Editing Three Gorges (section)

== Scenic grandeur ==
The natural beauty of the Three Gorges along the Yangtze River has been appreciated for hundreds of years. In the [[Northern Wei]] ({{lang|zh-hant|北魏}}) dynasty, [[Li Daoyuan]] ({{lang|zh-hant|酈道元}}) described them in his work, ''[[Commentary on the Water Classic]]'' ({{lang|zh|水經注}}).

<blockquote>There are seamless mountains on both sides of the Three Gorges stretching more than 200 miles. The overlapping rocks make up layers of barriers that shield against sky and sunshine so that the sun can only be seen at noon and the moon will merely show at midnight. In summers, water rises to lofty mountains, making all boats floating along or against the river get blocked. Suppose an empire has an urgent decree to issue from Baidi, it will reach Jiangling at sunset of the day. The distance between them is about 373 miles, and neither a galloping horse nor a flight can run faster than a boat.
</blockquote>

[[Yuan Shansong]] ({{lang|zh-hant|袁山松}}) of the [[Jin dynasty (265–420)|Eastern Jin dynasty]] wrote a ''Record of Yichuan's Landscape'', which depicts the Three Gorges' grandeur. He wrote,

<blockquote>People were always warned literally or orally of the Gorges' swift currents, saying they are horrific, and no one praised the local landscape [as] beautiful. It's [not] till I came to the site that I felt quite gleeful and started to understand seeing is believing. The overlapping cliffs, the elegant peaks and the grotesque structures, they all constitute the scenery far from expression. The lush, solemn woods stood erected in the cloudy air. I can raise up my head to appreciate what's above, and look down to see reflections, and the more acquainted I get with this place, the better I feel. I spent two nights there, forgetting to return. I had never seen such a scene, nor had I any similar experience. So I am cheerful to see such a wonder, I feel mountains and waters all had spirits, and I am thrilled to encounter this bosom friend after seeking so long.
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In his poem ''Setting out from Baidicheng'', [[Li Bai]] ({{lang|zh|李白}}) depicts this place, saying,

<blockquote>While monkeys keep howling at both sides of the river, the boat has swiftly passed thousands of mountains.
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Between winter and spring, the shadows of rocks and woods are reflected in the green pool accompanied by white, swift currents. Cascades plunge and flow across cypresses increasing at extremely high peaks. Clean water, flourishing trees, lofty mountains and luxuriant grasses compose the landscape. When the sun starts to rise or frost falls in the morning, forests and streams are chilly and solemn, and one can often hear monkeys howling from peaks. Their cries sound sad and strange and last in the valleys for quite a while, because of that, local fishers think the Wu Gorge is the longest of the Three Gorges in the east of Sichuan province.

The Three Gorges have renowned scenic spots, such as the Kuimen ({{lang|zh-hant|夔門}}), located at the western entrance to the Three Gorges. The cliffs on both sides appear to some as having been cut by knives or axes. Among the Wu Mountains that are located at the northern and southern beaches of the Wu Gorge, one of the twelve peaks is known as Fairy Peak. According to folk tradition, it symbolizes a fairy who assisted [[Yu the Great]] in controlling the waters and guiding boatmen. The Xiling Gorge comprises a series of famous gorges, including Military Book and Sword Gorge, Yellow Cow Gorge, and Lantern's Shadow Gorge.