Xiling Gorge

From the Nanjin Guan Pass in the east, to the Xiangxikou Mouth in the west, the river is the difficult, long and winding passage for ship voyages. There were innumerable boatmen had met their end in the ancient time. However, it has been well-known for its strange stone scenery and rapid flow of water waves. The area is full of high hills, deep valleys, dangerous shoals and submerged reefs. Either in old or modern time, whatever the harshness of the environment is, people are like to visit here to experience the great natural artwork. This is the Xiling Gorge.

Nowadays, tamed by the gigantic project of the Gezhouba Water Conservancy Dam and the long process of diversion of the Sichuan's waterways, the past harshness of the environment is over but the beauty of the scenery still.

The Xiling Gorge is length about 100km, which is the longest amongst the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. The two main small gorges in the north bank, i.e. The Gorge of Book on Art of War and Sword and The Gorge of Ox liver and Horse Lung, are to be submerged in 2009, because the water level will go up when the new stage of the Three Gorges Dam project begins then. Although some great scenery to be submerged in the Three Gorges, many spots that under water in the past will emerge in the future.

The Xiling Gorge is located at the eastern entry (Nanjin Guan Pass) of the Three Gorges in Yichang, Hubei Province. It is known as "The Throat of Sichuan and Hubei". The White Bones Pagoda stands at the Cyan Shoal is said to be built of the bones of boatmen who died of wreckages in the past. Since the libration in 1949, the area has been artificially tamed by a series of projects, and now even big ships can pass here safely and stably.

Going up against the flowing direction of the Yangtze River, we will come to the beautiful Xiling Gorge. It looks like a colorful and scenic landscape painting, that is, the giant Yangtze Bridge and eye-catching scenery on the two banks. In the springtime, vivid flowers blossoming make the Xiling Gorge more gorgeous.

The Lamp-Shadow Gorge is in pure green color all year round with crystal-clear waterfalls. The cliff is shadowed in the water in a clear day and in a moonlit night, the image of the gorge with the moon above is so picturesque.

After passing the Lamp-Shadow Gorge, we will see a high row of steep cliffs, which are accompanied by the pounding waves of water below. These are altogether called as the Yellow Ox Rock, and the valley here "The Yellow Ox Gorge". It is so rugged in appearance compared to the Lamp-Shadow. The Yellow Ox Gorge was formed during the Sinian Period (about 800 million years before present). Abundant fossils of ancient fish can be found here nowadays that are the evidence of the geological history in the Three Gorges area.