Lizhi Gorge

Lizhi Gorge

Lizhi Gorge is the section of the Wu River Gorge from Heishatou to Siqiu, stretching 13.3 kilometers in total. It is the most beautiful part of the Wu River Gorge. According to the "Sinan Prefecture Records" from the Ming Dynasty's Jiajing era: “On the right side of the rapids shines the light of Lizhi, hence the name.” The “Lizhi Light” refers to the days of clear weather when a waterfall cascades down the right bank, and beams of sunlight filtering through the branches from the top of the gorge refract in the mist, creating colorful halos. The gorge features numerous rapids and sharp turns, with foaming white waves. The banks are lined with abruptly rising peaks, towering cliffs, and rugged rocks. Attractions include the Black Poplar Trees, Three Stars Cave, Sword-Cleaved Rock, Ancient Towpath, Ox Liver, Horse Lung, Heavenly Fish Pond, Herringbone Waterfall, Buddha’s Finger Mountain, Heaven Ascending Stone, Fairy Watching Husband, Yin-Yang Spring, Heaven Gate Stone, Incense Burner Stone, Spirit Tablet Stone, Straw Hat Stone, One Box Book, and Flying Dragon Crossing the River. The Three Stars Cave consists of a large cave, a small cave, and the Pearl Cave. All face the Wu River and are backed by sheer cliffs. Inside each cave, the stalactites take on a myriad of exquisite and unique shapes, earning the name “Three Stars,” signifying the standout caves. Sword-Cleaved Rock features cliffs on both sides that are as smooth as if sliced by a knife. Legend has it that in ancient times, when the Wu River was blocked here, immortals sent someone to cleave the mountain rock with a divine sword, resulting in two natural ink-painting-like formations. Heaven Gate Stone is a cracked stone on the verge of collapsing, said to have been held together by the silk of a “spider demon,” resembling a heavenly gate about to open. Straw Hat Stone is gray on top and yellow at the brim, shaped like a straw hat. Legend says it was left behind by Zhang Sanfeng when he went fishing on the Wu River. The Man King’s River Sacrifice commemorates the legendary Man King offering thanks to the heavens for the nourishment provided by the Wu River to the Tujia people and honoring the souls of boatmen who perished on the river. Buddha’s Finger Mountain features five protruding boulders of varying lengths atop a cliff, closely resembling the five fingers of the Buddha’s hand. Fairy Watching Husband depicts what looks like a Tujia woman standing on a cliff, gazing at the river, waiting for her husband to return from a long voyage. Heaven Ascending Stone is a massive stone pillar seemingly upheld within a perilous peak, as if artificially crafted, piercing the sky. Legend says that immortals managing the Wu River traveled between heaven and earth via this spot. Herringbone Waterfall spurts from a crevice in the mountainside, flowing down into the Wu River, forming a giant “人”-shaped waterfall that never dries up in earlier times. Flying Dragon Crossing the River describes a spring gushing from a cave in the Wu River cliff, forming a perpetual waterfall. After heavy rain, water jets out forcefully, with white mist reaching the opposite bank—creating a spectacular view. Also known as “White Dragon Crossing the River.” A poem reads:

Amidst ancient trees, the monkeys cry,

Under high skies and low clouds, the eagles fly.

Boats split the surging current past rocky shoals,

Men brave the gales to cross the treacherous shoals.

Beyond even the beauty of the Yangtze Gorges,

The Wu Gorge boasts even more wondrous spectacles.