The Yangtze River
The Yangtze River flows nearly 4,000 miles west to east through the heart of China. Known in Chinese as "Chang Jiang," or the "Long River," the Yangtze has long been an important landmark, both geographically and politically, and the river area is currently home to more than 400 million of China's people. Yangtze River is the longest river in China and Asia, and third longest in the world. The source of the Yangtze River lies to the west of Geladandong Mountain, the principal peak of the Tanggula Mountain chain in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, southwest of China. The river flows from west to east through provinces of Qinghai, Tibet, Sichuan, Yunnan, Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui and Jiangsu as well as the city of Shanghai, finally emptying into the East China Sea. One of the dams on the river, the Three Gorges Dam, is the largest hydro-electric power station in the world, more than 5 times the size of Hoover Dam. 

The Three Gorges, namely Qutang, Wu, and Xiling, are the most famous attractions along the Yangtze River. They span from Eastern Chongqing to Western Hubei, stretching to a total of 193 km and are some of the most dramatic gorges in the world.

The journey into the Yangtze Three Gorges can be proposed two itineraries. One is going downstream from Chongqing, which enables a quick view of the scenery. The other is going upstream from Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, and Yichang, which enables leisurely but thorough sightseeing along Yangtze River and Three Gorges.

Three Gorges of Yangtze
This region of towering slopes, swirling waters, and quaint villages is the quintessential image of China. The Yangtze Three Gorges is a great valley with a most splendid landscape in the Yangtze (Changjiang) River and it is one of the ten most famous scenic sites of China. It extends from White Emperor City in Fengjie County, Chongqing Municipality to Nanjin Pass in Yichang, Hubei Province, consisting of the Qutang Gorge (8 kilometers/5 miles), Wu Gorge (46 kilometers/29 miles), and the Xiling Gorge (66 kilometers/41 miles). With a full length of 193 km, the Three Gorges converges the essence of the scenery on the Yangtze River.

Qutang Gorge
Smallest and narrowest of the gorges, the Qutang is renowned for its tortuous waters and towering cliffs. The "Kui Men" gate  --  two cliffs that mark its entrance -- is an image known throughout China.

Wu Gorge
The magical Wu Gorgeis highlighted by the majestic peaks mantled in verdant forests. Legend has it that Yao Ji, a celestial being, loved this area so much that she and her 12 attendants were transformed in the peaks, which grace the landscape of the gorge. The Shennong Stream runs into the Yangtze at the Wu Gorge.

Xiling Gorge
The longest of the gorges, the Xiling is celebrated for the many smaller gorges that mark its course. Historically, this was the most perilous part of any journey through the gorges, as boulders menaced ships making the trip up and down river. Today, the boulders are gone but the gorge is famous for the mighty Three Gorges Dam that lies near its entrance.

The Three Gorges Dam
The mammoth project is located at Sandouping, Yichang City of Hubei Province. As the modern China's most ambitious construction, and one of the most controversial in the world, it took a steady and firm step to its completion from 1993, finally to 2009. The estimated investment is about US$29 billion. The dam is about 2,300 meters (7546 feet) long and about 115 meters (377 feet) wide.

Construction of the dam consumed more than 28 million cubic meters of concrete - more than any other structure in the world. More than 1 million people had been relocated in other parts of the country. China's engineers have erected a permanent wall, nearly 600-feet high (185m), to harness the Yangtze, the world's third-longest river, and provides a huge source of hydropower for the world's most populous nation. The Three Gorges Dam has now become one major excursion site of all the Yangtze cruises.