Wanzhou, Pinghu: A Poetic Abode Where Landscapes and Lifestyles Intertwine

Half city of mountains and waters, half city of songs—this riverside mountain town narrates the timeless tales of Three Gorges families. As dawn breaks, Wanzhou awakens gently in the embrace of the Yangtze River. Mist drapes over the green hills like sheer gauze, while the 175-meter Three Gorges waterline sketches the new silhouette of this largest reservoir resettlement city, creating a unique panorama where "mountains cradle the city, waters weave through streets, and people dwell within landscapes." The river mirrors the terraced skyline of this mountain city. Early ferries occasionally ripple the glassy surface, soon smoothed by Pinghu's tender touch. This is Wanzhou—a riverside town in the heart of the Three Gorges that weaves majestic nature and bustling life into poetry. 7:00 Waterfall Symphony Approaching Ganning Town by car, the roar of water already thunders through the forest. At the sight of Wanzhou Grand Waterfall, every traveler holds their breath—a 151-meter-wide silver cascade plunges 64.5 meters down the cliff, its spray rising to form a faint rainbow in the morning light. Following damp plank walkways behind the falls reveals a 1,600-square-meter natural water curtain cave. Cool droplets seeping from rocks harmonize with the thunderous falls outside. "Only by wearing this 5-yuan raincoat can you truly embrace the baptism of 'Asia's First Waterfall'!" laughs a local guide. As bamboo rafts approach the cascade's heart, mist envelops everything. Gazing upward at this celestial deluge, one finally understands the ancient verse: "Echoes reverberate through empty valleys, lingering with sublime melancholy." 12:00 Old Town Flavor Storm Returning to the old quarter with damp clothes, the lively Pigeon Alley assaults the senses. Bamboo steamers stack like pagodas in narrow alleys, releasing peppery aromas. "Two lamb steamers, boss!" Tender rice-powdered lamb arrives trembling in palm-sized bamboo trays. Next door, an aunt deftly tosses cold noodles while golden radish cakes sizzle. The authentic way? Drizzle mustard-noodle sauce over the lamb—creating a dance of soft and crispy, spicy and sweet on the tongue. At 25 yuan per feast, this carb celebration embodies locals' simplest joys. 14:30 Cliffside Time Fold Post-meal ascent to Tianshengcheng Cultural Block feels like stepping through time. Tiered stilt houses cling to precipices, where ancient eaves converse with glass facades, earning its "Wanzhou Hongyadong" nickname. Moss-clad Southern Song dynasty walls watch hanfu-clad girls float through lantern alleys (30 yuan/hour rentals transform visitors into living paintings). The three-level viewpoint dazzles: eastward, the Yangtze winds like jade ribbon; westward, skyscrapers sprout like bamboo shoots. At dusk, when myriad lights descend like starry seas, ancient Ba-Yu charm gazes across millennia at neon futurism. 16:00 Tea-Stained Nostalgia Xishan Park's camphor trees dissolve afternoon heat. Since 1925, gnarled century-old trees have framed the bell tower's blue tiles and white walls. Wicker chairs under dappled shade host old-timers sipping Three Gorges mist tea while chess pieces click rhythmically. "These tea plants grow on river cliffs, steeped in mountain-water essence!" smiles the silver-haired tea master. Clear, sweet brews blend with the immigration museum's hourly chimes, silencing modern clamor. 18:30 Gilded Hour on Pinghu Dusk paints the Three Gorges Pinghu Tourist Area poetically. Along the CCTV-ranked "New Three Gorges Top 10" lakeside belt, sunset gilds 20km of water. Silhouettes of casting anglers and students' orange-streaked canvases compose moving tableaux. At Three Lives Lucky Square, opposite shorelights flicker on. A cruise ship's horn startles egrets skimming luminous waves—the "high gorge yielding flat lake" miracle now feels intimately tender. 20:00 Grilled Fish Riverlake Night Xinlianxin Square's grilled fish street reveals Wanzhou's soul after dark. Six hundred shops showcase this "Chinese Grilled Fish Homeland" legend, offering 57 flavors from pickled pepper tang to fermented bean umami. Watch masters charcoal-grill fresh grass carp with secret sauces until edges crisp golden. As spicy fish sizzles in iron pans paired with local beer, river breezes carry Sichuan pepper whispers. Neighboring resettlers' descendants share stories of ancestors who "sacrificed small homes for greater good"—museum artifacts suddenly feel alive, history nourishing the city's spirit in new forms. Late into Xishan Park's tea seats, elders still refill cups leisurely. Between tea steam, they debate whether Li Bai truly got drunk at Taibai Rock while neon reflections dye the ancient city into flowing galaxies upon Pinghu. Wanzhou's night is young. The Yangtze carries Bashan's old tales and immigrants' new chapters eastward. This city's magic lies in blending 151-meter thunderous falls with 5-yuan lamb steamers into life's essence, letting every traveler glimpse their own "three lives' fortune" where mountains and waters meet. Wanzhou District, Chongqing