Qu Yuan was a patriotic poet in the Warring States Period (476 B.C.-221 B.C.). When building the Three Gorges Dam, many historical sites related to him were moved to a higher place and a cultural tourism zone was established, namely Qu Yuan's Hometown. Covering an area of 82 acres, it is located in Zigui County, Yichang City of Hubei Province, about 660 yards (600 meters) from the Three Gorges Dam. You can fully and clearly view the giant project from Qu Yuan’s Hometown Scenic Area.
Qu Yuan was also a great and beloved politician, ideologist, diplomat and a reformer in ancient China. Determined to be of great service to his country, the politician advocated reform and put forward many feasible policies. However, as his proposals placed other nobilities into an unfavorable position, they impeached him and convinced the king to fire him. Unwilling to see his country being occupied and conquered by another country, Qu Yuan drowned himself. In his memory, people set the day he died as the Dragon Boat Festival.
The major scenic spots inside the scenic area include Qu Yuan’s Temple and local folk houses in the traditional style. Qu Yuan’s Temple is composed of a memorial archway, a bronze statue of Qu Yuan, Qu Yuan’s Tomb, a display house, and a corridor. Entering the temple through the memorial archway, you will see a big statue of Qu Yuan where people can worship. Qu Yuan’s Tomb, which is actually a cenotaph, occupies 145 square yards (120 square meters). In front of the tomb, there are two big stone lions from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). If you look inside the tomb gate, you can see a passageway and the coffin that hangs above a giant lotus-shaped stone base. The display house exhibits Qu’s portraits, works and historical relics discovered in Zigui County. Qu Yuan’s poems and later generations’ praises are carved into the corridor’s walls.
In the scenic area, you can also see local antique style folk houses. They are built with classical rafters and grey-green bricks. Today, these buildings are used to exhibit local customs and culture. They include the House of the Dragon Boat Festival, the House of the Dragon Boat and the House of Local Customs, etc. By visiting these houses, you can learn more about this land and experience the local people’s deep love and respect for the great patriotic poet.
The best time for a visit is around the Dragon Boat Festival. During the festival, one can experience traditional customs and take part in interesting activities, including making zongzi, participating in the dragon boat race, wearing a perfume pouch, and tying five-colored thread.
How to Get to Qu Yuan’s Hometown from Yichang:
You can take a bus from the Central Long-distance Bus Station near Yichang East Railway Station to Zigui. The bus departs once it is full from early morning till 21:10. The ticket price is CNY 18 and the whole journey is about 1 hour. Upon arrival, you can walk to the scenic area in about 15 minutes or take a private mini bus to get there. The ticket price of a mini bus is about CNY 5.
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