It is well known that, along the Wu Gorge, there are twelve unique peaks. Among them, the most prominent one is the Shennu Peak (Goddess Peak). The peak looks like a beautiful and pious maiden standing gracefully on the northern bank. Hence the name. Because the Goddess Peak is the highest peak among the twelve peaks and is first to greet the sun and sees off the afterglow at sun set every day, it has another name - Wangxia Peak (Looking Sunglow Peak).

For thousands of years, people have made up many legends about the Goddess Peak. Among them the most popular one goes like this: In the Prehistoric Times, there lived many fairies in the palace of heaven, among them, a clever and beautiful one was called Yao Ji. On the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival,she invited her eleven sisters to visit the earthly world, as she felt lonelyin heaven. When they arrived at the Wu Gorge, they encountered Yu the Great controlling the flood there. Moved by his spirit, Yao Ji decidedto help by sending him a sealed book relating to the control of water. However, before she deciphered the book to Dayu, she and his sisters were caught by the soldiers from heaven. In order to help Yu the Great, they broke the chain usedto tie them, and returned to the earth. With the help of Yao Ji and her elevensisters, the flood was finally overcome. Since then, Yao Ji and her sisters remained in the Three Gorges area and helped the local people to tame the water. They forgot to return and turned into twelve elegant peaks along the banks of Wu Gorge. Shennu Peak is the incarnation of Yao Ji.