Yangtze River Three Gorges, China

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Three Gorges

Sanxia, or Three Gorges is the most spectacular section of the great Yangtze River.

Three Gorges earned its fame and draws thousand of visitors each year for its breathtaking scenery, awesome peaks and narrow gorges. Three Gorges is located in Sichuan and Hubei Province and stretch between the City of Chongqing and Yichang.

Qutang Gorge, Wuxia Gorge and the Xiling Gorge collectively known as Three Gorges.

Qutang Gorge

Qutang Gorge also known as Kueixia. This gorge is about 8 kilometers long and in height the walls are about 1500 meters, stretching from Baidi in the west, to Daxi in Wushan County in the east, which created a colossal and a natural gateway over the Yangtze River, "grandeur" is the impression here.

This gorge is famous for its magnificent and precipitous, and it is the shortest and narrowest of the three. The walls of this gorge are so steep it give one the feeling of prodigious workmanship, this part of gorge is also called "Kueimen" meaning gate of a bizarre monster.

This section of the river surges and roars in to the narrow gorge, and its awesome peaks gives the illusion of traveling through a deep underground cave. One of China's best-known and best-loved poets Li Bai wrote:

Leaving at dawn the town of Baidi crowned with cloud,
I've sailed a thousand miles through canyons in a day.
From both banks of the river, the gibbons' howling never stops,
But the light boat has already passed ten thousand layered peaks.

Phoenix Spring, Meng-Liang ladder, Fen-Pi Wall, Upside down monk, suspended coffin in Fu-Hsiang Gorge, both riverbanks are fill with historic marks, many places are worth it to stop by and visit.

Wuxia Gorge

Being the most beautiful of the three gorges is the Wuxia Gorge.

From the west it stretches across Daning River in Wushan County, to Badon in Wushan County in the east, "elegant" is the gorge's image. Wuxia is about 40 kilometers long, its deep valleys and beauty, drag people's mind into another world of wonder.

On both side of the banks there are many impressive scenery, the famous Twelve Peaks of Mount Wushan are located there. Among them, the Goddess Peak is the most exquisite. Towards the east of the Twelve Peaks of Mount Wushan there is a large cairn "Wuxia Thousand Layered Peaks", people believe it's done by Kong Ming who is a patriotic hero from the Three States period. Today this large white cairn is also known as "Kong Ming Pi".

Xiling Gorge

Xiling Gorge the longest of the three, stretches from the Xiangxi stream in Zigui County to the Nanjin Pass in Yichang, running total of 76 kilometers, Xiling Gorge is known for its rapids and shoals, it give the impression of "dangerous".

The three most famous shoals of the Yangtze River are the Xintan, the Xietan and the Kongling. Perilous cliffs, raging water, rough reefs characterize this gorge. An old poem states "Xiling shoals like bamboo sharp, even devil hate confront."

There are many more interesting places along the way, to name a few; Lu-yu Spring, Shan-yu Cave, Huang-ling Temple and Huang-mao Gorge. For thousand of years, "grandeur, elegant, dangerous" belong to the magnificent Three Gorges, a prodigious workmanship from heaven.

Tsu Kuei is the hometown of a will known patriotic poet Chu Yuan, remembered today through the Dragon-boat Festival on the fifth day of May. Today, "Chu Yuan Shrine" is the first stop of Xiling Gorge. Nearby is the town of Hsiang-His, home of a famous court lady from Han Dynasty Wang Chao Chun, who was given to the chief of a barbarian tribe as wife in the performance of matrimonial diplomacy.