YOUYANG Tujia Miao Autonomous Region
Youyang County despite being some distance from Chongqing is relatively easy to get to and well worth a few days sightseeing. The new rail link and a new expressway both shorten travel time considerably.
Gongtan ̲is one of many fascinating old villages that have fallen foul to the flood of progress throughout China. The nations growing demand for renewable energy resources has taken a heavy toll on rural areas. Situated on the steep banks of the Wu Jiang much of the old town was recently flooded when a new dam and hydroelectric power plant just upstream from Pengshui ˮ came online. Gongtan recently hosted an International Rock climbing Competition, offers white water rafting and has featured in several movies. The river still plays an important role in local transport and until the recent rise in water levels the old tracking paths could still be seen - cut deep into the steep cliffs above the wild waters of the river.