The Three Gorges Dam Project: China's Dilemma of Environmental Preservation Versus Economic Development 

	At Xi'an's airport, Steffen and I boarded a plane for Chongqing - a booming industrial city on the banks of the Yangtze River. There we were scheduled to board the Princess Sheena, a commercial cruise boat that would carry us on a journey through the Yangtze River's famous "Three Gorges" areas. Prior to arriving in China, I had heard that the Three Gorges was one of the most beautiful places in all of China. So I set about to scour the East Asian Studies Library at Princeton University to learn as much as I could about the Three Gorges.  In particular, I discovered a recent National Geographic article on the Three Gorges. The article and its accompanying photographs were beautiful; however, as I was soon to learn, the article and photographs could not begin to capture the magnificence I was about to experience: the towering mountains, lush green foliage, and narrow canyons of the Three Gorges.     

With memories of Xi'an's exquisite temples, magnificent pagodas, and breathtaking Terra Cotta Soldiers still fresh in our minds, Steffen and I were anxious to see what new treasures of China awaited us as we arrived in Chongqing.  However, I immediately noticed something very ominous above the river city; a thick, gray haze hovered over the landscape, obscuring the skyline and nearby mountains. Chongqing's air pollution was unquestionably its most striking feature. As our taxi sped towards our cruise boat's docking point on the Yangtze River, we passed numerous coal factories and coal distribution centers. Remarkably, many of these factories were located right on the banks of the Yangtze itself! Mounds and mounds of deep, black coal were literally mere yards away from the lapping waters of the Yangtze. In fact, in many areas large slides of coal could be seen spilling out into the river.  Chongqing's coal industry is its largest economic enterprise and supplies much of China with several million tons of coal each year. 

We boarded a cruise ship and spent our first two days very slowly cruising down the Yangtze. I noticed several interesting things from our perch on the top deck of the boat.  The steep banks of the river were dotted with countless, small villages, boat docks, and agricultural terraces. The most unusual sites were the hundreds of small homes along the way. Nearly all of the homes had NO ROOFS; they were totally open! In addition, the hillsides were dotted with large white signs, each with three sets of enormous red letters: "135 Meters," "155 Meters," and "175 Meters."

I approached a boat crewman.  "Can you explain why those homes do not have roofs?" I asked, pointing towards the dilapidated homes on the riverbank.

"Well, it is complicated," he replied (in Chinese, of course). "In several years, the Chinese government will complete the Three Gorges Dam project and will flood several hundred kilometers of land upstream, including all of those houses and much of the Three Gorges themselves that we will see shortly. The goal of Three Gorges Dam project is two-fold: to reduce the disastrous effects of China's annual floods and to generate massive amounts of hydroelectric power from the new Three Gorges Dam.  In addition, think of the benefits that will result from China not being as dependent on coal-generated electricity and all of the air pollution that it creates. 

"When the dam is activated, the water level of the Yangtze River will rise several hundred feet, as indicated by those big red and white signs. Those people over there are already relocating their homes to higher ground," he said. "And in order to avoid having to purchase new wood for a new roof, the villagers simply remove the wood from their old homes and use it in their new homes on higher ground." Sure enough, I gazed high up the mountainsides above the highest red and white sign and saw small, newly built homes - each with completed roofing! I assumed that his explanation provided me with a full picture of the issues surrounding the Three Gorges Dam project. However, as I would learn shortly, we had just scratched the surface of the tremendous industrial, environmental, economic and social turmoil that has surrounded construction of the Three Gorges Dam and it anticipated massive flooding.

We slowly entered into the actual Three Gorges area early on our third day. With cameras and extra film in hand, Steffen and I rushed up the stairs to the top deck. For a moment we simply could not believe the sights before us. Jagged spires of rock stretched upwards like fingers reaching for the sun. An endless stretch of lush, green foliage lined both sides of the river, and deep ravines cut into the hillsides, casting dark shadows on the riverbanks. With each minute, the mountains grew higher, eclipsing the sun and piercing the clouds. Then, as the river narrowed, strong gusts of wind whipped through the canyon, swaying the hillside trees in rhythmic unison. Our boat glided for hours through mile after mile of this natural beauty.  Words simply do not suffice to describe the incredible beauty that unfolded before us. It was breathtaking in its magnificence.

We arrived the following day at the actual Three Gorges Dam construction site. It was a conspicuous change from the beautiful landscapes of the Three Gorges.  The construction site was reminiscent of Chongqing. Huge coal deposits lined the riverbanks. Concrete slabs piled up next to the boat docks.  Cranes and heavy machinery towered above the mile-wide dam, and a thick, gray smog blanketed the area. The sheer enormity of the project was awesome and very impressive. The dam is designed to provide China with an unprecedented (but critically necessary) amount of power each year - hundreds of thousands of gigawatts of electricity.

The contrasts between China's need for substantial new industrialization and the natural beauty of the Three Gorges present a clear dilemma for China.  How can (or should) China strike a balance between those rapid industrialization demands with at least some effort to preserve the environment? Critics of the project point to the devastating environmental, cultural and socio-economic effects that it will inflict upon much of the flooded region. Certainly, the critics have valid points; China (and all nations, for that matter) must strive to protect the natural environment and animal species. How will China strike a balance?  China and its rapidly developing economy have other economic and social issues that must be addressed.  For example, consider the thousands of victims of flooding on the Yangtze within just the last few months.  In addition, the new electricity to villages and coastal cities will substantially improve the economic conditions and potential of the Chinese people. 

Our cruise ended the following day at city of Wuhan.  We then departed on a flight back to Beijing, where the next day we began our studies in the "Princeton in Beijing" program at Beijing Normal University.