This breathtakingly beautiful area has only been open to overseas tourists since 1985 and for this reason it remains largely unsPoilt. A day trip up the crystalclear Daning River (a 300-kilometre-Iong tributary joins the Yangtze River at the mouth of the Wuxia Gorge), through its magnificent Three Little Gorges-whose total length is 50 kilometres-is to experience the excitement and awe of bygone days of river travel in China. The excursion is undertaken in long, low, wooden motorized sampans (a light flat-bottomed boat used along the coasts and rivers in China, Japan, etc.)" whose strong experience boatmen pole with all their might when the river is too shallow for the engine to be used, heaving their bodies forward as they thrust long iron-tipped bamboo poles into the riverbed, and following through until they are almost lying on their backs in their struggle against the current. Few of the local boats encountered are motorized and the boatmen must tow the boats-laden with local merchandise and coal-upriver, using a long bamboo rope and tracking in harness, along the water's edge or along cut pathways along the rock face, chanting as they go. Negotiating a rapid may take several exhausting attempts before the boat is finally hauled over.

Approximately 40 minutes from the mouth of the Daning River, at its confluence with the Yangtze River, the entrance to the Dragon Gate Gorge the first of the gorges-is reached. The gorge is 3 kilometres (2 miles) long. On the cliff face to the right is the 1981 flood mark, over 40 metres above river level. The mouth of the gorge is like a massive gateway through which the river rushes like a green dragon, hence the Dragon Gate Gorge. The gateway appears to shut once the visitor has passed through. On the east side is Dragon Gate Spring and above it Lingzhi Peak, topped by Nine-Dragon Pillar. On the peak, one legend has it that strange plants and the lingzhi fungus of immortality are grown and guarded by nine dragons. On the western bank, two rows of 15-centimetre square holes, continuing the entire length of the little gorges imd numbering more than 6 ,000 are all that remain of an astonishing plank walkway, which was first constructed in the Han Dynasty and recorded in the Annals of Wushan County in 246 BC. Wooden stakes inserted into these hand-hewn holes supported planks and large bamboo pipes, which stretched for 100 kilometres (62. 1 miles) along the Daning River. This pipeline conveyed brine, while the planks provided an access for maintenance. In the 17 th century, the peasant leader Li Zicheng (1606-1645) and his army used the pathway in their uprising against the Ming Dynasty, was destroyed by the imperial army.

After leaving the gorge the boat passes the Nest of Silver Rapid. In the past, rich merchants trading in the hinterland often came to grief here; perhaps there are caches of silver under the bubbling surface still! In 1958 work began on clearing major obstacles from the river.

The Daning River then meanders through terraced hillsides before entering the 10-kilometre (6.21 miles) Misty Gorge, with its dramatic scenery of rocks, peaks and caves, including Fairy Maiden Cave, Fairy Throwing a Silk Ball, and Guanyin (Avalokitesvara) Seated on a Lotus Platform. A long, layered formation, like a scaly dragon, can be seen on the eastern cliff. Suspended upon the precipice is a relic of the ancient inhabitants of eastern

Sichuan 2,000 years ago, an ' iron' coffin (which is actually made of wood that has turned black with age), hence the Iron Coffin Gorge.

The village of Shuanglong or Twin Dragons in Chinese (population about 300), above Bawu Gorge , is the halfway point. Lunch is provided at the reception centre, which also has ten rooms for overnight accommodation.

The 20-kilometres- (or 12.42 miles-) long Emerald Green Gorge is inhabited by wild ducks and covered with luxuriant bamboo groves from which rises a deafening cacophony of bird-song. There are also many types of monkey still to be seen if you are lucky enough. Once their shrill cries resounded throughout the Yangtze gorges, but today they can be heard only in Emerald Green Gorge. River stones of an extraordinary variety and colour can be gathered. These are painted and sold as artistic souvenirs in local shops.

At the end of the gorge the tourist boat turns around and rushes downstream, arriving at Wushan in half the time it took to get here, aided by the skilful use of the long yuloh, which is weighted by a stone to steady the boat.

Shibaozhai (Precious Stone Fortress)

Situated on the north bank of the Yangtze River near Zhongxian County, Precious Stone Fortress, standing on a huge crag over 10 metres high, represents the first gem of Chinese architecture to be encountered on the downstream journey. From afar, the protruding 220-metre hill on the north bank can appear to resemble a jade seal, and therefore it is also called a "Jade Seal Hill" as its rectangular shape is like that of a huge seal. Legend tells that it is a rock left by a legendary figure by the name of Niiwa, a creator-goddess who patched with stone blocks the holes in the sky made by Gonggong , the Spirit of Water, in a conflict with Zhuanxu , the spirit of fire. A red pavilion hugs one side of the crag. Its tall yellow entrance gate is decorated with lions and dragons and etched with an inscription inviting tourists to climb the ladder and ascend into a "Little Fairyland." Atop the hill is a temple called "Lanruodian " built during the early reign of Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795) in the Qing Dynasty and access to it is by an iron chain attached to the cliff. A 12-storey pagoda-shaped wooden pavilion was added in 1819 during the reign of Jiaqing (1796-1820) in the Qing Dynasty so that monks and tourists to the temple would not suffer the discomforts of the chain ascent. In 1956 three more stories were added to the building. Each floor is dedicated to the famous generals of the Three Kingdoms period, local scholars and renowned Chinese poets. The building contains a staircase leading up the way from ground to the hilltop, which is otherwise difficult to reach. The panoramic view tourists get when atop the hill is very much like a traditional

Chinese painting.

In front of Ganya Palace at the top of Jade H ill is the Duck Hole. Legend continues that as spring turns to summer, if the tourist takes a live duck and drop it through the hole, it will quickly reappear swimming in the Yangtze River. In the past the monks apparently drew their drinking from this hole by using a pipe made of bamboo.

The spirit wall in the temple's main hall is constructed of excavated Handynasty bricks. The hall behind is dedicated on the right to Generals Zhang Fei (? -221) and Yan Yan of the Three Kingdoms, on the left to General Qin Liangyu (1576-1648) who fought bravely against the Manchu forces. A mural shows that the goddess Ntiwa repairing the sky. Two side corridors and a back hall display archaeological finds and portraits of local Qing-dynasty officials. Fossils of fish and a tail section of a dinosaur discovered by the river's edge can also be seen.

In the rear hall are the remains of the Rice Flowing Hole. It is said that long time ago just enough husked rice would flow up from the small hole each day for the needs of the monks and their guests. One day a greedy monk, thinking he could become rich, chiselled a bigger hole, and the rice flow ceased forever. Most of the tourist cruise ships dock at Precious Stone Fortress for a few hours' visit.

Zhang Fei Temple

A 1, 700-odd-year temple on the banks of the Xangtze River has been perched high above the flow after it was moved 32 kilometres into the hills to make room for the Three Gorges Dam Project. This state-level-protected Zhang Fei Temple, located in Yunyang Countyof Chongqing Municipality, is dedicated to an ancient renowned hero-General Zhang Fei-who lived in the Three Kingdoms period (220-280). The temple used to be at the foot of Feifeng Mountain and has been moved to its new place in Panshi Township of Chongqing. At a cost of about 70 million yuan (US$ 8.5 million), the relocation was the largest building movement associated with the Three Gorges Project, which entails construction of the world's largest hydropower station. The ancient temple underwent several renovations during the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties (960-1911). Its combination of architectural styles, such as Jieyilou, Wangyunxuan, and Deyueting, is regarded as a historical masterpiece. Moreover, the temple houses a number of valuable relics, including inscriptions, sculptures, paintings and calligraphies by famous ancient figures such as Yan Zheriqing and Su Shi. The relocation project technicians would first record the exact position of every component of the temple, disassemble them and then reassemble the temple, faithfully recreating its ancient appearance, at the new site. At the same time, 126 ancient trees at the old site have also been moved and replanted according to their previous layout. Experts from prestigious Tsinghua University and other institutions said that the project would try to retain the precious cultural and historic value of the temple, as well as that of the landscape around it, although the original location was destroyed. The relocated Zhang Fei Temple, on the southern bank of the Yangtze River as before, opened to the public in July 2003. The moving of the temple started on October 8, 2002.