Treasure the Ancient Three Gorges - Savor the New Three Gorges - The Magical Three Gorges

Author: Zhang Lixian / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: After the boat exits the Xiling Gorge, it sails through a section of the wide valley before entering another ancient city in the Yangtze Three Gorges, Bading. Bading was historically known as Xingling Commandery and was named after its location in the eastern part of the Daba Mountains and the former Bading Commandery. In the first year of the Jingping era of the Southern Song Dynasty (423 AD), it was established as Guixiang County, separating from Zigui. In the 18th year of the Kaigang era of the Sui Dynasty (598 AD), it was renamed Bading County, and it has a history of over 1,500 years. Before the Shang Dynasty, Bading belonged to the Benge State, and during the Qin and Han dynasties, it was part of Wu County. In the early Three Kingdoms period, it was part of Shu's Bading Commandery. During the Yuan Dynasty, it belonged to Gui Prefecture, and in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, it was part of Yichang Prefecture. In 1932, it was assigned to Shishan Prefecture and now belongs to Enshi Prefecture.
The Wu Gorge begins at Guodu Port in Bading County and ends at Dachu River in Wushan County, spanning 42 kilometers. It is named after Wushan Mountain. The Wu Gorge is renowned for its deep and beautiful scenery, with a variety of landscapes and outstanding natural beauty. The gorge is often shrouded in clouds and mist year-round, with light rain, making it easy to form the magical sight of the "Wushan Rain Clouds." The deep gorge, long valleys, towering peaks, winding river, and countless twists create a gallery of breathtaking beauty, filled with poetic charm and wonder. The Tang Dynasty poet Yuan Jie once wrote: "Having seen the vast sea, nothing else compares; except for the clouds of Wushan, no clouds are the same." This shows that the Wushan Rain Clouds are the crown of all clouds in the world.
Bading is famous not only for the famous line "The Wu Gorge in the Bading Three Gorges is long, and the cry of the monkeys makes one's sleeves wet with tears" but also for a famous figure. This figure is Kou Zun, a renowned prime minister of the Northern Song Dynasty. Originally from Shanxi, Kou Zun was appointed as the county magistrate of Bading at the age of 19. During his three years in office, he wrote over a hundred poems and articles. He built Fengqiu Pavilion in the old county seat, about 40 kilometers from the current Bading County seat, where he often admired the scenery, composed poems, and drank wine. Later, Kou Zun became a prime minister, and Fengqiu Pavilion gained great fame. Subsequent county magistrates of Bading would always visit Fengqiu Pavilion for a drink and a poem before taking office, hoping for success in their official careers. Scholars and artists who visited Bading also highly valued Fengqiu Pavilion, often composing poems, playing chess, and painting there.
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