Tianshengqiao River Water Conservancy Scenic Area

Tianshengqiao River Water Conservancy Scenic Area

The Tianshengqiao River Water Conservancy Scenic Area is a national water conservancy scenic area.

Known as the "Little Three Gorges of the South," the Tianshengqiao River Water Conservancy Scenic Area is located in Lishui District, Nanjing, covering an area of approximately 7.6 square kilometers. Its main hydraulic structure, the Tianshengqiao Sluice, is a key project in the comprehensive environmental improvement of Nanjing’s Outer Qinhuai River. Together with the Wudingmen Sluice, Qinhuai New River Sluice, and Sanchahe Kou Sluice, it achieves the "six-sluice linkage," playing an important role in improving the water environment of the Qinhuai River within Nanjing.

As you enter the scenic area, towering cliffs rise on both sides, with a narrow stream slicing through the mountains. The echoing sounds are like whispers of history, recounting stirring tales of the past. The "Nízhī Chénxiá" (Crimson Dusk) Yanzi River, with a history of over 600 years, is an artificial canal excavated under the orders of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty to facilitate grain transport between Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Marquis Chongshan, Li Xin, was tasked with mobilizing tens of thousands of laborers to dig the canal through the ancient Yanzi Ridge in Lishui. The red-hued stone walls along the river earned it the name Yanzi (Crimson) River. During the excavation, a massive natural boulder blocked the way. Using the principle of thermal expansion and contraction, workers embedded tung oil-soaked hemp ropes into the cracks, set them on fire, then poured cold water to crack the rock. They then levered the rocks away and repeated this process over 7.5 kilometers to clear the channel for boats. A stone bridge formed naturally in the process, hence the name Tianshengqiao (Natural Bridge), resembling a rainbow arching over the river. The Yanzi River connected the entire water system of southern Jiangsu, allowing grain ships to travel from Taihu Lake inland all the way to Nanjing. This was indeed a bold and scientific feat 600 years ago, and the daring scale and enormous cost of the project were truly rare in the history of ancient hydraulic engineering.

Boating along the Yanzi River, you’ll pass by formations such as Ghost Face Rock, Tiansheng Gorge, Yanzi Gorge, and Yinxiu Gorge. Towering bizarre rocks, steep cliffs, glistening springs, and emerald waters set against crimson cliffs create a breathtaking scene. After visiting, Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty once remarked with delight, “A mere journey of a few dozen li captures the wonder of the Yangtze River’s Three Gorges—majestic, perilous, and beautiful. To call it the Little Three Gorges of the South is no exaggeration.”