Introduction

Coursing over a distance of 6,380 kilometers, the mighty Yangtze is the longest river in China and the third longest in the world after the Amazon in South America and  the Nile in Africa. Yangtze Area is also a cradle of ancient Chinese civilization.

The Yangtze, rising in the glaciers and snow-- covered mountains of the "Roof of the World", the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, and fed by hundreds of tributaries, wanders eastward across the mainland of china. It makes an incessant rush into the East China Sea. The enormous inexhaustible hydroelectric resources of the Yangtze, producing no waste gases, no waste water, or waste residues, is superior to oilfields and coalfields and therefore considered the "King" of all energies capable of generating huge profits with a minimum input.

From its source to its estuary, the Yangtze River  meanders over 6,300 kilometers. Its annual runoff into the potential of up to 268 million km. The most impressive section of the river is the three Yangtze River gorges: the Qutang Gorge, Wuxia Gorge and Xiling Gorge, collectively known as the Sanxia, or Three Gorges.       

The Three Gorges

With Baidi City, Fengjie in the Sichuan province to the west end and Nanjin Pass of Yichang in the Hubei province at the east, the Three Gorges, Qutang, Wu and Xiling, total 192 km in length. The Qutang Gorge, known for its magnificence, is only 8 km long with many scenic spots such as, the Meng Liang Staircase, the ancient Plank road, the Kui Gate, the Seven Gate Cave, the Bellows Gorges, and the Rhinoceros Watching the Moon. Wu Gorge, 44 km long, is famed for its deep valley and quiet beauty. The "Twelve Peaks" lining the banks of Wu Gorge, have been admired by visitors from all over the world. It is said that if you look carefully, a silhouette of a goddess can be seen at the top of Goddess Peak. Among the twelve peaks, the Goddess Peak is the most exquisite. Xiling Gorge, extending 66 km in length  is composed of many scenic spots such as, "Military Manual and Precious Sword Gorge", "Ox's Live and Horse's Lung Gorge", "Kongling Shoal" and "Shadow-play Gorge". Among the cultural relics in the gorge are "Huangling Temple" and the "Three Travelers Cave". and full of turbulent currents and whirlpools, is one of the most dangerous shoals.

Mini Three Gorges  Wushan County, is located about 485kms from Chongqing, where the Danning River meets the Yangtze. Lesser Three Gorges are three sections of Wushan valleys in mid-stream of Danning River. They are "Dragon-Gate Gorge", "Misty Gorge" and "Emerald Gorge", 60 Km in length. The Gorges are famous for crystal clear rapids and sky scraping cliffs. A motor launch tour reveals great rustic beauty, local farming and, with luck, a glimpse of wild monkeys.                           

Zigui    

Zigui is located at the exit of Xiling Gorge, near which Xiangxi (Fragrant stream) joins the Yangtze River. There erected a tomb and a memorial pavilion for Qu Yuan, a great patriotic poet in ancient China. One may take a dragon boat in the Fragrant Stream and see the native town of Wang Zhaojun, a famous beauty in ancient Chinese history.                                      

Shibaozhai-- "Pearl of the Yangtze River"

One of the Yangtze's spectacular sites, Shibaozhai, a 12-storey wooden pagoda built against the side of a sheer rectangular cliff, is truly a magnificent structure. Over 400 years old, it has appropriately been named the "Pearl of the Yangtze".           

Red Cliff (Chibi)

The Red Cliff is situated on the middle reach of the Yangtze River, about 38 kilometers from the northwest of Puqi city. It is an important scenic spot of the ancient Three Kingdoms tour and Three Gorges Tour.

The Ancient Red Cliff Battle is very famous for its "few defeat many, and the weak defeat the strong" at home and abroad. The Red Cliff includes three parts -- Chibi Hill, Nanpin Hill and Jinluan Hill. The Chibi Hill faces the Yangtze river in the north. The two characters "Chibi" (Red Cliff) are clearly carved in it. At the top of the hill stand the "Yijiang Pavilion" and a huge stone statue of Zhou Yu, chief commander of Wu State. On the east of the hill stands the Museum of the Red Cliff battle which is the first museum based on ancient battles in China.                                       

Wanxian County

Wanxian is a small mountainous city. It is known as the "Gateway to the Eastern Sichuan Province".  Wanxian is famed for its orange and tangerine crops.                                                    

Yichang

Yichang, a modern city, is situated at the entrance of Xiling Gorge. It was formerly a place contested by warlords and a battle field of the "Yiling War" in the Three Kingdoms Period. On the outskirts of the city, there are the splendid Gezhouba Water Conservancy Project, Three Traveler's Cave, Taohua Village (Village of Peach Blossom). Research Institute of Chinese Sturgeon, Ruins of Ancient Fortress, etc. The craft of Painted Pottery is well-known for its distinguishing feature.

Baidi City

Baidi (White Emperor) is located at the gateway of the Three Gorges, at the entrance of Qutang Gorge. Many historic sites and stories about three Kingdoms have evolved from here. In white Emperor City there are poems, carvings, and cultural relics of the Sui, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties.                          

Fengdu - The Ghost City

The Fengdu County lying in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. is on the southeast border of the Sichuan Basin. and its area lies on both sides of the Yangtze River. To the west, the county is 172 kilometers from Chongqing, and to the east, it is 476 kilometers from Yichang City. The county covers 2,901 square kilometers with a population of 740, 000.

Fengdu is an ancient city built in the hills facing the Yangtze River. In Spring and Autumn Period (770 B.C - 476 B.C) in Chinese history. it was called "The Other Capital of the Ba nationality". In the second year of Yongyuan in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) when Emperor He reigned over China. the area was specially separated out from the then Zhi County and a new county named Fengdu County was thus established. It has a history of over 1900 years now.

As the place of nether world, Fengdu, a pearl along the Yangtze, a renowned, distinctive historic and cultural city from the ancient time on, is famous at home and abroad for its rich ghost culture. There many ghost stories spread far and wide Many famous literary works such as "The Pilgrimage to the West", "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio", "The Stories of Zhongkui", etc. have vivid legendary descriptions about the ghost city Fengdu.

The main scenic spots in Fengdu are the Mingshan Hill which was appointed as one of the national key relics in the Three Gorges area along the Yangtze River, Shuangguishan National Forest Park which is famous for its gardening beauty, "the Ghost Land & God Palace" and "the Judicial Street in the Nether world" modeled after its ancient structure which are the largest ghost culture spots in the country and also the largest dynamic tourist spots in Southwest China. The Huinan Han Graves with their grand and peculiar structure, high density, long history and high cultural value, the Grand Ghost Stone Carving under construction, the Siping Forest Park with low sea level, Sanfu Virgin Forest Center, Longhe Scenic Spot (stalactite cave, boating), and other natural scenic spots.                                                         

Yueyang

Yueyang is situated where the Yangtze River and Lake Dongting meet. Since ancient times, Lake Dongting, Yueyang Tower and Junshan Island have been reputed as famous tourist resorts. Yueyang city is located on the south bank of the Yangtze and at the mouth  of Dongting lake - the second largest fresh water lake in China. Dongting lake is a site which all Chinese have long heard of and has received the visits of many great historical figures. The provincial names "Hubei" and "Hunan" literally mean north and south of the lake respectively. Because of its location, Yueyang has long been a city of great importance and key transportation center of this region.

Yueyang Tower is the most famous attraction, located on the east shore of the lake. Built 1000 years ago, eulogized with many poems in the history it turned out to be one of the most famous ancient towers along the Yangtze River. Climbing to the top of tower, one can have unsurpassed view of the great lake scenery.           

Shennong Stream

The 60-kilometer Shennong Stream rises in the southern part of the Shennongjia Reserve.  The stream flows north to south through deep gorges and finally merges with the Yangtze at the mouth of the wuxia Gorge. The crystal clear and unpolluted water flows very swiftly. A tour by sampan will give you an idea of just how powerful the current is in this rapid stream. The Shennong Stream is indeed a very attractive scenic spot. Shennong Stream starts at Mt. Shennong Jia in Hubei Province north of the Yangtze. It comprises of Parrot Gorge and Dragon Boot Gorge with breathtaking scenery. Sailing through the treacherous gorges with lush pine and translucent water, visitors can see spectacular sights like ancient plank roads, ancient suspension coffins, aqueous caves, rainbow fountain and wild lives. It is also perfect to experience the cultural of Tujia minority. Visiting Shennong Stream on a "pea boat" is a sensational experience.                                                       

The Three Gorges Dam

The Three Gorges Dam, the largest water conservancy project ever under taken by human being is now being built at Sandouping in the middle of Xiling Gorge, the longest one among the famous Yangtze Three Gorges. The Three Gorges Dam will be 2,335 meters long, 185 meters high, 18 meters wide on top and 130 meters wide at the bottom. The Dam will raise the river to a level of 175 meters above sea level, creating a 600-kilometer long reservoir with a storage capacity of 39.9 billion cubic meters extending from the dam-site all the way to Chongqing. Nineteeen counties and cities, covering 570,000 hectares will be flooded, causing 1.3 million people to be relocated.

The construction of the project will cost 230 billion Chinese Yuan, an equivalent of 28 billion US dollars. The purposes for building this huge dam are flood control, electricity, navigation and irrigation. The construction of the dam formally began under way in 1994.The first stage of the  Three Gorges Dam project is scheduled for completion in 2003. Although the scenery will change along the Yangtze with the construction of Three Gorges Dam, new sites and scenery will be created. For example, a submarine museum will be built to preserve the inscriptions on the White Crane Ridge, and many historical sites will be moved to higher ground. After the dam is completed in 2009, ships will continue cruising the Yangtze River; passengers will then be passing through the largest national park in the world, which will be established upon completion of the dam.