Yangtze Three Gorges

After the reservoir impoundment, a broad lake with a total length of more than 660 km and an area of 1,084 km2 will be newly formed in the Three Gorges region. It is expected that, after inundation, along with the rising of the water level, the water depth will increase while the flow velocity will slow down. Because the state of the river flow tends towards stable, it makes the Chuanjiang channels, regarded as a most dangerous waterway, to be thoroughly changed. Meanwhile, a flat lake scene with clear water and surrounded by wonderful mountain peaks standing erect on both banks will appear in front of tourists' eyes. Due to the rising of water level, the relative height of the mountains above the water surface in the Gorges will be reduced, and the gorge's feeling and the scenery of cliffs and canyons for some parts of the Gorges will be weakened. However, because the water surface will not be enlarged obviously, the visual sense effects of the landscape in the Gorges from a far or middle distance view will remain. For example, Kuimen Gate is renowned for the cliffs closely standing facing each other like a door, its peak stands at about 350 m, when the backwater of the reservoir reaches here, the water level will be raised by about 40 m as compared with the natural flood water level, and only the slope foot will be submerged. Besides, as the Chijia mountain and the Baiyan mountain, elevations of which are over 1,000 m, closely behind it serve as a foil, Kuimen Gate regarded as the grandest view in the world will remain unchanged. On the other hand, the well known twelve peaks of the Wushan mountain all range between 800~1,200 m in height with the famous Goddess peak rising 912 m above sea level. The water level increase there will amount to only 40-50 m. Therefore the Goddess peak will remain tall enough to erect on the summit of the mountains, tourists still need to look up to see its charming face. Some other universally praised grotesque rocks and mountains scenery, such as the monk hanged upside down by the feet, the master and disciples of the Tang monk, the rhinoceros looking up the moon and so on, will be still on the sheer precipice or over hanging on rocks for the public to enjoy. After inundation, except for that the scenes with many shoals, rapids and roaring waves will disappear, the basic looking of grand, spectacle and seclusion for the Three Gorges, however, will not be ruined after the reservoir impoundment. The tourists will still have deep feeling of the poetic landscape as a painting of "the peaks linking with heaven, the boats navigating in the deep gorges like cellar". Not only the beautiful scene of grotesque peaks will not be lessened, the sheer precipice and overhanging rocks still existed, the peaks of full of fairy tales remained at the remote places, some new peculiar scenes will be potentially added. In sum, after impoundment, it will not happen that the Three Gorges will not be seen anymore, as some people worried, but that the Three Gorges will look even more magnificent after the TGP completion.

The Three Gorges and its surrounding areas are one of the cradles of Chinese nationality and the birthplace of ancient Ba-Chu culture, various cultural relics from different dynasties with distinct characteristics can be found in this area. It formed a treasure house in cultural relics and historic heritage from the New Stone Era to modern times that lasted for more than 5000 years.

In the TGP reservoir region, the discovered historic relics and cultural heritage total 108 places, including one of the nation's protected key units, 5 provincial protected key units and 10 local protected units. The remains of the famous "Daxi Culture" is the one reflecting the transformation of the history in the Yangtze River basin from the matriarchal society to the patriarchal society, which is featured by fishing and hunting, and living in caves more than 5000 years ago. Most of the key relics got unearthed in 1958. Presently, places with historic interest or scenic beauty with distinctive features can still be found in the reservoir region. Among them the most famous ones are Liu Bei's tomb in Fengjie county; the Ba king's tomb in Fuling city, the Six Prince's tomb of Yong state in Yunyang county, including more than 10 ancient building complex left from the East Han through Ming and Qing dynasties. In addition, there are also Ghost Town in Fengdu county,Zhang Fei Temple in Zhongxian county, the Huangling Temple in Yichang,Shibaozhai Stockade Tower and two Watchtowers built in Han Dynasty in Zhongxian county, etc...

There are some enchanting scenery in the region, including the ancient plank road built above the water surface on cliffs in Wushan county, the rock coffin and the ancient town in Dachang, the Autumn Wind Pavilion in Badong, the White Emperor City in Fengjie county, the Memorial House of Qu Yuan in Zigui County, the Native Place of Wang Zhaojun, the famous ancient beauty of Han Dynasty in Xingshan County, the king's tomb of Chu Dynasty in Zigui and the ancient battle field in Yiling of Yichang, etc..Besides, there are many valuable relics left by ancient famous persons and poets through ages. Forty-seven scripted tablets left from Sui to Qing dynasties have been collected in Baidicheng(the White Emperor City) in Fenjie County, in which poems, antithetical couplets, paintings and handwritings in various styles are a feast for your eyes. Among the tablets both of the Phoenix and the Bamboo are in unique style and very fascinating. So far, there are more than 40 stone inscriptions and tablets still laid inside and outside of Sanyou Cave.Ouyangxiu's inscription in Song Dynasty and Baijuyi's 'Sanyou Cave Preface'; inscription re-carved in Ming Dynasty have acquired high reputation. Also, there are some inscriptions about the record of low water and flood level of the Yangtze from Tang to Qing dynasties, in which Baiheliang Low-water Inscription, namely "the Rock Fish", is the nation's key protected relic.

Based on the location and elevation, impacts of the Project on the cultural relics and historic heritage in the TGP reservoir region and its surrounding areas can be grouped into the following five types:

The relics and heritage below the inundation line belong to this type. These include the cultural relics of the New Stone Era, the ancient tombs built in Xia, Shang, Zhou, the Warring states, the West Han,Jin, the Southern and Northern dynasties, Tang and Song dynasties,etc. and the ancient cliff-path in the Three Gorges reach and Daning riverside, Baiheliang Low- water Inscription in Fuling City, Longjishi Dry Season Inscription in Yunyang County, Zhan Fei's Temple in Yunyang County, the AutumnWind Pavilion in Badong County, the Dragon Gate Bridge in Linshi of Fuling City, Kongming's Monument in Wushan County, the Powder Wall and the Iron Pillar for River Locking in Fenjie County, and the two Watchtowers of Han Dynasty in Zhongxian County. The inundation of these relics are uncountable losses. Although some of the relics can be removed or rebuilt, but will not be restored to exactly the same as the original style or features.

- Partially Submerged Areas

The partly submerged relics in the reservoir region are those relics, which are partly located below the inundation line. These include the ancient tombs from the Warring States to the Six-dynasty Era in Fengdu County, Shibaozai Stockade Tower in Zhongxian County and the Memorial House of Qu Yuan in the east of Zigui County, etc..

- Landscape Alterations

After impoundment, the natural surroundings of the relics in the reservoir region will be changed to a certain extent and some will be altered significantly. For example, when the reservoir is impounds and the water level is raised, the White Emperor City (Baidicheng), at current elevation over 210 m, will be surrounded by water. The pavilion with bend upwards corners and upturned eaves, the verdant and luxurious forest, emerged by the rivers from three sides will form a unified and magnificent fairyland, just like Penglai Island in the Heaven. As the result, Baidicheng's tourism and scenery value will be further increased. After reservoir formation, the large part of Fengdu County will be submerged. However, Mount Ming, where" the Ghost Town" is located, will still show above the water level of the reservoir like a floating palace, creating an even more attractive scene.

- Potential Discoveries

The Three Gorges area is associated with a long human history. Due to the large scale construction of the TGP, it is quite possible that potential unknown relics or heritage may be unearthed, perhaps some unexpected discoveries of archaeology will be revealed during the construction period of the dam, resettlement and clearing of the reservoir bottom.

- Unaffected Areas

Many noted historic relics and cultural heritage in the Three Gorges region, such as Huangling Temple, Sanyou Cave, Lu You Fountain,the ancient battlefield in Yiling, Qu Yuan's Memory House and the Wang Zhaojun's Native Place, etc., will not be affected by the inundation because they are located above the inundation line or downstream of the dam site. On the contrary, the construction of the Project will benefit the exploitation of these scenery resources.

The Chinese government has long realized the importance of protecting the heritage and relics. Series of related policies, laws and regulations have been implemented. Since 1958, CWRC assisted with other concerned institutions, jointly established a special archaeological team to conduct the general survey on the historic heritage and cultural relics. In 1980, a survey on the relics with elevation below 200 m in this reservoir region was successively conducted in every county in the region. Some important historic heritage and cultural relics were excavated. Since the commencement of the TGP, CTGPC set up "the Environment and Cultural Relics Protection Committee". A special fund was allocated to assist the survey and archaeological studies to speed up the excavation of the heritage and relics. Remedial measures,such as reconstruction, reproducing, photographing and replica were taken for preservation of the valuable relics. By 1987, CWRC and other associated departments completed a program for removing and reconstructing the relics and heritage in the reservoir region. Under the provision of the program, Zhang Fei's Temple is being relocated to a new place along with the construction of new county site.

It has been suggested that the new place should possess a condition of favorable environment and convenient communication, and it should be rebuilt in accordance with its original architectural style and features. The Watchtowers made of carved stones in Han Dynasty, including the twin watchtowers in Dingfang and the watchtower without inscription in Ganjinggou are planned to be moved into a new scenic spot. The twelve-storied Shibaozhai Stockade Tower is going to be protected by embankment from possible effects on the bottom caused by underground water level rising and wave surge. Similar scheme will also be applied to the Memorial House of Qu Yuan. The Iron Pillar for River Locking and the Ancient Bridge in Linshi can be preserved and rebuilt in other places. The inscription of Kongming Monument and the Powder Wall will be redone by rubbings and taking photographs on suitable precipice of cliff. However, it is rather a difficult issue to handle the famous low water inscription of Baiheliang. It has been suggested to cut and take it off from the rock and keep its original status and then rehabilitate in the museum. However, this will lose its original sense of carving rock to record the low water. It is also suggested that a special under-water museum in the Yangtze could be set up to keep this unique inscriptions, but it will be rather costly.

And,why it is said that many new scenery spots will appear after the formation of the TGP reservoir? The Three Gorges area is full of various types of gorges and canyons. Once it is inundated, a broad water surface will form and a flat lake will appear in the deep gorges.As the result, the original dangerous waterway will turn into a freeway. The original natural landscapes with dangerous shoals and rapids in the Gorges will be lost, but new beautiful sceneries with lakes, mountains and myriad surges will emerge and become new landscape. In addition, travelers on the waterway will be worry-free about the danger caused by the menacing rapids and shoals. Instead, they will enjoy the new charming scenery.

In the gorge section, the water width is only slightly increased after the reservoir formation, and the scenery of the mountain cliffs standing facing each other and surrounded by hills will remain. Traveling on the Gorge's reach, you will still be able to experience the phenomenon as the mountain cliffs appear at first moment and disappear moment later over the meandering reach of the river and, in the next turning, suddenly see the bright and open sky in front of you again.

There are many famous small tributaries of the Yangtze in the Three Gorges region, such as Xiangxi river,Daning river, Daxi and Caotang rivers and so on. On both sides of those tributaries, the mountain peaks stand closely to each other to form deep and steep valleys. The grotesque caves and rocks form many pictures in unique nature. Up to now, many of those beautiful scenic places are still hidden in the deep valley of the tributary's gorges and remain unknown to the public due to the inconvenient access. After the reservoir impoundment, however, the water of the reservoir will further extend into the tributaries, which will greatly benefit the exploitation of such resources in the tributary areas. Tourists can reach these scenery spots by boat to enjoy the hidden beauty of the nature. Many natural scenery spots can be found in the region, such as Shennong Stream and the Rock Forest in Gezi river valley in Badong County, Daning River in Wushan County and the Alpine Grassland of Hongchiba in Wuxi, as well as the natural corroded cave museum of Furong River in Fuling City. Furthermore, the native place of Qu Yuan, a famous poet during the period of the Warring States, and Wang Zhaojun, a famous beauty in Chinese history and female scholar in Western Han Cynasty were all originated from this region.

The submerged land area by the Three Gorges reservoir will reach more than 600 km2. In the affected regions, people will have to be relocated, villages, towns, farmland, tourism resources, communication lines and roads will all be rebuilt in new places according to an unified planning. Once the planning is fully implemented, the reservoir region will take on a new look in many aspects. Because the reservoir region has beneficial moisture and heat condition, the evergreens, citrus, tangerines and bamboo forests can be planted and easily developed in the region. Thus, fine sceneries full of green and luxuriancy all the year around will be formed on both sides of the reservoir with the nice and unique scenery of the Three Gorges.

It should be mentioned that after completion, the Three Gorges dam itself will be one of the great wonders in the world,too. The lofty dam will cut off the clouds and rains above Wushan Mountain. The water flow released from the dam spillways will form a huge magnificent artificial waterfall. The giant ship-lock can allow a 10,000-ton towboat to pass through. The high steel towers for power transmission will stand erect like a forest and reach to the sky. The high scientific and technology make the Three Gorges Project become a big miracle in the Three Gorges region to attract worldwide attention.