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Life丨A current of culture

2023-06-05

Arguably the best way to enjoy the beauty of the Yangtze River, one of China's "mother rivers", is to embark on a tourism cruise. Away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, tourists can savor tea and snacks onboard while enjoying the awe-inspiring currents and picturesque scenery on both banks of the river.

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▲The city of Yichang, Hubei province, offers attractions related to the Yangtze River for tourists to explore. [Photo by Xu Lin/China Daily]

The cruise starts at Yichang city in Central China's Hubei province, known for the role it played in the wars of the Three Kingdoms (220-280) period. It is now home to some of the country's key water control projects.

"Two dams and one gorge", which refers to the Gezhouba Dam, the Three Gorges Dam, and Xiling Gorge between the two dams, has become a classic travel itinerary.

Gezhouba Dam, the first large-scale water control project constructed on the Yangtze River, was put into operation in 1981. The Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydropower project, has received over 10 million tourists in the past five years.

The cruise pulls in to shore and takes passengers to the Tribes of the Three Gorges, a scenic area that offers encounters with a variety of cultural experiences related to ethnic groups, such as those of the Tujia people.

There, tourists can visit different villages while hiking along the Yangtze River. Dressed in traditional ethnic costumes, performers sing folk songs, dance in groups and share folk customs with audiences.

Standing on a wooden bridge above a stream, one can enjoy an idyllic natural scene, the stuff of ancient Chinese poems.

Through the fog emerges a young woman in hanfu (traditional Chinese dress), playing a stringed instrument on a boat. Her peers dance on shore, traditional oil-paper umbrellas in hand.

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▲The scenic area, Tribes of the Three Gorges, enables tourists to encounter a variety of ethnic cultural events, including those of the Tujia people. [Photo by Xu Lin/China Daily]

Hop back onboard for the most amazing part of the journey — cruising downstream to upstream through the Three Gorges Dam, a vertical ascent of up to 113 meters.

The climb is made possible by the largest and most sophisticated vertical-hoist ship lift in the world. It allows small and medium-sized ships, with a maximum displacement of about 3,000 metric tons, to pass the dam within 40 minutes.

The Three Gorges Dam also has a five-tier ship lock exclusively for cargo ships. These large-sized vessels can traverse the dam within four hours.

As the tourist vessel, measuring 16.2 meters in width, slowly enters the 18-meter-wide ship lock, passengers have about 12 minutes to observe the water level change until it reaches its maximum height.

Standing on the deck, a breathtaking panorama unfolds before one's eyes, showcasing the grand dam and the surrounding scenery, which stretches to the horizon.

▲Qu Yuan Temple in Zigui county of Yichang was originally constructed to commemorate the great poet of the Warring States Period (475-221 BC). [Photo by Xu Lin/China Daily]

When the vessel reaches the other side, it enters Zigui county, the hometown of Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet from the Chu state during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC).

Legend has it that when the Chu state was doomed to be conquered by its rivals, Qu Yuan drowned himself in the Miluo River on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, which is now known as Duanwu, or the Dragon Boat Festival.

On this festival, people around the country commemorate Qu Yuan by racing dragon boats and eating zongzi, a glutinous rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves.

After going ashore, the next stop is the Qu Yuan Temple, which was originally constructed during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and rebuilt several times.

At the entrance of the traditional gate, with its exquisite decorations, an old man dressed in white attire, playing Qu Yuan, recites aloud the man's poetry, which echoes with rich Chinese philosophy.

There, onlookers can also have a bird's-eye view of the dam, situated a mere 600 meters away. The sight of this engineering marvel, together with the ambience of the gate, is unforgettable.

Zigui is also well-known for its juicy and sweet navel oranges, with an annual output of one million tons. Thanks to the presence of various orange species, these mouthwatering fruits are available throughout the year.

In Qu Yuan's poem Ju Song, or Ode to An Orange Tree, he praised an orange tree grown in the Chu state, which stood as a metaphor for the poet's own character, morals and pursuit of dreams.

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