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The Three Gorges of Yangtze River. Photo by Edwi Ewing. .

Top 10 Interesting Facts about the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River

The Three Gorges of the Yangtze River consists of three adjacent gorges that exist along the Yangtze River. The gorges are in the hinterland of the People’s Republic of China. The three gorges comprise the Qutang (8 km), Wu (45 km), and Xiling (66 km) gorges.

The gorges span 193 miles. They begin from Baidi City of Chongqing in the west and end at Nanjing Pass in Yichang City, Hubei Province. Beautiful scenery is enjoyed around the gorges because of the monsoon climate that the area experiences.

The area is not only famous for its beautiful scenery but it is also known for its historical and cultural importance to China. The gorges were also used for shipping while making use of the inland industrial center of Chongqing as the hub. Let us now look at the Top 10 Interesting Facts about the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River.

1. It is an AAAAA scenic area

Xiling Gorge downstream of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River, China in October 2016. Photo by Fredlyfish4.

In the rating system used by Chinese authorities to determine the level of attraction in an area, the Three Gorges of Yangtze River are ranked as AAAAA scenic areas. This is the highest level whereby transport, safety, and sanitation are concerned.

The scenic beauty of the Three Gorges along the Yangtze River has been appreciated for hundreds of years. It was nominated to the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.

2. The gorges were formed as a result of folding

Many theories exist on how the gorges were formed. However, geographers and geologists have reached a consensus that mountain folding in the east of Sichuan Province and west of Hubei Province including the Wu Mountains were the outcome of the Yanshanian movement. It is estimated that this happened around 70 million years ago.

3. The gorges were highly visited by scholars and poets

Geographer Li Daoyuan (A.D. 472-527) in Bewei Dynasty researched the people who stayed in the Three Gorges. Many ancient officials, scholars, poets, and painters visited the gorges. Among the big names are Du Fu, Bai Juyi, Li Bai, Wang Anshi, Three Sus, Lu You, and Ouyang Xiu.

They were touched by the beautiful scenery and left behind many paintings and poems. The gorge natured many figures and legend stories such as Qu Yuan a great thinker, statesman, and writer who was born in Zhigui Counties in the scenic area.

4. The Three Gorges Dam has been constructed on the gorge

The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River, China. Photo by Le Grand Portage.

The Three Gorges Dam is a cement dam named after the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. The dam is 186 meters high and runs for 1.3 miles across the Yangtze River. It has twenty-six 400-tonne turbines which is the world’s largest.

The dam is the largest in terms of water displacement, flood control, and power generation. The construction of the dam began in 1994 and was completed in 2006. The dam has improved the navigation of boats on the Yangtze River.

5. Many boats were destroyed on the gorges

Barges on the second of the Three Gorges – the Wu Gorge – on the Yangtze River, April 2009. Photo by Hugh Llewelyn. .

According to the 18^th-century report, 1 out of every 10 boats sailing through the gorges was damaged. Only 20 percent of the boats that sailed upriver to Chongqing made it unscathed. To relieve the stress of the journey many crew members smoked opium.

They sprinkled the blood of roosters on the bow of the ship, threw rice in the rapids, and hired shamans to wave yellow flags for good luck. When an accident occurred, swimmers were paid 400 yuan for each live person they retrieved and 800 yuan for each dead body.

6. Boat-shaped coffins are seen hanging in the gorges

There are 274 suspended coffin holes on cliffs along Daninghe river valley. The coffins are suspended 120 to 150 meters above the ground. Historians have claimed that the suspended coffins were built in the period from the late West Han Dynasty to the early stage of the East Han dynasty. How the coffins were placed on the cliffs remains a history.

7. The area around the gorge was home to the Ba people

Over 3,000 years ago, the area around the Three Gorges section was home to the Ba people. These are ancient people who were known for their craftsmanship and unique writing. Around 1,000 years ago, the place became home to the kingdom of Shu. The Three Gorges of the Yangtze River inspired many poets and writers.

8. Boats were pulled by human beings through the gorges

Up until the 8^th century, paddle wheel river boats were powered by human-powered cage wheels. Chinese boats are fitted with ropes and harnesses that allow people inside the boat to pull it while the boat travels upstream.

Large boats were pulled upstream of the Yangtze River by teams of hundreds of laborers who were known as trackers. Footpaths used by trackers can still be seen in the three gorges. The trackers haul ropes ahead of the boats and are given instructions by drum beats of varying rhythms. The trackers were often whipped.

9. Archaeologists have unearthed relics linked to ape-men in the area

Neolithic stone axe, Daxi culture, Hubei, 1973. National Museum of China. Beijing. Photo by Proff. Gary Lee Todd. .

Archaeologists have unearthed 5000-odd relics, 10000-odd earthenware, and 100-odd jade, bone, and horn handicrafts. These are linked to the Daxi culture. The Daxi culture is one of China’s famous ancient cultural relics that existed 5000 to 6000 years ago.

The relics are from the Neolithic and Palaeolithic ages. The archaeological study also discovered fossils of the giant ape-men who existed millions of years ago.

10. There is a variety of plants and animals in the gorge

The Three Gorges has different ecological environments from rivers and flatlands to hills and mountains. Wild animal resources span hundreds of species of vertebrates, reptiles, and amphibians.

Some protected animals found in the area are the golden monkey, the South China tiger, and the Chinese pangolin. There are also many plant species in the gorge. Some rare plants include the maidenhair tree, three-pin fir and white sandalwood.