Yangtze River: Exploring Majestic Gorges and Pollution Challenges

YANGTZE RIVER

Introduction

Yangtze River is the third longest river in the world and the longest in China. It is 6,300 kilometers long. Its source is on the western side of Geladandong Mountain, the main peak of the Tangula Mountains on the flat land of Geladandong southwest of China. The most attractive part of the river is the gorges. This includes the Qutang, Xling, and  Wuxia gorges, also known as the Sanxia.

Qutang Gorge

The gorge is eight kilometers long; it starts from Baidicheng in the county of Fengjie and continues to Daxizhen in the county of Wushan. It is the shortest of the three gorges and the most magnificent. Immediately, the raging river gets into the gorge it comes together with the daunting Kuimen Gate. The Rocky Mountains stand straight on both sides of the river, narrowing the river to 100 to 200 meters, with the narrowest section measuring a few meters in breadth as it gets to the gorge. The raging waters flowing into the gorge make the most glorious scenes. There are numerous attractive sites in the gorge. On top of the hill on the northern bank lies Baidicheng town. On the southern banks is the legendary Meng Liang’s Ladder.

Wuxia Gorge  

The gorge is approximately 45 kilometers long. It begins in Danning River in the county of Wushan and goes to Guandukou, situated in the county of Badong, Hubei province. The deep and peaceful scenes make the gorge a main attraction. The most beautiful are the twelve peaks found on both sides of the river banks. There are numerous historical sites too. Zigui town receives many tourists as it is the homeland of the beautiful Wang Zhaojun and the famous poet Qu Yuan. The western entrance of the gorge is flanked by unusual peaks such as the Dicui, Bawu, and Longmen, with some going up into the clouds, presenting an extraordinary sight.

 Xling Gorge

It is the longest of the three gorges. It starts from the west all through to the east and is approximately 76 kilometers long. It starts from the Xiangxi River in Zigui, in the province of Hubei, and continues to Nanjing. The gorge is split into two sections; the western section consists of the military Book, Sword Gorge, Lung Gorge, Kong Ling Gorge, and Bulls Liver Gorge. The last section consists of the Shadow Play Gorge and the Yellow Cat Gorge, also called the Yinchuan in the Hubei Province. There are various ancient sites on the gorge, including the Huangling Temple, Luyou Fountain, and the Visitors Cave.

Pollution

In the recent past, the Yangtze River has been under threat due to pollution. It absorbs 40 percent of China’s wastewater, with 80 percent being untreated. The major culprits of pollution in the river are industries, agricultural pollution, and waste from ships. It was found that most industries dumped untreated waste into the river. Chemicals being used by farmers are being washed into the river. Shipping vessels also dump untreated waste in the river. Some local people are also ignoring the damage to the river, most of them are still continuing with activities causing pollution like shipbuilding, chemical making, and other harmful activities.

Conclusion

People living along the river should take the initiative of protecting the river themselves as it is their source of water. Local governments should take the necessary steps to deal with the people who are polluting the river and put in place tough measures to discourage other people from polluting the river. The community living along the river should be educated on the importance of keeping the river clean.

Frequently Asked Questions