Daning River - Little Three Gorges

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Little Three Gorges, Daning River

Daning River comes from the Daba Mountain area and flows into Yangtze River through east Wushan County, it runs about 250 kilometers and is a big tributary of Yangtze River. The landscapes along the river are different from the Three Gorges of Yangtze River, it has its own quiet and secluded style. People called "Little Three Gorges" because of the elegant peaks, and steep shoals and the graceful stones.

People say: It is a great pity to miss the Daning River, when you visit the Three Gorges. Actually, the river has great many attractions, little three gorges are Longmen Gorge, Tieguan Gorge and Dicui Gorge. Little Three Gorges stretch about 60 kilometers from south to north, its start from "Wu Shan County" and ends at "Dachang Ancient City". The scenery in the part of the river is famous for its lofty mountains and clear rapid water.

Longmen Gorge is the first of the three, and is about 3 kilometers long. While entering the gorge suddenly the river flow, go in to a narrow path, sandwiched by precipices on both sides rising into the sky, which form a huge rock gate. It looks very much like "Kueimen" ("Gate Kui") of Qutang Gorge, so people called it "Little Kueimen".

There is a spring falls into the river through the northern cliff, they named it "Longmen Spring". Yon can also see the historical remains of ancient roads from the western precipices.

Leaving the Longmen Gorge, you will find the river gets much steeper you are at the famous shoal "Yinwotan". Immediate after is Bawu Gorge, also known as Tieguan Gorge, the gorge is about 10 kilometers long with a series of strange rocks on both sides of the gorge.

They look like animal status, nature made rock status; some rock looks like dragon, some look like tiger, horse and monkey. Towards the eastside of the river, there is a black coffin being hung about 4 or 5 meters high over the river between the cliff crack. Archaeologists say that belonged to the Bashu people in the Warring States (403 ~ 222B.C.) period and local called it Tieguancai, means iron coffin, this is why the gorge is called "Tieguan Gorge".

Dicui Gorge is the longest and most charming of all three, it runs more then 20 kilometers with stalactites, bamboo grove and big old trees along the way. Traveling through the gorge is such enjoyment, it refresh your soul.

People who had visited always mentioned: The monkeys, playing, climbing in the woods, they runs after each others, sometimes siting on top of the rocks staring at you, they entertain the guests. Part of a famous poem written by one of the China best-loved poet Li Bai, "…the voice of the monkeys on both riverbanks will never end", can also be used to describe the views along the Dicui Gorge. Besides the monkeys, you can also find a great many wonderful things: the steep cliffs rising into the sky, the Shui Lian cave, the Hong Ping Cui Lian, the Guanmen Rock and so on.