White Crane Ridge

White Crane Ridge (Baiheliang) is located at the northern section of Fuling on Yangtze River. It is called the only hydrological station in the world which is well preserved by UNESCO. The White Crane Ridge is a huge natural stone ridge with the length of 1,600 meters and the width of 15 meters. It emerges from December to March every year during the low-flow period of Yangtze River.

Historical Value of White Crane Ridge

There are 164 carved inscriptions which dates 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. Among the 108 recordings, there is one from the Tang Dynasty, 98 from the Song Dynasty, five from the Ming Dynasty, while 39 relate to the Ming and Qing Dynasties and over 40 more during modern times. All of the inscriptions and images on White Crane Ridge records 72 years' low-flow periods of Yangtze River during 1,200 years. It is very important for the research of the regular low water and changes in the displacement of the Yangtze River.

Art Value of White Crane Ridge

There are also many inscriptions of poems written by famous poets in ancient China, 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.

The stone fish carvings on White Crane Ridge have not only values of scientific research and history, but also the unique art value. Authentic poem and essay works of over 300 celebrities of the past dynasties are carved upon the ridge.

Archaeological Value of White Crane Ridge

White Crane Ridge is the only Cultural Relic of National Importance under the Protection of the State in Three Gorges. Many precious inscriptions are national treasures. Even the construction of the world famous Three Gorges Dam project uses the hydrological data of White Crane Ridge.

Since Tang Dynasty, 14 stone fishes were carved on White Crane Ridge. The stone fish will emerge during low-flow period. According to local saying, Stone Fish Appears, Harvest Arrives. In 1953, 1963 and 1973, stone fish emerged above water level, and local people all had good harvest in these 3 years. Therefore, the stone fishes have been considered to be the harvest forecast.

Underwater Museum of White Crane Ridge

Since the completion of Three Gorges Dam, the water level of Yangtze River rises upto 185 meters, White Crane Ridge were submerged. In order to protect this national treasure, an underwater museum of White Crane Ridge was built. It was open to the public in 2009. The entire project consists of the museum, a connecting passageway, an underwater anti-collision pier and an exhibition room on land. The Museum was built about 40 meters below surface in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River off the coast of Fuling City, Chongqing Municipality. (More Details)

Visitors may observe the White Crane Ridge through a video camera on the land, windows on the underwater corridor, or they may simply dive into the water.