23 Apr 2026 - CKG Day 6: Wujiang Gallery (乌江画廊) and Boat Tour (游船)

The Wujiang Gallery (乌江画廊) is a breathtakingly scenic canyon stretch along the Wujiang River, a major tributary of the Yangtze. Spanning counties across Chongqing (such as Pengshui and Youyang) and entering Guizhou, the area is celebrated for the poetic phrase: "The boat sails on the water, and people wander through a painting (船在水中行，人在画中游)". The gallery features turquoise-emerald waters, sheer limestone cliffs, hidden waterfalls, and towering peaks draped in lush greenery.

There was no queue for the river cruise, and we boarded the boat immediately after arriving at the pier.

We chose to stay on the open-air viewing decks to feel the canyon breeze and enjoy the surrounding natural beauty.

Our cruise started from Wanzu Pier (万足码头) in Pengshui.

The boat gently cruised down the river, showcasing spectacular mountain vistas that changed with every bend.

After about 45 minutes of cruising on Wu River, the boat turned around and slowly sailed back to the same pier where we boarded.

On the way back, we went indoors and had a pleasant surprise. There was a live Sichuan Opera Face-Changing (变脸) performance. Accompanied by dramatic, fast-paced operatic music, the artist instantly flipped their vibrant silk masks with a sharp flick of the head or a wave of a fan. One moment we were looking at a fierce red mask, and in a literal blink of an eye, it transformed into a green, black, or gold character, leaving everyone gasping in amazement. This was our first time watching such performance.

Next, a calligraphy master demonstrated the art of brush-holding, ink control, and the flow of traditional strokes. He wrote large-format characters (大字) in a fluid, bold cursive (草书) or semi-cursive (行书) style. Once the master finished a piece, the emcee would heavily praise the artist's credentials, showcased his official seals, and opened the floor for passengers to purchase the freshly written scrolls.

As it's getting crowded in the indoor deck, we headed up to the open-air top deck to enjoy the pristine karst cliffs and breathtaking views in peace.

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