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Military Books and Precious Sword Gorge

This four-kilometer gorge is situated between Xin Tan (New Rapid) and Xiangxi Stream (Fragrant Stream). On top of the northern cliff, stratified layers of rock slabs resemble a pile of books, called "military books", and a sword-shaped rock right beside, which thrusts in the river, resemble a sword, hence the name Military Books and Sword (Bingshu Baojian Xia) .
One legend has it that Zhuge Liang, military adviser to the King of Shu in Three Kingdoms Period, became seriously ill while passing this way. He placed his valuable military treatises up here to keep them safe for later generations. Another legend said that it was when he retired from official life and went into seclusion that he hid his military writings and sword here.

According to the records, once an official asked his entourages to find out that the "Military Books" were suspended coffins on the cliff when his boat passing by. There came relics like bronze swords and pottery, which later have proved to be the heritages of Ba people in ancient times. And the "Precious Sword" is falling slabs of Just opposite the gorge a large cleft rock stands on the south side. Fine sand, blown by river winds, piles up on this rock and then slowly sifts through a hole below, so the gorge has another name called Rice Granary Gorge (Micang Xia).