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Ancient Village of Dachang
Situated on the banks of the Danning river, a tributary north of the Yangtze, lies the ancient village of Dachang. Built during the Ming Dynasty, entire street blocks exist as they did over 500 hundred years ago. A traditional way of life survives as it has for centuries. Remnants of family histories dating back to the Ming Dynasty still remain within the walls of houses untouched by the passage of time. The government has plans to move Dachang to higher ground.
photo: Dr. Elizabeth Childs-Johnson
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Giant Buddha Sculpture
A massive sculpture of the seated Buddha rests in the yellowish sandstone cliffs at Single Pebble Village (Danzishizhen) just east of Chongqing. When the tide is high, the statue's base is flooded, and there are watermarks indicating various water levels on the Buddha's feet, legs and lower belly. The sculpture was carved by artist Zou Xing, a cadre general under Ming Yuzhen in the late 14th century. Ming, who later founded a dynasty, led a political party that believed that the Future Buddha, depicted in the statue, would descend from Heaven and end the reign of Mongolian-dominated Yuan Dynasty.
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Song Dynasty Tombs
Song Dynasty tombs (420-479 A.D.) are rarely found in the Three Gorges area, but the region has only recently come to the attention of the archeological community. Currently, archeologists are excavating recently discovered sites in a race against time, measuring remains and documenting as much as they can before the entire area is submerged. Many mysteries of the tombs have yet to be answered: Why is the head missing from a nearly complete skeleton? Why is the upper half of the skeleton elevated, facing northeast - away from the river?
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Various Han through Qing Monuments
Other endangered sites include the Dingfang Towers from 25-200 A.D. (pictured left), Precious Stone Treasury and Pagoda near Zhongxian, the White Emperor City (Baidicheng), the Qu
Yuan Temple at Zigui, Temple of the God of the Underworld at Fengdu, the hanging coffins on the Daning tributary that runs south into the Yangtze at Wushan, and the Late Warring States Ba cemetery at Fuling.
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