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Three Gorges: Photo essay by Chua Chin Hon

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Nov 242008

Photojournalist Chua Chin Hon documents five years of change behind the Three Gorges Dam.

FOREWORD: For journalists chasing the China story, capital Beijing and financial hub Shanghai are the obvious staging grounds for tracking the rapid changes in the country and the challenges it faces. The 660-km stretch of river towns and cities behind the Three Gorges Dam, however, has been an interesting alternative for me since I paid my first visit there in June 2003. The major themes – economic sustainability, environmental worries, the thirst for energy, the destruction of historical and cultural heritage – are all here, framed against the backdrop of millions of ordinary Chinese struggling to cope with the powerful political and natural forces beyond their control. Would all the sacrifices be worth it in the end, as China successfully uses the Three Gorges Dam to tame and harness the power of the Yangtze River? Or would the dire warnings about the controversial project materialise with tragic consequences? No one is quite sure for now. The photographs on this website, taken over five trips between 2003 and 2008, represent perhaps the opening chapter of a dramatic story that is just beginning to unfold.

Wansheng

Outside City Limits, Tourism No Responses »

Oct 282007

Wansheng 万盛 (2 days)

Wansheng is located south of Chongqing city. It seems not many people have heard of the area despite how much it has to offer. Once there you can visit a stone forest, trek through a long river gorge, and even go rafting. Read more below.

Getting There and Back: Buses (30 RMB) depart every 30 minutes from Chongqing’s Nanping Long Distance Bus Station for Wansheng from 7:00 am-7:30 pm (there are also buses departing from other stations but less frequently). There are two routes, one by highway (gaosu 高速) and one on old roads (laolu 老路). By highway it should take about 90 minutes to two hours. To return to Chongqing there are buses that pass through Wansheng on the way back to Chongqing that you can catch as late as 6 pm.
• Once in Wansheng you can catch local buses to each of the following places or negotiate to hire a driver. One person recommends taking a bus to Guanba and hiring a driver there to take you to the other destinations to save time.
• There are tours that can be arranged to Wansheng, these two-day tours include entrance fees, transportation, meals, and lodging and generally take you to all three of the locations listed below. A Google search of 万盛铜鼓滩 pulls up a dozen such tours. All in Chinese though, so get a little help if necessary. Continue reading »

Dazu Rock Carvings

Outside City Limits, Tourism No Responses »

Oct 282007

Da Zu Shi Ke 大足石刻
• Admission 80 RMB Baodingshan; 60 RMB Beishan; 120 RMB for both
• Hours 9 am – 5 pm (Day trip)

The Dazu Rock Carvings are several sites where elaborate Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian images have been carved directly into the sides of cliffs and the walls of caves dating back to the late Tang dynasty. Throughout Dazu County there are hundreds of such locations that would take months to explore, but there are only five that are regularly mentioned as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and of these two are regularly visited by tourists: Baodingshan宝顶山 and Beishan 北山. The areas themselves are not that large, you could easily walk through each location in under an hour. The carvings are much better preserved at the Baoding site, particularly well known for its giant reclining Buddha and thousand hand Guanyin. Guides can be hired at the sites, some of them speak English. Read more about Dazu at TravelChinaGuide

Getting there and back: Dazu County is located 2-3 hours northwest of Chongqing city. Buses (45 RMB) depart from Chenjiaping Long Distance Bus Station every 40 minutes from about 7 am. These drop you off at the long distance bus station in Dazu where you must transfer to a local bus (3 RMB) or taxi to take you the final 15km out to Baodingshan or Beishan. On weekends there may be special tourist buses that can take you directly to the rock carving sites. The last buses returning to the city depart around 5:30 pm. I recommend leaving Chongqing early (around 8), explore Beishan first, then head over to Baodingshan to have lunch and walk around before catching a bus back to Chongqing.