So I booked a Yangtze cruise. Our rickety hotel-boat takes a handful of foreign visitors and hundreds of Chinese tourists in groups to enjoy a visit to various sites along the Yangtze river. For me, the journey is not only a visit to historical sites, but a history in making. As the construction of the Three Gorges Dam advances, water level behind the dam, where we cruise, is gradually rising. Ultimately, water level will reach around 175 meters above sea level. Villagers are relocated, and new towns are built high above current river banks.
Elevation signs placed all over determine who is going to stay and who is going to be relocated as his house will be underwater. New development seem intimidating and temples like Shi Bao Zhai will turn into an isolated island surrounded by a wall…
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