Collection of China NO:04 Yangtze Three Gorges

Author: Xu Jiaguo
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-01-01
Features: When the Yangtze River flows through the eastern edge of the Sichuan Basin, it cuts through towering mountains and carves a magnificent and unparalleled scenic tourist area—the Three Gorges Scenic Area. The Three Gorges Scenic Area refers to the total length of the Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, and Xiling Gorge. It stretches from Baidicheng in Fengjie in the west to Nanjingguan in Yichang City in the east, covering a total length of 192 kilometers, commonly known as the "Great Three Gorges." The Yangtze Three Gorges, each with its unique characteristics and wonders: Qutang Gorge is majestic, Wu Gorge is elegant, and Xiling Gorge is perilous, collectively forming a spectacular and magnificent 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 riverbanks are extremely narrow, making the river width no more than 100 meters, with the narrowest section only dozens of meters wide. 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 flow is also "majestic," as it "controls the water of the entire Sichuan Basin and," with a poem describing it as "All waters gather at Fuwan, Qutang competes for one gate." Here, the water becomes swift and turbulent, creating a spectacular scene.
The Qing Dynasty poet He Mingli aptly captured the "majesty" of Qutang's landscape with a poem: "Kuimen opens as a single line, strange stones pierce the flowing water. Peaks connect with the sky, boats sail through the earth's gullet." Kuimen is also known as Kuimenguan. The high mountains on both banks stand tall and close to the river, serving as the gateway for the Yangtze River entering the Three Gorges. The mountains on both sides of Kuimen 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 naturally crafted as a grand gate. Baiyan Mountain is named after the calcium-rich water solutions adhering to its rocks, giving it a white salt-like appearance. Chiji Mountain, on the other hand, is named because iron oxide-rich water solutions adhere to its weathered rock layers, turning the soil and rocks red, as if a person is bare-backed. Opposite each other across the river, one is dressed in red, the other in white, creating a breathtaking 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 of grass, display diverse colors, which, when illuminated by morning light, evening clouds, and moonlight, create scenic wonders such as "Chiji's Bright Dawn," "Baiyan's Morning Glow," 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,
Homes twist around the peaks.
Maple and orange trees in red and green,
Double roads and golden pavilions hang."
Here, the river is only about 100 meters wide, tightly compressing the vast river into a gully-like passage, yet the flow often reaches as much as 50,000 cubic meters per second. Du Fu's use of the word "compete" vividly captures the powerful water flow of Kuimen. When a ship sails out of Qutang Gorge's western exit, if you stand at the back of the boat and look up, the panoramic view of Kuimen's majestic scenery unfolds before you. This is the best angle for taking a photograph. Today, the stone walls by the river still bear Sun Yuanli's ten large calligraphy characters: "Kuimen is the Greatest under Heaven, ships and planes pass lightly." Li Duanhao's seal carving "Kuimen is Great" and his calligraphy "Kuimen · Qutang" are still clearly visible.
Wu Gorge is deep, mysterious, and exquisitely beautiful, with peaks on both banks towering elegantly and the mountain colors dark like ink. Ancient trees and green vines thrive among the rocks, and waterfalls and springs cascade from the cliffs. The river twists and turns within the gorge, creating a "curved water leading to tranquility" feeling as boats navigate through it. The most renowned sight in Wu Gorge is undoubtedly the Twelve Peaks of Wushan. Among them, the Goddess Peak is the most captivating. Standing by the river, its peak is often shrouded in clouds and mist, with light rain making the clothes damp yet refreshing. The green peaks and cliffs in the mist resemble a traditional Chinese landscape painting in shades of ink and color. The beauty of the Wushan clouds and rain is captured by the Tang Dynasty poet Yuan Zhen:
"Having seen the vast sea, nothing else compares,
Except for the clouds of Wushan are not the same."
Famous attractions in Wu 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 Southling Dawn, Sunset Reflection, Ning River Evening Crossing, Qingxi Fishing, Clear Pool Autumn Moon, Elegant Peak Temple, Maiden's View Stone, and Morning Cloud Evening Rain; the Twelve Peaks are Shengquan Peak, Denglong Peak, Chaoyun Peak, Goddess Peak, Songliao Peak, Feifeng Peak, Cuiping Peak, Juheshan Peak, Jingyun Peak, Qiyun Peak, Shangsheng Peak, and Juxian Peak. Goddess Peak, also known as Wangxia Peak, is located about 15 kilometers east of Wushan County on the northern bank of the river. A giant stone stands prominently among the green peaks and clouds, resembling a graceful and beautiful young woman, hence its name.“，，、、、”. Whenever clouds and mist swirl around the peak, the humanoid stone pillar appears as if draped in a light veil, further enhancing its tender and charming allure. Every day, it welcomes the brilliant morning glow and bids farewell to the splendid evening glow, hence the name "Wangxia Peak."
Xiling Gorge is known for its numerous rapids and swift currents. Among them, Xietan, Qingtan, and Konglingtan are the three most famous dangerous rapids in the Three Gorges. In the past, sailing through them was perilous, with frequent shipwrecks and casualties. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the navigation channel was improved through years of renovation. Additionally, after the Gezhouba Project's water storage, the backflow extended over a hundred kilometers, raising the water level and causing the dangerous rapids and rocks to sink into the riverbed, no longer posing a threat. Konglingtan is located in Kongling Gorge, with cliffs on both banks towering and, making it extremely difficult to tow boats. The saying "Clear the peak first, then pass" gives it the name "Kongling." In the past, the rapids here were treacherous and the rocks dense, with the most famous being the "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. Together with the nearby "Second Pearl" and "Third Pearl," they are known as the "Three Pearls in a Row." 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 lead to hitting the reefs and sinking. The folk saying goes: "Qingtan and Xietan are not dangerous rapids, Kongling is the ghost gate." Thus, it is considered the most dangerous rapid in the Three Gorges.
The peaks on both banks are layered and lush, surrounded by clouds and greenery, with waterfalls and springs flowing, snow-like splashes, and lush orange groves with green leaves and golden fruits, creating a colorful and beautiful landscape.
The Three Gorges Scenic Area is a national-level tourist scenic area that combines sightseeing, scientific research, cultural heritage, art appreciation, folk customs, and architectural studies. Scattered throughout the area are numerous attractions such as Fuлин's Zhouyi Garden, the underwater stone inscriptions of Baiheliang, Fengdu Mountain, the "Jade Pearl of the River," Shibao Pagoda, Zhang Fei Temple (known as the "Literary and Artistic Land"), the "Three Kingdoms Remains" Baidicheng, the Eight Trigrams, Qu Yuan's Temple, the Ancient Huangling Temple, and the Three Tourists' Cave, as well as Nanjingguan.
In addition to the already completed Gezhouba Dam, the Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydropower project, is under construction. These new cultural landmarks, when combined with the original natural scenery, create a magnificent new landscape in the Three Gorges.