The 'Long River' - a journey in time across middle China

Long climb up to Fengjie in 1994. [Photo by Bruce Connolly/chinadaily.com.cn]

Beyond Fengjie the scenery became breathtaking with sheer cliffs, reminiscent of California's Yosemite, rising from the highly agitated waters of a river less than 100 meters wide. Ahead rose the whirlpool-prone Kui Men, gateway to Qutang, first of the Three Gorges. At Wushan there was time to venture up the Daning River in small boats to experience the majesty of the Xiao Sanxia (Three Little Gorges) and the incredible force of water as it rushed towards the Changjiang. Getting upstream involved bamboo poles or dragged by ropes, downstream it was 'hold on tight'!

The 40-kilometer-long Wuxia (Witches Gorge) guarded by 12 peaks gradually gave way as evening fell to Xiling Xia (Western Hills Gorge). Exiting through Nanjin (South Ford) the Yangtze River widened and lost speed. Lights highlighted where initial construction was underway at Sanxiaba (Three Gorges Dam) before we descended through the lock system of Gezhouba at Yichang emerging onto the tranquil waters spreading into the wide expanse of Dongting Lake near Yueyang in Hunan. Next morning arriving at Wuhan I boarded a train south to Guangzhou.

Twenty three years later, in March this year (2017) I traveled by train from Beijing to Chongqing. From Wuhan, the route roughly followed the Changjiang but so much had changed. Yichang now a modern city attracting many visitors to Sanxiaba. Ongoing infrastructure engineering had resulted in expressways and China's high-speed rail system penetrating what previously was impossible topography resulting in modern urbanization and lifestyle. A downside, I suppose, has been the loss of the river boats which only an 'old romantic' like me would love so much!

At Chongqing, I sat at a totally transformed Chaotianmen recalling my arrival 23 years earlier. The river level was now higher and more tranquil. It would, however, be fascinating to go back over that Long River journey and discover what all those amazing memories are like today.