The Three Gorges - China

INTRODUCTION
The Three Gorges is the general name for the Qutang, Wu, and Xiling gorges. It begins at Baidi City in Fengjie County, Chongqing Municipality, and ends at Nanjinguan in Yichang City, Hubei Province, covering a distance of 193 kilometres. The Three Gorges area is reputed as “natural gallery of mountains and rivers”. The Three Gorges area changes day by day yet maintains its cultural heritages.

MAJOR TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
The Qutang Gorge, also called Kui Gorge, starts at Baidi City, Fengjie County, Chongqing Municipality in the west and ends at the Daxi Town, Wushan County Chongqing Municipality in the east. Although it is only eight kilometers long - the shortest among the Three Gorges - it is widely known for its magnificent mountain peaks reaching to the clouds and rolling and roaring water bursting through shoals and rocks. Kuimen, or Kui Gate, is also known as Qutang Pass, the door for The Three Gorges. Here the river is flanked by sheer cliffs on both sides and it is the gate through which the Yangtze River flows throughout the Three Gorges from the Sichuan Basin. The Qutang Gorge is rich in historical sites, for example, Bellows Gorge, Rhinoceros Watching the Moon peak, Baidi City, Star Observing Pavilion, and Red Armor Tower.

Wu Gorge

Wu Gorge is named after Mt. Wushan, famous for its deep valley and quiet beauty. It is 45 kilometres long, extending from the mouth of the Daning River in Wushan County, Chongqing in the west to Guandukou in Badong County, Hubei Province in the east. Noted for its deep and serene scenes, the Wu Gorge is full of zigzags, weird peaks, rising mists and beautiful sights. As the river cuts through the Wushan Mountains, its roaring currents change their directions constantly. Peaks in the Wu Gorge are often capped by fog or clouds in various shapes, and there is a famous poem describing its beauty, “one who has seen the ocean thinks nothing of mere rivers, the cloud of Wushan is my only cloud.” Wu Gorge is famous for its beautiful scenery, “night of the Ninghe ferry”, the 12 peaks represented by the Goddess Peak, Badong Shennong Stream and Lesser Three Gorges.

Xiling Gorge

The Xiling Gorge stretches from the estuary of the Xiangxi Stream in Zigui County to Nanjin Pass in Yichang, with a total length of 76km. It is the longest of the Three Gorges and is located entirely within Hubei Province. This gorge is divided into parts. The Xiling Gorge abounds in grotesque rocks, gorges, scenic spots, and numerous legends. The vivid Lantern Shadow Rock, Lantern Shadow Gorge and Fairy Bridge, Three Travellers’ Cave and Jiuwan Stream make visitors reluctant to leave.

THREE GORGES PROJECT

The climax of the Three Gorges tour is undoubtedly the Three Gorges Project, the largest water conservancy project ever built in the world, and the world’s biggest hydro power station. When the project is finished, it will be the most important project functioning as a backbone in the flood control system to protect the areas in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It has ten comprehensive functions of flood control, power generation, navigation, freshwater aquiculture, tourism, ecological protection, environmental purifying, south-tonorth water transfers and irrigation. With the contsruction of the Three Gorges Project as the centre, the Tourist Area of Three Gorges Dam, whose main body is Tanziling Scenic Area, the 185 Viewing Spot, Jinba (near the dam) Viewing Spot, Bading (at the top of the dam) Viewing Spot and Damming Memorial Garden, has been established, and thus a panoramic view of the dam area is available.

MAJOR TOURIST CITIES

Chongqing

Located in southwestern China, Chongqing is the fourth municipality directly under the jurisdiction of the Central Government. Known as a city in the mountains, Chongqing is surrounded by mountains on all sides, and buildings in the urban area rise and fall with the terrain. Chongqing is a modern city with the Great Auditorium of the People and Three Gorge Square in it. There are attractive Dazu Grottoes on the World Cultural Heritage List, Fengdu Ghost City, Yunyang Zhangfei Temple, Shibao Village of Zhongxian County and Fengjie Baidi City.

Wuhan

As the capital of Hubei Province, Wuhan is located in the centre of the central part of China and eastern Hubei Province, where the Han River joins the Yangtze River. The Yangtze River and Hanshui River divide Wuhan into three parts - Hankou, Hanyang and Wuchang, generally known as Wuhan’s Three Towns. Wuhan connects the east and west, channels the norths and south, and links rivers and seas with its developed water, land and air traffic. Wuhan is noted for being a “thoroughfare on nine provinces”. Its best known sceneries include East Lake and Moshan, (the Mill Hill) Mountain scenic areas. Wuhan is also a famous historical and cultural city with numerous historical and cultural heritages such as the Yellow Crane Tower, Guiyuan Temple, Ancient Lute Terrace (Guqintai), and the Qingchuan Pavilion.