←All destinationsWushan · Wu Gorge & Goddess Peak
Gorges · Mountains
OVERVIEW
Twelve peaks emerging through cloud and rain
The river turns among the Wushan peaks, and mist makes familiar place names distant and specific again.
“The peaks do not appear all at once; the cloud and rain decide the order of each viewing.
— As the boat turns, a summit shows briefly through the mist. The twelve peaks are less a list than a long take you have to wait for.
HIGHLIGHTS
Through Wu Gorge by boat
Read the near and far layers of the peaks from the water.
Look down on the river
Find the bend of the river and the outline of Goddess Peak from the trail.
HISTORY
Yaoji and the Twelve Peaks
Goddess Peak stands on the north bank of Wu Gorge, about 15km east of Wushan town. The figure traces back to Qu Yuan's Mountain Spirit in the Nine Songs; Song Yu gave her a home and a name in the Rhapsody on Gaotang, with the line that she is morning cloud at dawn and travelling rain at dusk. In the fifth century Li Daoyuan's Commentary on the Water Classic finally named her Yaoji. The story says she came from the immortal realm while Yu the Great was cutting the gorges, handed him nine scrolls at the foot of Feifeng Hill and sent spirit-workers to help, then stayed on at Wushan and became the peak.
GETTING THERE
How to arrive
High-speed rail
Wushan station on the Zhengzhou–Chongqing line, direct from Beijing, Zhengzhou and Wuhan, with a tourist interchange for the shuttle.
By cruise
Wu Gorge is the core leg of the cruise route; the Lesser Three Gorges and Shennü stream need a smaller boat.
Note
Cloud and rain set the order of what appears. Don't chase all twelve peaks in one pass, and keep a camera dry.
GOOD TO KNOW
Before you go
Seasonal Guidance
- Spring is rich in cloud and rain and changes constantly
- Autumn and winter clear the air and make the peaks easier to read
Choosing the boat
- Pick a vessel with an open deck
- Leave room in the plan for the weather to turn
Photography
- Use waterproof storage
- Do not chase all twelve peaks in one pass