Sanxia Zhidian (Three Gorges Summit) Scenic Area is located in Kuimen Sub-district, Fengjie County, Chongqing Municipality. It is a national 4A-level tourist attraction and one of the core landscapes of the Yangtze Three Gorges. Featuring "majesty, wonder, peril, and elegance", the scenic area is built around the main peak of Chijia Mountain on the north bank of Qutang Gorge, with an altitude of 1,388 meters. As the highest point of the Yangtze Three Gorges, it is hailed as "Sanxia Zhidian (Three Gorges Summit)". Covering a total area of approximately 4.8 square kilometers, with a core tourist area of 1.8 square kilometers, the scenic area integrates multiple functional zones including natural landscapes, cultural relics, and ecological trails. It boasts a complete mountain climbing trail system with a total length of about 6.5 kilometers, along which there are 12 supporting facilities such as viewing platforms and rest stations. Among them, the core viewing platform "Sanxia Zhidian Observation Deck" covers an area of about 800 square meters, offering a 360-degree panoramic view of the entire Qutang Gorge, the surging Yangtze River, and the full view of Fengjie County. It is an ideal spot to watch the Three Gorges sunrise, sea of clouds, and sunset. With a vegetation coverage rate of over 90%, the scenic area is home to various native plants such as masson pine, cypress, and azalea, boasting a superior ecological environment. Meanwhile, it integrates multiple elements including the majestic Kuimen Pass, ancient plank roads, and poetry culture, making it a tourist destination where natural landscapes and human history are perfectly combined.
History and Culture
Fengjie County, where Sanxia Zhidian is located, was historically known as "Kuizhou". As the starting point of the Yangtze Three Gorges, it has a history of over 2,300 years of urban construction and is an important birthplace of Bayu culture, poetry culture, and Three Kingdoms culture. As early as the Neolithic Age, there were traces of human activities here. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods, it was a territory of the Ba State. In the Qin Dynasty, Yufu County was established, and it was renamed Fengjie in the Tang Dynasty, meaning "upholding the emperor's integrity". Throughout history, it has been an important military town and transportation hub in eastern Sichuan.
Chijia Mountain, the core area of the scenic spot, gets its name from its red rock mass. As a landmark mountain range of Qutang Gorge, it has been a strategically important place for military conflicts in history. During the Three Kingdoms Period, after Liu Bei's defeat in the Battle of Yiling, he retreated to Baidi City (located in present-day Fengjie). Zhuge Liang set up the Eight Trigrams Formation here to resist the enemy. Kuimen Pass, formed by Chijia Mountain and Baiyan Mountain opposite to it, became a natural barrier, witnessing countless historical disputes.
Sanxia Zhidian is also an important landmark of Chinese poetry culture. Since the Tang Dynasty, numerous literati and poets such as Li Bai, Du Fu, Bai Juyi, Su Shi, and Lu You have passed through Kuimen Pass, climbed high to look far, and left a large number of immortal poems. During his residence in Kuizhou, Du Fu created more than 430 poems including "Ascending Height" and "Eight Odes to Autumn Scenery". Among them, the famous line "Boundless forest sheds its leaves shower by shower; Endless Yangtze rolls its waves hour after hour" was a feeling inspired by climbing Chijia Mountain. To this day, the scenic area retains many poem carvings and stone inscriptions, carrying a profound poetry and cultural heritage, and is known as the core viewing spot of the "City of Chinese Poetry".
Major Attractions
Sanxia Zhidian Observation Deck
As the core attraction of the scenic area, Sanxia Zhidian Observation Deck is located at the top of the main peak of Chijia Mountain, with an altitude of 1,388 meters and an area of 800 square meters. It is a fully open viewing platform. The platform adopts a combination of steel structure and glass plank road design, with the glass viewing area covering about 150 square meters, hanging outside the mountain, creating a strong visual impact. Standing on the observation deck, visitors can directly overlook the magnificent scenery of "Kuimen Pass, the most majestic under heaven" in Qutang Gorge. The Yangtze River flows through the gorge, with steep cliffs on both sides like cut by knives and axes, and the narrowest part is only over 100 meters. To the southeast, one can overlook the full view of Fengjie County and the ruins of Baidi City; to the west, one can admire the rolling mountains of Chijia Mountain and the spectacular sea of clouds. It is the best location to take panoramic photos of the Three Gorges. Around the observation deck, there is a poetry corridor inscribed with classic poems describing the Three Gorges by literati of past dynasties, complementing the natural scenery.
Sixty-Six Turns
This is an extremely challenging mountain road with steep slopes. Named for having approximately 66 turns, it is also a necessary path for hiking to Sanxia Zhidian, posing a challenge for every hiking enthusiast.
Weishi Bird Trail
This is a cliff trail integrating majesty, wonder, peril, and steepness. It allows visitors to appreciate the most core grandeur and magnificence of the Yangtze Three Gorges in the most thrilling and direct way.
Tour Routes
Hiking Route: Baidi City Qutang Gorge Scenic Area → Chijia Tower → 211m Altitude Check-in Point → Monkey Mountain → Nitrate Cave → Taozi Cave → Shuijingwan → Yinlong Trough → Jigu Liang → 520m Altitude Check-in Point → Sixty-Six Turns → Qingshan Renjia → 985m Altitude Check-in Point → Weishi Bird Trail → 1314m Altitude Check-in Point → Sanxia Zhidian. The total length is 10 kilometers, and the hiking time is about 5 hours.
Sightseeing Bus Route: Transfer to the scenic area's sightseeing bus at Sanxia Zhidian Tourist Service Point (Lanyue River) for a round trip to Chijia Square, then walk to Sanxia Zhidian Observation Deck.
Cable Car Route: Take the cable car from Sanxia Zhidian Tourist Center (Shimiao) for a round trip to Chijia Square, then walk to Sanxia Zhidian Observation Deck.
Travel Tips
- The best travel time is spring and autumn (March-May, September-November). During this period, the climate is mild, the vegetation is lush, and the probability of encountering sea of clouds and sunrise landscapes is relatively high. In summer, the temperature is high, so it is necessary to take sun protection and cooling measures when climbing. In winter, the temperature is low, and some roads may be icy, so pay attention to anti-slip.
- Before climbing, prepare comfortable hiking shoes, a backpack, sunscreen, a sun hat, drinking water, and a small amount of snacks. There are no sales points in some sections of the scenic area.
- The mountain climbing trails in the scenic area are steep, and some sections are stepped roads. It is recommended that elderly people over 65 years old, children, and people with weak physical fitness take the scenic area's sightseeing bus to the halfway observation deck, then walk to Sanxia Zhidian.
- To watch the sunrise, check the weather and sunrise time in advance. It is recommended to depart from the tourist center at 4:30-5:00 in the morning. It takes about 1.5 hours to climb to the observation deck, just in time for the sunrise (sunrise time is about 5:30 in summer and 7:00 in winter).
- Mobile phone signal coverage in the scenic area is good, but the network is weak in some sections. It is recommended to download an offline map in advance to avoid getting lost.
- It is recommended to reserve half a day to a full day for the tour. If time permits, you can combine it with nearby attractions such as Baidi City and Qutang Gorge cruise ships to create a complete Three Gorges travel route.
Notes
- Smoking and littering are prohibited in the scenic area. Protect the ecological environment and cultural relics and historic sites. Do not carve or damage cliff carvings, stone statues, and other landscapes.
- During the climb, abide by the scenic area's regulations. Do not deviate from the trails or enter undeveloped areas to avoid accidents. Some sections are narrow, so give way to pedestrians and avoid crowding.
- Pay attention to anti-slip when climbing on rainy days or after rain. The steps of the trails may be slippery. It is recommended to wear non-slip shoes and carry hiking poles if necessary.
- The scenic area is at a high altitude, and some visitors may experience altitude sickness. It is recommended to walk slowly, avoid strenuous exercise, and carry a small amount of commonly used medicines (such as cold medicine, motion sickness medicine, band-aids, etc.).
- The operating hours of the scenic area's sightseeing buses are 8:00-17:00, with departures every 30 minutes. The last bus is at 17:00. Reserve enough time for hiking down the mountain to avoid missing the last bus.
- Respect local customs and traditions. There are settlements of ethnic minorities such as Tujia and Miao around the scenic area. Abide by local etiquette and do not arbitrarily disturb the lives of villagers.
- There are no accommodation facilities in the scenic area. Visitors need to stay in Fengjie County. The county seat is about 15 kilometers away from the scenic area, with convenient transportation. You can choose various types of accommodation such as hotels and homestays.
Transportation
- Self-driving: Depart from downtown Chongqing, drive along Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway (G50) for about 4 hours (total distance of about 400 kilometers), exit at Fengjie East Interchange, and go through Kuimen Sub-district to Sanxia Zhidian Scenic Area Tourist Center. The road conditions are good throughout the journey. The parking fee standard of the scenic area is 10 yuan per time (within 24 hours).
- Public Transportation: Take the high-speed rail from Chongqing North Railway Station to Fengjie Station. After getting off the train, take the scenic area's special line bus to reach the scenic area's tourist center in about 30 minutes. Or take the bus bound for Kuimen from Fengjie Bus Station, get off at Sanxia Zhidian Scenic Area Station, and walk 5 minutes to the tourist center.
- Local Transportation: The distance from Fengjie County seat to the scenic area is about 15 kilometers. You can take a taxi or charter a car to go there, with convenient transportation.
Opening Hours
Open year-round. Summer (April 1 - October 31): Opening hours are 7:00-18:00, and the latest admission time is 16:00. Winter (November 1 - March 31 of the next year): Opening hours are 8:00-17:00, and the latest admission time is 15:00. The operating hours of the scenic area's sightseeing buses are consistent with the opening hours, and the departure time of the last bus is 1 hour before closing. Visitors need to reasonably arrange their admission and tour time to avoid overstaying.
Tickets
Hiking Route: Ticket + Sightseeing Bus Return Trip: 40 yuan per person; Ticket + Cable Car Return Trip: 60 yuan per person.
Sightseeing Bus Route: Ticket + Sightseeing Bus Round Trip: 50 yuan per person.
Cable Car Route: Ticket + Cable Car Round Trip: 100 yuan per person.
For the latest updates or online ticket purchases, search for the official WeChat service account "白帝城瞿塘峡景区".
Online Booking
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