Fengdu Tourism Administration recently announced that the construction of the Three Gorges Project will not affect the city of Fengdu, which is famous for its ghost culture,according to latest issue of Beijing Review.

Although water from the Yangtze River will engulf much of the old county, more than 90 percent of the scenic spots located in Fengdu County will remain intact, due to their high location.

Completion of the Three Gorges Project will benefit the local tourism industry, according to the administration officials. First, the rising water level of the river will facilitate direct and easier tourist access to many scenic spots formerly located on mountains. Second, the vast waterway will enable Fengdu people to develop aquatic tourism.

However, the project is not without its dangers, including soil erosion, which may create serious geological problems in the ghost city. Fortunately, the people of Fengdu are aware of this potential disaster, and are working hard to avert it. One of their prevention measures will involve building a 3-km-long, 40-meter-wide dyke surrounding major scenic spots, including Mingshan and Shuangguishan mountains.

In addition, a modern harbor, shopping district, celebrity calligraphy exhibition, and many other entertainment facilities will be built along the dyke. The people of Fengdu will also develop other tourist attractions, including natural scenic spots such as Nantianhu Lake in a virgin forest, Huilongdong Cave and Crystal Cave, as well as other potential cultural relics, such as the sites of ruins of the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220), and Shang and Zhou dynasties (C.1600-256 BC) in Longkongyuxi, and Old Stone Age relics. Many four- and five-star hotels will also be built in the new Fengdu County for the greater comfort of tourists.

Building a new town on the other side of the river symbolizes a fresh start for Fengdu inhabitants, as they will begin an exciting new life, following completion of the Three Gorges Project. Old town residents, officials and citizens alike, began their move on September 8.

The old city of Fengdu has a long, rich history. It was once a part of the Ba Kingdom in the Zhou Dynasty, which dates back more than 2,300 years. Fengdu’s ghost culture has attracted a large number of tourists, which has topped more than 1 million a year.

Fengdu is famous for its ghost town—Mingshan Mountain, the stone carving of the ghost king, which appeared in the Guinness Book of Records, and the unique kingdom of hell.

( Xinhua News Agency November 20, 2001)