The Underwater Stone Inscriptions of Baiheliang

　　  Located in the middle of the Yangtze River north of Fuling District, it is a natural massive stone beam approximately 1,600 meters long and 16 meters wide. The stone beam is only exposed during the dry seasons of winter and spring. Legend has it that during the Tang Dynasty, the immortal Erzhu practiced Taoism here, attained enlightenment, and then ascended to heaven riding a crane, hence the name "Baiheliang" (White Crane Beam).

　　  The stone beam bears 164 engraved inscriptions and carvings dating from the first year of the Guangde era of the Tang Dynasty (763 AD) to the present day, including 108 hydrological inscriptions; there are also 14 carved stone fish, three of which serve as hydrological markers.

　　  These inscriptions and images intermittently record the historical low water levels of 72 years over more than 1,200 years, holding significant historical and research value for studying the low-water patterns, navigation, and production activities of the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River. At the International Hydrological Conference held in Paris in 1974, the Chinese delegation submitted a report titled "Hydrological Inscriptions of the Stone Fish at Fuling," after which the scientific value of Baiheliang gained worldwide recognition. The stone fish carvings on Baiheliang not only have important scientific and historical significance, but they also carry the symbolic meanings of "emerging fish foretell a bountiful year" and "abundance every year (with fish)." As a result, ancient people inscribed on Baiheliang: "During dry seasons, if the stone fish emerge above the water, it foretells a thousand years of bountiful harvests." The stone beam also features numerous poetic inscriptions by literati and scholars throughout history such as Huang Tingjian, Zhu Xi, Pang Gongsun, Zhu Ang, and Wang Shizhen, encompassing various scripts including seal, clerical, running, and cursive, and showcasing calligraphic styles like Yan, Liu, Huang, and Su. It holds considerable artistic value, hence earning the reputation of "underwater stone inscriptions."

　　  Baiheliang has been designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit. After the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, Baiheliang will be submerged. In 1993, the state approved a project to build a large underwater museum for it.