The Three Gorges - the Qutang, Wu, and Xiling Gorges - region is historically famed for its steep cliffs and dangerous rapids. All that changed in June 2003 when the Three Gorges Dam began storing water, creating in its wake a 660km-long reservoir that stretched from the western parts of Hubei province to Chongqing, a bustling municipality of 30 million people, in southwestern China. With the rushing waters gone, many hitherto unpassable or dangerous areas have become easily accessible for residents and tourists alike. Not everyone likes what they see, with some bemoaning the destruction of the region's timeless beauty, which had inspired many ancient poets. Here a resident sails down a stretch of the Wu Gorge that hitherto boats could not reach [June 12 2003].
