1984 Trip on Yangzi - Chongqing to Shanghai

16. Barges on the Yangzi River

After the locks, the river widens out considerably to a number of miles wide. On this stretch of river there is much barge traffic. The people live on their barges. It is their home and job. Tugboats will be seen to tow a dozen or more barges to destinations along the river. The bottom of the river is generally above the surrounding land. It was fascinating to watch this traffic on the river.

After leaving Yichang, the next stop is Shashi. 7.5 kilometers from Shashi is an ancient town of Jingzhou. Its ancient walled city and a museum with ancient relics and excavations you may want need to visit.

After Jingzhou the river widens immensely and you can see little of the shore. The boat continues down the river to pass by (and possibly stop at) the town of Chenglingji, which lies at the confluence of Dongting Lake and the Yangtze River.

East of Dongting Lake is the town of Yueyang. Another nine hours will bring you to Wuhan, at which point most travelers will end their Yangtze River cruise. On the way to Wuhan, some cruising lines offer shore excursion to another city of Jiujiang, which is famous for Mt. Lushan.