A River Runs Through It

Clean, fresh water in China is a vanishing commodity. As reported by the Economist (Oct. 12/2013):

“The shortage is worsening because China’s water is disappearing. In the 1950s the country had 50,000 rivers with catchment areas of 100 square kilometres or more. Now the number is down to 23,000. China has lost 27,000 rivers, mostly as a result of over-exploitation by farms or factories.” “According to the land ministry (China), more than half the groundwater in northern China is too dirty for a person to wash in, let alone drink, and some is so poisonous it cannot even be used in the fields.”

 

The village is blessed with a crystal clear river running through its very heart.  But despite its current picturesque quality, it too has been misused.  

 

  

 

 

As the mountain was logged off, it became difficult for the villagers to make a living. Fish from the river a source of food now became a source of income but fishing was a time consuming process. Someone got the great idea to poison the river causing the fish to die and float to the surface where they could quickly be gathered and moved on to market. The result was over fishing and the disappearance of fish from the river. 

 

 

The same scenario is repeating itself with the frogs. Kilometres and kilometres of frog fencing has been erected along the river leaving the frogs little chance to survive and procreate.  This will surely result in the complete decimation of the highly lucrative frog industry for the village.   

 

 

 

The river is one of the major attractions for tourists that are now coming to the village.  

 

 

 

 

The sound it makes act like a soporific, lulling unsuspecting hikers into long naps on the sun warmed rocks that line the river.

 

 

 

  

 

 The water was freezing.

But it put some pep in our step.








 

After an 8 hour hike, I was regenerated by a few mouthfuls of Baijiu. Baijiu is a potent 40-60 % white alcohol that has been around for a few thousand years. It is made with anything that will ferment.  Baijiu is best taken in small amounts or not at all. I remember my first Baijiu experience at a dinner with some Chinese beaurocrats. Almost a week later, I burped and could still taste it.
 

With a delicious village dinner and a few shots under my belt, it was off to our Kang for a good night’s sleep.

A Kang is an elevated platform built from bricks. Hot coals are placed in or a fire started in small firebox built into the platform and acts to heat the bricks of the platform making for a cozy and warm bed.

I must admit to being a bit nervous sleeping over a roaring fire. In my dreams, I saw myself, covered by a black crispy coating with a gooey, runny inside, kind of like a marshmallow.  Perhaps it was the Baijiu.

It was an early start, the next day.  We had to catch a bus to the main town at 4:45 AM and it was a struggle to pull ourselves out of the Kang.