文档：ATripAlongtheThreeGorges“衡水赛”一等奖

Module5ATripAlongtheThreeGorges

补充文档

TheThreeGorgesDam

THETHREEGORGESDAM

MonumentalworksofcivilengineeringundertakenbyChineseemperors,oftenatthecostoftensofthousandsoflives,arestrewnacrossChina’slandscapeandhistoryalike.TheQinorganizedtheGreatWaIlandtheMingre-routeditandcladthousandsofkilometreswithstone,theSuibuiltthegreatcanalnetworkoftheImperialHighway,andvariousemperorsconstructedlabyrinthinepalacesandvastmausoleums,principaltouristattractionstoday.

China’smodernleadershavenotbeenslowtoconceivesuper-projectsoftheirown,althoughcementhasreplacedstone,andtherawmusclepowerofThesurpIusagriculturallaborersknownasthe‘armyofsticks’hasbeenpartlysupplementedbymachines.ThegreatestoftheseprojectsisundoubtedlythenewSanXia(ThreeGorges)Dam,a17--year,US$70billionoperationinvolvingthetransporta1ionofmorethantenbillioncubicmetres(350billioncubicfeet)ofrockandearthandthedisplacementofover1millionpeoplefromthe60,000hectaresofIandwhichwillgraduallybefloodedbytheresulting640-kilometre(397-mile)longreservoir.

ThedamislocatednearthemouthofthelowestoftheThreeGorges,wherethecurrentwasdividedintwobyanisland.InNovemberl997,thefirststagewascompletedwiththeblockingoftwo-thirdsoftheriver’swidth.Thewaterleaveshadrisenl8metres(59feet)bytheendofl998,willriseafurther52metres(171feet)by2003,30metres(98feet)moreupto2009,andafinaltenmetres(33feet)thatyear,whenthedamwillcomeintooperation.Smallershipswilluseasinglestageliftandlargeronesastairoffivelocks.ThewatersintheThreeGorgeswillriseatotalofll0metres(36lfeet),gradua1lychangingthesceneryforever.

Thechiefjustificationsofferedforsomuchdislocationanddestructionistwofold:theproductionofl8,200megawattsofelectricity,andtheendingoffrequentlydisastrousfloodingofcitiesandfarmlandalongtheYangtze.ForcenturiesChina’srivershavebeenasourcebothofimmensefertilityandmassivedestruction.Silt--Iaden,theycanchangecourseabruptly,andneedeverhigherleveestoTestrainthem.Inheavyrainstheyburstthrough,oftenwithgreatlossoflife.InrestrainingtherivertheCommunistsareagaintryingtotaketheirplaceinhistory--figuresthatwereevenpartiallysuccessfulinfloodcontrolfortheemperorsaresoreveredastohavejoinedtheDaoist(Taoist)pantheon.

THEIMPACTOFTHEDAM

Thefinaleffectofthedamonrivercontro1isdisputed.Formorethan600kilometres(372miles)upstreamtheYangtzewillbecomemorelakethanriver,butmanyexpertsarguethataslowerflowratewillleadtoanevenmorerapidbuild-upofsilt,especiallyagainstthedamitself,causingfloodstoflowoverthetopofit.Somesaymoreeffectivefloodcontrolwouldbeprovidedbyreplacingthemorethan800lakes,vitalforstoringanddispersingfloodwaters,whichhavedisappearedbeneathuncheckedurbanexpansion.Despiteimpressiveforecastsforelectricitygeneration,somearguethataseriesofsmallerdamswouldhavebeenmorecost--effective,lessdangerousandmoreproductive.

Thedamisonlypartofalargerprojecttoalleviatepovertyinruralareas,whichuntilnowhavereliedalmostsolelyontheriverfortransport.Localgovernmentshavebeenworkingtoattractfreshinvestmenttosoakupsurplusagriculturallabor,andnewroadsandrailwaylinesarebeingbuilt,withnewbridgesacrossthegorgesofYangtzetributaries.

Compensationof40billionYuan(aboutUS$billion)hasbeenallocatedforthoseforcedtomove--asmuchas3000Yuanperheadinsomesmalltownswhereaverageannualincomesareaslittleas1500Yuan(US$l80).NeverthelessthemassforcedRelocationhasattractedwidespreadcriticism.Relocationprojectsarerunningwellbehindschedule,andChinesesociologistshavecriticizedpoorplanning,falsifiedfigures,corruptionandinadequateresources.

THEFUTUREOFYANGTZECRUISES

Alreadytheexperienceofpassingthroughthegorgesischanging.Gradual1y,thenarrowribbonsofpathswilldisappear,andmanytemplesandpagodasarereappearingonhigherground,someescapingfromtactlessdevelopmentaroundthem.Insomewaysthescenerywillactuallyimprove--severaldark,Satanicconcretefactoriesandmillswi1ldisappearbelowthewatersaswi1lbrutallyuglyaccommodationblocks,theirnewmoderncounterpartsonhighergroundunlikelytowinarchitecturalawards,butstillvisuallyfarmoreappealing.Thecolossaldamitselfandthefive-stagerideupordownitwillbeamongtheRiver’smainattractions,andscheduleswillbecomemoreconvenientasthedeepeningwatersmakenightnavigationpossibleonformerlydangerousreaches.MosttravellersoftenfeeltheThreeGorgestriptobetheperfectbreakfromtheclamourofChina,andacruiseontheYangtzeislikelytoremainoneofthemostpleasantmemoriesofmanyChinatripstocome.

TheenergeticvisitormayclimbtothesummitofWushan(WitchesHill),atwo-hourhike.Worshippersstillcometoasmallshrinehere,builtwithintheruinsofanoldBuddhistmonastery.FromthesummittheviewsofWuGorgeandtheriverarespectacular.AlessstrenuousoutingmaybemadetothenewlyopenedlimestonecavecomplexinWuGorgehighupontheclifffaceabovethenorthbankoftheriver.ThisinvolvesashortboatridefromWushan