1、1Clear Pond,Clear MissionTHE massive project diverting water from Chinas south“to her dry north is like a snake on a long and ardu-ous journey,crossing the various terrains of severalprovinces,and periodically confronted with compliea-tions as well.Maintaining the quality of the water is the com-mon
2、 concern of all the districts involved in the South-to-NorthWater Diversion Project and the national government has laiddown certain criteria,including that saving water comes beforechanneling it in,and treatment for pollutants and environmen-tal protection come in advance of Using the water.The wat
3、ertransfer guidelines ensure that clean water will be in use innorthern China. One-Armed Defender Li Ji,nqun We went to Xichuan to interview people,and Li Jinqun wasthe first local on our list.As we got to the headworks constrne-tion site at Taocha Village near Danjiangkou Reservoir,weasked the loca
4、ls for his whereabouts.One villager pointed to anelder on the bank of the canal not far from us and said,“ThatsLi 2Jinqun; and are you the media come to interview him?“ No-ticing our surprise,he explained that a lot of journalists hadmade the journey before us. The 63-year-old Li Jinqun is a residen
5、t of Taocha Village.In197o,in the construction of Danjiangkou Reservoir,his rightarm was severed by a wire rope.Since then,Li Jinqtm could do no hard physical labor,and neither did his family allow him. He didnt want to lead an idlelife though,so he volunteered to take on the responsibility of guard
6、ing the canal,and has done so for 40 years In spring,Li Jinqun plants trees along its banks,and the rest of his vigilance is a daily affair.After breakfast,he walks along its banks.Seeing any garbage,he picks it up.He cheeks on the public toilet and keeps it clean.Where the dirt road gets pot-holed
7、or badly rutted,he repairs it.All this he does for no pay and at no ones urging.Asked why,his answer is simple and spontaneous,“Ive been living on the bank of the reservoir for half of my life and have a special feeling for the reservoir; the water is so good and clear here,I will never let it be fo
8、uled.“ As it was getting dark,workers at the construction site were calling to each other to end the days work.They all know 3that on finishing the headworks the time will come for their homes to be engulfed by the water.But they worked as usual, joked with each other as always,only the marked water
9、 level on the abandoned old gate hinted at the storyline of past decades. Showing Its True Colors The rolling mountains embracing the Danjiangkou Reser- voir were clad in green though it was only early April,when trees are just coming into leaf in other parts of northern China. A faint mist gathered
10、 above the vast expanse of the water,butat its edge,the dearness of it was remarkable; the bottom couldbe seen in the shallow parts.At that moment,a flock of geesewas changing its V-formation as it flew overhead.Local staff member Mr.Xia Jifeng remarked proudly: “The water hereis of good quality,we
11、can drink it directly,and its sweet.“ Atlunch time,he pointed to the vegetables on the plate and said:“The vegetables here are truly organic,grown without usingany chemical fertilizers or pesticides.“ “Since 2003,the Henan provincial government has ear-ried out integrated pollution treatments in the
12、 DanjiangkouReservoir area,and regulated the objectives and measures forprotecting the water quality of the reservoir,“ explained WangJiayong,an offidal in charge of relocation services for the Cen-tral Route 4of the diversion project in Henan Province. The drainage basin of the Danjiangkou Reservoi
13、r in HenanProvince covers 7,816 square kilometers,involving six coun-ties with Xichuan included.The local government has com-prehensively promoted ecological environmental protectionwith three keystones: “Pollution pre-vention,afforestation,and water andsoil conservation.“ A range of mea-sures have
14、been taken to preservenatural assets: reducing agriculturalland use,increasing green coverage,and intensifying water conserva-tion through intelligent use of waterand soil resources.The promotionof microbial organic fertilizer whilelimiting the use of chemical fertilizerand pesticides reduces soil d
15、egrada-tion.Rural residents are encouragedto use methane gas instead of burn-ing wood,so as to reduce domesticsources of air pollution. Xiehuan is an example of localdedication.In recent years,they haveorganized many large-scale environ-mental protection activities,attracting lots of young volunteer
16、sto help restore the barren hills and land,The countys forestcoverage has reached 45.3 percent,and annual soil loss hasdecreased by more than 1.4 million tons.Since 2003 fishinghas been banned during spring with the aim of 5encouragingthe recovery of fish stocks,a measure essential to establish-ing
17、a natural cleansing process for its waters and the ongoing,sustainable health of the reservoir.After years of effort,theDanjiangkou Reservoir has reached the potable water standardof Class II,and this quality has remained stable for many years. Green Gets Tough As we rode along the mountain road,Mr.
18、Xia Jifeng pointedto the patches of prickly ash and explained that the locals,restricted by their environmental conditions,have activelypromoted the development of ecological agriculture.Fundedby the farmland-to-forest project,the whole county has estab-lished itself as a production forestry base of
19、 prickly ash,walnut,and chestnut trees,among others.The greenbelt now exceeds200 square kilometers,helping counter erosion and bringingeonsiderable economic returns to the farmers.A saying is mak-ing the rounds in the area to illustrate the economic value ofthe prickly ash: “Planting 5o prieldy ash
20、trees equals raisingone pig.“ Now,prickly ash groves cover the once-barren slopesnearby the reservoir. 6To protect water sources,in 2003 Xiehuan County in effectconverted its entire industriai base.It outlawed enterpriseswith heavy power consumption andthose causing serious pollution.Wewent to visit
21、 the Nanyang TailongPaper Company,in which many work-shops,staff dormitories and guestaccommodations lay idle due to theSouth-to-North Water Diversion Proj-ect.Nanyang Tailong was one of threekey enterprises in Xichuan County.Itused to produce 41,600 tons of pulpand 2o,ooo tons of high-grade paperfo
22、r household use.With an annualproduction value of RMB 190 million,it contributed RMB 23 million to localtax revenues.Yet in 2004,it was shutdown for fating to meet environmen-tal requirements governing the reser-voir region. Mr.Wang Jiayong informed usthat 801 enterprises in the six counties of the
23、reservoir basinhave been closed,suspended,merged or converted becauseof their unresolved pollution problems.The local economysustained some serious blows,especially Xichuan County andLushi County,as they are listed below the poverty line by theState Council.In 2008,the Ministry of Finance implemente
24、dthe “Ecological Compensation Mechanisms,“ to provide com-pensation for the Six counties affected by the shutdowns.Pay-ments were made directly by the 7central treasury: RMB 82 mil-lion in 2oo8,292 million in 2oo9,and 467 million in 2010. Li Sheng!in,who is in charge of Xiehuan Countys migrationwork
25、 for the water diversion project,is confident the changeis a good one.“Though we have less fiscal revenue,our envi-ronment has been improved.It is possible to vigorously devel-op tourism,and we invite the people of China and people fromabroad to visit our beautiful Danjiangkou Reservoir.“ In fact,Xi
26、ehuan has already embarked on the developmentof tourism.During our visit there,the hotel we stayed at andthe tourist area were both initiated by a local company.TheCentral Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Projectwill leave good things in its wake.Ancient Trumps Modern- Rescuing Cultural R
27、elics AT 110clock,with a bright sun overhead,more than30 villagers from Taohe Township,Xichuan Countyhad their eyes east down,sorting out fragments from excavated earth with great care.Behind them stoodthe dilapidated city wall.This is the excavation site of Xiazhaiheritage site in Taohe Township.It
28、 will be submerged by waterwhen the Danjiangkou Reservoir is raised in 2014. In Xichuan County,128 similar historical sites like this onewill be submerged. 8Rescue of 4,000-Year-Old Cultural Relics Xiazhai heritage site is located at the juncture of two riversto the north of Xiazhai Village in Taohe
29、 Township.It faces theDanjiang River in the north and the Taohe River in the eastand south.Taohe Township is on the opposite bank.In 1957,Xichuan County Heritage Management Committee discoveredthis site,and in 1984 the Henan provincial authorities verifiedit in a general survey of heritage sites.To
30、facilitate the con- struction of the Danjiangkou Reservoir,which is a part of theCentral Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project,the Henan Provineiai Institute of Cultural Relies and Archae-ology organized the Xiehuan Taohe Xiazhai Heritage Site Ar-ehaeologieai Team to start work there i
31、n November of 2008. Professor Ding Baoeheng,a leader of the archaeologicalteam,told us that the aim of the dig is to rescue cultural rel-ies.Meanwhile,it will guarantee the smooth operation of theDanjiangkou Reservoir project.He said,“This area is the meet-ing point of the ancient Central Plains cul
32、ture and the YangtzeRiver Valley culture.We hope the 9excavated relics will give usa better understanding of this ancient cultures characteristics,particularly cultural exchanges between north and south“ The Xiazhai Heritage Site is divided into two part:s: the for-tress remains in the north and the
33、 neolithic site in the south,covering 47o,0oo square metdrs.In the northern part theremains of the Taohe Stronghold can still be seen.It was builtduring the Qing Emperor Tongzhis reign (1861-1874).Thewalled stronghold was rectangular,820 meters from east towest and 44o meters from north to south.Two
34、 sections of itswalls are still standing but their height has dwindled to six me-ters.The rescue excavation will concentrate on undergroundcultural relics from remoter past,through which archaeologistshope to learn more about the southward drift of Central Plainsculture in the late Longshan Culture
35、period and related issuesof the early Chu culture. Longshan Culture dates back 4,25o to 3,95o years.Thistime was the zenith of pottery making in Chinese history,andrefers to relics and other remains from the late Neolithic Age inthe middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River.During thatperiod,both
36、 bronze and stone artifacts were used.LongshanCulture got its name from the archaeological 10discoveries fromLongshan Town,Licheng County,Shandong Province,now un-der the jurisdiction of Zhangqiu City. At the excavation site,farmers from nearby villages workunder the guidance of archaeologists.Their
37、 operations are ofthree kinds: digging,moving earth and sieving it.The mostimportant task is to sort out excavated fragments during siev-ing.They told this reporter that the pay is RMB 20 per dayper person.Although compensation is not high,farmers canmake some extra money,and the excavation site is
38、not far fromhome. The farmers may not understand the significance of theirseemingly simple work.Quite a number of valuable culturalrelics of the Shijiahe Culture have been unearthed,includ-ing a stone battle-axe.Dating back 4,600 to 4,000 years,theShijiahe Culture belongs to the Neolithic Culture an
39、d wascentered in the middie and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.The first relics were discovered in Shihe Town,Tianmen City,Hubei Province,including copper blocks,jade wares,sacrificialremains,script-like incised symbols and evidence of city life, indicating entry into a civilized epoch. From Sidelines to Spotlight
