View source for Baidicheng

{{More citations needed|date=April 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Chinese|c=白帝城
|p=Baidicheng|w=Paiticheng
|pic=Bai di cheng.jpg
|Gateway of Baidi city, Chongqing
}}
'''Baidicheng''' or '''Baidi Fortress''' is an ancient fortress and [[temple]] complex on a hill on the northern shore of the [[Yangtze River]] in [[China]], 8&nbsp;km east of the present day [[Fengjie County]] seat in [[Chongqing]] municipality.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://chinatravel.co/chongqing-attraction/baidicheng/ | title=Baidicheng | publisher=ChinaTravel.com }}{{Dead link|date=July 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
==Overview==
The name ''Baidicheng'' literally means '''White Emperor City'''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.chinatourguide.com/chongqing/white_emperor_city.html | title=White Emperor City | publisher=China Tour Guide | accessdate=26 August 2014 | archive-date=27 August 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140827011850/http://www.chinatourguide.com/chongqing/white_emperor_city.html | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://chinahighlights.co/chongqing/attraction/white-emperor-city.htm | title=White Emperor City | publisher=China Highlights }}{{Dead link|date=July 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> It has been said that the area was once surrounded with a white mist, giving it a look which was rather mysterious, yet serene—much as what an emperor should be like.{{citation needed|date=August 2014}} It has also been said{{by whom|date=January 2019}} that someone saw a white dragon, the symbol of the Emperor appear there, that the warlord [[Gongsun Shu]] thought this was a fortuitous sign, and so declared himself Emperor of [[Chengjia]]. Thus Gongsun was said to have founded the city, and so called himself "the White Emperor".
The temple complex is now on an island, due to raised water levels following the construction of the [[Three Gorges Dam]]. Many older structures were submerged, and new buildings have been built higher up. The temple complex island is linked to the north bank of the Yangtze, by a bridge. The island continues to be a tourist attraction, with many cruise ships halting for tours at Fengjie.{{citation needed|date=August 2014}}
Baidi is also known as the "City of Poems", because so many poets such as [[Li Bai]] wrote about it (see: "[[s:Translation:Departing from Baidi in the Morning|Departing from Baidi in the Morning]]").<ref name='Li Po "Downstream to Jiangling"'>{{cite web| last=Po| first=Li| title=Downstream to Jiangling| url=http://chinesepoemsinenglish.blogspot.com/2008/01/tangs-poems.html| publisher=Chinesepoemsinenglish.blogspot.com| date=28 January 2008| access-date=31 March 2014| archive-date=9 March 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309052112/http://chinesepoemsinenglish.blogspot.com/2008/01/tangs-poems.html| url-status=live}}</ref> Another famous and talented poet, [[Du Fu]], resided in Baidi for 2 or 3 years.
[[Liu Bei]], the first emperor of the [[Shu Han]] during the [[Three Kingdoms]] era, is said to have died in Baidi, although, according to [[Records of the Three Kingdoms]], Liu Bei died at his palace of [[Yong'angong]].{{citation needed|date=August 2014}} The site of Yong'angong was located in what is now inside of the Normal School of Fengjie County, a few miles away from the current Baidicheng. Thus, as in other cases, the location of an ancient place is not necessarily the same as the location of a modern town with the same name.
In 2006, the Chinese government established Baidi Fortress as a national heritage site.{{citation needed|date=August 2014}}
==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Baidicheng 2014.jpg|Temple of the White Emperor.
File:Baidi Mao.jpg|A bronze plaque of Li Bai poem, [[Mao Zedong]] calligraphy.
File:白帝城岛.JPG|View of Baidicheng from cruise ship.
</gallery>
==See also==
*[[Simians (Chinese poetry)]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*{{commons category-inline|Baidicheng}}
{{Coord|31.0432|N|109.5703|E|region:CN-50_type:landmark|display=title}}
[[Category:Religious buildings and structures in Chongqing]]
[[Category:Temples in China]]
[[Category:River islands of China]]
[[Category:Yangtze River]]
[[Category:Landforms of Chongqing]]
[[Category:Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Chongqing]]
[[Category:Traditional Chinese architecture]]
[[Category:Military history of Chongqing]]
{{Chongqing-geo-stub}}