As is well known, the Danjiangkou Reservoir is a key node of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. The Danjiang River not only provides abundant water here but also serves as an important waterway for exchanges between the northwest and the Central Plains. Many ancient Chinese historical texts such as the "Classic of Mountains and Seas," "Commentary on the Water Classic," and "The Travel Diaries of Xu Xiake" contain relatively detailed records of this millennium-old waterway. Traveling upstream along the Danjiang River, at its source lies a beautiful and mysterious place — the Golden Silk Gorge.
The Golden Silk Gorge is located on the eastern foothills of the Qinling Mountains, the dragon vein of Chinese civilization. It is said to be beautiful because it boasts secluded valleys, divine pools, cascading waterfalls, blooming mountain flowers in spring, serene coolness in summer, vibrant colors in autumn, and a silver-clad landscape in winter — a feast of scenic beauty in all four seasons that captivates and enchants visitors. Its mystery lies not only in the fact that...20...nearly10...kilometers of the thousand-meter-long gorge remain unexplored to this day, but also in the many beautiful and touching legends associated with this stunning place.
The earliest beautiful legends about the Golden Silk Gorge date back to the legendary period of the Great Flood. The Water God Gonggong and the Fire God Zhu Rong fought for supremacy, creating a huge hole in the sky that led to catastrophic flooding across the land, bringing misery to the people. The moving legend of the Goddess Nüwa mending the sky took place here. Later, Nüwa ordered the Dan River Goddess, one of her attendants, to stay and guard the heavenly breach, protecting the people. Legend has it that the Dan River Goddess resided in the unexplored, mysterious part of the Golden Silk Gorge.
The Golden Silk Gorge gets its name from the Golden Silk Fairy, a companion of the Dan River Goddess. This kind and beautiful maiden selflessly helped the local people but defied tyranny by willingly cutting off her long golden hair and scattering it into the valley. To this day, her golden locks have transformed into thirteen waterfalls scattered throughout the gorge. In memory of this lovely and benevolent fairy, the locals named this beautiful and mysterious gorge the “Golden Silk Gorge.” For thousands of years, the kind-hearted Golden Silk Fairy continues to bless the people, while the enchanting Golden Silk Gorge still attracts visitors from far and wide.