Baiheliang and Underwater Museum

The ancient stone carving of three Chinese characters "Bai He Liang" (白鹤梁, which means White Crane Tablet) is located in the upper reaches of the Three Gorges Dam in northeast Fuling city, Chongqing Municipality. It is actually an old hydrological station – the only state key cultural protection unit and UNESCO praised it as the best-preserved ancient hydrological station in the world.

The giant stone tablet has a length of 1,600 meters and 15 meters width. It only appears above the water in dry season in Yangtze River, i.e., December to next March. It is said that in the Tang Dynasty a man had diligently cultivated himself and eventually attained spiritual enlightenment, he sat on a giant crane and flied to the heaven, therefore the stone got its name.

In addition to the three big Chinese characters, there are many articles about ancient hydrological facts and beautiful fish images carved on Baiheliang, to which they documented the water level of ancient Yangtze River and old fine arts. In 1974, the Chinese delegation presented "Fuling Stone Fish Inscriptions" (涪陵石鱼题刻) to attend the International Hydrological Services Conference in Paris. Therefore, the scientific value of the ancient relics has been recognized internationally. The stone inscriptions are copied to Fuling city People's Square that give people an opportunity to see the cultural heritage easily. 

Baiheliang Underwater Museum has been opened on May 18, 2009. It is an important part of the protection of the old cultural and scientific heritage. The underwater museum comprises four parts, Underwater Museum, Transportation Corridor, Mound for Anti-collision Underwater and Exhibition Hall on Land. Baiheliang Underwater Museum actually looks like a protective shell for the Baiheliang stone tablet. State-of-the-art lighting facilities are installed in the underwater crystal palace, in which you can walk and view the gigantic Baiheliang stone tablet by operation a video camera in different angles.