White Crane Ridge
Introduction to White Crane Ridge
The White Crane Ridge is in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, northern Fuling District. It is the only national cultural heritage of the Three Gorges. UNESCO praised it as the only ancient hydrological station in the world. The White Crane Ridge is a huge natural stone ridge with the length of 1,600 meters and the width of 16 meters. It emerges from December to March every year during the dry period of Yangtze River.
White Crane Ridge is naturally occurring by the orogeny. It is lying in the Yangtze River like a giant crocodile. In ancient times, it is surrounded by luxuriant. Whenever in the winter, there will be hundreds of white crane come to inhabit and dance here, hence the name.
History of White Crane Ridge
There are 164 carved inscriptions, dating back to 763 A.D. On White Crane Ridge, including 108 hydrological inscriptions and 14 fish carvings. And hydrological inscriptions were carved on 3 fish carvings. All of the inscriptions and images on White Crane Ridge records 72 years' dry periods of Yangtze River during 1,200 years which is very important for the research of the regular low water and changes in the displacement of the Yangtze River.
During the International Conference of Hydrology in Paris, 1974. The Chinese delegation reported to the General Assembly in the title of "Fuling Stone Fish Inscription", and the scientific value of the White Crane Ridge then been recognized.
On the White Crane Ridge, there are also many inscriptions of poems written by famous Chinese ancient poets, such as Huang Tingjian, Zhu Xi, Pang Gongsun, Zhu Ang, Wang Shizhen and so on. Thus, White Crane Ridge is also called Underwater Stone Carving.
Stone Fish Carvings on White Crane Ridge
The stone fish carvings on White Crane Ridge not only have the scientific research value but also the unique art charm. It is the records of the low water period of Yangtze River, besides, it also have an auspicious intend. Because in Chinese, the pronunciation of "fish" as the same as the word "surplus".
On the White Crane Ridge also engraved with 19 fishes, 2 Bodhisattva, a white crane. In the western end of the ridge there are many vivid stone fishes. The biggest one is 3 meters long, 1.5 meters wide, 0.5 meter thick which is called "the Carp King".
White Crane Ridge Underwater Museum
After the Three Gorges Dam completed, the White Crane Ridge has been submerged. In 1993, the state has accepted the recommendations of foreign experts, then they have implemented the White Crane Ridge Inscription Protection Project to build a large-scale underwater museum for it, undertook by Tianjin University.
Gezhouba Dam and the magnificent Three Gorges Dam have referenced some hydrological data from the White Crane Ridge.
