Three Gorges, Yangtze River, People's Republic of China. The Three Gorges are three adjacent gorges along the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, in the hinterland of the People's Republic of China. The Three Gorges are world famous as the most scenic section of the navigable researches of the Yangtze River, and the location of the Three Gorges Dam. The Three Gorges comprises the Qutan, Wu, and Xiling gorges – span 193 miles (311 km), beginning at Baidi city of Chongqing and ending at Nanjing Pass at Yichang city, Hubei Province, in the east. The Three Gorges were once a dangerous stretch of the Yangtze River. Since the contraction of the Three Gorges Dam, the river level has been raised by up to 590 feet (180 m), and the river has become much quieter and more navigable. Cruise ships now travel between Chongqing and Yichang on placid, lake-like waters, enclosed by steep cliffs, giving passengers a better chance to see the beauty of the gorges.