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

	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. (part 2 of 2)