Red Cliffs Ancient Battlefield (Xianning)

Site of the Three Kingdoms Battle of Red Cliffs (the two-character 'Red Cliff' cliff inscription is said to be by Zhou Yu), Baifeng Platform / Fengchu Temple; known as the 'Military Red Cliff' (the 'Literary Red Cliff' is Dongpo Red Cliff in Huanggang). This is the ancient battlefield of the Battle of Red Cliffs of 208 AD (the 13th year of Jian'an), where the allied armies of Sun Quan and Liu Bei set fire to Cao Cao's camps. The 'Red Cliff' characters carved into the sheer rock at Chibi are said to have been written by Zhou Yu after the battle; a thousand years of river water have not erased them, and they remain clearly legible—a 'pilgrimage site' for Three Kingdoms fans. Along the river, the scenic area contains relics such as Baifeng Platform (commemorating Zhuge Liang's 'borrowing the east wind') and Fengchu Temple (where Pang Tong read by night), while the Battle of Red Cliffs Exhibition Hall recreates the whole fire-attack campaign with artifacts and reconstructed scenes. The battle fixed the tripartite division of the land, and this site is known as the 'Military Red Cliff', a fitting martial counterpart to the 'Literary Red Cliff' (Dongpo Red Cliff) in Huanggang, where Su Shi composed his famous rhapsody. The scenic area is about a 40-minute drive from Chibi North Station; self-driving is more convenient. Three Kingdoms culture lovers should allow half a day to a full day.

Getting there: Transfer from Xianning North / Chibi North Station, or self-drive