Travel and Geographic Knowledge of the Two Lakes Basin

The Two Lakes Basin, located in central China, spans Hubei and Hunan provinces, with the main part in Hubei and extending to the uplift zone in Wangcheng County, Changsha City, between northern and central Hunan. Covering an area of over 130,000 square kilometers, it is one of China's large outflow basins. The Two Lakes Basin was formed in the late Yanshanian movement of the Late Cretaceous. After a long period of uplift and erosion, the Two Lakes Basin subsided in the Late Cretaceous due to the Yanshanian movement, beginning the basin's development. At that time, the Two Lakes Basin was surrounded by large mountain systems, forming an inland basin isolated from the sea with an arid climate. The Two Lakes Basin has developed two sets of fault structures: northeast-east-northeast and northwest-west-northwest. The Mesozoic and Paleozoic basements are cut into fault blocks by faults, forming a concave-convex structural framework that controls the basin's shape and internal structure. In the Late Cretaceous and early Tertiary, the Jianghan Basin and the Dongting Basin were connected in the west and east. To the north and east of the Two Lakes Basin are the Dabie Mountains in a broad sense, the Dahong Mountains to the north, the Daba Mountains and their connected hills to the northwest, the Wu Mountains to the west, the Wuling Mountains to the southwest, the northeastern part of the Xuefeng Mountains to the south, and the low-lying areas of the Xuefeng and Mufu Mountains directly south. The southeastern and lower eastern parts are the Mufu Mountains. The Jianghan Basin, located in the north and including the Jianghan Plain, is an important part of the Two Lakes Basin. It has multiple depressions and uplifts, such as the Jiangling Depression and the Qianjiang Depression, with well-developed sedimentary strata and abundant resources such as oil and natural gas. The Dongting Lake Basin, located in the south, covers the Dongting Lake Plain and its surrounding hills. It has depressions such as the Taoyuan Depression and the Yuanjiang Depression. It was once separated from the Jianghan Basin by the Huarong Uplift, and later completely separated due to the Himalayan movement. The central plain is vast, mainly composed of the Jianghan Plain and the Dongting Lake Plain. These are two large alluvial fans formed by the Yangtze River system around the ancient Yunmengze. Most of the area is below 50 meters above sea level, with a low and flat terrain and a vast plain area. The hilly transition zone is large, serving as a transition zone from the mountains to the plains. There are many hilly areas at the southern foot of the Dabie Mountains and the northern foot of the Mufu Mountains. The Jianghan Basin in the north of the Two Lakes Basin is rich in mineral resources such as oil, natural gas, rock salt, and brine. The Dongting Lake Basin in the south, with depressions such as the Taoyuan Depression and the Yuanjiang Depression, also contains certain mineral resources. Hubei Province is rich in mineral resources, and within the Two Lakes Basin, there are minerals such as oil, natural gas, rock salt, brine, Glauber's salt, gypsum, and underground (hot) water. The Two Lakes Plain has numerous lakes and a dense river network, providing a rich habitat for various organisms. It is home to many fish, birds, and other creatures, with abundant aquatic biological resources and wetland ecosystems. The surrounding mountains and hills also have certain forest resources, providing habitats for wildlife. The main stream of the Yangtze River runs through the central part of the Two Lakes Basin, along with numerous tributaries such as the Han River, Xiang River, Zi River, Yuan River, and Li River, making water resources abundant. In addition, there are numerous lakes within the Two Lakes Basin, with over 1,300 larger lakes and over 10,000 smaller lakes, covering an area of over 12,000 square kilometers. This provides ample water for agricultural irrigation, industrial use, and domestic water consumption. The Two Lakes Basin is located in the transition zone from north subtropical to middle subtropical and in the northern part of the middle subtropical zone, with abundant sunshine. The Two Lakes Plain in the central part has low and flat terrain and fertile soil, making it an important agricultural production area, mainly planting crops such as rice, cotton, and rapeseed. The Two Lakes Basin is rich in tourism resources, covering natural landscapes, historical culture, folk customs, and food culture. Lakes such as Dongting Lake and Honghu Lake have vast water surfaces and clear water, surrounded by beautiful natural scenery. Zhangjiajie's grotesque peaks and rocks, shrouded in clouds and mist, resemble a fairyland. Wudang Mountain is a sacred place of Taoism, with unique peaks, beautiful scenery, and profound Taoist culture. The Enshi Grand Canyon, with a total length of 108 kilometers, features five wonders: the Qingjiang River rising into white clouds, cliffs surrounding peaks, sky bridges connecting caves, underground rivers joining waterfalls, and sinkholes paired with fissures. Shennongjia Primeval Forest is one of China's important nature reserves. It has dense forests, rich species, and many rare animals and plants, full of mystery. Yueyang Tower, located in Yueyang City, Hunan Province, is one of the three famous towers south of the Yangtze River, made famous by Fan Zhongyan's "Yueyang Tower". The Yellow Crane Tower, located in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, enjoys the reputation of being a "wonder of the world" and is known as one of the "Three Famous Towers South of the Yangtze River" along with Yueyang Tower and Tengwang Pavilion. The Two Lakes Basin has a rich and long history. During the pre-Qin period, it was the core area of the ancient state of Chu. The state of Chu existed for over 800 years, with its capital in present-day Jingzhou District, Jingzhou City, for 400 years. At that time, it was surrounded by Yunmengze, serving as a hunting and recreational area for the Chu kings and a hub for water and land transportation.