China - more than a political party

Although I am fortunate to have had many "opportunities of a lifetime", my recent travel in China ranks near the top of that long list. I was in awe of the natural beauty, the engineering and techno achievements, the diversity of ethnic groups and the warmth of the people. While traveling, I was unable to post to this blog because access is blocked in China. I'll try now to upload a few of the hundreds of photos that have captured some of my experiences.

The Yangtze 長江 - China's longest river

China's Yangtze River (長江) is the third longest river in the world, running 4000 miles from its glacial headwaters on the Tibetan Plateau before it enters the East China Sea at Shanghai. One third of China's population lives in Yangtze river basin. (Wikipedia)

This mural depicts how the Yangtze snakes through enormous and impressive gorges and canyons on its way through the provinces. The mural is on display at the Visitors Center, Yichang in Hubei Province, site of the controversial Three Gorges Dam.

The Three Gorges Dam 长江三峡大坝

This photo displays a model of China's Three Gorges Dam. The controversial project includes the 2300 meter long dam (which runs across the center of the model); the world's largest hydro-electric station; and massive locks which allow access for navigation up-river and down-river of the dam. The completed project was 17 years under development (1994-2009) and cost the equivalent of 31 billion US dollars.

The Chinese government reports that 1.3 million people were relocated before and during construction. Touted benefits (outweighing the mass relocation of families) include flood control, protecting 15 million people and 1.5 million hectares of arable land downriver; maintaining water supply and irrigation potential for areas downriver during the dry season; and, the production of electricity (saving 57 million tons of coal).

The model depicts the expansive reservoir in the foreground, the Yangtze continuing east to Shanghai and its eventual outlet into the East China Sea, and the locks (on the left) which allow for barge and boat traffic in both directions.

It would never be possible to take such a "virtual" photo except from an airplane, but not from where tourists are permitted to view the dam.

Qutang Gorge 瞿塘峡

The first of the three spectacular gorges through which the Yangtze passes in the southwest of China is the Qutang Gorge. Although it is the shortest of the three gorges (only 8 kms in length), it is often considered the most beautiful with its high mountains, several switchbacks and narrrow passageway.

The construction of the dam and the subsequent increase in water level in the river have contributed to the loss of many historically significant sites located in the mountains of the Qutang Gorge.

Xiling Gorge 西陵峡

Xiling Gorge is the largest of three stunningly beautiful canyons through which the Yangtze passes in southern China. This spectacular canyon, located in Hubei Province, is the eastern most of the three and is composed of four separate mountain ranges.

The 4-day river excursion I took was timed to bring us through each of the three gorges in daylight in order that we capture their beauty. We entered this gorge at dusk before our final night on the river.

Zhao Xing Village, Dong People, Guangxi, China, October 2011

People of China - Yangshuo, Guangxi Province

Guilin, Guangxi Province, China October 2011

Guangxi Province, China - October 2011

The ancient rice terraces of Tiantouzhai and Ping'An were constructed over a period of seven hundred years by non-Han Chinese minority tribes, the Yao and Zhuang, who inhabited this remote mountainous region of Guangxi Province in China's rural southwest. The minority people claimed the Longji Mountain as their own by introducing terraced agriculture. Traveling by bus, I visited this region after the rice harvest, unfortunately, but was able to lodge in one mountain village in order to make an early morning hike along trails through the now barren terraces.

Welcome to Chengdu!

On my first visit to People's Park in Chengdu, the capital of China's Sichuan Province, I watched this woman draw Mandarin characters with intensity. It felt safe to photograph her skillful calligraphy as she occasionally acknowledged me with a smile, with acceptance. (The "ink" appeared to be water with a bit of coloring added to it, but it faded after some time and left no mark on the granite.)

Soon I noticed that she was speaking with some people standing nearby, young Chinese who were also observing her calligraphy. While speaking with them, she would glance toward me and smile. Then she began to draw an additional row of characters, all the time watching me.

Then one of the young men came to me, smiled and asked if I knew what the characters meant. Of course, I didn't know. He beamed at me and said, "It reads, 'Welcome to Chengdu!'"

People's Park, Chengdu

While traveling in China, I was constantly in search of venues where I could talk with the Chinese, places where people might feel comfortable to approach me. I soon learned that parks, gardens, museums and historical sites created a sense of comfort and license for people to approach foreigners. In Chengdu, I went to People's Park at the end of the workday to enjoy throngs of Chinese relaxing and socializing.