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two thousand-year-old city in northern Jaingxi Province
is on the south bank of the Yangtze River in its middle
reaches. A noted town in ancient China, for years it served
as a communication center along the middle reaches of
the Yangtze and a town of strategic importance. During
the period of the Three Kingdoms (220-280), Jiujiang,
then called Chaisong, was a military stronghold of the
Kingdom of Wu. Jiujiang lies on the roads leading to Mount
Lushan and Poyang Lake. Tourists can proceed to visit
White Deer Cave (Bailudong) Academy and the Xingzi Hot
Spring in Xingzi County. Traveling to the east along the
Yangtze River, they can visit the scenic spots of Stone
Bell Hills (Shizhongshan), Xiaogu Hill, and Dragon King's
Palace Cave (Longgongdong) in Pengze County.
Gantang
Lake
This
is the most attractive place among the numerous scenic
spots and historical sites in the city. The Misty Water
Pavilion (Yanshuiting) in the lake is said to have served
as the command post for Zhou Yu, a celebrated general
of the period of the Three Kingdoms (220-280), when he
was training naval forces here. The pavilion is linked
with land by an arch bridge with nine bends.
South
Gate Lake (Nanmenhu)
This
scenic lake is separated from Gantang Lake by a causeway
that was built by li Bo, a governor of Jiujiang in the
Tang Dynasty. Still standing on the causeway is a bridge
named Remembering the Man of Virtue (Sixianqiao), which
was put up by the local people to cherish Li Bo's memory.
Stone
Bell Hills (Shizhongshan)
Rising
at the mouth of Poyang Lake in Pengze County where the
lake and the Yangtze River meet, these hills are shaped
like two huge bells. The water lapping against the rocks
in the caves at the bottom of the cliffs also gives out
the sound of bells. A legend says that when the Jade Emperor
had his palace built, he sent Elephant God to fetch some
jade bells. Elephant God carelessly dropped the bells
here, and they turned into hills. The numerous historical
sites on the hills draw many sightseers.
Small
Solitary Hill (Xiaogushan)
Small
Solitary Hill is in the middle of the Yangtze River in
Pengze County twenty kilometers east of the city if Jiujiang.
The hundred-meter-high hill resembles a large junk floating
on the waves of the river. Amidst the green trees are
zigzagging stone steps, pavilions and towers, and ancient
temples.
Dragon
King's Palace Cave (Longgongdong)
Situated
in the Black Dragon Hill (Wulongshan) tourist area in
Pengze County east of Jiujiang, this natural cave under
a hill is very much like the "Dragon King's Palace
in the East Sea" described in Chinese fairy tales.
It is said that a yellow dragon once lived here. The three
thousand-meter-long cave is divided into several areas,
including a corridor, the east palace, the west palace,
a great hall, and Dragon Pool (Longtan). Inside this "underground
art museum" there are stone pillars, stalagmites,
imagination, and other formations which, if you have a
good reliefs, as well as the shrimp soldiers and crab
generals of the dragon king, his daughters, and their
palace maids.
Poyang
Lake
With
a total area of 3,585 square kilometers, Poyang Lake,
which located in the Jiangxi province, is regarded as
the largest fresh-water lake in China. Decorated by the
beautiful lakes and enchanting mountains, this area exists
not only as the "land of rice and fish", but
also a wonderful scenic spot.
Luoxing
Boulder (Fallen-Star Boulder) rises from the lake; the
rock is said to be a star fallen from the Heaven. High
as the tide is, the boulder has never been submerged in
water.
Migratory
Birds Conservation Area: Near the Wucheng township in
Yongxiu County, Jiangxi province, endless marshes, ponds,
streams, and branching lakes form a vast swamp. Abounded
with grass, waters, and aquatic products, this area, covering
an area of some 90 square kilometers, becomes the largest
natural habit for thousands of migratory birds to spend
winters, among which are rare species such as white- cranes,
young swans, white storks, whitehead cranes, etc.
Located
within the conservation area, Waterfowls Park is another
attractive spot to see. A tower provides visitors with
telescopes to view the bird spectacle.
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