This weirdly-named gorge lies between the New Shoal (Xintan)
and Kongling Shoal is the Niugan Mafei Xia (Ox Liver and Horse
Lungs' Gorge). About 2.8-mile's long, the gorge was once a unique
scene along the Yangtze River.
On
both banks of the gorge, there are numerous streams flowing through
the grottoes of the cliff. Over millennial, all kinds of amazing
stalactite formations have formed along the cliff faces. Among
them, there are a few shapes of rocks in olive-brown color and
in the form of ox liver hanging from the cliff of the northern
bank. And, not far away, there hangs another in the shape of a
horse lung. So, obviously, the gorge is named the Ox Liver and
Horse Lungs' Gorge.
For centuries, these two rocks have been admired by many visitors.
However, during the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911) when Guangxu Emperor
was in his reign, the gorge was bombed by imperialist forces and
the lower part of the rock with the shape of horse lung was destroyed.
Now, with the rising of the water storage of the Three
Gorges Dam Project, the two historic rock formations have
been submerged. Sadly, visitors will no longer be able to admire
them but they may imagine the scene of 'a smooth lake rises in
the narrow gorge'.