain base plunges into the river, and none of the mountains like Tai, Hua, Heng, and Lu can match this wonder." Whenever the peak is shrouded in clouds and mist, the humanoid stone pillar appears as if draped in a light veil, further enhancing its gentle and charming appearance. Every day, it welcomes the brilliant morning glow and sends off the splendid evening glow, hence the name "Dawn Cloud Peak." Xiling Gorge is known for its numerous rapids and swift currents. Among them, the Xiaitan, Qingtan, and Kongling rapids are the three most famous dangerous rapids in the Three Gorges. In the past, sailing through them was perilous, with boats and people often lost. After the founding of the People's Republic, the navigation channel was improved through years of regulation. Additionally, after the Gezhouba Project's water storage, the backwater extended for 100 kilometers, the water level rose, and the dangerous rapids and rocks sank into the riverbed, no longer posing a threat. Kongling Rapid is in Kongling Gorge, with cliffs on both banks and rapid currents, making it difficult to tow boats. It is also known as "Kongling," meaning "clear the peak first, then pass." In the past, the rapids were dangerous and the currents swift, with dense rocks, including the famous "Twenty-Four Pearls." Among them, the "Great Pearl" stone beam is about 220 meters long, 40 meters wide, and 15 meters high, projecting from the water like a tiger lying in the river. It is joined by the "Second Pearl" and "Third Pearl," forming a trio of linked stones. Below them, the rocks and reefs are jagged and sharp, like swords, making the navigation channel winding and narrow, with fierce waves. A slight mistake in sailing could cause the boat to run aground and sink. The folk saying goes, "Qingtan and Xiaitan are not rapids, Kongling is the ghost gate." Thus, it is known as the most dangerous rapid in the Yangtze Three Gorges. The peaks on both banks are layered and lush, surrounded by clouds and green, with waterfalls and springs flowing, snow and pearls splashing, and mountains filled with orange groves, green leaves and golden fruits, creating a colorful and beautiful scene. The Yangtze Three Gorges Scenic Area is a national-level tourist scenic spot that combines sightseeing, scientific research, cultural heritage, art appreciation, folk customs, and architectural studies. Scattered throughout the area are attractions such as the Fuling Zhouyi Garden, the Underwater Stone Inscriptions of Baiheliang, Fengdu Mountain, the "Jade Pearl of the River," Shibaosi, Zhang Fei Temple, the "Literary and Artistic Land" Zhang Fei Temple, the "Three Kingdoms Relics" White Emperor City, the Eight Trigrams, Qu Yuan Temple, the Ancient Huangling Temple, and the Three Tourists' Cave, among many others. The Yangtze Three Gorges not only have the existing Gezhouba Dam but also the world's largest hydropower project, the Three Gorges Dam, under construction. These new cultural landmarks, along with the original natural scenery, create a spectacular new landscape in the Yangtze Three Gorges.