fuling

an ancient town stands on the south bank of the confluence where the river wu and the yangtze tie in. some 2,000 years ago, it was the political center of the kingdom of ba (the fourth to second centuries b.c.) and the site of its ancestral graves.

fuling is a connecting link in water transportation between northern guizhou and eastern sichuan. the town and its surrounding area are rich in such produce as grain, lacquer and tung oil. if possible, do not miss the excursion to the city for the white crane ridge and ancient musical instruments excavated from graves of the kingdom of ba.

located west of the town is the white crane ridge. ancient watermarks in the form of fourteen-scaled fish and inscriptions recording the hydrology of the yangtze river at this point have been found here. it has a legend that a tang-dynasty immortal recluse tried to make pills of immortality, often rode a crane around this area to find herbals, so called the name. the oldest one of these stonefish can be traced back to the tang dynasty (618-907). the rocks can be seen only when the river is at its very lowest in spring and autumn for perhaps once every decade or so. locals say that 'when the stonefish appear the harvests will be good'.

besides its scientific value, inscriptions of poets through ages are also impressive and earn the white crane ridge the name "inscriptions underwater". in 1993, it was entitled an important historical site at state level, and a submarine museum will be built here.

situated in the town, xiao tainxi graves is famous for the excavations of bronze music instruments from the warring states period. the bronze serial bells consist of fourteen bells of descending scale and in similar shape. exquisite flora patterns reveal high craftsmanship of melting and metal production during that period. the age of the tomb and the excellent state that things were preserved make it worth the fine museum exhibit.