Introduction 

At the Great Bend area, the Yangtze river is called the Jinshajiang and is located 50 kilometers from Lijiang. The river passes through a steep valley forming a U-shaped bend near Rizhui peak forming this amazing mammoth at this point that is within a one-kilometer distance. The river changes course northwards and its shape in the nearby mountain ranges.

The river here runs from its source in Qinghai at a distance of 1500 km heading south and southeast directions. It then flows along Tibet and Yunnan borders where it makes another 160 degrees turn to form the first bend before flowing to meet Shuiluo River for a distance of 130 kilometers. For its second bend, the river flows for another 300 kilometers southwards before taking its third bend eastwards across the southern Sichuan Basin.

This area also used to be a famous route for army troops like in 1963 the Red Army used this crossing point and later a memorial hall was set up in Shiguzhen to commemorate their presence in the area. Zhuge Liang led his army to cross the river here and also Emperor Kublai Khan of Mongolia led his army through this crossing point on their way to attack Dali in the thirteen century.

Major attractions and activities to do on a visit

Visiting this area is a sight to behold with pleasant rocky terrain boarded by magical white sand bars on the river with rich vegetation. Furthermore, you get to step on the same path that army troops like Kublai Khan, the Chinese Red Army and Zhuge Liang’s army used to walk on 800 years ago. You also get the chance to shop for a variety of goods at the Naxi market where traders used to sell tea amongst other merchandise. In addition, you can also hike or enjoy a boat ride as you get to learn more about the history and culture of the locals in the area.