Tiger-Leaping Gorge

The highlight of my trip to Yunnan: the two-day hike through one of the world's deepest gorges. About 60 km north of Lijiang, the Yangtze River (locally called Jinsha Jiang) cuts through the Jade Dragon Snow and Haba Snow Mountains, both over 5000 m in height, with steep cliffs on either side. This is the 18 km long Tiger-Leaping Gorge, so-named because a tiger is said to have jumped across the gorge at its narrowest point to escape a hunter. The hike takes about two days along mostly well-marked trails made by the Naxi people, the primary inhabitants of the gorge who live in small hamlets with terraced fields running up the lower slopes of the mountains. They produce corn and wheat and manage simple guesthouses along the way for the weary traveler. The most grueling part of the trek is the first third of the journey or so - an arduous climb known as "The 28 Bends". I can't really tell you how long it takes - 2 or 3 hours? My mind went numb for the majority of the climb, just concentrating on willing myself to put one foot in front of the other and not give into the Naxi men following behind us with the mules. Upon completing the 28 Bends, the trail gets a lot more friendly as it slopes gently down the mountainsides, with signs spray-painted on rocks along the way naming the upcoming guesthouses and immediately bringing to the weary mind images of food and showers and beds. Our two days and two nights spent in the gorge were incredible, some highlights being the waterfall we found running down the mountainside, making it to the top of the 28 Bends, and finally reaching the village of Walnut Garden and partying with the other trekkers that night at Sean's Guesthouse.
The group, all ready to hike that gorge! Bring on the 28 Bends!!
Beautiful Walnut Garden in the morning, seen from Sean's Guesthouse

As we hiked along the quiet trails, taking in all natural wonders around us, there were a few instances where we heard a deep booming noise echoing eerily throughout the gorge, contrasting harshly with the sunlight and the chirping of wildlife and the peaceful hamlets. The general consensus was that it was some sort of blasting to make way for upcoming development. It is difficult to speak about Tiger-Leaping Gorge these days without being reminded of the uncertain future the gorge and its inhabitants are currently facing. Preparations are now underway to build a massive hydroelectric dam on the Jinsha River, even though the gorge is a World Heritage protected site. This project will permanently alter the landscape surrounding the gorge and the river - displacing tens of thousands of people to harsher and unfamiliar northern climates, flooding the fertile river valley, stopping the flow of the upper Yangtze River and affecting all forms of wildlife, much of which is unique to this area of the world.
The Tiger-Leaping Gorge dam is actually one of about 12 other dams being built to complement the massive Three Gorges Dam completed about a year ago 15oo km downstream. Construction could begin as early as 2008 to dam up the largest reservoir on the Yangtze River, stretching back for about 125 miles. All in all, about 1.3 million people are being displaced by these projects as China seeks to generate more and more energy for its swiftly developing nation.
It seems the concern for our fragile environment and the livelihoods of indigenous peoples is continuously at odds with the Chinese government's desire to sustain its breakneck economic growth. But these days the Chinese government seems increasingly to be caught in a struggle between creating a modern and economically powerful nation and upholding their pledges to build a harmonious and green society. And the construction of dams - China now has over 85 000 - are certainly one of the more potent examples of such an ideological conflict. On one hand they irreparably alter natural ecosystems, swallow fertile land and force countless numbers of people to relocate to, more often than not, less favourable conditions. On the other hand, in wake of the country's mushrooming economy and serious pollution problems, dams are a much cleaner and more renewable source of energy than China's predominant form of power, which is coal. The Chinese Government holds that dams can bring industry and therefore employment to remote areas of the country and provide much-needed electricity for millions of people.
But it's not so much about whether or not to build dams but rather who gets a say in what happens - of where to build the dam, of how to mitigate the effects and ultimately whether or not the bad outweighs the good for all concerned. So far the two groups with the most clout in this situation are the Yunnan Provincial Government and the energy company looking to dam up Tiger-Leaping Gorge, the head of which is the son of the former Chinese prime minister who originally pushed the controversial Three Gorges Dam project into action. And the fact that China is a country where people are still jailed for speaking against the Communist government lends a hopeless air to the situation. Yet vocal public objection has certainly taken place, both within China and overseas. In light of claims that the Yunnan Provincial Government is foregoing certain procedures to move rapidly ahead with this project, people are calling for a more open and transparent process so that the voices of those most affected can be heard and addressed. Activists, NGOs and scholars from prominent Chinese universities have petitioned the government to halt construction on the dam and have also brought this issue to the attention of international organizations including the UN. As well, around 10 000 people from the gorge area have signed a petition asking the government to hold off on the project until more information is available. If the Tiger-Leaping Gorge appears to be another sad case of greed and short-sightedness winning out over natural and cultural preservation, then perhaps a closer look will reveal it as an example of social change that is gradually taking place in an increasingly global China. It remains to be seen whether this slow tide of social change can compete with the frenzied storm of economic development and save areas of such stunning natural and cultural integrity as Tiger-Leaping Gorge.

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A Rather Strange Mother's Day Event

I'm a fan of the "unconventional gift" but this is a just a little beyond my comfort zone: click here to read about a rather graphic way to celebrate the gift our Mother's gave us.

I'm not saying the miracle of life is nothing special nor that we shouldn't thank our mom's for going through a hell of a lot of pain to bring us into this world - I'm not even rallying against it. It's just not the first thing that would spring to mind when brainstorming up a Mother's Day activity for my eighth-graders. And since it is a little weird, I decided to post it.

I hope all Mothers had a wonderful Mother's Day last Sunday!

South of the Clouds

Some pictures from my trip to Yunnan Province in southwestern China. Yunnan southeast of Tibet and is home to the highest number minority peoples in China. It's capital, Kunming, is the "City of Eternal Spring" and I must say, this area of the world must see some of the best weather - clear, warm yet breezy, sunny but not overly humid.
The Stone Forest - a karst formation covering more than 300 square km. Originally underwater limestone sediment about 270 million years ago, it accumulated in layers until it rose above the water and was eroded into a vast forest of peaks and crags and ridges. The landscape is phenomenal, almost otherworldly, were it not for the theme-parkish village the Chinese built around it and hordes of tourist groups bustling through and climbing all over everything. The high entrance fees don't make it any prettier. . . OK I better stop now. Really, this forest is stunning but I think it is one of those instances where tourism was not employed for the greater good.









One of the pagodas in Dali, ancient capital of the Bai (a minority group) kingdom and now one of the more popular tourist destinations in Yunnan.
Traditional Chinese architecture - gabled roofs and intricate woodwork above the doors
The May Holiday Festival in full swing in Dali - droves of people flowing through the city gates to browse through one of the biggest markets I have ever been too - everything from designer clothes and shoes to traditional remedies in the forms of turtle shells, goat horns and snake skins floating in jars of oil















A typical eating establishment in Yunnan - lots of fresh vegetables displayed outside the restaurant, which are then added into noodle broths with meat for a hearty meal
The patterned landscape on the way to Lijiang, about 4 hours north of Dali by bus












Pictures from Lijiang Old Town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Old Town is a maze of classical Chinese architecture and cobblestone streets with small canals snaking around the buildings and traversed by those quintessential arched stone bridges. Much of this area was destroyed by an earthquake in the late 1990s and subsequently rebuilt following the traditional form. It is beautiful to look at and get lost in the winding streets although it is full of touristy shops and hordes of tourists to go along with them all, especially on Chinese holidays! Still, I did find some good buys - a lot of the merchandise features stone and marble carvings, paintings, and examples of the Naxi (another Chinese minority group) hieroglyphic script known as Dongba.