| Three
Travelers' Cave |
| Located
on a cliff of the northern peak of the Xiling Hill, the Three Travelers'
Cave is 10 kilometers northwest of Yichang City, overlooking the magnificent
Nanjin Pass - the exit of the great Xiling Gorge, and the Gezhouba
Hydro-electric Project. |
 |
Edge
of the Cave |
| This
limestone cave was little known before the Tang Dynasty (618-907).
A story says that, in 819, the Tang poet Bai Juyi (772-846) and his
younger brother came across another poet Yuan Zhen (779-831). The
three visited the cave together and each inscribed a long poem on
its walls in praise of it. In 1056, Su Xun (1009-1066) and his sons,
Su Shi (1036-110 1) and Su Zhe (1039-1112), all men of letters of
the subsequent Song Dynasty, came to visit the cave on their way to
the imperial capital to take civil service examinations. Each of them
also wrote a poem on its stone walls. |
 |
Inscriptions
of ancient literature |
| Three
Travelers' Cave has two interconnected entrances, one as wide and
tall as a city gate while the other so low that a tourist has to climb
through it on all fours. The bigger section measures six meters in
height and 20-30 meters both in breadth and depth. |
 |
The
"lobby" of the cave |
| Three
stalactites divide it into two chambers, the front one being spacious
and bright and the rear one having a ceiling shaped like a hanging
bell. The floor of the cave issues the sound of a drum when the tourist
stamps his feet on it, and smaller rocks near its walls sound like
a chime when struck. These are three wonders of Three Travelers' Cave:
Heavenly Bell, Earth Drum, and Side Chime. Cool in summer and
warm in winter. |
 |
Three
Travelers Cave looking from cruise ship |
| More
than forty stone inscriptions both inside and outside the cave are
still discernible. Poet and articles might not be that famous to western
travelers, but it is truly a great place to sample the greatness of
the Three Gorges. When you see people on the ships far away waving
to you and yielding, you can stop waving and yielding back from the
high cliff. |
 |
Cut
from cliff |
At
the south of the cave, there is a tower peak, on top of which stands
a statue of Zhang Fei, a general of Shu in Three Kingdom Period. It
was said that he had hit drums to train his troops here. And small
platform got its name "Zhang Fei Hitting Drum Platform".
Three Travelers' Cave is a tourist highlight both because of its approximate
to Yichang and the spectacular terrain it is on. It is caught between
towering peaks and skirted by a clear stream called Xialao Brook.
Its top commands a view of Nanjin Pass where the dangerous upper section
of the Yangtze River gives way to the middle reaches along which navigation
is relatively easy.
Open 7 am -- 7 PM. |
 |
Overview
from the cave |
|
Relating
topics
Three Gorges Project (TGP)
Why China Wants to Build the Three Gorges Dam
Report on Environmental Impact of the TGP
Gezhouba Dam
Three Travelers' Cave
Nanjin Pass
Yichang
Chinese Sturgeon Aquarium
Sandouping (Three Gorges Dam)
Shadow Play Gorge
Yellow Ox Temple
Yellow Ox Gorge
Three Travelers' Cave
|
