flow of thoughts on the Yangtzi River

It is Thursday evening in China, somewhere on the Yangtzi River or Chang Jiang, the Long River, which the Chinese call it.

Our passenger boat on the Yangtze River.

Me and my four traveling companions have a few hours ago boarded the passenger boat from Chongqing in Sichuan Province to Wuhan in Hubei. It is perhaps more accurate to write that I have climbed the boat. Since I first had to go down uneven stone staircases, pass a narrow gangway, over other ships anchor chains and ropes on the deck and finally up the stairs to the ship.

But now I sit here in the 'small' cabin, and flow with the current from west to east over the next 1,300 kilometer or the next three-four days. It is no understatement to describe the accomdation as spartanly arranged. Two rows of beds create a centre aisle, a door and windows at each end, where a cold wind whistles in and all in all twenty berths. The berth is a wooden bunk with a thin blanket as mattress, a sheet and a quilt as duvet. The aisle already resembles a battlefield. Melon kernels, ground nuts and orange peel lying around. The smell of 'baijiu', the local rice liquor, spreads slowly in the room, displeasure for some and a great pleasure for me. The man behind me clears his throat intensely, and periodically sends a gob of spittle, from the depths of his diaphragm, into the air and hit the floor with a slap. A little further down the cabin sits a man emptying his nose filled with snot out on the same floor. I take a banana - and then goodnight.

We have sailed a half day and I find myself in the middle of one of China's, perhaps one of the world's most wonderful scenery. Actually it all started last night and everything was dark.

The engines’dunk dunk' sounded in my ears, but its vibrations spread to the entire body, which was still sore after a nights stretch out on the bunk. The river had changed from a broad vivacious stream, with gently sloping, cultivated shores, to a violent current in a narrow valley with high mountain slopes on both sides. The moon was spherical, and had just risen above the mountain tops and thrown its magical light down upon this amazing sight. Silhouettes of the mountains became faces, animals and fantasy creatures - and I wanted to howl to the moon and tell the whole world about how wonderful life can be.

It was also here in the moon's incredible glow that I had time and rest to think back on the many experiences, the past several weeks have given me.

It has been an immense reunion. And I must admit that much has changed for better or worse in the four years that have passed since I was in China. But I'm still very fascinated by the Middle Kingdom.

Again and again I still experience things that certainly would not be possible at home in Denmark. Like one late evening in Shanghai when we were going from the center to the suburb. The last buses were full to the bursting point, and at that time there were no more taxis to get hold of. We addressed a policeman to hear about other bus routes. The policeman took our 'problem' very seriously. He stopped a truck. We were loaded up on the truck bed, and then it went straight through the city with its 12 million inhabitants. Everyone was happy. We, because we were able to go home. The policeman, because he could help. The driver because he wasn’t stopped for an offence. And many Chinese had an unusual sight and something to talk about that night.

While thoughts fly away, the mountains around me has risen even higher, and reaches almost into the sky. On the steepest I almost only see the rough and rugged cliffs, while on the more round and soft sides, trees are seen everywhere, and some places I see a few small farms. Over my head circles two ospreys in their quiet smooth quest for prey, with help from the warm upward airflow.

I also think of some of the changes that have taken place.

One of the few disability signs.

People with disabilities have become more visible in the streets, though it is small changes. I have seen more young people in wheelchairs than before. Three-wheel moped taxis with disabled drivers are more common now in the China, that over the last two years has had the world's largest economic growth. The economic development has given more families profits that can be used to help their family member with disabilities.

But i t is still difficult to discern that the economic 'miracle' has improved the conditions for people with disabilities in China. However, I saw two new underpasses, for the benefit of wheelchair users, both marked with the international disability symbol. There are few visible initiatives. And it's small things in a country where people have to pay by their own pockets for most of the technical aids that is needed, if it is possible to find them at all. And for most people, there hardly exist a pension scheme, and people therefore depend on the family's ability and benevolence. But the two disability symbol witnesses, however, that there has been a change. The public sector has now begun to think about the physical barriers that make daily life difficult for people with disabilities.

Unfortunately, I fear that the local authorities have thought more of the disabled tourists than on their own people with disabilities. Because both underpasses were located at tourist sites.

Finally, I have also seen the disadvantage of the visibility. Down the broad boulevards in Beijing more and more beggars with disabilities is seen. People who glimpse a small opportunity to benefit from the improved living standards, which many have experienced in the capital.

I also think back on the meeting with China's ancient capital of Xian. It was here that China's first real emperor, Qin Shi Huang conquered a number of kingdoms, proclaiming himself as the Son of Heaven, and formed the Qin Dynasty in the year 221 BC. It was also here that the emperor in his 15-year reign, built a tomb monument, which the world hardly won’t see any like that. So far over 6,000 clay figures as the size of a man have been excavated. All with different facial expressions and postures - and still new ones is being excavated.

It was also here; about 1,000 years later in the Tang Dynasty that an entire recreation palace was built for the emperor and especially for his concubines. It was the artistic skilled and gorgeous concubine, Yang Guifei's favorite residence, not least because of the baths in the hot spring water. It was certainly a wonderful feeling to lower my body, which was chilled to the bone, into the steaming soft water. I closed my eyes and let my body float in the great tub. Suddenly she was there! No other than Yang Guifei herself with her long shiny black hair. Her body was wrapped in the finest silk garments. Her big brown eyes and her sensual mouth smiled mysteriously and puzzling to me. The reality was quite different than the dream. I woke up to cold, damp hotel rooms, fog and drizzle. I was aware that I was too old to travel in the temperate part of the world in winter time.

Suddenly I’m carried out of my thoughts, as the cleaning on the deck starts. The girl that sweeps the deck, take my little waste bag, and before I can say anything all objects are thrown overboard. A truly magnificent nature is being destroyed. Everywhere plastic bags, cans and bottles are floating in the river. I do not think there will be life in Yangtzi River in about ten year.
Yet another of the big problems that the economic 'miracle' has resulted in.