As the Yangtze River traverses Shishou, its waters serve as a brush, and its banks as a canvas, transforming the region's natural beauty into a deeply felt and sinuous depiction. The river lingers in this locale, drawn to the playful antics of the finless porpoises and the unhurried gait of the Père David's deer, utilizing its cascading blue waters to create a "tortuous and winding" tableau before continuing its eastward course.

Last century, the Liuheyuan section of the Yangtze River naturally straightened its course via a meander cut-off. This process forged a new 2.5-kilometer channel distinct from the main stream, leaving behind this 'emerald necklace' embedded in the land of Jing-Chu—the old course of the Yangtze River.