Trip to Yichang, Enjoying the Three Gorges and Tea Mountains
Trip to Yichang, Enjoying the Three Gorges and Tea Mountains
Yichang has a subtropical monsoon climate, with warm winters and cool summers, abundant rainfall, an average annual temperature of 16.9°C, and crisp air carrying the scent of citrus. Morning river mist drapes like gauze, and the evening sun floods the Xiling Gorge entrance, dyeing the river golden red. In the early morning, the sound of the "Xiajiang Haizi" work song drifts from Riverside Park. This tune, passed down from the boatmen of the Three Kingdoms era, includes the line "One shout carries a thousand pounds of strength, one boatload of citrus carries ten thousand feelings," singing the daring spirit of the most dangerous stretch of the Yangtze River. It is also a nationally recognized intangible cultural heritage kept alive. Visitors love to check in at the Three Gorges Folk Village scenic area to see the "Shadow Stone"—four natural giant stones standing by the river, resembling the four pilgrims from Journey to the West. Locals say that walking slowly around the stones at dusk, facing the Yangtze River to make a wish, brings the auspicious sign of "smooth sailing and a future that follows like a shadow."
On the first day, stay at the "Riverside Cloud Lodge" scenic homestay in Yiling District. Six people book three river-view rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, at 240 yuan per night, totaling 2880 yuan for four nights. Opening the window reveals the Gezhouba ship lock slowly opening and closing. At night, you fall asleep to the sound of the riverboat’s whistle. Outside the window, stars hang low over the plains, like the same Milky Way Qu Yuan gazed upon while wandering the marshes.
On the second day, visit the Three Gorges Folk Village. Don’t just see the Shadow Stone; go barefoot onto the southern bank’s bluestone beach and bend down to touch the four characters "Yong Ji An Lan" (Eternal Peace and Calm) carved by boatmen in the 29th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign. The characters are worn smooth by the river water; running your fingers over the grooves, the coolness mixed with moisture seeps into your palm. Then take a black-sailed boat through the Dragon Entrance Cave. The boatwoman rows and sings the work song, the sound echoing off the cliffs in layers. Passing through the water curtain, you suddenly see wild Yichang orange branches with green and yellow fruit hanging in the cliff crevices. Pick one, break it open, and the sour fragrance bursts out, juice splashing.
On the third day, visit Qu Yuan’s hometown, Lepingli. Don’t just pay respects at the ancestral hall; personally lay out rice paper on the stone desk in the "Reading Cave" east wing of the Qu Yuan Temple. Use a locally made Zigu inkstone to grind ink and copy the rubbings of the Ming dynasty county magistrate’s inscription "Wan Gu Jin Liang" (Eternal Ferry Bridge) on the cave wall. The scent of ink mixed with pine resin fills the air, and as the brush moves, it feels as if you can hear young Qu Yuan reciting the "Ode to the Orange." After leaving the cave, pick up a handful of freshly roasted Dengcun green tea. The tips curl like sparrow tongues. Pour boiling water over it, and the tea soup is tender green and clear, slightly bitter at first but sweet on the finish, with a long-lasting throat melody.
On the fourth day, climb the Three Gorges Dam’s Tanziling. Don’t just watch the flood discharge; squat on the west side of the seventh step of the viewing platform and closely examine the bronze boundary marker embedded by engineers before the 2003 reservoir filling. It bears the nine characters "Elevation 135 meters 2003 Dam Construction Record" cast in relief. Tapping it produces a solid echo. In the afternoon, take the sightseeing elevator down to the Diversion Memorial Park. By the giant diversion open channel, buy a bowl of freshly made cold shrimp jelly. The red sugar syrup coats the icy rice jelly, sliding down the throat sweetly and refreshingly. The river breeze brushes your face, and the summer heat vanishes.
On the last day, visit the Chexi Folk Tourism Area. Don’t just see the Tujia stilted houses; roll up your sleeves to learn how to pound glutinous rice cakes. The wooden mallet rises and falls, the sticky rice balls tumble in the stone mortar, steam rising, filling the room with the fragrance of rice. Then enter the ancient papermaking workshop to make a sheet of wet paper from mulberry bark pulp, drying it on bamboo screens. Sunlight streams through the window lattice, revealing paper textures as clear as a landscape painting. Before leaving, hold a bundle of freshly brewed corn wine, amber-colored, mellow with a slight spiciness. The aroma of wine mixed with firewood makes your steps slow down by three beats.
Yichang people are straightforward yet delicate, speaking with a Sichuan accent tail and Chu dialect aftertaste. When hosting guests, they always offer navel oranges with cold shrimp jelly. If you ask for directions, an uncle will point the way while handing you a peeled orange slice, plump and dripping with juice. In riverside teahouses, elders brew a pot of local Yihong tea. The leaves unfurl like flags, the tea soup is bright red, and casual chats and laughter fill the air. Tapping the lid gently on the cup rim with a clear "ding" sound, life settles steadily.
Six people, five days, including transportation, accommodation, food, and tickets, cost 1060 yuan per person, refreshingly affordable.
Coming to Yichang is not just passing through a river city,
It’s standing at Tanziling listening to tens of thousands of tons of river water rushing by;
It’s biting into a Zigu navel orange, the sweet and sour bursting on your tongue;
It’s receiving hot tea handed by an old lady at the entrance of the Reading Cave in Lepingli,
Watching her white hair framed by mountain light,
Smiling and saying, "Drink slowly, the mountain wind is gentle, the river water is unhurried."…