Recently, I took a cruise to the Yangtze River Three Gorges, traveling upstream from Yichang, Hubei Province, to Chongqing by boat. After arriving in Chongqing, I also visited Bai Mansion and Zhazi Cave on a side trip.
The Three Gorges Dam
The Three Gorges Dam is truly a magnificent and massive project. Currently, the water storage level of the Three Gorges Reservoir is close to the designed 175 meters above sea level. The reservoir generates a huge amount of electricity every day, which plays a certain role in supplementing China’s energy demand for electricity.
However, everything in the world has both advantages and disadvantages. Opposition to the construction of the Three Gorges Reservoir has never ceased, and such voices may grow louder in the future—because the negative impacts of the reservoir’s water storage are being proven one by one by facts.
First, it has damaged the Yangtze River’s natural ecology, making it impossible for fish to migrate upstream. Nevertheless, the Gezhouba Dam was built not far downstream of the Three Gorges Dam, and this “sin” has already been attributed to Gezhouba; the Three Gorges Dam itself no longer has a significant impact on fish migration.
[Images: Three Gorges Dam and Power Plant; Five-Level Ship Lock of the Three Gorges Dam; Right Bank Dam Area (Main Dam Area) of the Three Gorges Dam; Ship Lock Opening; Ship Entering the Ship Lock; Shennü Peak; Three Gorges Suspended Coffins; Sunset over Qutang Gorge; Still Impoverished Houses of Mountain People in the Three Gorges Area]
Currently, the most significant impacts of the Three Gorges Dam construction appear to be on geology, climate, and flood discharge in upstream areas. In terms of geological impacts, frequent geological disasters have occurred, and whether these could trigger major earthquakes is a question that requires serious research. However, the analysis of these issues does not have a definitive answer like a mathematical formula; instead, it depends on studying their correlations and long-term observation and verification.
The impact of the Three Gorges on flood discharge in upstream areas has already become apparent—especially for downtown Chongqing. When I visited, it was early winter with little rainfall, yet some parts of downtown Chongqing were still flooded; at Ciqikou Ancient Town, a parking lot was even submerged underwater. According to local residents, during the flood season, the water level once rose to just below the characters on the Ciqikou archway. One can easily imagine the scale of disaster such a water level would bring to Chongqing and other upstream regions!
The Yangtze River and the Three Gorges Reservoir area both have a certain hydraulic gradient; otherwise, the river water could not flow. The actual hydraulic gradient is not a fixed value: during the dry season, the gradient is smaller, so fewer upstream areas are flooded; during the flood season, the gradient increases significantly, leading to a much larger flooded area upstream. Moreover, the farther upstream from the Three Gorges Dam, the more obvious the water level rise and the wider the flooded area during the flood season. In contrast, areas closer to the dam are less affected by water level fluctuations (thanks to the dam’s flood discharge and water level regulation) and are less prone to floods.
The water storage of the Three Gorges has greatly raised the water level in the upper reaches of the reservoir area, reducing the hydraulic gradient there. This has disrupted the balance between human society and the geology/geomorphology of the Three Gorges that had existed for thousands of years—a disruption that will become more pronounced in the upper Yangtze River basin during flood seasons.
The impact of the Three Gorges Dam on the climate of upstream areas remains a controversial issue. Since the dam’s completion, Chongqing has been hit by successive years of either severe droughts, devastating floods, or unprecedented heatwaves. As an important city along the Yangtze River, Chongqing is likely to face more tough times ahead.
Both the Three Gorges Dam and Gezhouba Dam are located in Yichang, Hubei Province. I originally assumed that electricity prices there would be lower than in other regions, but local residents told me that their electricity costs are no cheaper—prices are the same everywhere. This surprised me: logically, electricity transmission incurs costs, so areas closer to power plants (with lower transmission costs) should have cheaper electricity. For decades, the entire nation has contributed to the construction of the Three Gorges Power Plant; a portion of the cost of every kilowatt-hour of electricity used nationwide once went to the dam’s construction. Now that the power plant is fully operational, instead of seeing a reduction in electricity prices, we have witnessed price hikes.
Another issue concerns the ownership of the Three Gorges Dam and its power plant. Theoretically, it should have been classified as “property owned by the whole people.” However, the concept of “property owned by the whole people” has been abolished, and such assets have been reclassified as “state-owned property.” If further “restructuring” occurs, this “state-owned property” may eventually become the property of a specific enterprise.
[Images: Chongqing’s Ciqikou Ancient Town; Entrance to the Submerged Parking Lot in Ciqikou]
Bai Mansion and Zhazi Cave (Chongqing)
Bai Mansion and Zhazi Cave in Chongqing were frequent topics in the revolutionary education I received as a child. It was a rare opportunity to visit them in person. I remember my teachers often told us how Kuomintang reactionaries tortured Communist revolutionaries in these two places—among the most horrifying and unforgettable details was the “nitric acid pool.” It was said that unyielding revolutionaries would be thrown into this pool filled with highly corrosive solution, which would dissolve their flesh and bones, leaving only their hair intact. Years ago, a TV drama perpetuated this myth: a Kuomintang officer held a puppy over the nitric acid pool to intimidate prisoners, then dropped the puppy into the pool. The poor puppy bubbled a few times and disappeared without a sound. Some might argue that even in a drama, harming animals is unacceptable—but such people are simply ignorant of reality. I also recall another TV show or movie where a woman in a snow-white dress went crazy, wielding a knife to slash an ox that was still pulling a water cart, leaving a deep, bloodied gash.
During my visit to Bai Mansion and Zhazi Cave, I made a point of looking for this “nitric acid pool.” However, after checking both sites thoroughly, I found no trace of it. I had to ask a young local guide, who thought my question was absurd: “How could such a thing exist?” I explained the deep impression left by the revolutionary education I received as a child, and she finally confirmed firmly: “There is no such thing at all!” Oh my god—so the “nitric acid pool” was just another lie!
Judging from the condition of the cells in Bai Mansion and Zhazi Cave, the treatment of political prisoners back then was relatively good. Each cell was about 20 square meters, with three sets of bunk beds (accommodating 6 people total). The cells were quite spacious, with ample room for movement. Generally, political prisoners were not detained together with violent criminals (such as murderers, robbers, or rapists).
Among the exhibits in Bai Mansion and Zhazi Cave, there is a Five-Star Red Flag. According to the introduction, it was embroidered by the political prisoners detained there.
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