Reflection Gorge

Reflection Gorge

If the Qingjiang Gallery were compared to a picture album, then Reflection Gorge would be its frontispiece. Some say the enchanting mountains and beautiful waters of Reflection Gorge are the finishing touch to the scenery of the Qingjiang Gallery.

The gorge stretches 5 kilometers in length, featuring uniquely shaped mountains and pristine waters. It was originally called “Upside-down Fish Stream,” named after a huge rock in the stream that resembles an upside-down big silver carp, its reflection in the water strikingly lifelike. Locals later renamed the place “Reflection Gorge.” A line from a Tang Dynasty poem—“Fish swim on tree branches while birds roost in the water”—aptly describes the stunning view before your eyes.

Reflection Gorge is the first major scenic spot upon entering the Qingjiang Gallery Scenic Area, located on the north side of the Gehewan Dam.

The rocky outcrops on both sides form a unique natural landscape of stone formations. The hills are covered with lush forests, casting dancing shadows, while clear springs babble and the waters flow gently around bends. It is a pristine site that integrates mountains, water, gorges, caves, and woods.

Among its attractions is the Qingjiang Grand Buddha, a naturally formed Maitreya Buddha standing 278 meters tall with a base width of 144 meters—twice the size of the Leshan Giant Buddha in Sichuan, making it the largest of its kind in Asia. There is also the Peacock Spreading Its Tail Mountain and others, all with remarkably lifelike shapes and majestic presence. Reflection Gorge can truly be called the finishing touch of the Qingjiang Gallery.

The scenic area is just 500 meters from the shipping dock, stretching 10 kilometers from east to west and 3 kilometers from north to south, covering a total area of 30 square kilometers. It lies at the center of the flat landscape structure of the Changyang Qingjiang Scenic Area. The terrain is a low mountain and river valley zone, characterized by marine sedimentary bedrock, extensive limestone areas, steep cliffs, pictographic rocks, and numerous karst cave landforms. Since the formation of the Gehewan Reservoir, the gorge’s scenery has become especially spectacular. The climate is favorable with no industrial pollution, and the vegetation on both banks is well preserved, with a coverage rate as high as 80%, ensuring an excellent ecological environment. The area is equipped with reliable power, communication, and water supply infrastructure.

The main structure of the Qingjiang Gehewan Hydropower Station—the water-retaining dam—is 684 meters long, with the dam crest at an elevation of 206 meters and a relative height of 151 meters. Construction of the Gehewan Hydropower Station began in January 1987, and by November 1994, all four generating units, each with a capacity of 1.2 million kilowatt-hours, were operational, completing an eight-year endeavor. The dam has a maximum storage capacity of 3.4 billion cubic meters and an annual power generation of 3.04 billion kilowatt-hours, making it one of the key peak-shaving and frequency-regulating power plants in the Central China Power Grid.

“From lofty gorges emerges a calm lake, mountains and rivers blend into a painted scroll, fishing songs drift across the bays, and green trees cover the slopes.” Today, the dam stands tall, blessing generations to come. With functions in power generation, tourism, flood control, navigation, and aquaculture, the vast waters of the Gehewan Dam present another harmonious ecological masterpiece.

Changyang Qingjiang Gallery

Machi Ancient Stockade

Qingjiang Ancient City

Ancient Capital of the Ba State

30 Degrees North Island

Immortal Village

Wuluo Zhongli Mountain