Module5ATripAlongtheThreeGorges

補充文檔

TheThreeLittleGorges

Totakeadaytripupthecrystal-clearDaningRiverthroughitsmagnificentThreeLittleGorges(XiaoSanxia)----whosetotallengthisonly33kilometres(20miles)-istoexperiencetheexcitementandaweofbygonedaysofrivertravelinChina.

Theexcursionisundertakeninair-conditionedboats,whosestrongexperiencedboatmenpolewithalltheirmightwhentheriveristooshallowfortheenginetobeused,heavingtheirbodiesforwardastheythrustlongiron-tippedbamboopolesintotheriverbed,andfollowingthroughuntiltheyarealmostlyingontheirbacksintheirstruggleagainstthecurrent.Someofthelocalboatsencounteredarenotmotorizedandtheboatmenmusttowtheboats--ladenwithlocalmerchandiseandcoal-upriver,usingalongbambooropeandtrackinginharness,alongthewater’sedgeoralongcutpathwaysintherockface.Negotiatingarapidmaytakeseveralexhaustingattemptsbeforetheboatisfinallyhauledover.Unfortunately,whilethesplendourofthescenerywillremain,by2003,thewatershavingrisenabout50metres(164feet),theboatmen’spoleswillnolongertouchbottom,thetrackers’pathswillhavedisappeared,andthisdescriptionwillbeasouveniroftimesgoneby.

About40minutesfromthemouthoftheriver,atitsconfluencewiththeYangtze,theentrancetothefirstofthegorgesisreached.ThisistheDragonGateGorge(LongmenXia),threekilometresmiles)long.Ontheclifffacetotherightisthel98lfloodmark,over40metres(l30feet)aboveriverlevel.Themouthofthegorgeslikeamassivegatewaythroughwhichtheriverrusheslikeagreendragon,henceitsname.Thegatewayappearstoshutonceonehaspassedthrough.OntheeastsideisDragonGateSpring(LongmenQuan)andaboveitLingzhiPeak,toppedbytheNine-DragonPillar.Onthispeak,itissaid,growstrangeplantsandthefungusoflongevity(lingzhi),guardedbyninedragons.Onthewesternbank,tworowsofl5-centimetre(2--inch)squareholes,continuingtheentirelengthofthesmallgorgesandnumberingover6,000areallthatremainofanastonishingplankwalkway,whichwasfirstconstructedintheHanperiodandrecordedintheAnnalsofWushanCountyin246BC.Woodenstakesinsertedintothesehand-hewnholessupportedplanksandlargebamboopipes,whichstretchedforl00kilometres(62miles)alongtheriver.Thispipelineconveyedbrine,whiletheplanksprovidedanaccessformaintenance.Inthel7thcenturythepathway,usedbythepeasantleaderLiZichenginhisuprisingagainsttheMingdynastywasdestroyedbytheimperialarmy.

AfterleavingthegorgetheboatpassestheNestofSilverRapid(YinwoTan).Inthepast,richmerchantstradinginthehinterlandoftencametogriefhere;perhapstherearecachesofsilverunderthebubblingsurfacestill!Inl958workbeganonclearingmajorobstaclesfromtheriver.TheDaningthenmeandersthroughterracedhillsidesbeforeenteringtheten-kilometre(six-mile)MistyGorge(BawuXia),withitsdramaticsceneryofrocks,peaksandcaves,includingFairyMaidenCave,FairyThrowingaSilkBall,andGuanyinSeatedonaLotusPlatform.Along,layeredformation,likeascalydragon,canbeseenontheeasterncliff.SuspendedupontheprecipiceisarelicoftheancientinhabitantsofeasternSichuan2,000yearsago,an‘iron’coffin(whichisactuallymadeofwoodthathasturnedblackwithage).ThisgorgeisaccordinglyalsoknownasIronCoffinGorge.

ThevillageofTwinDragonsorShuanglong(popu1ation300),aboveBawuGorge,isthehalfwaypoint.Lunchcanbeprovidedatthereceptioncenter,whichalsohassomeroomsforovernightaccommodation.

EmeraldGreenGorge(DicuiXia),20kilometresmiles)long,isinhabitedbywildducksandcoveredwith1uxuriantbamboogrovesfromwhichrisesadeafeningcacophonyofbird--song.Therearealsomanytypesofmonkeystilltobeseenifyouarelucky.OncetheirshrillcriesresoundedthroughouttheYangtzegorges,buttodaytheycanbeheardonlyinDicuiGorge.Riverstonesofanextraordinaryvarietyandcolourcanbegathered.

Attheendofthisgorgethetouristboatturnsaroundandrushesdownstream,arrivingatWushaninhalfthetimeittooktogethere,aidedbytheskillfuluseofthelongyulo,whichisweightedbyastonetosteadytheboat.Groupsmayhireaboatfort