Yangtze River story: the origin of the White Emperor City (Baidi City)

The Yangtze River is China's largest and Asia's third-largest river. In the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, there are three valleys, Qutang, Wu Gorge, Xiling Gorge, collectively known as the Three Gorges. Yangtze River Three Gorges length of nearly 200 kilometers, along the river the landscape is strange and beautiful and is the world famous scenic spot, which has attracted many tourists to have a Yangtze River tour.
In the western end of the Yangtze River Three Gorges, the narrows of the Qutang, there is a well-known scenic spot called "Baidicheng" (the White Emperor City), which is named after a real historical story of the hero Gongsun Shu.
AD Twenty-five years, China was in the change of sovereignty. Western Han Dynasty was overthrown by peasant rebel army, and the new dynasty had not yet been established. Local military commanders Gongsun Shu set up a separatist regime in South West by force of arms, waiting for the current situation changes.
It was said that one day Gongsun Shu had a dream, in the dream someone said to him: "You can be emperor for twelve years." After waking up, he felt very strange. The next morning, when Gongsun Shu was walking in the garden he saw a white gas coming out of a well, just as a White Dragon flying into the sky. Gongsun Shu thought it was a sign that he could become an emperor. As a result, Gongsun Shu held a ceremony and self-styled emperor, known as Bai Di. Also he built a fortresses named "Baidicheng" at the the narrows of the Qutang which was heavily guarded.
At this time, Liu Xiu in Luoyang in the Central China had established a national regime, the Eastern Han Dynasty, and he wrote Gongsun Shu a letter to analyze the current situation and persuaded Gongsun Shu to surrender. But Gongsun Shu felt himself as an emperor who should not be surrendered, so he flatly refused. AD thirty-seven years, Liu Xiu’s large-scale military attacked the Baidi City, and Gongsun Shu was killed in chaos.
All in all, Gongsun Shu Xi ruled the south west area for twenty-eight years. In the twenty-eight years, this area was very stable, and was not affected by the wars in the Central Plains. When Gongsun Shu was ruling the area, he developed agriculture, built water conservancy projects for the benefit of local people. Therefore, after Gongsun Shu died, local people built a "Baidi Temple" in the Baidi City to commemorate him.
In addition to Baidi City there are numerous monuments and legends around the Yangtze River Three Gorges, such as the 12 beautiful mountains----"Goddess Peak" and so on.

 

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