Three Gorges

A grand canyon in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River (Changjiang). It stretches 204 km from Baidicheng, Fengjie County, eastern Sichuan Province, to Nanjinguan, Yichang City, western Hubei Province. A scenic spot with a series of oddly shaped rocks, bizarre rocks, and huge peaks, it is divided into three canyons from the upper reaches: Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, and Xiling Gorge. The Yangtze River carved the canyons into limestone mountains such as the Daba Mountains, Dalou Mountains, and Bamien Mountains. Both banks are cliffs, the river is steep, and there are many reefs, making it a difficult place to transport water on the Yangtze River since ancient times. Today, the river channel has been improved and regular ferries are in service, attracting domestic and foreign tourists with a tour called the "Three Gorge Cruise." Many cargo ships and tugboats use this route to transport goods. There are many scenic spots such as Baidicheng in Qutang Gorge, the Twelve Peaks of Wushan in Wu Gorge, and the Cow Liver and Horse Lung Museum and the Military Book and Sword Museum in Xiling Gorge. In 2009, the Three Gorges Dam was completed at Sandouping upstream of Yichang, and most of the Three Gorges downstream from Wanzhou was submerged under water.

[Aoki Chieko and Kono Michihiro]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、長江(ちょうこう)（揚子江(ようすこう)）上流部にある大峡谷。四川(しせん)省東部の奉節(ほうせつ)県白帝城から湖北(こほく)省西部の宜昌(ぎしょう)市南津関まで、全長204キロメートルにわたる。奇岩、怪岩、巨峰が連なる景勝地で、上流から瞿塘(くとう)峡、巫(ふ)峡、西陵(せいりょう)峡の3峡谷に分かれる。長江が大巴(だいは)山脈、大婁(だいろう)山脈、八面(はちめん)山脈などの石灰岩山地を刻んだ峡谷で、両岸は絶壁をなし河流は急で暗礁が多いため、古くから長江水運の難所。現在では河道が整備され定期船が就航し、「三峡下り」の名で内外の観光客を集める。物資の輸送路として貨物船、曳船(ひきふね)の航行も多い。瞿塘峡の白帝城、巫峡の巫山十二峰、西陵峡の牛肝馬肺(ぎゅうかんばはい)・兵書宝剣などの名勝がある。2009年、宜昌上流の三斗坪(さんとうへい)に三峡ダムが完成し、万州(ばんしゅう)より下流の三峡の大部分は水面下に没した。

［青木千枝子・河野通博］

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