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Three Gorges Introduction

The Yangtze is by far, China's longest river and the third longest in the world. The river starts in Qinghai, travels through Tibet and seven provinces and ends just north of Shanghai in the East China Sea.

This turbulent and powerful sight and journey, has been the source of artistic inspiration for numerous poets and artists over the years. Negotiating the River is no mean feat either, with the twists and turns along the way being incredibly hard to push through, and the current of the River so powerful that it manages to divide the high mountains in the region.

The "Three Gorges" along the Yangtze River are Qutang, Wu Gorge and Xiling, all providing a stunning array of sights and scenery. These are the main Three Gorges, stretching 192km from Baidicheng (White Emperor City) in Chongqing in the west, to Yichang in Hubei Province in the east. In addition to these main monsters are three smaller gorges, located along the Daning and Madu River.

Currently the only dam along this stretch is the Gezhou. However, the "Three Gorges Dam" at Sandouping is under construction, causing much controversy as it goes up, destroying homes and villages at random in an attempt to keep back the waters. The dam will eventually ruin a great deal of the beauty of this spot so get here while there is still something worth seeing. The dam is scheduled for completion in 2008 but the scenery may be devastated well before that date.