Shipai Fortress Tourist Area

Shipai Fortress Tourist Area

Shipai is located between the Three Gorges Dam and the Gezhouba Dam, approximately 20 kilometers from downtown Yichang. The name "Shipai" comes from the solitary massive rock standing by the river. The scenic area consists of three parts: the Yangjiaxi Military Rafting, the Shipai Anti-Japanese War Memorial Hall, and the Shipai Anti-Japanese War Monument.

The Three Gorges Shipai Fortress Tourist Area (formerly the Yangjiaxi Military Rafting Scenic Area) is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and the world's first military-themed rafting project. It is one of the top ten scenic spots of the New Three Gorges and offers features such as rafting adventure, military training, and water-based leisure. The rafting section is divided into whitewater and flatwater rafting. During the rafting experience, visitors wear camouflage clothing, paddle in camo inflatable boats, and are organized into platoons and squads with elected squad and platoon leaders. They sing military songs, brave rapids, and navigate through dangerous shoals, resembling a waterborne military drill. The stunning scenery flashes by on both riverbanks, with waves splashing like flying pearls and jades. Hidden valleys cradle exquisite beauty — you feel as if traveling through a painting, enjoying both the thrill of surfing through rapids and the tranquility of boating on calm waters.

Shipai is located between the Three Gorges Dam and the Gezhouba Dam, approximately 20 kilometers from downtown Yichang. The name "Shipai" originates from the solitary massive rock by the river — a granite boulder over 40 meters high, 13 meters wide, 4 meters thick, and weighing around 4,300 tons. Its sheer cliffs on all sides appear as if meticulously carved by hand, resembling an artificially crafted “plaque,” hence the name Shipai. It is said that this rock has a history of several thousand years.

There are many touching legends about the origin of Shipai, but the most “mainstream” one tells of the Jade Emperor inspecting the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. Moved by the majestic landscape, he bestowed a sacred plaque here. What the Jade Emperor’s intention was remains a mystery to us mortals. Not far behind Shipai, atop a mountain peak, there is a cluster of weathered rocks, each vividly shaped, resembling the legendary monk Tang Sanzang and his three disciples passing through the area. From a distance, they look like the characters from a shadow puppet show en route to retrieve Buddhist scriptures, leading locals to call this stretch of the gorge “Dengying Gorge” (Shadow Play Gorge).

Historical records indicate that before the Northern Song Dynasty, the administrative seat of the former Zhoudao Prefecture and during the Jianyan era of the Southern Song Dynasty, the administrative center of Yiling Commandery were both located in Shipai. In those days, Shipai was a bustling market town with convenient transportation, especially notable as a salt route. Literary figures from the Song Dynasty such as Ouyang Xiu, Su Zhe, Huang Tingjian, and Lu You once lingered here, leaving behind many exquisite poems and essays. However, what truly made Shipai famous worldwide was the Battle of Shipai Fortress during the 1940s, when the Chinese people fought against Japanese invaders.

According to the Donghu County Annals: “In the south of the river, there is a massive rock spanning sixty to seventy zhang (approx. 200–230 meters), shaped like a floating plaque, hence the name Shipai (Plaque Rock).” The Shipai Rock is 32 meters high, 12 meters wide at the top, 13 meters wide at the base, and about 4 meters thick, weighing over 4,300 tons. From afar, it stands majestically with extraordinary presence. ...

Travel Routes

Rafting Route: Two-Day Tour of Yangjiaxi Rafting and Three Gorges Villagers

Day 1: Gather at Guqin Tai Park in Wuhan at 7:00 am, then take a bus to Yichang. After lunch, head to Guanyin Ferry, passing by Xiakou Scenic Area, with distant views of the Gezhouba Dam and the authentic scenery of the Xiling Gorge. Experience the 【Yangjiaxi Military Rafting】 (about 2 hours), then stay overnight in Yichang or at the scenic area.

Day 2: After breakfast, visit the 【Three Gorges Villagers Scenic Area】: explore the Riverside Homes and Streamside Houses, view the Huanglong Waterfall, Qinying Waterfall, and springs, and enjoy performances of Three Gorges folk songs and dances. After lunch, tour Shipai Rock, Dengying Rock, and Yaoyue Pavilion to experience the local mountain village culture (4–6 hours). In the afternoon, return to Wuhan, concluding the pleasant trip.

Individual Tour Price (All-Inclusive Standard): 356 RMB per person

Yangjiaxi Rafting and Happy Valley Two-Day Tour

Day 1: Gather at Guqin Tai Park in Wuhan at 7:00 am, then take a bus to Yichang. After lunch, head to Guanyin Ferry, passing by Xiakou Scenic Area, with distant views of the Gezhouba Dam and the authentic scenery of the Xiling Gorge. Experience the 【Yangjiaxi Military Rafting】 (about 2 hours), then stay overnight in Yichang or at the scenic area.

Day 2: After breakfast, visit the 【Happy Valley Scenic Area】: walk across the Xiaya Stream Suspension Bridge, see the Love Pool and Mother’s Milk Spring, watch knife throwing and fire performances at Dragon Spring Square, and tour Dragon Spring Cave to see the Five Palaces (Waterfall Palace, Jade Pool Palace, Stupa Forest Palace, Longevity Palace, and Crystal Palace) for about 2.5 hours. After lunch, return to Wuhan, ending the enjoyable journey.

Individual Tour Price (All-Inclusive Standard): 356 RMB per person

Service Standards:

Transportation: Round-trip air-conditioned tour bus, on-site scenic transport

Tickets: Rafting tickets, Three Gorges Villagers entry

Meals: Includes one lunch, served family-style with eight dishes and one soup, 15 RMB per person per meal

Accommodation: 2–3 person rooms

Guide: Full-service guide for scenic area commentary

Price: 220 RMB per person

Scenic Area Information

Highlights: Shipai Rafting offers three unique features among China’s over 150 rafting spots: rare canyon rafting, a true military adventure experience, and relaxing through twelve thrilling rapids.

Tickets/Opening Hours: Tickets: 180 RMB; Opening Hours: All day

Location Address: No. 1, Sanxia Road, Yiling District, Yichang City, Hubei Province.

Transportation: Local Transport: Take a boat from the Shipai Tourist Wharf dedicated to the “Two Dams and One Gorge” route on Huangbai River in Yichang city. Boats depart daily at 08:30.

The best time to visit Yichang has a subtropical monsoon humid climate with abundant rainfall and heat resources, offering pleasant weather year-round. The annual average temperature is around 17°C, and winters are relatively mild, with average temperatures significantly higher than those in nearby Wuhan at the same latitude. The best time to travel to Yichang is during spring.

Shipai Village: Shipai Village is located in the eastern part of Sandouping Town, on the southern bank of Mingyue Bay, the first bend of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. It is home to the Three Gorges Folk Village Scenic Area and the Yangjiaxi Military Rafting site, as well as being a model village for new rural development in Yiling District. The village covers an area of 19.89 square kilometers, with 4,346 mu of arable land, and comprises 8 villager groups totaling 2,461 residents. In 2007, the total economic income was 16.95 million yuan, with an average per capita income of 4,210 yuan. The village is a major producer of citrus and tea, as well as a popular tourism destination. Water transport is very convenient. Currently, the village has 1,340 mu of citrus orchards, yielding 1,639... Detailed information about Shipai Village++