The scenery of Wushan is so exquisite that Li Bai would post a nine-square grid if he passed by it – the mountains are the bones, the water is the soul, the clouds are the clothes, and every frame looks like it was cut out from a Chinese painting!
1、Little Three Gorges
Recommended reason: Take a boat through Longmen Gorge, Bawu Gorge, and Dicui Gorge, where you can see coffins hanging on the wall, monkeys playing, and clear waters, as if you have entered the set of “Grave Robbers’ Chronicles”.
Must-do operation: Switch to a willow leaf boat to enter the Little Three Gorges. When the boatman’s call sounds, you will instantly become a chivalrous hero.
2、Goddess Peak
Recommended reason: The most beautiful peak among the 12 peaks of the Three Gorges. The goddess looming in the morning mist is a romantic image engraved into the DNA of the Chinese people.
The best place to take photos: Huangyan Cableway Observation Deck, use a telephoto lens to take photos of the goddess’s side profile.
3、Wushan Red Leaves
Recommended reason: Every November and December, 200,000 mu of cotinus coggygria on both sides of the Yangtze River dye the sky red. When you take a boat through the “Red Sea”, any photo you take with your phone will be a wallpaper-level blockbuster.
Niche route: Wenfengguan hiking trail, red leaves + Yangtze River + ancient temple in the same frame, Zen and enthusiasm fly together.
4、Liziping Forest Park
Recommended reason: Chongqing version of “Little Switzerland”, 20℃ forest meadow in summer, golden larch avenue in autumn, rime hanging on branches in winter, all seasons are open.
Hidden gameplay: starry sky camping, watch the Milky Way rise from the top of Shennv Peak at 3 am.
5、Dachang Ancient Town
Recommended reason: The “living fossil of Three Gorges immigrants” with a history of 1,700 years, bluestone roads, Ming and Qing Dynasty houses, Sichuan opera singing in old teahouses, time here is pressed 0.5 times the speed.
Must experience: Buy a hand-woven cattail leaf fan from an old lady in the ancient town and listen to her talk about the past and present of Dachang.
Wushan Culture: Legends of the Goddess and Unofficial History of the Gorges
Wushan’s culture is a “double pot” of myth and reality – stewing the romance in Chuci while rinsing the sweat and tears of the boat trackers.
Goddess Culture:
From Song Yu’s “Gaotang Fu” to Mao Zedong’s “The Goddess Should Be Safe”, go to Wushan Museum to see how literati of all dynasties “write short essays” for the goddess.
Chuanjiang Haozi:
Beside the Daxi Cultural Site, listen to the intangible cultural heritage inheritor shouting the boat tracker’s haozi, and instantly get the life BGM of the people in the Three Gorges.
Immigration Memory:
The relief wall of Wushan Immigration Memorial Park is engraved with the story of “giving up the small family for the country”, and the homesickness of a city turns into the breeze on the river.
Wushan Travel Tips
Transportation
High-speed rail: Chongqing North → Wushan Station (2 hours), there is a direct bus to the scenic area at the high-speed rail station, seamless connection.
Cruise: Take the Three Gorges Cruise from Chaotianmen, lying down to enjoy the scenery is the correct way to open Wushan.
Self-driving: Direct access to Shanghai-Chengdu Expressway, along the way Fengjie → Wushan section can be called “Scenic Avenue”.
Accommodation
River view party: Choose a riverside hotel in the county town, open your eyes and you will see “the sky is broken and the Chu River is open”.
Recluse party: Liziping Forest Cabin or Dachang Ancient Town B&B, sleep with the stars and birds.
Seasonal limit
Spring (March-May): Liziping alpine azaleas bloom into a sea.
Autumn (November-December): Red leaf season, photographers from all over the country come to pilgrimage with long guns and short guns.
Winter (January-February): Grilled fish with shochu by the river, Wushan bacon stewed with radish, warm to the heart.