Wu Gorge extends from the mouth of the Daning River in Wushan County to Guandukou in Badong County. Wu Gorge is 44 kilometers long. The gorge is known for its deep valleys and forest covered mountains. Wu Gorge is a long and neat gorge divided into two sections - the Golden Helmet and Silver Armor Gorge and the Iron Coffin Gorge.
Wu Gorge is full of zigzags, weird peaks, rising mists and beautiful sights. As the river cuts through the Mt. Wushan, its roaring currents change their directions constantly. Travelling through the gorge in a boat, one sometimes may find the way blocked by mountains. But a sharp turn of the boat brings one to an area of entirely different scenery. Wu Gorge is the most beautiful part of the Yangtze, green trees and bushes, together with fogs and clouds cover the high peaks.
Geographic Location
Wu Gorge is located in Chongqing Wushan and Hubei Badong County, west from Daning River eastern Wushan County of Chongqing city, east to Guandukou B
adong County in Hubei province, stretches long and unbroken for more than 40 kilometers, including Jinlan Yinjia Gorge (Golden Blue Silver Armour Gorge) and Tieguan Gorge (Iron Coffin Gorge). Gorge is especially deep and serene, twists and turns, was formed by the upper bend that Yangtze River transected Mt. Wushan main vein. Cruise ship pass through W
ushan County would enter the second gorge of the Three Gorges--Wu Gorge, 42 km long and the mountains are high into the clouds. Badong section is 22 km, west from Bianyu Creek and east to Guandukou
Town, it was known as Ba gorge in ancient time. Wushan twelve peaks respectively located in the north and south on both sides of Wu gorge, which are the most famous scenic spots of Wu gorge.
What to See
The famous scenic spots are as the following:
Twelve Peaks on both banks of the river, in particular, are the most spectacular. These triangle-looking peaks described by legend as twelve fairy spirits, such as a fairy maid dancing, a dragon soaring into the sky, a peacock displaying its feathers or a piece of colorful brocade.
The best-known is the poetic Goddess Peak, the graceful shape of which resembles a girl looking down at the boats in the river. Many mythological tales and countless number of poems have been written about this particular peak.
The Daning River at the western entrance to Wu Gorge is flanked by continuous strange peaks, some of them rising into the clouds and presenting an unusual scene. The section of the river becomes known as the Lesser Three Gorges. Their unordinary beauty is so charming and it has been praised by more and more visitors.
【Wu Gorge】
There are a number of ancient sites, but the one that visitors easily see is Kongming Tablet under the Jixian Peak. This peak is shaped like a group of mountains get together, two forks in the top that like scissors inserts into sky, so it is also called scissors peak. A rectangular white wall under the peak, which was carved "cliff Wu Gorge", and it was said to be written by Zhuge Liang. Besides, there are also some inscriptions but suffered wind and rain erosion, so it is illegible.
【Qiufeng Pavilion】
Come to Badang, must step into the Qiufeng Pavilion (Autumn Wind Pavilion). Stand in the pavilion, view all the scenery, you can see mountains pinnacle, great river, the mountain breeze stroke makes people relaxed and happy. Stand where Kouzhun once stood, people seems to have feeling like what he felt. In Badang, the most famous scenery is Shennong Stream, if you have time you can try drifting Shennong Stream. If you have no time, you can continue upward to appreciate the deep beauty of Mt. Wushan.
【Shennv Peak (Goddess Peak)】
Among Twelve Peaks, the most famous peak is Goddess Peak which has erected pillar on the peak, shaped like a graceful girl. She receives sunrise first every day, and says good-bye to sunset last, therefore is also called "Facing Glow Peak". According to record, elder daughter of the Queen Mother of the West Yaoji brought Kuangzhang, Yuyu and other Gods went on a tour to the East China Sea, when they passed Mt.Wushan, there was flood, and they "helped Dayu to cut stone, unchoke wave, deal with blocking and dredge stranded channel, in order to circulate the flow". After they treated flood, in order to help people there, Yaoji stood in the top of a mountain to pray for good year, safety sailing, and through a long time she became Goddess Peak.
【Three Platforms Eight Sights and Twelve Peaks】
The main landscapes of Wu Gorge areThree Platforms (Chuyang Platform, Teaching Platform, Dragon Beheaded Platform), eight sights (top of Nanling Mountain “Nanling Spring Dawn”, Yangliuping "Sunset Return", Daning River estuary "Ninghe River Night Ferry", QingxiRiver “Qingxi Fishing”, Ninghe River ferry "Deep Pool Autumn Moon", Wufeng Mountain “Beautiful Peak Buddhist Temple”, the west of “Zhenguan Stone” , Gaotang View “Morning Clouds and Evening Rains) and twelve peaks (namely Denglong, Shengquan, Zhaoyun, Shennv, Songlian, Jixian six peaks in the north shore and Feifeng, Cuiping, Juhe, Jingtan, Qiyun and Shangsheng six peaks in the south shore).
【Gorge Reservoir】
Wu Gorge is narrow, sunshine duration is short, moisture was undispersed so that is easy to cause cloud and fog. Cloud and mist has thousand appearances, some like dragon or horse, some like waterfall hanging in the precipice, sometimes under the sun it looks like Wu Gorge Buddha's light. After the Three Gorges Reservoir reached 175 meters, Wu Gorge water raise only 80 meters, which has little influence to beautiful deep canyon scenery, on the contrary, Shanmurang Stream and Goddess Stream can be developed, which add more interesting feeling to visit Wu Gorge.
Travel Guide of Wu Gorge
【Best time to travel Wu Gorge】From March to May, September to November is the best time to travel Wu Gorge
【How to get to Wu Gorge】 In Chongqing Chaotianmen Dock, there is the Yangtze River Cruise Ship to visit Three Gorges. In Wushan County Yangtze River ferry berth, visitors can take cruise ship to visit Wu Gorge.
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