Longyangxia Gorge in Qinghai

Longyangxia is located on the upper reaches of the Yellow River in Gonghe County, Qinghai. It is 1684 kilometers away from the source of the Yellow River and 3376 kilometers away from the mouth of the Yellow River. It is the first gorge of the Yellow River after passing through the Qinghai Prairie. 'Longyang' is a Tibetan language, meaning a steep valley. The mouth of the gorge is only 30 meters wide, and the gorge is 33 kilometers long. The hard granite walls on both sides are nearly 200 meters high, which is an excellent dam site for building hydropower stations. In 1976, the state decided to build the Longyangxia Hydropower Station, and the dam site was chosen at the mouth of this gorge. The builders of the hydropower station added a professional term 'xia' after 'Longyang', hence the name today. After the power station was built, it became the location of the first large-scale cascade power station on the upper reaches of the Yellow River. The hydropower station is also known as the 'First Dam of the Yellow River', and it is also known as the 'Dragon Head' power station of the Yellow River. Due to the completion of the hydropower station, the local tourism industry has risen. It is now a national AAAA-level tourist attraction. Longyangxia Gorge is also known as the 'Colorado of China', and its name is well-known overseas.