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Huangling Temple is located at the foot of the Huangniu Mountain at the southern bank of the Yangtze River in the Xiling Gorge Section. It is the oldest and largest ancient architectures of the Three Gorges Area.

It was build during the Spring and Autumn period of about 770 BC to 476 BC and was commemorated Da Yu, who was a hero who controlled the floods in the Chinese history and the yellow ox who has helped Da Yu in controlling the water. Therefore it is also called as Yellow Ox Temple.  During the time of the Song Dynasty, the Oyang Xiu who was a reputed rlitterateur and the county magistrate has changed its name to the Huangling Temple thinking that there was no yellow ox that has helped Da Yu.

Huangling Temple

This temple was used in the previous times for devotions and prayers. But, due to the several wars, it has been destroyed as well as rebuilt several times. The one present now has been rebuilt in the 1618 century in the Ming Dynasty. The temple Gate, Wuhou Temple or Zhuge Liang Memorial Hall, Yuwang Dian or The Hall of Da Yu is the main sections of this temple.

On Disembarking from Yangtze River you can see the antique drama playing stage after passing through the temple gate. Yuwan Dian is situated opposite to the flat and it is consider as the main architectural feature of this temple. It is also supported magnificiently by the 36 poles which are carved with the nine lifelike dancing dragons. The left of the hall records the flood water lever for more than 120 years. There is a huge board which states that the flood has reached here in the 1870 which was recorded as the most severe flood of Yangtze River ever.  There are two wooden plaques in the hall and one of them is written by Cixi.

Wuhou Temple is towards the right of the Yuwang Dian. It is the only plaque now which can be seen from inside. There is a garden behind the temple with the cycas revolute thumb which is believed to have been planted by Zhuge Liang which was a great strategist during the period of Three Kingdoms. There is a well in the yard and it is always full even in the years of drought.

Huangling-Temple

Sanyou Cave is the sheer cliff in the northern side of the Xiling Gorge which is about 6 miles or 10 kilometers away from the Yichang City and offers the best cave scenery of the Three Gorges area. Since the period of Tang Dynasty, for many centuries poets have came here for seeing the scenery and have left the poetic inscriptions. Through human destruction and natural erosion, most of the inscriptions in this cave and around it have been now destroyed. But, it is still a good highlight to see the spectacular view of the Three Gorges area for the scenery and the old inscriptions which are still left there. Highlight at that site is watching the cave, seeing the scenery, walking on the path from the cave to the Xhinxin Pavilion and ancient inscription.

Sanyou Cave

Sanyou Cave means Cave of the Three Travelers and these caves were named so because three of the poets of Tang Dynasty and officials namely baijuyi, Yuanzhen and Baixingjian, which are believed to have visited here. Many other poets as well as famous people came to this cave and left inscriptions. This cave is about 30 meters long and 23 meters wide and about 9 meters in height. It was formed by the stalagmites and natural erosion separating the cave into tow chamber. The bigger chamber having about 40 inscriptions is in the front. Ou Yangxiu who had a great Song era literati has left an inscription here.

There are some inscriptions left on the flat rock faces by many ancient visitors for a longer period of time. However, the themes of most of the inscriptions are almost same. They have praised the fantastic cave scenery. Variation can be found in the inscription due to the changes in the Chinese language the different eras as well as difference in the individual styles. You can see varied examples of many styles like clerical script, regular script, running script, cursive hand and seal characters. There is a small path leading to the Zhixin Pavilion from the cave entrance. You can get a view of the beautiful scenery of the Yangtze River.

Sanyou Cave

Three Gorges Museum is situated to the opposite of the Chongqing People’s Hall. It is the largest monographic museum as well as the public undertaking for the education, preservation and scientific research in respect of natural environment and cultural relics of Chongqing and the Three Gorges area.

The exterior of museum has vitreous dome and cambered wall which represent the historical culture of Three Gorges Project as well as its origin. In addition there are bronze sculptures, large scale reliefs and Ecological Corridor which is about one kilometer in length.

This museum occupies whole area of about 42,497 sq. meters and the exhibition halls covers an area of about 23,225 square meters and houses  four basic displays. Glorious Three Gorges reflects the historical and cultural spirit of Three Gorges.

Three Gorges Museum

Ancient Ba-Yu represents the origin and development of the Chongqing history. In Chongqing, the city road describes the changes in the Chongqing City in 20^th century.  Anti-Japanese War recorded the wartime ordeals of people in Chongqing. Those six displays the calligraphies and paintings, porcelain, coins of various dynasties, sculptures of Han Dynasty, cultural relics donated by Li Chuli, Folk customs of the people of southwest China and sculptures of Hand Dynasty.

Another important part of this museum exhibits the 180 degree panorama of the war torn Chongqing depicting the city. When it was the provisional capital of china, it has been subjected to the substantial bombardment by the Japanese for many decades. There is a 360 degree cinema of Three gorges which mainly shows the social and natural sceneries of the Three Gorges prior to the construction of this dam project.

Three Gorges Museum

Shennong Stream

Shennong Stream lies on the border between Xiling Gorge and Wu Gorge. It rises from the main peak of Shennong Jia which is the first peak in the centre of China and flows through the Badong country and ultimately flows into the River Yangtze via Wu Gorge. If you cruise along the stream in a boat, you will be immersed in the wonders of the zigzagging watercourses, the canzonet by the boat tracker, the primitive environment and the mysterious cultures along banks.

Along with the elegance, grandeur and danger of the Yangtze River, this stream has its own unique scenery. It is having four natural gorges namely Mianzhu, Chengnong, Longchang and Yingwu and each one having their own unique characteristics.

Shennong Stream

Mianzhu Gorge among the four gorges is known for its danger. The river bed is narrow as well as falls steeply. Having more than 30 dangerous shoals, it challenges everyone along the route of 2.5 miles. Although you will be reassured that you will be drifting safely along this section by the skilled boatmen, your heart will beat fastly. Stalactites hang on the both sides of this bank and are sure that you do not miss the beautiful scenery.

Yingwu Gorge is known for its elegance and the evergreen vegetation along its bank remains beautiful throughout the year. A gorge with flowers which blossom in all season and fountain of three colors looks fantastic. The larges karst cave of Shennong Stream lies in this section. The Longchang Gorge is having unique human landscape. The mysterious and ancient plank road and suspended wooden coffins are some of the attraction of this section.

Shennong Stream

You can find small open sampans or peapod boats by the locals while drifting along the Shennong Stream which is a unique method for seeing the natural scenery, flavor of Tujia and the ancient village. You will love the serene natural beauty with the local Tujia flavor, historical relics and the brave boat trackers and this will make your trip a memorable one.

Chinese Sturgeon museum is part of the Chinese Sturgeon Garden located in the Xiaoxita Town in the Yichang of the Hubei Province. This museum was set up in the year 1993 by the Chinese Sturgeon research institute. This institute aims at preserving the rare species of Chinese Sturgeon which includes the 27 species of sturgeon that is still exiting in the world.

Chinese Sturgeon Museum

Chinese sturgeon is also known as the Green Sturgeon which is a kind of migration fish. It lived on earth about 140 million years and the Chinese sturgeon is one of the oldest vertebrate between chondrichthian and bony fish. In this case, the Chinese Sturgeon is also called as the living fossils. Chinese sturgeon is the king of freshwater fish for it lives the longest and is the largest. An adult sturgeon weighs more than 200 Kilograms and it is about 4 meters or 13 feet long. A mature Chinese sturgeon, over the age 14 years for the female sturgeon can lay nearly 0.3 to 1.3 million egg at a time. However, more than 90% of these eggs become the food for the other fish like yellow cartfish and bronze gudgeon. So, the considerable reduction in the number of this specie makes it highly prized variety of the Chinese sturgeon.

Chinese Sturgeon in China is mainly distributed over the trunk stream of River Yangtze. From summer to autumn every year, a school of Chinese sturgeon migrates to the upper reaches of the Yangtze River from the shallow sea area out of the estuary of Yangtze River and lay eggs in their hometown. However, since the Gezhouba Water Conservancy Project was build in the year 1980, the migration of Chinese Sturgeon route has been obstructed by the dam. Therefore, the Chinese sturgeons have lost their spawning area for the reproduction of offspring which has put their survival at risk. However, efforts are being made for their conservation.