China: The spectacular mini gorges off the Daning River, part of the Three Little Gorges near Wushan and off the Yangtze (Yangzi) River, Chongqing Municipality

The Three Gorges or Yangtze Gorges span from the western—upriver cities of Fengjie and Yichang in Chongqing Municipality eastward—downstream to Hubei province.

The Yangtze River (Chang Jiang)—Three Gorges region has a total length of approximately 200 kilometres (120 mi). The Three Gorges occupy approximately 120 kilometres (75 mi) within this region.

The Chang Jiang (Yangzi River) is the longest river in China and third longest in the world. Known upstream as the Golden Sand River, it flows through the geographical, spiritual and historical heart of China.

From its source in the Tanggula Mountains of Qinghai province, the Yangzi flows southeast through Tibet as the Tongtian, turns south, then north as the Jinsha, and becomes the Yangzi proper after Yibin in Sichuan. Here, it swings eastwards once again, crossing Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces to reach the East China Sea at Shanghai. Its source-to-mouth length is 6,300 km (3,915 miles).

Copyright:

CPA Media Co. Ltd.

Photographer:

David Henley

Credit:

Pictures From Asia