Xiling Gorge

Nearly 80 kilometers length makes Xiling Gorge the longest among three gorges. and runs from the mouth of the Xiangxi River in Zigui County to Nanjin Pass near Yichang City.

Known for its dangerous currents and numerous shoals including the Xintan and Kongling, sailing through these waters can be quite rough, sometimes encountering swirling and extremely turbulent waters.

At the end of the gorge, everyone crowds out onto the ship deck to watch the boat passing through the huge Gezhou Dam which is still under construction.

Huangling Temple
Huangling Temple is the oldest example of classical Chinese architecture in the three gorges region, originally built around 500BC. Many sequential renovations have taken place on the temple, and the current structure was built in the late Ming Dynasty (early 17th century). The Temple was built to commemorate a legendary figure in Chinese history: Dayu, who dedicated his entire life to the water irrigation system in the area.

The region was frequently affected by heavy flooding before the huge water conservation projects were built to cope with the problem. The pillars in the main hall of the temple have high water marks to show the flood levels reached in the area over the years.

Three Gorges Dam
China is working on another grand project after the Great Wall and the Grand Canal, the Three Gorges Dam. Once completed, it will be the largest hydro-electric power station in the world, measuring 185 meters high and 1.9 kilometers wide. The reservoir will be about 650 kilometers long and 160 meters deep. The cost of this project is estimated to be US$76 billion. The idea of building a dam across the Yangtze River to control flooding and to harness it for hydro-electric power was first proposed by Dr. Sun Yat Sen in 1919.