Xiling Gorge is named after the Xiling Mountain which is regarded as a bright pearl of the Three Gorges, at the Nanjin Pass of Yichang City. The longest one among the Three Gorges, Xiling Gorge has a total length of more than 100 kilometers. The section from Nanjin Pass of Yichang to Zigui Xiangxi (Fragrant Brook) Mouth is known for its narrowness and also known as narrow-valley section, with a length of 66 kilometers. The section up to the Xiangxi wide-valley is 40 kilometers long.

Rocks are rugged and cliffs are steep on the two sides of the valley and Xiling Gorge is well-known for its rapids and currents. In Xiling Gorge, there are three dangerous rapids: Rapid Xie, Rapid Qing and Rapid Kongling, and four gorges: Dengying (Lamp Shadow) Gorge, Ox Gorge, Niugan Mafei (Ox Liver & Horse Lung) Gorge and Bingshu Baojian (Tactics Book & Double-Edged Sword) Gorge. The entire gorge area is full of steep mountains, deep valleys, dangerous rapids and submerged reefs. After the completion of the Gezhou Dam project, water level in the Three Gorges rises up and dangerous rapids and submerged reefs are all submerged deep under water, no longer a threat to boats and ships. However, the miraculous views of rapids and currents and boatmen battling rushing currents also disappear.


Passing through the Gezhou Dam, ships sail to the Nanjin Pass -- the starting point of the Three Gorges Gallery. On the right side is the Xiling Gorge Sanyou Cave Scenery Area where there are such scenic spots as the Chu Fortress Tower, Zhixi Pavilion and the platform where General Zhang Fei in the Three Kingdom period beat the drum. About 9 kilometers further up the river is the Dengying (Lamp Shadow) Gorge which presents a beautiful view. It is extremely beautiful to sail through the gorge during moon night.