Yangtze River History – Formation

Yangtze River History – Legends

According to the ancient legends, Yu "chiseled the river to harness flood". It was said that Yu was born in Wenchuan, Sichuan Province, who ever harnessed Ming River and "chiseled Mt. Wu to let the river can flow to eastern. The legends also said that Yu ever came to Anhui Province, Zhejiang Province to harness the middle and downstream of Yangtze River and made the Yangtze River can flow to eastern, which was beneficial for the people in Jinchu, Yuyue and Nanyi. There was another legend said that in early of Warring States Period, about 5th century before Christ, there was a people named Aoling whose corpse was sent to Pi Town by the river, and he came alive again. At here, Aoling met Wang Emperor and he became an officer of Wang Emperor. At the same time, there happened flood which Wang Emperor can't control. So he asked Aoling to chisel the Yu (Jade) Mountain to settle the residents. After the flood was controlled, Wang Emperor left the kingdom to Aoling, and named him Kaiming Emperor. It was recorded by Li Daoyuan in his Commentary on the Waterways Classic that the Wu Gorge was so narrow that the Shu River can't flow through it. So, the Wang Emperor asked Aoling to chisel Mt. Wu to let the river can flow through it and the Shu District can get land. Later, Wang Emperor thought that Aoling is better than him, so he gave the kingdom to Aoling and named it Kaiming. These legends that Yu harnessed flood, Kaiming Emperor chiseled Yu Mountain and Wu Gorge just reflected the strong wish of ancient working people during them fight with floods. Yangtze River Three Gorges is not the work of people or god, but nature. These legends about Yangtze River will add more interest to your Yangtze Cruise tourist.

Yangtze River History – Crustal Movement

The history of ancient Yangtze River can trace back to 200 millions years ago. At that time, the terrain of the land is eastern high and western low. The western districts of Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge which belong to Yangtze River now was a part of ancient Mediterranean Sea, which was so wide that without edge. It was also a wide bay which connected with Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. About 100 millions years ago, for a strong orogeny, there formed Hengduan Mountain Range; the Qinling Mountain was lifted up and the ancient Mediterranean Sea retreated from today's Sichuan Province, Qinghai Province, Tibet and western of Guizhou Province and Guangxi Province; a wide Sichuan Basin was formed in the middle of Qinling Mountain, Hengduan Mountain and Yunnan-Kweichow Plateau, it formed a inland river system with Wu Gorge and the Dongting Basin which was on the east of Xiling Gorge. The Mt. Wu Range became the watershed of Sichuan Basin and Dongting Basin. About 70 millions years ago, there was a Yanshan Movement which caused Sichuan Basin lifted up and Dongting Basin declined; the ancient Yangtze River on western of Hubei Province began to grow and actively stretching to Sichuan Basin. The Himalaya orogeny in 300 or 400 millions years ago caused the ground of the whole basin lifted up. At the strongest upstream, there formed high mountains, plateaus and gorges, while the slight middle and downstream, there formed hills and mountain ground. During this time, there also formed Lianghu (two lakes), Nanxiang, Fanyang Suwan and some other water area by the interval sinking. At the same time, the ancient Yangtze River which originated in Sichuan Basin has connected with the water system in Sichuan Basin. As the terrain is western high and eastern low, there formed the surging Yangtze River flowing to eastern. That's the formation of Yangtze River. The special terrain of Yangtze River also promoted the development of Yangtze Cruises.