Baidicheng · Qutangxia Scenic Area is located on the Beishan Mountain at the mouth of Qutangxia in Fengjie County, Chongqing, on the north bank of the Yangtze River. It is situated at the western entrance of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, facing Kuimen to the east, opposite Baiyan Mountain to the south, connected to Fengjie County to the west, and backed by Jigong Mountain to the north, about 10 kilometers east of Fengjie County.
The scenic area covers an area of 6 square kilometers, mainly consisting of two major scenic spots: Baidicheng and Qutangxia, with numerous historical sites that blend nature and culture, poetry and warfare, making it the starting point for appreciating the magnificent beauty of the Three Gorges. In 1978, Baidicheng Scenic Area was officially opened to the public, becoming one of the first national scenic spots to open up. Originally named Ziyang City, Baidicheng was built by Gongsun Shu in the late Western Han Dynasty, who proclaimed himself the White Emperor in 25 AD and renamed the city. In 36 AD, a temple was built on Baiyishan Mountain to worship Gongsun Shu. In the twelfth year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1533 AD), the temple was rededicated to Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang. During the Tang and Song dynasties, poets such as Li Bai, Du Fu, Bai Juyi, and Liu Yuxi either traveled, lived, or served as officials in the area, leaving behind a wealth of immortal poems, hence earning the reputation of the ‘City of Poetry’. After the Three Gorges Project raised the water level to 175 meters, Baidicheng, surrounded by water on all sides, has become a ‘green island’ in the ‘high gorge and flat lake’. Qutangxia, adjacent to Baidicheng, is 8 kilometers long and combines grandeur, uniqueness, danger, and steepness, making it the shortest, narrowest, and most dangerous gorge in the Three Gorges. Inside Qutangxia, on the north bank of Chijia Mountain, there are three cultural sites: Laoguan Temple, Daxi Cultural Site, and Wushan Hominid Site, as well as attractions such as Laoguan Temple signal station, Chijia Tower, ancient batteries, ancient plank roads, and Fengxiang Gorge hanging coffins. On the south bank of Baiyan Mountain, there are Mengliang Ladder ancient plank road remains, cliff carvings, Rhinoceros Peak, and Hominid Peak, which encapsulate 2 million years of human development in China. Within the Qutangxia Scenic Area, the ‘World’s Greatest’ breathtaking view ‘KuiMen’, also known as Qutang Pass, is located at the west entrance of Qutangxia, controlling Bashu to the west and Jingchu to the east, and has been a strategic military location since ancient times. The two cliffs face each other, with steep cliffs rising straight up and down, piercing through the river, with the Yan Yu Pillar; a slit in the sky, a gate in the gorge, a river locked in the valley, this is KuiMen. KuiMen, known for its grandeur and splendor, has been praised as ‘the world’s greatest’ in ancient times and enjoys the reputation of ‘the gateway to Chinese landscapes’ today, and is featured on the background of the 10 yuan note of the fifth set of RMB. The entire text is open all year round from 08:30 to 19:00, with performances (holiday performances, weekday rest) including ‘Bamboo Branch Love’ at 09:30, 10:00, 16:00, and 16:30, approximately 15 minutes, at the Bamboo Branch Garden; Guqin performance from 09:30 to 10:30 and 15:30 to 16:30, approximately 60 minutes, at Du Fu Pavilion; ‘Imperial Edict Arrives’ at 10:00, 10:30, 16:00, and 16:30, approximately 15 minutes, at the Loyalty Square.Children under 2 meters (inclusive) or under 6 years old (inclusive) are free of charge.
For minors aged from 1.2 meters (exclusive) to 1.4 meters (inclusive) or from 6 years old (exclusive) to 18 years old (inclusive), holding their own ID cards, they can enjoy half-price tickets.
For the elderly aged from 60 years old (inclusive) to 64 years old (inclusive), holding their own ID cards or senior citizen certificates, they can enjoy half-price tickets.
