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"Red Heart Moon" a WEST MEETS EAST China Weblog -- by Kevin Hart
Cross-cultural musings about life straddling the Pacific.
last modified Jun 16, 2004 at 17:43
Having now been in Hong Kong for a couple months, I am amazed to see the differences between Hong Kong people and mainlanders in general, and attitudes concerning the "One Country Two Systems" policy. First of all, Hong Kong feels to me a lot like more Vancouver, BC, than it does Chongqing, China, although at first glance, they have the same skyscrapers, growing like uneven teeth on either side of Victoria Harbour in HK, just as they do from the banks of the Jialing and Yangzte Rivers in CQ. The "gums" in these cases are the equally even, not-too-tall and not-too short mountains that surround the cities.
Of course, Hong Kong blames Guangdong Province and Shenzhen on all its pollution problems (rightly so, I reckon), but compared to gritty Chongqing, the environment here is outstanding in terms of air quality, cleanliness and overall climate. I venture to say that air quality is quite good overall, better than I expected before coming, that is for sure, and on par with Toronto.
When Hong Kong people say refer to the language "Chinese", they mean Cantonese, which is indicative of their "not-China" mentality. Mandarin for them is "Pu tong wa", the common speech. Similarly, I guess after a 100 years of being a foreign colony, HK is HK and China is China. Quite often, in both Chinese and English, you will hear someone say, "I am going to China", which implies that HK is not. I know that in some ways it is just linguistic force of habit, just like when I am in Canada and Chinese people tell me I speak very good Mandarin for a foreigner.
Well OK, the city is a lot older than that, but being China's fourth and newest municipality as of 1997, there is a lot to celebrate. Various TV networks, most notably the Central China TV network and Chongqing TV station, all have done big live and taped productions for this big celebration (Hey, Chongqing in English actually does mean "Double Celebration"). They interviewed scores of people in Mandarin, English, and the local Chongqing dialect. I found my way somehow onto two of these shows and am keeping the DVD's to show my grandkids and their kids. Who knows what CQ will look like at that time! I don't know if it was the most environmentally friendly statement to make, but my best line from the interview was "The yummiest Sichuanese dish in the world is Spicy Frogs Legs!!" Well, it is funny when you see me pinching a pair in my reusable chopsticks and licking my chops...
If we are talking about Chongqing Currents, what is going on in and around the city, one of the favorite topics is the water level of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers, especially in the summer months. After more than a month of heavy rainfall, almost daily, the water level is still really high. Dozens of unsuspecting bystanders have been simply swept away by strong waters never to be found no matter how hard the police looked. They seemed like human sacrifices to the river gods that demanded attention for their great volume and impossibility of being minimized. The city is slowly returning to normal, the Jialing river is down about 5 meters from its highest point last week, the Yangtze is still high but not threatening to burst its formidable banks, and people keep their fingers crossed the heavy rainy season has decided to lighten up for the rest of this year. Only positive side? The temperature is very cool, around 25 degrees C, and the air quality is very good after all this precipitation. So Mother Nature gives and takes.
It has not been a fast flood or flash flood, but the water on this section of the Yangtze near Chongqing is swelling, and swelling some more, and we all wait to see how high it actually gets before receding. This is the highest I remember over my 8 years on the river, and the water line is almost to the top of the grass embankment above docks 7, 8 and 9 near Chaotianmen right downtown. It still would have to rise 20 more metres or so in the city to flood the lower level streets, but with this volume, I can't say it is impossible. This is a quick update, with more to come...
My mother-in-law here in Chongqing, and my father back in Sudbury, Ontario are both 83. They are quite healthy and active for their ages, neither without their health challenges, but still leading high quality lives. I wonder how much environment affects life-span, and if either would have been able to thrive so well in each other's quite diverse surroundings. Probably, they are both tough, resilient people, and you have to be to do what they are doing. My dad is going in for a knee replacement operation today, and will be bedridden for at least a week while the new joint finds acceptance in his system. Guo Fang Ju has poor eyesight, but still likes to take long walks down and around the hilly streets and pathways around her apartment complex. My dad likes to take walks too, and even lifts some weights every other day to keep the blood flowing. His favourite activity is strapping an old bowling ball to a neck harness and doing head raises. He swears by this exercise and the only other people I have ever seen do that are professional bodybuilders. Fang Ju likes to dance too, and has better moves than GW Bush. What great examples Leo and Fang Ju are, for staying active, feisty, involved, and healthy long past their primes.
The Chongqing TV Network will launch a new station next year called Chongqing International. They already have about 7 different theme stations, but this one will be unique in that it will be produced for the foreign market, and not shown in China at all.
As part of a 7-episode series "introducing the city to the world", I was invited to host one 30-minute episode on the Yangtze Three Gorges Tour. It was really fun being in front of the camera and do my spots, and after the first couple of takes, I settled in nicely and thought I did an OK job. Too bad the weather was so uncooperative, as it was foggy and gloomy nearly the whole trip. The last day when we got to the Dam we could barely see it even when we were standing next to it. Luckily, they have some footage from previous visits when the weather was clear, and they can splice that in to make a good show.
It was also some excellent free advertising for our company Victoria Cruises, as we took the newest and nicest ship the Victoria Anna, and our logo was strategically placed throughout the shots, interviews, and introductions.
Early last week, the reservoir in front of the 3 Gorges Dam reach its level 2 plateau of 156 m. above sea level, up from 136 m., which it had been since June 2003.
The amount of garbage, flotsam, debris, and organic matter in the reservoir is overwhelming. There is talk of poking big holes in the dam to try to clear some of the refuse and prevent it from damaging the generators and clogging up the area just in front of the dam. Boats run by who used to be fishermen now get a small salary to haul in garbage in their big old fish nets.
It is bound to get better, not worse, as the water level stabilizes, but what about all the toxins and foul run off from the countless factories and towns that dot the river banks? They would need pretty fine filters to fish out all the chemicals.
The other day, a seemingly disgruntled bus driver reportedly drove a jam-packed bus over a guard rail and onto the banks of the Jialing River far below, taking with him scores of commuters. I personally find it hard to believe that anyone would puposely do something so horrific, but it is being described as a "suicide crash" in the media.
While there is a lot of competition for resources, jobs, and space in this crowded city, everyone usually manages to squeeze in and get by, both literally and figuratively. While Chongqing people are quick to loose their temper and often curse each other out in their flavourful local dialect, seldom does anything serious result.
That is why this news story has made such a huge impact on everyone here. Car crashes are commonplace here, but intentional acts of violence, much less premediated murder in spectacular fashion is nearly unheard of. You would think road rage, that ugly phenomenon manifested daily on the streets of North America would be a plague here too, but is surprisingly absent. Most drivers don't get upset about being cut off, because it happens every couple of minutes, and everyone drives the same.
I hope the local government comes under greater pressure to regulate the transportation industry as a whole on the chaotic streets of Chongqing. Some of the vehicles certainly should have been permament members of the junk pile or ground into pulp long ago, heavier fines should be put on drivers that cram their buses well beyond safety limits, and better licencing regulations need to be enforced for all drivers.
My heart goes out to the families who lost loved ones on that day.
In professional circles, it is said the key to success is positive networking, especially here in China, especially here in Chongqing. I did my fair share today.
Today, my only day off in Chongqing from our busy sailing schedule, began with me hightailing it out to Jiang Bei in the northern part of the city, where my wife Jennifer's younger sister lives. Our daughter Perin has been staying out there while Jennifer has been taking care of our rental properties in Sanya.
In the morning, Perin and I dropped in on an American friend of mine who has been here for 3 years which, by expat standards, is a long time,especially for this remote city of Chongqing. He couldn't be happier as he and his 19 year old bride finally received word from the American consulate in Guangzhou to go in for their interview. In most cases, being notified to attend the interview means that all other hurdles have been cleared, and just a few cursory questions must be answered before the visa is stamped. Pamela expressed her apprehension at being under the microscope, even if only for a few minutes, but Jack is taking it all with a couple grains of salt. I just wonder if they will grill her as to why she is marrying a man nearly 50 years her superior.
Perin and I took a 5 RMB (80 cents US) taxi ride across the peninsula to have lunch with a group of American tourists that had just been on our ship. Their guide, a very attractive divorcee from Beijing, treated us, and it was good to get to know her better. The matchmaking wheels were clicking in my head and I right away thought of a good friend of mine from Canada who lives there. Sparks could fly between them if given the right circumstances and proper introduction, and nothing would please me more than having them hook up.
After lunch, Perin and I took another 5 RMB lift in a third direction, landing us at the posh Marriott hotel near the city centre. There have been persistent rumors since the hotel was built 5 years ago that a large portion of it was financed by embezzled money from the 3 Gorges relocation project. I hope to some day find out if that is true. Anyway, we met up with another recent acquaintance, a 30 year old Singaporean who has fallen in love with Chongqing, its food, its women, and its future. He said he could get financing for starting a business here, and expressed interest starting a "High Society" type of magazine for the city. Nothing else like it exists here, and he thinks it could be very lucrative. I will be in touch with him over the next few weeks and months while he learns the ropes here, and see if there is anything I could find out for him.
In the late afternoon, I brough Perin to her grandma's house. We call her Waipo, and it was great to see her today after almost two months of not seeing her. Aunt and Uncle "Yao Yi" and "Yao Yi Die" will look after Perin for two more days until Jennifer gets back from Hainan.
Extra extra, read all about it. As of September 9, the 5-stage ship locks at the 3 Gorges Dam have been closed to all passenger vessels. This is in preparation for the next big jump in the water level which will begin around the middle of the month. Right now, the water in the reservoir is 136 m. above sea level and soon it will be 156.
I just read at the China Daily website that they planted 56 tons of rat poison to "clear the area of rodents". Why try to poison them? When they see the water coming they will have to seek higher ground just like the people, or hope to morph into otters or something. And won't the rat poison affect the water quality? It is bad enough as it is.
I will be interested to see how long it takes to raise the water another 20 m., as the river is quite low because of the drought that has plagued the area all summer. And questions about the shiplocks: while most passenger vessels cannot pass, ships heading to Shanghai and cargo vessels are being allowed through. What gives?
Sorry to be asking these questions and not answering them. Let me do a bit of detective work and try to sort it all out for you. Stay tuned!
Trying our best to cope with the unrelenting heat of the past more than one month, the girls and I took the 4.5 hour train ride to neighbouring Chengdu to visit Jennifer's older sister.
There is an intense rivalry developing between the two cities, as both lay claim to being the "major" city in SW China, and often compete for the same investment money, both public and private. While Chongqing literally means "Double Jubilation" (especially apt after being granted direct municipality status by Beijing in 1197, Chengdu means "Mature City", and as the capital of Sichuan province, this is very apparent. While, like CQ, CD is tearing up roads, putting in new clover-leafs left right and centre, and construction goes on at a torrid pace, the city has a more relaxed feel to it, and because of its flatter geography, it feels much more spacious and comfortable. CQ is pretty much entirely sandwiched on a narrow strip of land between the Yangtze and Jialing rivers. But I have told you that before, sorry to repeat myself!
Chengdu has an abundance of road side tea houses and the parks are full of them too, something entirely lacking in CQ. Chongqing boasts some nice hilly views and interesting geological formations, Chengdu is laid out over a plain with easily understood road systems not disimilar to Beijing -- N to S grids and ring roads surrounding the downtown area.
Other than Jiefangbei in the very downtown core, there are other large built-up areas in and around the city like Nanping on the north bank of the Yangtze, Jiangbei on the north bank of the Jialing, and Shapingba, a half hour drive up the peninsula.
In Chengdu on our first morning, I felt an aftershock of an earthquake registered deep below the earth near Yibin City. The plain on which CD is built is an ancient seabed, and the ground is still rather soft compared to CQ which is basically all solid rock. Most buildings in CD are low because of this, although some skyscrapers are popping up as they learn to secure foundations better for large buildings. CQ is, as I have said, the consummate Concrete Jungle, and it goes way up.
We loved the tap water in CD because most of it is from underground sources, keeping it very cool even in the hottest summer months. CQ gets its water from the nearby rivers and reservoirs, which are at the mercy of the heat just like everything else under the sun.
Chongqing people say the Chengdunese are lazy and complacent, CDers say CQers are uncooth and tempermental. All I can say is I love the food in both places, and there are an abundance of attractive women in both cities, unrivalled in all China in my humble and slightly biased opinion!
It will be interesting to see how both cities develop and cope with each other's growth in the coming years. Hopefully, more partnerships will be made, and the governments of both metropoli will pool their resources instead of engaging in unproductive one-upsmanship.
The date today in China is August 7, 2006, and for the past three days (count'em), the notoriously "Foggy City" has seen some of the most spectacular and phenomenal weather I have experience here to date.
Usually, there is little to no wind, and the geography of the area leads it to earn the above nickname, called "Wu Du" in Chinese. But over the past few days, the sun has shone brightly, the humidity has been down, and a light wind has been constantly blowing off the smog/fog allowing for spectacular views of the city rarely seen. The blue skies, tropical breeze, and fluffy cloud cover remind me more of Hainan island or even an Ontario summer scene than anything from SW China's largest industrial city.
We will enjoy it while we can!!
PS. Today is September 12, and I had to read the above entry and chuckle with an air of resignation. This blog entry was written a few days into what turned out to be a searing drought that affected most parts of SW China, and in particular, our fair city of Chongqing. While it was clear and sunny every day, it was fiercly hot for nearly 6 weeks with not a drop of rain to be seen. Rare clouds were viewed floating by. There was a recurring wind like the hot blast of a giant hairdryer set on low. Temperatures often toppled the 100 degree F mark (40C), and the government went to great lengths to "Resist Drought". That meant cutting back on water usage, improving energy efficiency as much as possible, and opening all the tunnels and caves (hide-outs for air raid refugees during WW2) for common citizens to cool off in.
While many farmers suffered with crop losses and the deaths of many domestic animals, the cities coped fairly well, and life was not disrupted in too rude of a manner. When the mercury finally dropped in early September, the front page headlines on all the newspapers read, "Goverment Proclaims Drough Resistance Campaign a Smashing Success!"
Last year when we went back to Canada in the summer, we had to fly Chongqing-Shanghai, Shanghai-Vancouver, Vancouver-Toronto, and our home town of Sudbury is still a 4 hour and many minutes drive north after that. Total travel time was about 26 hours straight without a rest. Passing customs in Vancouver was an ordeal in spite of the smell of Starbucks coffee and Tim Horton donuts permeating the air (or was it the other way around!).
To worsen the trip, we almost did not even get started, as a tropical storm hit Shanghai the day we were to leave, and we got delayed 4 days until we could rebook.
Now, there is a direct flight from Beijing to Toronto, and I love how it arrives an hour and a half after it takes off (thanks to the wonders of crossing 12 time zones). Leave in the afternoon, arrive in the afternoon, and you will soon forget where that day disappeared to (in actuality, somewhere over the arctic).
That will be nice!
While China does not have a team in the World Cup this year, they are still very enthusiastic about the tournament. It could be argued that they are more into it now that national pride is not at stake because four years ago, they failed to score a goal in any of their matches.
While I personally like to pull for the underdogs (Serbia-Montenegro, Mexico, and Togo are my teams!), most Chinese like to side with the winners, and I would have to estimate that over half the country is cheering for Brazil. Then Italy, then Argentina, then Spain, perhaps in that order. I guess backing a powerhouse team makes them feel good about themselves, again, not having to worry about being embarassed about losing 3-nill to some team like Algeria.
They sure were happy when Australia upset Japan in their first match, the cheers could be heard ringing through the entire 1.3 billion population! It is funny to hear reports of white-collar workers quitting their jobs so they can go home and watch the games all night and sleep it off all day.
They rebroadcast the matches during the day, but what fun is it watching the action when you know how it turns out? Still, viewership must be very high. I wonder how many Chinese are gathered right now, this afternoon, with their trouser pants hiked up above their knees, T-shirts pulled up exposing plenty of belly flesh, fanning themselves to keep the heat and humidity at bay, all the while smoking a cigarette, and yelling at the TV screen when their favorite team is scored on?
In the next World Cup they qualify for, the national team will play in front of 3 billion Chinese eyeballs, and at their first goal, it will be bedlam here. Their first victory will bring about pandemonium. Making the round of 16 would lead to hysteria! (You get the picture). I wonder how many years it will be by the time China hosts the World Cup? Shall I hazard a guess of 12 years from now? Maybe the Chinese team would be ready to put on a good show by then. Oh what fun it would be!
Over the last few days my family and friends have been leading an election campaign here in China. No, not voting for government officials, but for our three and a half year old daughter. She is one of the 20 finalists in the "Three Deer" Milk Formula Healthy Kids Contest being put on by Chongqing television network.
Voting takes place by sending brief text messages by cell phone. One text message sent costs one yuan, and after 6 days of "voting", Perin now has about 2400 to her name. One cell phone is limited to 15 votes. Perin is currently in second place for number of votes, and of the three highest vote-getters, the milk formula company will choose a "spokesperson". It is rumored that the current leader is the son of a big boss who ordered all of his employees to vote for his son or else!
While Perin deserves to win hands down (no, I am not biased at all!), as she is so healthy and so cute, she is at a bit of a disadvantage as she is the youngest in her age group. Some of the 5 and 6 year olds are already veterans on the performing arts scene!
Perin will sing "On a Good Ship Lollipop" come showtime on June 18th, and I will let you know of the results! Our cheerleading squad, (Pull Pull Team), led by mom, will be choreorgraphing her every step and wiggle! Go half Finnish-Canadian, half-Chongqingese Shirley Temple!!
PS. The result - She placed 6th, not bad at all, considering she was competing against 5 and 6 year olds. Good on you Perin, you did everyone proud, and looked like you had fun doing it too!
Life on the river can get a little stale at times, and we crew members always look for ways to spice up the daily mix of catering to tourists. I guess everyone is getting a little anxious for their summer break, as we all have been going straight without a day off from cruising now since early February.
Our latest sarcastic joke, one started by yours truly, is that they decided to blow up the Three Gorges Dam today! (Actually, they just demolished the last remaining coffer dam, but we love to sensationalize things.)
I can't believe how much press the dam is getting both here in China and abroad. Two weeks ago it was the completion of the concrete pouring for the permanent structure making headlines all over the world, this week it is the demolition of the last coffer dam splattered all over the news.
I am very concerned about the water quality and had to scratch my head when a local official, when responding to criticism about the reservoir, blurted, "Does it look dirty to you?"
Let me tell you, I work here every day, and the water is FILTHY and getting worse. When are those water treatment facilities supposed to come on line anyway? The sooner the better.
My daughter Perin, now 3.5 going on 35, is participating in a marathon talent contest hosted by CQTV and sponsored by a popular Chinese brand of formula milk called San Lu (Three Deer).
They put on an ad campaign and "interviewed" over 400 local children to participate in the show, and have narrowed the finalists to 20. Perin is one of them. I thought it would all be over after her first appearance on national TV the other day, but Jennifer told me that was only the first show, and that there are three segments left before it all wraps up July 1st. Both the TV station and San Lu stand to make big money for the advertising being bought during the show times, the publicity gained by the formula company, and the voting system also will make for some nice income.
Voters are encouraged to send text messages, 1 Yuan a piece, to vote for their favourite contestants. Perin already has over 1,000, but is far behind some of the better coordinated families who have simply paid their friends (and even strangers, I am sure) to send in their votes. One cell phone can max out at 15 votes.
No wonder the production is going on so long. While it is a good experience for Perin to be in the limelight for a while and will teach her to be more outgoing perhaps, the children (and their parents) are expected to rehearse almost daily, with long hours and long waits stage-side. Only in China! Some of the parents are so intent on getting their kids "discovered", they are staying in hotels next to the studio, and eating and sleeping this show. We are not into it that much, and just reflect that parents would not go for this kind of thing back in Canada. It is just too demanding for the little tykes. What a contrast with the Chinese mentality that if you think it is too hard, showbiz is simply not for you.
We will see where all this ends up in 3 weeks time!
Working in tourism, you get to meet all kinds. Last voyage on the Yangtze, we had a 94 year old guest from the United States who was the most ornery, crankiest critter I had ever seen. He did not walk well and relied on his cane to support some of his frail frame, but refused help from anyone getting on or off the ship or up and down the stairs. Several times he struck our staff on the legs with his cane if they got too close to him or if he felt they were blocking his way. All we could do was stand by and hope he did not collapse right in front of us or assault any other unsuspecting passers-by. He was rather proud of the fact that he had lived with prostate cancer for 28 years and it had not got him yet, but refused to eat anything except bananas and bread for his meals. He was convinced all our other food was polluted and that he was "bound to keel over and kick the bucket" if he ate anything else.
On the first day he told me he had discovered how to prevent malaria and cholera but could not figure out why no one listened to him. The others in his group did not want to sit with him during meals, and everyone pretty much stayed clear of him for the entire four day tour.
I kind of felt bad for him, but if he was not so stubborn and combattive, I think he could have actually enjoyed his Yangtze cruise.
If the Chongqing Government can ever get their act together, it could really stand to benefit from increased tourism over the next few years. It should not only be the embarkation point for the 3 Gorges excursion, and efforts need to be made to "package" Chongqing, with or without the cruise, and offer it as a complement or alternative to the tried & true tourist haunts of Beijing, Shanghai, and Xian. But it can't compete with the sights there, you say? I beg to differ.
First of all, as any Chinese person over the age 20 can tell you, Chongqing is quite unique as a Chinese city, with its hilly topography and inland port city feel. While Beijing and nearby Chengdu are so very flat, the three dimensional qualities of CQ certainly add to its peculiar atmosphere. Attractions? Plenty. The People's Hall (compare that to the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, not one tenth as famous, but ten times more impressive), the new 3 Gorges Museum, west China's best, the ever expanding pedestrian malls of Jiefangbei, Jiangbei, and Shapingba (now complete with Starbucks, alas), the main port of Chaotianmen right downtown at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers, the old town of Ciqikou, and the very central Pipa and Eling Parks high above even the highest skyscrapers. These are just a few of the sight-seeing spots that are becoming well-known among Chinese but remain little known to outsiders.
Since last I uploaded, lots has happened. The 3 Gorges Dam authorities apparently are moving up plans for the next jump in the reservoir water level. It is rumored that the water will hit 156 (up from 139 m. now) in October of this year. I am not sure if there has been official word yet, but that is the talk on the river. If that is the case, they will have to start "shaving" the banks of the Yangtze again very soon, as they did last time in 2003, to prevent debris from clogging up the channel and doing damage to the power generators at the dam.
Chongqing recently hosted the 5th Annual Asia-Pacific Mayor's Summit, and it was the biggest event to hit the city since it became a Direct Municipality in 1997. The local government decked out the city with thousands of potted flowers and trees, and ordered the complete sweeping up of the streets. Many factories were ordered to close for those four days in an effort to show off its improving environment.
A huge fireworks display tried to light up the skies the first night, but true to form, the Foggy City was just that, and because the visibility was so poor, the overall effect was severely dampered. Well, you can't blame them for trying! I do hope they signed some lucrative contracts in their efforts to build the private sector in the city, which needs a lot of help. More events like this should help put this important city, in the crucible of the "Go West" strategy, more and more on the map.
I am not sure if it is the same today further upstream in Chongqing, but here in Yichang, the third largest city in Hubei and the downstream stop of the 3 Gorges tour, the city is hopping.
We come to port at number 3 dock in Yichang every Sunday, and after saying farewell to our guests, I tried to go for a leisurely walk along the river toward town. The road along the river, usually a bustling but manageable throughfare, was blocked by a parade in celebration of the annual 3 Gorges Tourism festival. Their were large floats carrying minority dancers dancing, singing, and banging huge drums (most likely Tu Jia, the most common ethnic group inhabiting the gorges area), reproductions of the various scenes and mountain peaks, marching bands, and onlookers numbering in the tens of thousands. Many of the buses drivers looked on perplexed as the traffic came to a stand still. Apparently, no one told them the major roadway to and from the docks would be congested all day by throbbing masses of humanity.
I watched for a while in wonder and amusement, then tried to find my way to a post office to get off some overdue letters. I managed to hail a taxi and he wound his way through back alleys and narrow side streets and impressed me with his knowledge of the city. We had a good chat about the city (corrupt officials, decent air quality, good food), Three Gorges Tourism (a major bread winner for the city), and the difference between life in Canada and China (crowds vs. empty spaces, rule of people as opposed to rule of law, developing economy vs. post-modern society). Many of the roads were being dug up, natural gas pipelines were being put in, new fences and overpasses were being erected in many parts of the city, and this all added to the crunch of space, being vyed for so ferociously by concrete and crowds.
Still, in spite of the inconvenience of trying to get around, I could still sense a festive atmosphere about, and when I finally returned to the friendly confines of our ship, I felt as though I had been a part of a fascinating local event. The city was treated to an impressive fireworks display later that evening, and from the bow of the ship, our staff and guests had front row seats.
Twenty years ago, my parents hoped with all their hearts that I would soon marry someone of similar background with me, a nice Finnish-Canadian girl from Northern Ontario. Years passed, I had been spending many years abroad, and my parents readjusted their aspirations for my marital life by hoping I would someday choose a Canadian as my bride. By that time, I had been in Asia already for many years learning Japanese and Chinese. My parents once again reevaluated their hopes for my love life, and told me it would be great if my future wife spoke English. After more years of disappointment, they finally broadened the field as wide as it could go, and told me, "We just hope you get married to a woman!"
My fiesty wife Jennifer loves to take on injustice (especially when directed at her), and recently proved her worth once again with a victory in small claims court last week.
The claim stemmed from a botched hair dyeing session at a local beauty salon. She was wearing her new leather coat, and asked the beautician if she should take it off during the session. The beautician said no, it would be OK. Sure enough, after the dyeing session was completed, some of it dripped on her coat, and a big ugly, and unremoveable stain was left on one shoulder. Expressing as much polite indignation as she could muster, she demanded the beauty salon to refund her money and offer compensation on her damaged clothing. They refused and simply dismissed her, saying that it was not their responsibility.
Realizing that arguing with the hair stylists would lead nowhere, she saught legal advice from a lawyer friend, who told her she had a strong case to win at least money for a new jacket. So, over the following weeks, which turned into months, she collected all the evidence (including a written statement by one of the beauticians that they do not require guests to remove expensive clothing before treatment), she was granted a court date.
The owner of the beauty salon showed up but did not have an inkling why he was there, and had not been advised by anyone about the details of the case. The judge even poked fun at him repeatedly saying he was "legally blind" (fa mang), meaning he did not understand even the simplest of court proceedings. This was made evident when the boss asked repeatedly why he was in court and not his workers who actually caused the damage.
After the court decision to award Jennifer her claim, the bill came out as follows:
Court costs paid by defendant 300 RMB
Jennifer's lawyer fees 300 RMB
Cost of replacing jacket 1600 RMB
Case closed.
This must be my 150th visit to the Three Gorges Dam. It is an awe-inspiring sight indeed, if for nothing else, the sheer audacity of it all. Having been a regular visitor since 1996, I have witnessed it grow from nothing to really really something.
Today is Thursday, April 13th, 2005, and I am writing from an internet cafe, complete with the cafe , from the immigration town called New Zigui (old Zigui lies two-thirds underwater several miles upstream). One section of the five stage shiplocks at the dam is being repaired, so all ships are temporarily stuck either above or below it. The docking facilities just above the dam are crowded with 4 and 5 ships per berth, and while it means inconvenience and delays for passengers traveling to Yichang City or Wuhan, there is an almost festive atmosphere among the staff and crew as they get to see old friends from other ships, and go ashore after hours to dip their chopsticks in spicy, communal hot pot.
Here in the immigration city high above the dam, I am struck at how green it has become since the last time I visited about this time last year. Many of the trees and shrubs lining the parks and streets have grown and blossomed, and are taking well to their transplanted setting. It really makes a difference when the sun comes out (a rarity for most parts of the river except in the summer when the hot sun burns off the constant haze), and right now the weather is gorgeous; sunny, clear, about 20 degrees Celcius. The view of the reservoir from the edge of town is breathtaking, and the dam imposes itself over everything at one end seeming to say, "Behold, and tremble". The changes have been drastic, and the local universe now certainly revolves around the colossal concrete structure, abbreviated simply as the "3GDP".
China's energy consumption is growing at a mindboggling clip of around 16% per year, that means that in terms of new energy sources, China must produce the equivalent of one new Canada every four years just to keep up. One of the biggest sources of output will be the hydroelectricity project at the 3 Gorges Dam. When completed in 5 years, they say it will be able to meet 10% of the entire country's needs, and will have a maximum capacity of 18,000 megawatts spread out over 26 separate power plants. That is over 10 times the output of the Niagara Falls facilities which feed much of southern Ontario and upstate New York.
Another plus is that it is a clean energy source. China aspires to wean itself off coal as its main source of energy, and the proven technology of hydroelectricity is still very attractive, especially in south China where there is a great abundance of water resources.
The 3 Gorges Dam project has an estimated overall cost of $30 billion US, and the builders say they can recoup the costs in just a matter of years from selling the electricity.
China's energy consumption is growing at a mindboggling clip of around 16% per year, that means that in terms of new energy sources, China must produce the equivalent of one new Canada every four years just to keep up. One of the biggest sources of output will be the hydroelectricity project at the 3 Gorges Dam. When completed in 5 years, they say it will be able to meet 10% of the entire country's needs, and will have a maximum capacity of 18,000 megawatts spread out over 26 separate power plants. That is over 10 times the output of the Niagara Falls facilities which feed much of southern Ontario and upstate New York.
Another plus is that it is a clean energy source. China aspires to wean itself off coal as its main source of energy, and the proven technology of hydroelectricity is still very attractive, especially in south China where there is a great abundance of water resources.
The 3 Gorges Dam project has an estimated overall cost of $30 billion US, and the builders say they can recoup the costs in just a matter of years from selling the electricity. Will all of this come to pass? Will the dam ever live up to its original big billing? Only time will tell, and hindsight is 100%.
Chongqing has traditionally between Southwest China’s center of heavy industry, and still operates large factories. Poor ecological practices and understanding of environmental concerns over the years have led to a degradation of the living space in the city. However, improvements are being made, and blue skies are appearing more regularly now than years past. The smog content has diminished somewhat, as the local government has taken steps to improve air quality, and the locals will tell you proudly how there are much less acid rain due to sulphur emissions now than 10 years ago. It can still be very dusty, they concede, due mostly to the massive construction projects going on all over the city. A walk around the streets, especially in the suburbs, which are seeing huge apartment complexes being built on erstwhile farmland, confirm this.
Olfactory senses always get a workout in Chongqing. The wafting fumes of hot pot are unmistakable and can reach out to prospective clients noses many meters in advance of the restaurant doorsteps. Liberally applied cologne can leave a lasting impression of someone minutes after they have disappeared from sight. Garbage collection areas are often right on the street, and the stench can be dizzying. Viscous clouds of smoke soil the air in elevators, buses, and people’s living rooms. Fresh flowers from the countryside are sold at many vendors’ stalls and radiate their lovely perfume. B.O. from clammy pedestrians and bus commuters can make for dreadful noseful. Many carry pocket-handkerchiefs not only to mop up their sweaty foreheads, but also to dampen the intense smells of everyday life in Chongqing.
I first came to Chongqing on a work assignment in the spring of 1996. After having little experience in Mainland China but with a decent grasp of Mandarin from my days as a student in Taiwan, I really did not know what to expect from this inland city. Having flown in from Beijing, I thought they had overshot the mark and had sent me to Tibet with all the mountains around me and the strange language that came out of everyone’s mouths. It took me a few days to realize that those were more like hills than mountains, and that the dialect was a not too distant a cousin from “Putonghua”. OK, so this wasn’t the Himalayas after all, but it was still a lot different from what I was used to or expected from Chinese cities.
CITY OF CONTRASTS
Unofficially, Chongqing is the largest metropolis in the world, with an estimated 33 million people. In actuality, this is a bit misleading as the entire “city” covers an area of 840 sq. km, roughly the same size as Austria, and the population is concentrated in rather spread out clusters. It is more akin to a province that a city. Unlike Beijing and Chengdu with their relatively straightforward street planning and convenient ring roads, the downtown core of Chonging is unique to say the least. It reminds me of a wedge-shaped mound of spaghetti and meatballs sticking out of the water, with the noodle-like system of roads going up, down, under, and around, and clusters of rocks, trees, and buildings protruding from their midst. Sandwiched as it is between the Yangtze River and the Jialing River, it occurred to me rather quickly that the roads were this way out of necessity, not because of poor planning. There are only so many places you can lay asphalt on slopes these steep.
When you see a map of the downtown area, it looks remarkably like a slightly elongated version of Snoopy’s head. Maybe it is just me, after taking in the sights of Guilin, the Three Gorges, and the Stone Forest, my brain has now been programmed into seeing animal-like shapes in the landscape. Doesn’t the map of the entire Chongqing municipality look a bit like a strange beast glaring at the east in defiance? Look hard, and, as the tour guides are so fond of saying, “Use your imagination”.
CLIMATE
South China is naturally hot and humid, and in Chongqing, the surrounding hills trap the heat. There is precious little wind at any time of year, and the evaporation of the water from the two rivers contributes to the fog and haze that permeate the air almost all year round. It is only the blazing summer sun that succeeds to burn it off, but rarely for more than a few days at a time. As for Chongqing’s long-standing reputation as one of the “furnaces” of China, I am starting to wonder if times are changing. Nowadays, Beijing regularly records temperatures higher than those of Chongqing. Over the past few years, the rainy season in spring has gotten longer and longer, keeping both the dust and the temperatures down. Still, July and August are undeniably steamy, and I enjoy seeing how the locals cope. Men often pull their pant trousers way up when sitting, and women street vendors often sit with legs spread wide open, fanning themselves down there in a less than dignified manner to keep the body temperature down. I personally don’t mind 40-degree weather all that much, and actually enjoy the weight loss benefits and purging the toxins that come with a good sweat. Going to a real sauna is costly and seen as a luxury in China, but for a few weeks in summer, steam bath-like temperatures be enjoyed for free on the streets of Chongqing.
Winters are cold and damp, and although it never snows, the wet cold seems to penetrate your clothes and chill you right down to the bone. Many people don’t have heating in their apartments, and many of those who do never use it. I have finally gotten used to wearing my coat indoors like everyone else, but it sure took a while.
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