(National 4A-class)
The Sanyou Cave tour site, a national 4A class one, is located among mountains in the north bank of Nanjing Guan. It’s about 10 km from the Yichang downtown area. The Sanyou Cave is facing the Xialao River, and backing on the mouth of Xiling Gorge. “Looking around, I find a peak top the other mountains; and further, I find a great cave in the top peak”, the landscape is as a poet of the Qing Dynasty described. This cave is about 30 m in depth, 20 m in width and 9 m in height. It’s a limestone cave eroded by groundwater since the Cambrian, about 600 million years ago. And the history of Sanyou Cave is at least 30 thousand years. So it’s a famous scenic spot in Yichang, as well as key historical and cultural site under government protection.
The inside sightseeing is the best among caves of Three Gorges. Here, rock and water seem to be an integrated part. So the cave was compared to “fairyland”, “dreamland” or “earthly paradise” in ancient time. It’s said that, this cave was firstly discovered by Bai Juyi, a literati in the Tang Dynasty. And lots of literati in the later dynasties came here one by one, leaving abundant poems in wall and rocks. Among them, Su Shi, famous literati of Song Dynasty, attempted to invest its formation, but only left a pity record “It has an untouchable history, maybe the same as the earth”. And later, Ouyang Xiu came here, too. He was intoxicated with the amazing cave, and praised it as an earthly paradise.
The whole cave is divided into two halls by three stalactite stelae. In the front hall, here exhibit images of Bai Juyi and Shi Dongpo carved on stone, and some carved poem or pictures. It’s said that there were over 100 pieces of carved poem and pictures. But some were ruined by wind and rain, and some were damaged during the institutional revolution period. And now, there are only over 60 pieces, which are the valuable records of Chinese culture. In this world of carved poem, we can enjoy the Chinese ancient poem and pictures, as well as the high technology of those artificers. The poem on central big stele, “Preface to Three Travelers’ Journey Record” written by Bai Juyi and the ”Ba” written by Kuang Yi, were carved by Kuangyi, the Yiling county magistrate of Ming Dynasty.
Why the name is Sanyou (three travelers)? It came from the story of Bai Juyi. He was rising and following in his politic life. In May of the year 808, he was the imperial censors, but offended the other court and powerful officials for his just and upright. Then one of his fellow-official, Yuan Zhen, was demoted to where now is Dazhou in Sichuan Province. In the year 815, Bai Juyi was demoted to the reading partner of the Prince. Then he told Emperor the truth of interior murder of the former Prime Minister. He was almost killed by the other powerful officials. However, he survived, and continued to be demoted the minister of war in which now is Jiujiang city in Jiangxi Province. However, in the year 818, the 47 years old Bai Juyi was promoted as the prefectural governor in which now is Zhongxian in Chongqing. And his younger brother, Bai Xingjia was following him. And the same time, his friend Yuan Zhen was also promoted as adjutant in which now is Lingbao in Henan Province. In March of 819, Bai Juyi and his brother Bai Xingjian paid visit to the Three Gorges. And March 10, they happened to meet Yuan Zhen in Xiling Gorge. Then, they went along together, and discovered the Sanyou Cave by chance. This cave was so beautiful that they decided to leave 20 pieces of poem each people for memory. So led by Bai Juyi’s “Preface to Three Travelers’ Journey Record” and other 20 pieces, they left scores of poem in the walls. The Preface said, “This cave is discovered by our three travelers, so we named it as Sanyou Cave (three traveler’s cave)”.
200 years later, the Sanyou Cave had been a tourism resort in south China. In 1059, another three people, Su Xun, Su Shi and Su Zhe (father and sons) passed by Yiling, and came to the Sanyou Cave for its reputation. And they fellow the trail of Bai Juyi to leave poem in the walls, which made this cave more attractive. Then, the tourists were coming here in an endless stream.
Luyou Spring
Passing the gate of Sanyou Cave, going down the path at the left side, we will find a pavilion half in cliff. The construction is imitating Song-Dynasty style. On the pillars, there engraved two sentences written by Luyou, a famous poet in the South Song Dynasty. Look at the bottom of the half cliff. That is the Luyou Spring. The water is flowing perennially. October 8, 1169, Luyou passed here, and was admired by the poem written in past years. He was so moved, and got some springwater from this well to cook tea. For the special tea fragrance, he wrote a poem on the cliff. Since then, this spring was named as Luyou Spring.
Zhixi Pavilion
Continue climbing the mountain “Wangxiang Tai” (place for lookover hometown), we will reach the Zhixi Pavilion. Its name means “happy since arrive here”. The construction is also imitating the Song-Dynasty style. It was rebuilt for memory of Ouyang Xiu, great literati in the Song Dynasty. The bottom pavilion is 3 floors, while the upper pavilion is 2 floors, and the total height is about 18 m. That big stele, about 2 m in height, is carved the record of journey to Zhixi Pavilion written by Ouyang Xiu. Standing at the top floors, we can over look the mountains and rivers of Xiling Gorge in the west, and the Gezhouba Dam in the east.
According to the history records, Zhu Qingji was promoted as the magistrate of Xianzhou in 1035. He reformed a lot folk customs and remedied great deal streets and city bars. And house with tile roof started in Yichang since then. In 1036, he built a pavilion beside the dock, named “Zhixi”, and invited Ouyang Xiu for inscription. And this inscription was carved by Huang Tingjian, a famous penman at that time. Together the Chusai Tower and the Sanyou Cave, the Zhixi Pavilion formed three wonder sceneries in Yiling. In the inscription, Ouyang Xiu said, “this is a happy place, where rapid current will become smooth water”. As we said before, the ancient three gorges were very dangerous for shipping, and this pace was the start place of smooth water. So, passing through gorges, and arriving here, all people would be happy.
As time passes, the pavilion beside the dock, and the stele had been ruined. During the later dynasties, the pavilion had been rebuilt twice. The first one happened in 1761. A county magistrate admired Ouyang Xiu very much, and rebuilt it in the western dam. However, it was damaged during war period. Later, in 1981, the pavilion was rebuilt at the current location, and completed in 1983. With the successful construction of Gezhouba Project, the river course became broader and deeper. And people will view the Zhixi Pavilion immediately after passing downstream through the Xiling Gorge.
Place for Viewing Xiling Gorge
Down from the Zhixi Pavilion, we will reach a rock hole soon. The two Chinese characters “Guan Xia” mean “for viewing Xiling Gorge”. This rock hole is about 30m in width and 10 in depth. Standing at the hole mouth, we can over look the steep cliff and mountains of Xiling Gorge in the west, and smooth river leading far away in the east. This is one of the 8 sceneries in Yichang, called the “Xiling Xingsheng”. And there were also lots of literati leaving praise poem for this place.
Xiling Mountain
According to the Donghu County Record, the Xiling Mountain was called Yi Mountain before; and by Placename Record of Yichang, the Xiling Mountain is located in the southeast of Nanjin Guan, covering mountains and hills from Yingpan Gang to Tiandeng Bao. In the Song Dynasty, the Xiling Mountain ranked the top of 8 historic sites of Xiazhou. This mountain backed on the Daba Mountan tail, is surround by river. Overlooked from far away, there ranged meandering mountains and hills, which was so called “mountain will become hills”. The Xiling Mountain, about 105.7m of elevation, is also the start place of Three Gorges.
Hitting Drum Stage for General Zhang Fei
On that giant rock, the 6.4 m high and 100 ton weigh statue is “Zhang Fei Hitting Drum”, and this place is called “hitting drum stage for General Zhang Fei”.
During the Three Kingdoms period, there often broke wars. According to the Record of Shu, in the year of 208, Liu Bei (king of the Shu Kingdom), together with Sun Quan (king of the Wu Kingdom), defeated the the army of Cao Cao (king of the Wei Kingdom), and continued to take over Wu Ling, Chang Sha, Gui Yang and Ling Ling. Around the year of 210, Liu Bei appointed Zhang Fei as the prefect and general of where now is Yichang. In order to guard mountain passes to Three Gorges, Zhang Fei drilled his army with war drum hitting day and night. For the memory, the giant statue was built in 1984. Look, holding sword in left hand and drumstick in right hand, General Zhang Fei is looking over the river with eyes widely opened. Standing beside this statue, you can recall the drilling and guarding sceneries happened here at that time.
Ancient Fortress
Located at the mouth of Xiling Gorge, Xiling Mountain is the center pass from Yichang to Sichuan. So it was a place of strategic importance at all times. During the Thee Kingdoms period, there built a “Xiling Castle” by Wu Kingdom beside the Xiaolao River; and in 533, a guard fortress named Qisheng City was built here; and in 573, the guard city was rebuilt, and renamed “Anlu City”. Even nowadays, we can still find historic sites along the Xialao River. In 1765, a rise army pitched camps here for prepare to attack the Yiling; and July 10, 1949, the liberation army also took over here, to cut the enemy’s escape way to Jiangxi.