Chongqing Dragon Spine Rock

　　Introduction     It is a sandstone ridge over 200 meters long and more than 10 meters wide located in the middle of the Yangtze River in front of Yunyang County. Before the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, it would emerge from the water during the dry seasons of winter and spring each year. In most years, its central part remained submerged in the river, forming two separate islets to the east and west, which would merge into one when the water level dropped extremely low. Resembling a white dragon lying beneath the Yangtze River, it is thus called Dragon Spine Rock, also known as Dragon Hiding Stone. Since ancient times, it has been a popular spot for spring outings. Every spring, people would gather on the rock for banquets, poetry, and divination of harvests, making it a lively gathering place. As a result, the rock is covered with numerous ancient inscriptions and poems. There are over 170 stone inscriptions from various dynasties dating back to the third year of Yuanyou in the Northern Song Dynasty (1088 AD), including 68 hydrological inscriptions from 53 years of low water levels. The carvings range from large characters as big as a dou (a traditional measure) to small ones as tiny as millet grains, featuring all styles including seal, clerical, regular, and cursive scripts.
　　 

　　 Yunyang County, Chongqing