(National 4A-class)

The Shipai Fortress Tour Site, called Yangjiaxi Canyon Military Drifting Site before, is a national 4A class one, and the only one with the theme of military drifting. The whole drifting journey is divided into 5 steps, as gather, go out, conquer shoals, breakout and return.

It’s said that, during the Song Dynasty, the sixth generation of famous heroine Mu Guiying came and settled down here away from the war. So, the river through here was called the Yangjianxi (Yangs’ River), so was the name of this place. The Yangjiaxi is located in a town over thousand years history. About 1200 years ago, the Yichang government agency was here.

The drifting journey is 7.5 km in total, with 6 km for moving water and 1.5 km for standing water. The up stream is shaped in zigzag with rapid current, providing you an exciting drifting; while the down stream is full of green water under calm circumstance.

The Shipai area is the fortress of Three Gorges. It’s been a place of strategic importance for long times. During the Later Zhou Dynasty and the Song Dynasty, there had been the battle field all the time. And during the Anti-Japanese War, it shook the Japanese Army with great fear.  In May of 1943, 100 thousand Japanese attempted to conquer this area and later enter Chongqing, but were defeated by 150 thousand arm of Republic of China in the end. And now there are still some barbettes here. And the Anti-Japanese War Memorial and monument are still showing the miserable condition of that war. However, time passes and the former battle field has changed into a well know tour site. Travelling through this site, every one will feel that the world peace didn’t come out easily. Putting on forest fatigues suits, sitting in forest fatigues boats, what does this situation like? To complete military task, or to enjoy drifting? The answer is both.  That is the peculiar of the drifting through the Yangjiaxi River.

Now, let’s well prepare for this drift. Firstly, put on your safety hat, life jacket and shoes carefully; then seat two people in one boat, a lady and a man of equally weight will be better for boat control or self save. Be caution that: if boat was capsized, do not be uptight, put your head on water and call help, and the riverside guards will help you out; do not stand in the boat; do not let two boat combined each other; hold handrail when drifting in rapid current; if boat is full of water, row it to the riverside and empty. Now, let’s start to charge the rapid current. Later, we will enjoy our journey in pictured standing water.