themessenger HIGH-SPEED RAILWAYS Qinghai-Tibet Railway Celebrates 4th Anniversary China Radio International

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1 China Radio International Vol.21 No.4 Sep. - Dec., 2010 HIGH-SPEED RAILWAYS Qinghai-Tibet Railway Celebrates 4th Anniversary

2 Vol.21 No.4 China Radio International Sep. - Dec., 2010 HIGH-SPEED RAILWAYS Qinghai-Tibet Railway Celebrates 4th Anniversary CONTENTS FEATURE: HIGH-SPEED RAILWAYS IN CHINA Fast Trains Put Luoyang on the Map 14 Editor's Message I n May 1990, CRI's English Service started the bimonthly four-color newsletter "The Messenger" with an eye on strengthening ties with listeners. The publication was delivered to overseas listeners and to foreigners in China who work at embassies or consulates, foreign-owned and joint-venture companies, as well as students, teachers, journalists and tourists, or those who request it. It brought them information about Radio Beijing's (the former name of CRI) activities and future plans. "The Messenger" has since evolved with a fresher appearance to reflect the tremendous changes in CRI's output as well as supply content devoted to China's breathtaking transformation over the past three decades. In the current issue, our reporters discover how China's highspeed-rail "revolution" has attracted soaring investments and created opportunities for cities along the railways as well as changed the lives of tens of millions of people. All of the staff working on "The Messenger" will continue to strive for excellence because we believe that is what you deserve. FEATURE: QINGHAI-TIBET RAILWAY FROM OUR LISTENERS Mailbag A Farmer's Life Changes with High- Speed Railway Project Shanghai-Hangzhou High-speed Railway Starts Operation Qinghai-Tibet Railway Celebrates 4th Anniversary Tibetan Music Ambassador, Bianba Exploring Mystical Tibetan Medicine with Baima Wangzha Nyingchi Forest Rangers Protect the Land Tibetan Diary BEHIND THE SCENE A Hong Kong Tour Guide in Fascinating South Africa Post-World Cup South Africa

3 Xi'an Builds Regional Transportation Hub High-speed Trains Bring More Tourists to Mt. Huashan Zhengxi High-speed Rail Puts Xi'an Tourism on Fast Track High-speed Rail Transports Zhengzhou into Future Wuhan: A City Develops on the Rail Track Dependence and Debates over China's High-Speed Railway High-Speed Railway Ushers in New Age for Wuhan Tourism Shaoguan: Accelerating the Industrial Transfer New Railway Helps Build a New Town High-Speed Tourism, Moving as Fast as the Train

4 High-speed Railways in China Zhengzhou Xi'an Xi'an, the Jewel of Central China Text / Photo by Dominic Swire Already part of China s fast growing high speed train network, Xi an is rebuilding its reputation, not only as a cultural and historic jewel of Northwest China, but also as a vibrant modern city with ambitious plans for the future. huge train station. Covering a total of 330,000 square meters with four floors, 18 platforms, 34 tracks and 5 high speed connections, some believe when complete the station will be the biggest in Asia. And heaven knows it will and a wheelbarrow swung from overhead. We were taken down two levels to see the platforms and the passenger underpass. But it was not until stepping outside that one could get a true impression of the size of the project. Two small mountains formed from A worker silently surveys the construction site of Xian s new northern railway station in this photo taken on October 11, Workers transport a heavy pipe in the construction site of Xian s new northern railway station in this photo taken on October 11, Xian s giant northern railway station isn t open yet, but its metallic, angular roof, built in the Tang Dynasty style, already towers above the horizon. Were it not for the train tracks leading in and out of the site, one could be forgiven for thinking the city is about to unveil a new airport. The ambitious new construction is a shining example of how the local government in Xi an is attempting to bring back past glories of this extraordinary city. With a history dating back thousands of years, the city grew to become not only the capital of China but also the largest metropolis on earth and the eastern most stop of the legendary Silk Road trade route during the Tang Dynasty in the first century AD. All this, plus the Terracotta Warriors- the eighth Wonder of the World, one of the oldest city walls in China, and a bustling cosmopolitan downtown area go some way to explain why the authorities have deemed it necessary to construct such a need to be. China is now the fourth most popular destination in the world for international travelers. In 2009 over 50 million foreigners visited the country that s more than the entire population of South Africa. A large number of these foreigners will be headed to Xi an. Train passenger numbers in China are increasing exponentially. During the 2010 Mid Autumn Festival a record 8.3 million people traveled by train in one day. And over four days in the same holiday period this figure ballooned to over 24 million. [Training To Be the Best] Stepping across mud into the construction site of Xian s new high speed train station, the dusty air echoed with a cacophony of banging, clanking and drilling. Sparks flew from saws and welding machines excavated earth by the side of the site made nearby diggers look like toys; and workmen walking past resembled ants crawling on an anthill. When complete the new station will receive high speed trains from Zhengzhou, the capital of neighboring Henan province. This city is also in the process of building its own huge railway station, which some believe will be the second biggest in Asia, behind Xian s new creation. This new train connection, which cuts travel from 7 hours to just 90 minutes, actually started operating in February, running between existing stations in the two cities. The project has been so successful that flight connections between the two locations have been cancelled because they are no longer competitive. When the two new stations come online travel will be even faster. These new developments are just part 4

5 High-speed Railways in China of the Chinese government s bold plan to radically expand its high speed train network. Currently there is about 7,000 kilometers of high speed train track in China. Within two years this is set to double, and by 2020 it s expected to reach 16,000 kilometers. Stretched out, that s about the distance from the UK to Japan. [Tourism, Terracotta Style] One reason Xi an is such a popular destination for tourists is because it is home to one of the world s most famous sites. The terracotta warriors were only discovered about 35 years ago by local farmers digging were sitting at desks with table lamps. This section is responsible for mending the broken figures. And indeed, standing next to the desks, as if on guard, was a lone soldier. But he didn t look capable of much guarding with a hole in the back of his right thigh exposing the other side of the room. His face was wrapped in white bandages, as were his feet, which looked like he had donned a pair of running shoes. Apparently this part of the exhibition is known as the hospital. And in one corner stood a real guard smartly dressed in contemporary uniform, silently watching over the clay figures that have done a similar job for millennia. When the figures were originally was later discovered in the west about two thousand years later. Just by the sword are a number of individual soldiers in display cabinets allowing for a closer inspection that the pits simply do not allow. Here you can see the intricate detail of each figure and how, amazingly, no two faces are identical. One figure is kneeling down, said to have been an archer; and another standing proudly in full body armour, holding the reigns of his terracotta horse beside him. Looking closely one can make out the individual rivets in the soldiers armour, the buckles in the horse s saddle and the soldier s pointed moustache and tiny goatee. Look closer still and one can CRI s Dominic Swire reporting from the construction site of Xian s new northern railway station in this photo taken on October 11, A building sits precariously close to the edge of a cliff on Huashan Mountain, as seen in this photo, taken on October 14, for water. Little did they know that they had stumbled upon one of China s and, indeed, the world s greatest historical relics. There are around 8,000 clay warriors in total, located in three pits that were created during the reign of China s first emperor Qin Shi Huang around 210 BC. Of the three pits, by far the most impressive is the first, which is covered by an arching roof not dissimilar in shape or size to an aircraft hanger. Approaching the barrier from which you can look down on the silent figures, one is confronted by 6,000 sandy-colored warriors standing to attention. Walking around the hall one can spot several horses and some broken figures on the ground yet to be pieced together. Venturing further into the space one can actually see experts at work. As we passed three were crouched down with a torch carefully brushing away dust. And at the back of the room some of their colleagues discovered they were brightly colored. However, because of the chemicals used, this faded away just days after they were put on public display in the 70s. Now the authorities are left with a dilemma, as can be seen in pit two, which is largely unexcavated. What is on display looks like an undulating sea of sandy colored clay covered in grooves as if brushed with a giant comb. Inside here lies another hoard of soldiers. And it seems that s where they will stay for the foreseeable future because technology so far has not come up with a solution to retain their color. Ironic, in a way, because at the back of the room is one example of very advanced technology used in ancient China. This came in the form of a thin, straight sword measuring about a meter in length. Despite being thousands of years old, scientists discovered this artifact was covered with a thin layer of chromium, apparently applied to stop corrosion. This was a technique that make out many cracks in the smooth body of the horse, illustrating just how difficult the task of the experts is to piece together these valuable artifacts. And, for me, that is the most impressive feature of this site. Of course it s a miracle how so many of these statues survived for so long in such good shape; but the fact the story has yet to be fully told makes the terracotta warriors even more captivating. [Mount Huashan Not As Dangerous As It Looks!] On top of monumental history and culture Xi an can also offer some wonderful natural sites. Perhaps one of the impressive is Mount Huashan, located about 120km east of the city centre. This mountain has developed somewhat of a name for itself among the internet fraternity. The most dangerous hike in the entire 5

6 High-speed Railways in China world Oh, my god! I literally have nightmares about things like that. one false step means falling in the abyss below. These are just some of the comments you may read if you do an internet search for one of China s most famous mountains, Huashan, in northwestern Shaanxi province. The pictures are no less disturbing, with precarious planks of wood nailed at 90 degrees into cliff faces and nothing but frail looking chains for walkers to cling on to. Undeterred our intrepid group of reporters set off to conquer this notorious landmark. First thing to note is: DON T BELIEVE THE HYPE. Huashan Mountain is now as safe as any mountain hiking trail can be. The pictures and comments on the internet are out of date. Since then there has been major improvement of the trails up the mountain, with concrete paths and steps laid out for the most part, many toilet stops and snack kiosks. There are even several religious shrines for those hikers still wanting assistance from a higher being - although this is not surprising, considering the mountain is one of China s most sacred within the Taoist religion. There is also a convenient cable car leading up from the base camp, within which we started our ascent. The six-seater cars rock gently while rising through some of China s most stunning scenery. White cliff faces peppered with shrubs; rolling pine forests and, if you travel in the morning as we did, tips of the mountain tops dipped in golden sunshine. The mountain actually has a selection of summits and routes you can take to reach them. The highest of these is the South Peak reaching 2,600 meters above sea level. We only had time and stamina to conquer two: the west and north peaks. In one sense, the main trails, now much improved, seem to have become a victim of their own success. Many times the main challenge seemed to be not the altitude or the strenuous climb but dealing with the hordes of tourists the site now attracts. Once or twice we were stopped in our tracks because of a bottleneck of people waiting to filter through the narrow walkways. But secretly I was pleased as these brief respites offered a quick break and opportunity to fill one s lungs with sweet fresh air. Another fun activity was observing the attire other visitors were wearing completely inappropriate for the climb. Many male climbers were sporting office attire, and I even caught one girl half way up the mountain wearing high heels and hot pants. They didn t seem to appreciate that all new paths and steps don t take away the fact that you still need to ascend several hundred meters to reach the top, which is no mean feat. There were a couple of places where you need to pull yourself several meters up very steep paths using a chain bolted to the rock. However, these places are not too long or close to the edge of the mountain and often have an easier route for those that prefer to walk. There was one of these chains just prior to the summit of the west peak. Pulling oneself up offers a real sense of achievement. Then you look around and see the forests and white craggy rock faces revealed through the trees below now surrounding you in a 360 degree vista. A truly stunning experience. Huashan is not an easy climb, but by no means dangerous. And certainly a lot of fun. Xi an is often thought of as simply the home of the Terracotta warriors. While this is certainly reason enough to visit the city, there is much, much more to see while you re there. And soon, when the impressive new high speed train station is complete, traveling there will be faster, easier and more comfortable than ever. Xi'an Builds Regional Transportation Hub Text by Xu Leiying Xi'an, the capital city of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, is famous for its historical sites and cultural legacy, including the world-famous Terracotta Warriors. Xi'an was also the starting point of the ancient Silk Road trade route that linked the East and the West hundreds of years ago. Now the ambitious city has begun to revive its glory as an international transportation hub. More than 3.2 million tourists have flocked to Xi'an during the past weeklong National Day holiday periods, a 40 percent increase compared with a year earlier. But the ancient city is not satisfied with only being a hot tourism destination. Now Xi'an is making efforts to build itself into an international platform to facilitate both business and cultural exchanges. Hui Xilu is Vice Director of the Xi'an Urban Planning Bureau. "One of our goals is to build Xi'an into a regional trade and logistics center in western China. And then, building an international transportation hub will be one of the priorities for our further development." To achieve that goal, large-scale construction has begun in the city, and an inland port is being built in eastern Xi'an. "We are building an international trade and logistics park in Xi'an. We plan to build it into the largest port in China's inland area and the largest logistics center along the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River." Hui Xilu says the completion of the trade and logistics park will greatly boost the development of local economy. Meanwhile in the northern part of Xi'an, hundreds of workers are busy building a new railway station where several highspeed railways will converge. Zhang Jiahua is chief of the construction 6

7 High-speed Railways in China site. "The high-speed railway linking Zhengzhou and Xi'an [and] the intercity rail linking Baoji and Xi'an will soon be joined at the northern station. In the future, the station will serve as the terminus for the high-speed railway between Xi'an and Chengdu and another one linking Datong and Xi'an." Zhang says the new railway station is an important part of Xi'an's transportation network and will make the city a regional transportation hub. The Zhengzhou-Xi'an high-speed railway was put into operation earlier this year, the first of its kind in central and western China. Over the next 10 years, more highspeed railways and intercity railways will be built in western China as part of the effort to promote the development of the country's west. The Large Wild Goose Pagoda is photographed on Wednesday, October 13, The pagoda, built in 652 A.D., is a seven-story square pyramid that is 60 meters high. [Photo by Wu Tong] This photo taken on October 13, 2010, shows a pavilion built in Tang Dynasty-style located in Tang Paradise, a scenic area of Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. [Photo by Xu Leiying] This photo taken on October 13, 2010, shows a billboard in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. It reads: "197-day countdown to the International Horticultural Expo 2011 Xi'an." [Photo by Xu Leiying] High-speed Trains Bring More Tourists to Mt. HuashanText / Photo by Xu Leiying About 150,000 tourists flocked to Huashan Mountain during the Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays this year, a 40- percent increase compared with a year earlier. Many of them traveled via a new highspeed railway linking Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province, and Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi Province, which started operating early this year. Compared with the average number of visitors arriving at Huashan on ordinary days, the number of visitors who arrived at the northern railway station during the National Day holiday increased by more than 100 percent, said Wu Li, a rail station employee. Only high-speed trains carrying mostly tourists stop at the northern railway station which was built especially for the Zhengzhou- Xi'an high-speed railway, Wu added. The station opened its doors on February 6, the same day the high-speed railway started operating. The 500-kilometer rail line is the first of its kind in central and 7

8 High-speed Railways in China This photo shows Mt. Huashan, known as one of China's five sacred mountains, on October 14, Tourists climb the "sky ladder", a stairway up the steep cliff of Huashan Mountain in northwestern China's Shaanxi Province on October 14, Visitors now can take a high-speed train to the foot of the mountain. western China, reducing travel time between the two cities from more than six hours to about 1.5 hours. The number of regular trains in operation at the station has remained the same, while the addition of the high-speed ones has helped to boost the development of the local tourism industry. The total number of tourists visiting Huashan Mountain from Henan Province has increased by 20 percent on an annual basis, said Zhang Bin, an official with the Huashan Mountain Tourism Administration. During the first six months after its launch, nearly 2 million passengers took the Zhengzhou-Xi'an high-speed train. Because of the higher number of passengers, railway officials increased the daily number of highspeed trains to nine pairs from seven pairs. Mt. Huashan, known as one of the country's five sacred mountains, is located in Huayin County in northwestern China's Shaanxi Province with the Wei River to the north and the Qinling Mountains to the south. Life in Twin Cities Text / Photo by Xu Leiying Luoyang is a famous tourist destination in Henan, in central China, with Zhengzhou to its east and Xi'an to the west. And ever since the high-speed railway between Zhengzhou and Xi'an opened in early February, more and more tourists are taking trains to Luoyang. Zhengzhou and Luoyang are more like twin cities since the high-speed railway cut travel time between them from more than 100 minutes to about 30 minutes. And nine pairs of train are running via the route every day. Passengers can enjoy a more convenient trip between the two cities. Bai Xuanjie is a professor of Luoyang Institute of Science and Technology. "I once took high-speed train from Luoyang to Zhengzhou and from Luoyang to Xi'an. I was deeply impressed by the speed of the trains. Previously, a round trip between Luoyang and Zhengzhou would cost me about one day. Now, the time has been cut into half a day. The time of a round trip between Luoyang and Xi'an has been reduced from two days to only one day." Bai Xuanjie's daughter is a young teacher working in Zhengzhou University. He constantly travels between Luoyang and 8

9 Zhengzhou either on a business trip or for family reunion. He usually parks his car at the railway station of Luoyang, takes a high-speed train to Zhengzhou, has a dinner with his daughter after participating in a meeting, and then takes a train back to Luoyang and drives his car home. Zhengzhou is the capital city of Henan province while Luoyang is a mediumsized city famous for livable environment. Many people have begun a new life in the twin cities, after the launch of the high-speed railway, according to Wei Han, the sales director of a local real estate company in Luoyang. Take one of my neighbors as an example, he is working in Zhengzhou but he bought a house in Luoyang. Every one or two weeks, he will travel from Zhengzhou to The photo taken on October 15, 2010 shows the world-famous Dragon Gate Grotto located in the ancient city of Luoyang. This photo taken on October 16, 2010, shows a temple built in Indian-style located in the White Horse Temple in the ancient city of Luoyang, central China s Henan province. Luoyang and spend weekends here. After a casual weekend, he will return to Zhengzhou for work. Now, his weekly trip has become more convenient due to the high-speed railway between Zhengzhou and Luoyang." Wei Han believes that in the near future more and more people will choose the new way of life, working in one city and living in the other. Furthermore, many people have the plan to invest in the property market of Luoyang. Xi an and Zhengzhou are capital cities of two provinces. Luoyang is a smaller city located between them. Customers from Zhengzhou and Xi'an will find that housing prices in Luoyang are relatively low and reasonable. Buying houses in the city might be a right choice because properties have the potential to rise." Zhengxi High-speed Rail Puts Xi'an Tourism on Fast Track Text / Photo by Zhang Xu The opening of the Zhengzhou-Xi'an high-speed rail connection means not only increased speed for travelers, but also a shot in the arm for the region's tourism, an official with the Xi'an Tourism Administration told CRI. Yu Yajun, Deputy Director of the Tourism Administration, said the new highspeed rail link, which went into operation on February 6, had helped boost tourism in Xi'an, the former capital city of 13 dynasties. During the National Day Golden Week holiday, Xi'an received more than 3.2 million tourists -- a 37.6-percent year-on-year increase -- thanks to the railway, Yu said. The site of the Terracotta Warriors -- often referred to as the "Eighth Wonder of the World" -- attracted 270,000 visitors during the holiday period, an increase of percent over last year. "The Zhengzhou-Xi'an Passenger Dedicated Line, or Zhengxi line, with a top speed of 350 kilometers per hour shortens the travel time between the two major cities to less than two hours from a previous six hours," Yu said. "The faster speed and low fare has attracted more tourists to travel by train instead of bus or air." One Polish traveler and her boyfriend who came to Xi'an on the high-speed train from Luoyang in central China's Henan Province said the rail journey was a pleasant and quick one. "We went by high-speed train, and it was actually really good," she said. "And we didn't expect the train to be so fast and so modern. Compared to Poland, it's really topnotch." Yu said Xi'an had taken advantage of the high-speed rail to boost its tourism industry after the Zheng-xi Line went into operation. First, Xi'an strengthened its cooperation with cities along the Zhengxi line such as Luoyang and Zhengzhou to promote its image as a tourist-friendly city. Then the tourism administration worked with 9

10 High-speed Railways in China the railway bureau and airlines to provide multimodal transportation for foreign tourists. For example, foreign tourists now can arrive in Xi'an by plane, visit Zhengzhou, and then return to Xi'an the same day, he said. Furthermore, Xi'an has developed new eco-trips to the Qinling Mountains and cultural relics of Tang Dynasty among other places, Yu said. Yu also told CRI he saw a promising future for Xi'an with the help of China's highspeed rail network. "In the next 10 years, high-speed railways linking Xi'an with west China's Lanzhou and east China's Xuzhou will be completed, and the Beijing-Zhengzhou- Guangzhou high-speed rail will also begin operation," Yu said. "By then, it will take less than eight hours to travel from Xi'an to Xuzhou, Beijing and Guangzhou. The convenient transport will surely attract more tourists from all around the country." This photo taken on October 12, 2010, shows a pit at the Terracotta Warriors site in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. The "Eighth Wonder of the World" attracted 270,000 visitors during this year's National Day Golden Week holiday. This photo taken on October 12, 2010, shows part of the drum tower with the nearby bell tower in the background in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. This photo taken on October 12, 2010, shows a kneeling archer at the world-famous Terracotta Warrior site in Xi'an in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. The "Eighth Wonder of the World" attracted 270,000 visitors during this year's National Day Golden Week holiday. Yu Yajun, Deputy Director of the Xi'an Tourism Administration, grants an interview to CRI at his office in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, on October 12, Yu said the high-speed rail is boosting the tourism industry in Xi'an, capital city of 13 dynasties. Staff members play ancient musical instruments and perform folk dances for tourists at the bell tower in central Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province on October 12,

11 High-speed Railways in China Western Development Initiative Brings Big Opportunities to Small Logistics Companies Text / Photo by Zhang Xu The photo taken on Oct.10, 2010 shows a warehouse of Guangda Logistics Company in Xi'an, the capital of northwestern China's Shaanxi province. Geng Lianlong, the general manager of Guangda Logistics Company talks to CRI reporters at his office in Xi'an, the capital of northwestern China's Shaanxi province, on Oct 10, Since the Chinese government implemented its "Western Development" strategy in 2000, aimed at boosting development of the country's less developed western regions, a wealth of business opportunities, especially in the logistics sector, have sprung up. The development of transportation infrastructure is a key objective of the project, under which many roads, railways and airports have been constructed. Guangda Logistics Company, headquartered in Xi'an, Shaanxi province is just one of the many small businesses that have benefited from the Western Development initiative. The firm started its road transportation business in 1999, just one year before the official start of the plan. The company's general manager, Geng Lianlong, says that the company had just one vehicle and three employees at that time. "Ten years ago, like most logistics companies, we mainly worked as information brokers to provide resources of freight and trucks. Back then, we only paid taxes of some two thousand Yuan in 1999 and the monthly income of my employee was about one hundred Yuan." Guangda now has over 20 employees and over 20 vehicles. It now pays annual tax of over 1 million Yuan, while the monthly salary of employees has increased to more than 2,000 Yuan. Geng Lianlong said the implementation of the Western Development strategy has given cities like Xi'an and many small businesses a monumental opportunity. For logistics companies, the construction of economic zones and roads, railways and airports cut costs and shorten delivery time. "For example, it's about 1800 kilometers between Xi'an and Dunhuang in northwest China's Gansu Province. Before the completion of the expressway, it would take us by truck about one week from Xi'an to Dunhuang. Now, it has been cut to two days." The small company now has set up offices in several cities outside Shaanxi. Geng, says he feels confident about the company's future. "Compared with the eastern region, the western region still has a large logistics market. We are confident that we can expand our business." Xi'an has been famous as a logistics hub, especially along the ancient "Silk Road" trade route connecting Asia and Europe. Now, the city is building an international trade & logistics park to house more than 1,000 logistic companies. Qiang Xiao'an, deputy director of the park's administrative committee, says that the park will offer tax incentives in the hopes of attracting more companies. "The park will turn Xi'an into an international port, where will be able to handle all official procedures of imports and exports as well as shipping and railway transportation." 11

12 High-speed Railways in China High-speed Rail Transports Zhengzhou into Future Text / Photo by Zhang Xu China s new Zhengzhou-Xi'an highspeed railway has brought with it great changes. One of the areas that has most benefited is Henan province s capital city of Zhengzhou. Tourism, transport and trade here are all on the up. Zhang Jianhui, deputy mayor of Henan province s capital city Zhengzhou, says the new high speed rail track linking his city with Xi an has been of great benefit to the local tourist industry. "Due to our limited transport connections of the past, there used to be an old saying: Visit Xi'an, bypass Henan. But now because of the convenient high-speed rail, which travels up to 350 km/h, the number of foreign and domestic tourists to the historic city of Zhengzhou has increased sharply." Zhengzhou is part of a traditional transport artery where the north-south Beijing-Guangzhou railway and the east-west Lanzhou- Lianyungang railway cross. Nearly all trains to Beijing, Shanghai and Xi'an pass through Zhengzhou. To cater for this new high speed revolution, Zhengzhou is now constructing a huge state of the art train station. The fivestorey station covering 400 thousand square meters is designed to handle over 7,000 passengers per hour at its busiest. Yang Song is director of the new station. Tourists crowd Shaolin Temple in Zhengzhou of central China's Henan province on Oct. 18, Because of the convenient high-speed rail, which travels up to 350 km/h, the number of foreign and domestic tourists to the historic city of Zhengzhou has increased sharply. The photo taken on Oct. 19, 2010 shows the construction site of Zhengzhou East Railway Station in Zhengzhou of central China's Henan province. The high-speed railway station will begin trial operation in July 2011, and officially come into use by the end of "At present 80% of the tracks at the station's base have been completed. The station will begin trial operation in July 2011, and officially come into use by the end of Zhang says that transport is Zhengzhou's biggest economic advantage and that the development of high-speed rail in China means the city will become one of China s key transport hubs in the future. "In the future, the high-speed railways will not only link Lanzhou, Xuzhou, Beijing and Guangzhou, but also Chongqing, Taiyuan, Jinan and Hefei. Then it will take less than two hours to travel to Henan's surrounding big cities." Zhang also hopes the ambitious transport plans will boost the logistics sector as well as big industry. He says the municipal government will set up an economic circle around the new station including bus stations, hotels, convention centers, shops and more. The director of the new station explains that the new high speed trains will help release cargo pressure of the old railway network. Zhang adds that the city also plans to build freight distribution centers around the city s outskirts. Through the freight distribution centers, we want to expand Zhengzhou s transport capability in order to adapt to the rapid development of logistics. This will drive Zhengzhou s economic development. Like the millions of passengers already using China s high speed rail network, it seems Zhengzhou is on the move. 12

13 High-speed Railways in China Xian s Other Treasures Text / Photo by Dominic Swire If you thought China s western city of Xi an was all about the Terracotta Warriors, you d probably be right. The Eighth Wonder of the World eclipses all other sites in the city and, arguably, across the country. Walking around the streets of Xi an you can t escape references to the world famous tourist attraction, whether it s through the names of restaurants, street stall trinkets or tourist agencies with pictures of the clay army in the windows. But supreme as this attraction may be, there is a surprising wealth of other activities heady era as much as possible. The Tang Paradise garden is one area where visitors can feel a step closer to this celebrated era of Chinese history. Costing around 1.3 billion yuan (about 200 million dollars) and covering 165 acres, the site is not only a great spot of greenery, but also a virtual theme park of Chinese culture. The main feature of the area is a reconstruction of the legendary Purple Cloud Palace, a large Chinese style building just next to a ask? Unfortunately there doesn t seem to be one clear answer. But as often is the case in China, there are a number of tales that may or may not explain the real reason. One goes The Purple Cloud Pavilion was one of the favourite hangouts for nobility during the Tang Dynasty, as can be seen in this photo, taken on October 13, This photo, taken on October 13, 2010 shows the Elegant Lady s Pagoda, one of the most impressive sites in Shaanxi province s Tang Paradise Gardens. to keep the active visitor occupied for many days. Good shops, a bustling bar scene and some fantastic street food in the Muslim areas may be enough for some, but there is also a number of other tourist sites worth checking out. We visited two of them today, namely the Tang Paradise reconstructed garden, and the Giant Goose Pagoda. The Tang Paradise, our first stop of the day on October 13, is a huge landscaped garden reconstructed in the Tang Dynasty style. This period was one of the most glorious for Chinese culture. It was this time that the arts reached new heights, contact with foreign countries increased and Xi an or Chang an, as it was then known was believed to have been the largest city in the world. Little wonder then that the local folks in these parts like to attach themselves to this huge lake. It was here that the Tang Emperor came during special events with his favourite concubines and officials to celebrate with civilians. Aside from this there are numerous other cultural corners in the park, including a Tang Dynasty Poet Wall, with famous poems of the era and the image of their authors carved into rock. There are various statues of Chinese characters from literature, live camels, and various visitors roaming the grounds in period costume, and a huge hotel, should you wish to spend the night amidst all this nostalgia. As if all this excitement wasn t enough, later in the day we walked about ten minutes to the next location: the Giant Goose Pavilion. As the name suggests, this is a large pavilion, which raises seven stories into the air. But, why a Goose pavilion, you may like this: a long time ago, before the pagoda was built (i.e. prior to AD 652), a group of monks happened to be on the spot, without food and very hungry. To attempt to alleviate their suffering they sent a prayer to the gods requesting a large goose. Low and behold, no sooner had they done this than, you guessed it, a large goose fell from the sky. In response to such generosity from the heavens, the monks decided to construct a pagoda and name it after their divine gift, hence; Large Goose Pagoda. The pagoda has since gained a strong link with the monk Xuan Zang, who traveled to India and back to pick up some scriptures that he was able to translate into Chinese, which were then stored in the building. Xuan Zang s story served as inspiration for the Chinese classic book, "Journey to the West", 13

14 High-speed Railways in China which is known in some western countries as the adventures of Monkey. The pagoda itself is, to be honest, more impressive from the outside than in. The interior offers a few nice views at the higher levels but is a little bare otherwise. However, the surrounding area boasts a number of fascinating shrines and temples along with a nice garden. One other interesting fact is that the pagoda is not completely straight. It leans about 7 degrees towards one of the four compass points. I shall leave you to figure out which one when you go to visit. Street cleaners sandblast the floor outside The Large Goose Pagoda in west China s Shaanxi province, as seen in this photo taken on October 13, A Statue of the Chinese monk Xuan Zang stands in front of the Large Goose Pagoda in Xi an, capital of northwest China s Shaanxi province, in this photo taken on October 13, Fast Trains Put Luoyang on the Map Text / Photo by Dominic Swire For many years Luoyang city in central China s Henan city has had to live in the shadows of its more illustrious neighbor Xi an, home to the world renowned Terracotta Warriors. Not only this, but there have been very few direct foreign flights to the airport and with train connections less than convenient, even if visitors wanted to visit the city, simply getting there was a challenge in itself. Now all this is changing. In February this year the city found itself connected to the new Xi an Zhengzhou fast train connection that cuts the travelling time between these two end stations from around 6 hours to less than two. Luoyang is about one hour from Xi an, and 30 minutes from Zhengzhou. While Xi an and Zhengzhou are currently in the process of constructing their own mega train stations to handle these new trains that can travel around 350km per hour, Luoyang already has its own. The station, called Longmen, after one of the city s historic sites, cost around 500 million yuan (about 75 million dollars) and is designed to handle around 4,000 passengers per day. The grand structure with shiny marble floors and pristine long platforms bears more resemblance to an airport. In fact a station official told us that, like when catching a plane, passengers waiting to go to Xi an are directed to a separate waiting room than those headed to Zhengzhou. He added that, while this year s popular Peony flower festival saw over 5,000 passengers flow through the station in one day, the average number of commuters is currently around 2,000 per day. However tourist officials are expecting this to lift over time. So, why come to Luoyang? There are many reasons. Aside from avoiding the mass of tourists that head straight to Xi an, there are also a number of extremely interesting sites in the city. Perhaps two of the best are the Longmen Grottos and the White Horse Temple. The Longmen Grottos, recognized as a World Heritage site by UNESCO, are situated 14

15 High-speed Railways in China The Longmen Grottos, as seen in this photo taken on October 15, 2010, are one of the most popular tourist sites in Luoyang. A guard looks on as one of China s new fast trains approaches in this picture taken on October 17, Fast trains between Xi an and Zhengzhou are timed to the minute, as can be seen in this picture from platform 1 of Luoyang s Longmen station taken on October 17, Luoyang s Longmen fast train station is kept spotless by many hardworking cleaners, as can be seen in this picture taken on October 17, along the Yi River about 16 kilometers south of the city. The site consists of a kilometer long rock face with various caves or grottos carved out displaying over 100,000 images and statues of Buddhist stone sculptures inside. The figures are remarkably detailed despite many of them dating back over 1,000 years. And if you re into Buddhism, a trip to the White Horse Temple is a must. This location is considered the birth place of Buddhism in China as it was here that the first Buddhist scriptures arrived (on the eponymous white horse, according to legend), and were translated into Chinese. Here there are many stunning shrines to see along with monks in mustard colored robes wandering in between tourists attempting to carry on their daily duties. However, perhaps the most interesting part of the temple is the Qi Yun pagoda in the east of the grounds. Not only was this the very location within the temple that the scriptures were translated, but if you stand facing the south side of the pagoda and clap your hands it s supposed to sound like a frog croaking. Naturally I tried this many times, however the effect was rather disappointing, probably because of scaffolding surrounding the structure, which was apparently under some kind of repair. Pop Culture and Religion Text by Dominic Swire / Photo by Zhang Xu, Dominic Swire It was a real mixture of high and low culture. On October 16, we visited what is considered by many as the birthplace of Buddhism in China, the White Horse Temple and then later went to a pop concert. But first the temple The White Horse Temple is one of, if not the most important temple in the whole of the country. Not only does it have a history dating back almost 2,000 years, it is also here that the first Buddhist scriptures from India were translated into Chinese. The story goes like this: the Emperor at the time, Mingdi from the Eastern Han period, had one of those important dreams that emperors often do while taking a nap. In his dream he had a vision of a golden figure flying above the site of the current temple. Presumably he thought he had experienced a vision of Buddha because as a result he sent two envoys to India to collect more information about the religion. However, it seems these two intrepid monks didn t reach their destination because they encountered another couple of eminent Indian dignitaries on the way. Following this chance encounter, all four of them returned to what is now the city of Luoyang, in central China s Henan province. The two Indians brought with them a horse, which, you guessed it, was white. 15

16 High-speed Railways in China The Emperor was so pleased with the success of the two monks that he built a temple and named it the White Horse Temple. And it was here that the two envoys spent the rest of their lives translating the sutras. The current temple is located about 13 kilometers east of Luoyang city centre. Naturally, over the course of 2,000 years, much of the original temple s structure has been replaced. Nevertheless the site is still an impressive place to visit with many halls, large replicas of Buddha and, of course, a few statues of white horses dotted around. But perhaps the most interesting place is in the far east of the site, just outside the temple grounds. Here there is a peaceful garden (which most visitors don t manage to find) that marks the exact location where the two monks worked on translating the scriptures. There is also the Qi Yun Tower, a tall redbrick structure dating back to the Jin Dynasty ( ). The interesting thing here is that if you stand facing the structure on its south side and clap your hands the noise is meant to sound like a frog. Unfortunately, however, when I visited the tower was surrounded by scaffolding, which, according to the two monks nearby, was the reason we could not appreciate the acoustic effect so fully. But we certainly fully appreciated some Chinese acoustics later in the evening when we took a quick trip to the city s 75 million dollar sports stadium to experience a pop concert featuring no less than ten Chinese singers. The 40,000 seater arena was rocking to both traditional and modern acts including Singaporean JJ Lin, Wang Feng and Ma Yu. Tickets weren t cheap with some of the best seats costing well over 100 dollars. But despite the high prices, the arena was around one third full meaning that, according to my very rough calculations, there must have been about 15,000 people in the audience. It is proof that, even in the smaller, less well known cities, the economy is sufficiently buoyant for locals to spend such large amounts of cash on enjoying themselves. One of the eponymous white horses at the White Horse Temple in Luoyang, central China s Henan province, as can be seen in this picture taken on October 16, A Chinese singer performs at a concert in Luoyang, central China s Henan province on October 16, Luoyang s 40,000 seater stadium, seen in this photo taken on October 16, 2010 costs around 75 million dollars to construct. Goodbye Luoyang Text / Photo by Dominic Swire It was a day of transit. On October 17, we relocated, taking the high speed train that we ve been talking about so much from Luoyang to Zhengzhou. The journey took a mere 30 minutes I barely had time to finish the cup of green tea handed to me by the smartly dressed waitress before we disembarked at the capital of Henan province. My guidebook describes Zhengzhou as an attractive town with clean boulevards and up market boutiques around the train station. Perhaps the writer got off at the wrong stop. This is not what I saw during our time in the city. In fact the town seemed to me more like a huge construction site with block after block of building wrapped in scaffolding, cranes on the horizon and temporary fences directing traffic diversions. But this is not necessarily a criticism rather, it s an appreciation of the scale of change this city is currently going through. One of the biggest construction sites in A signpost displays a picture of the future high speed train station at Zhengzhou. the city is that of the new high speed railway station, which we were shown a couple of days later. Covering a huge site, the new building has yet to take shape. Looking from an elevated viewing platform all that is visible right now is the beginnings of a concrete structure, workmen, scaffolding and lots of cranes lifting various pieces of the future building into place. Set to be complete at the end of 2011 the new structure is on a massive scale. The building will eventually be one of China s most important transport hubs on its rapidly expanding high speed rail network connecting two key lines that run from Beijing in the north to Guangzhou in the south; and Lanzhou in the west to Xuzhou in the east. Officials on the site told us that the new Zhengzhou station is being designed to handle over 7,000 passengers per day. 16

17 High-speed Railways in China The construction site of Zhengzhou train station in October One of the huge vehicles employed on the construction site of Zhengzhou s new high speed train station. While this may be a major project, the manager of the company responsible for construction told CRI that the Zhengzhou train station is just one of nine stations his company is building in Henan. The scale of change in Zhengzhou and across the country truly boggles the mind. It will be fascinating to come back here in a year or two to see how the city has been transformed. I think I ll travel by train. The photo taken on Oct 11, 2010 shows the Xi'an north station under building, a high-speed rail station in Xi'an of northwest China's Shaanxi province. Xi'an North Station will partly come into use in December and the whole station will be completed before July in 2011, the director of the station project told CRI in Xi'an. [Photo by Zhang Xu] An attendant works in a dining car of a high-speed train from Xi'an to Zhengzhou on Oct. 14, [Photo by Zhang Xu] Free breakfast on a high-speed train from Xi'an to Zhengzhou is seen in the photo taken on Oct. 14, [Photo by Zhang Xu] Passengers wait to board a high-speed train at Longmen high-speed railway station in Luoyang city of central China's Henan province on Oct. 17, [Photo by Zhang Xu] 17

18 High-speed Railways in China The photo taken on Oct. 14, 2010 shows a train chief on a highspeed train from Xi'an to Zhengzhou. [Photo by Zhang Xu] The photo taken on Oct. 14, 2010 shows group sculptures of local art performance at the square in front of Huashan high-speed railway station in northwest China's Shaanxi province. [Photo by Zhang Xu] Crowded tourists at Shaolin Temple in Zhengzhou of central China's Henan province are seen in this photo taken on Oct. 18, [Photo by Zhang Xu] The photo taken on Oct. 19, 2010 shows the construction site of Zhengdeng high-speed railway station in Zhengzhou of central China's Henan province. [Photo by Zhang Xu] Guangzhou Wuhan Wuhan: A City Develops on the Rail Track Text / Photo by Zhang Zhang The convenient waterway and railway transports boosted Wuhan's early industrial boom a century ago. Decades later, the highspeed railway is expected to drive the city's development on a faster track. Sitting at the intersection of the planned Beijing-Guangzhou and Shanghai-Chengdu high-speed railways, Wuhan will bear a unique geographic advantage as the center of China's new economic circle consisting of major cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou and a high-speed railway network. Ding Sanding, who is in charge of railway construction at the Wuhan Railway Bureau, said the city's position in the country's future railway map will be significant. "With the completion of the Beijing- Guangzhou and the Shanghai-Chengdu high- Xiong Yipei, deputy director of Wuhan Municipal Development and Reform Commission, says that the city's role as a regional traffic hub has been solidified since the Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed railway started operation during an interview with CRIENGLISH.com on October 28,

19 High-speed Railways in China Ding Sanding, who is in charge of railway construction at the Wuhan Railway Bureau, says the city's position in the country's future railway map will be significant during an interview with CRIENGLISH.com on October 28, speed railways in two years, travels from Wuhan to any other metropolis in the country will be less than four hours, which will lead to faster and broader communication between the city and the country's most developed regions." The Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed railway, launched in late 2009, is the southern part of the new Beijing-Guangzhou rail link. With the operating speed of 350 km/h, travels by the CRH high-speed trains between the two cities has been reduced to about one third of the previous 11 hours. The fast railway transport bridges the gap of more than 1,000 km between China's rich southern coastal areas and the underdeveloped central parts, leaving more opportunities for the inland provinces that bear relatively low labor costs and land prices. On October 29, the Wuhan East Lake High-tech Development Zone began its latest project to build a brand new base for scientific and innovative industries. More than 20 major domestic enterprises signed up to establish research & development arms with investments totaling more than 30 billion yuan ($4.5 billion). Xiong Yipei, deputy director of Wuhan Municipal Development and Reform Commission, said the city's role as a regional traffic hub has been solidified since the Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed railway started operation, offering easier access for capital and talents. "All of these achievements were mainly owed to the high-speed railway that further facilitated trips to Wuhan. The more convenient transport system makes the city a new harbor of talents and entrepreneurs, who brought in more advanced technologies and concepts to reinforce the city's industryrestructuring efforts." To better take advantage of the highspeed railway, Wuhan has adopted a series of measures to encourage investments. Statistics showed the city received domestic investments worth 22 billion yuan for 219 projects in the first half of the year, up 20 percent year-on-year. Meanwhile, the number of new foreign-funded projects hit a rare high of 75. Xiong said the city is planning to relocate labor-intensive industries and enterprises dying for huge transportation capacity to the area alongside the railway where new traffic hubs and logistics centers are in sight. Since the high-speed trains opened to the public on December 26 last year, the passenger flow has enjoyed a smooth rise. According to Yang Tao, who heads transportation arrangement at the Wuhan Railway Bureau, the daily passenger flow on the high-speed railway has risen to 60,000 on average from 30,000 in the beginning and peaked with 135,000 on the National Day. The soaring number of travelers accelerated the development of local tourism and commercial sectors. Figures from the municipal Development and Reform Commission, the city's economic planner, showed retail sales in the city amounted to billion yuan in the first half of the year with a year-on-year increase of 20 percent, while exports rose more than 70 percent compared with the same period last year. With remarkable growth, Wuhan's competitiveness increased and the city has been more involved in the country's attempt to balance development among eastern and western regions. Besides the alreadyestablished state-level bases for biotechnology and telecommunication industries, the central government has recently approved a plan for the city to build a demonstration zone for developing an innovative industry and designated it to test run a national program to support start-up businesses. The rising influence is another effect of the high-speed railway. This year, South Korea became the third after France and the United States to set up a consulate in Wuhan as Germany and Japan are set to open their diplomatic agencies in the near future. Xiong Yipei said the high-speed railway took Wuhan to a new threshold and the city has been working on a new development plan for the coming years, which attaches great importance to offering easier transfers from the railway to the municipal traffic and improving facilities around the high-speed railway station. "We will take measures to improve the city's infrastructures to facilitate citizens' travels by high-speed railway. Besides a 28 km-long subway line already in service in the Hankou District, two other lines are under construction. The city's metro lines will stretch 72 km in total by 2012 and 200 km by It will be easier for people to reach any of the city's three train stations and the airport either by subways or buses." Xiong said the area around the highspeed railway station was once remote and sparsely populated and will be renovated into a new commercial center with the number of residents exceeding 100,000. According to the city's blueprint, an inter-city railway network with an operating speed at 200 km/h is to take shape in three years as part of the planned city block. Citizens from eight neighboring cities within the radius of 100 km. can rush to Wuhan's high-speed train station within half an hour. 19

20 High-speed Railways in China A Farmer's Life Changes with High- Speed Railway Project Text / Photo by Zhang Zhang For the cities along the world's fastest Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed railway, the rail-line brought in soaring investments and more opportunities. For local households, whose homes were relocated to make room for the railway's construction, the project changed their lives. For the middle-aged Ye Zhangsheng from Tianyuan District in Zhuzhou, central Hunan Province, the instant benefits from railway construction are improved housing conditions. With the government's compensation for relocation and the loss of his farmlands, the man built a four-storey house at the site the local authorities allocated to him for free. The "villa" is four times the size of his old bungalow. "After my home was demolished for the Wuhan- Guangzhou railway construction project, the government delineated new land of 120 square meters for me to build a new house and the expense was covered as part of the relocation compensation I received." Ye's new residence is located only 30 minutes away from the downtown area of the city, a rail industry center in China. He said it's convenient to go shopping or see a doctor around his home. Before the railway launched, Ye was a carrier at local construction sites with a monthly income of not more than 1,000 yuan ($150). As massive investments swarmed into the local real estate market after the railway started operation in late 2009, Ye is working now for a home decoration firm with increased pay. "Working as a redcap at construction sites was very hard, while the income was very low. After the relocation project, I got a chance to learn door-installing skills and found the current job at the Yuncheng Market. Our business is quite busy every day and my earnings come near 2,000 yuan a month." Now, Ye has been covered by the country's basic healthcare insurance for the High-speed trains have been the new choice of many Chinese travelers. urban residents and his child has received better education at a larger school not far from the previous campus also demolished for the railway. In the Liyu Village, where Ye's family lives, there were 208 houses demolished to make room for the construction of the railway that stretches more than 15 km. along eight villages and occupied 86 hectares of farmlands in Tianyuan District. In China, the rising conflicts between the accelerating urbanization process and the long-lasting land dependence of rural people have been among the top concerns of the government that vowed to change the GDP growth-oriented economy to be more considerate about the life of the soil-deprived peasants. Tan Hongde, the party chief of the Liyu Village, was grateful to see that relocation went smoothly in his village during the construction of the Wuhan-Guangzhou railway line. He owed its efficiency to the residents' favored policies. "Besides the national policies for relocation compensation, we guaranteed that affected villagers received more preferences for satisfactory housing conditions, to ensure every relocated household leads a happy life after moving away." Located in the center of a booming economic development zone, there are more residents in Tan's village expected to leave croplands for the urban life in the future. Besides preferential relocation policies, local authorities have taken measures to help villagers with occupational trainings and employment. This August, Tianyuan District started an annual selection test for the farmland-free villagers aged under 25 years old. Eligible candidates will be given an opportunity for three-year senior occupational trainings for free at local schools. Tan said they also set up a pension system for the farmland-free villagers to pay 500 yuan a month for a female aged 60 or above, and 700 yuan for males, aged 65 or older. 20

21 High-speed Railways in China Dependence and Debates over China's High-Speed Railway Text / Photo by Zhang Zhang After 300 days of safe and smooth operation, more and more people have accepted the Wuhan-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway as their new mode of transportation, thanks to its overall convenience, speed and easy transfers with municipal transportation systems. Pan Jianhua is taking his first ride on a high-speed train on October 22 due to an urgent business trip to Nanjing in east China's Jiangsu Province. "I have to arrive in Nanjing within a day. I was to make the trip by air, but failed to get a ticket and the old trains are unable to complete the distance in the limited time. Fortunately, I can now rely on high-speed trains. It will take me three hours from Guangzhou to Wuhan and another three hours from Wuhan to Nanjing." With an operating speed of 350 km per hour, the trains can complete the 1,065-km trip from Guangzhou in the southern coastal region to Wuhan, capital of inland Hubei Province, in three hours, compared with 11 hours by trains running on old tracks that can sustain a maximum speed of only 200 km per hour. Chen Min, deputy director of the Guangzhou Railway Group Corporation (GRGC), takes an interview with CRI on October 22, Chen Min, deputy director of the Guangzhou Railway Group Corporation (GRGC), said the company is striving to improve railway station services and facilities so that high-speed trains can be as accessible the cockpit of a CRH as city buses. "Our goal is to ensure passengers can take trains at a station convenient for them to reach and to make our trains available for most people at any time during running hours." Now, passengers can board metro line 2 in Guangzhou's prosperous downtown area and 30 minutes later get off at the Guangzhou South Station located in the once-remote Panyu District. Afterwards, an escalator takes them directly to the High-Speed Railway station lounge. Wang Bing is going on a tour of Changsha in central China's Hunan Province. He came to the station by subway and has been surprised at the convenience. He said he feels the High-Speed Railway is like an extension of the city's metro lines. "It's really convenient. I can rush here from the Guangzhou Railway Station by subway to avoid traffic congestion on road. Here, I don't have to wait in a long queue to buy a ticket or wait long for departure either." Since the railway opened to the public on December 26 of last year, the GRGC has adjusted the train schedule four times. The number of daily trains running on the line was raised to 160 from only 46 in the starting days, with trains arriving at 15-minute intervals. The passenger flow on the Wuhan- Guangzhou high-speed line now accounts for about one-fifth of all rail travel between the two cities. 21

22 High-speed Railways in China GRGC statistics showed the daily passenger flow on the high-speed rail amounted to 110,000 on average during the National Day Golden Week, up from 45,000 during the traditional Chinese New Year holidays and nearly 70,000 during the May 1 holidays. But on the other hand, higher-thanexpected ticket prices for high-speed trains have aroused public dispute. The price of a trip between Guangzhou and Shaoguan on the Wuhan-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway is 110 yuan, almost three times the ticket for older trains. Wang Bing said unless he was in a hurry, he would opt for the ordinary trains considering the much lower prices. "The prices on the Wuhan-Guangzhou line are a little high even if compared with the similar railway linking Shanghai and Nanjing. I would only choose the high-speed trains for tours and if I go home, I will turn to the old ones." However, Chen Min has a different opinion. "It will cost a passenger 250 yuan for a bus ride of nearly 600 kilometers from Hengyang in Hunan Province to Guangzhou and almost the same price for a high-speed train trip in the same section. But the journey can be shortened to just one hour and 20 minutes, one-fifth of the bus run." He said the high-speed rail lines are completely different from the old lines in that they are more expensive to maintain. He added that high-speed rail prices fluctuate based on demand and region. High-Speed Railway Ushers in New Age for Wuhan Tourism Text / Photo by Zhang Jin The new Wuhan-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway that started operating last December has brought a mixed bag of changes to Wuhan's tourism industry. The city in central China which has mainly served as a departure point for outbound travelers in the past has seen an increase in the number of inbound visitors this year, especially from south China's Guangdong Province, thanks to the new railway. The high-speed line has slashed the previous travel time between Wuhan and Guangzhou from more than 10 hours to only three. It is now possible for visitors from Guangdong to pop into Wuhan on weekends, said Zhen Bie, deputy Director of the Management Committee of the East Lake Scenic Area, one of the city's most famous tourist sites. "The high-speed railway has turned long-holiday traveling into short-term leisure," Zhen said. "Now it only takes two days to go traveling in Wuhan and back to The Chu Heaven Platform, a tower featuring the ancient culture of the Chu State during the Spring and Autumn Period ( B.C.) and Warring States Period ( B.C.), in Wuhan. A city wall inside the East Lake Scenic Area features the ancient culture of the Chu State during the Spring and Autumn Period ( B.C.) and Warring States Period ( B.C.) in Wuhan. Guangdong, which used to take four to five days." Wuhan received more than 69 million visitors in the first nine months of the year, a 39.7-percent increase over the same period last year. Total tourism revenue was 54 billion yuan (around US$8 billion), up 49.5 percent yearon-year. The number of tourists visiting the city during this year's National Day holiday topped 5 million and brought in more than 1.7 billion yuan within the seven-day period for respective increases of 32.1 percent and 47.2 percent over last year's figures. But the increased number of visitors also has brought some challenges to Wuhan's tourism industry. Many travel agencies experienced not only a shortage of guides, but also changes in their responsibilities shortly after the high-speed railway started operating, according to Chen Weihua, deputy director of the Wuhan Tourism Administration. "The main business of Wuhan's travel agencies in the 22

23 High-speed Railways in China past was sending tourists out to other places, but it changed to receiving visitors after the opening of the high-speed railway," Chen said. "Their work responsibilities, which are meet the increasing demands for guides," Luo said. Still, visitors have requested more improvements in Wuhan's tourism services. stations and airport have provided services for nearly 100,000 individual tourists. Additional tourist information centers are under construction in Wuhan to offer more Chen Weihua, deputy director of the Wuhan Tourism Administration, answers questions from CRI reporters about Wuhan's tourism industry. Visitors can enjoy a scenic tour of Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, along the Yangtze River on one of the city's passenger ferries. A view of East Lake, the largest city lake in the country at 33 square kilometers, in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province. now more detailed, have changed to serve the visitors and introduce Wuhan to them." The Hubei China Youth Travel Service is a case in point. The number of domestic visitors for whom the agency provided travel services to Wuhan accounted for only 10 percent of its total number of clients in the past, but has now increased to more than 20 percent, according to Luo Yi, General Manager of the agency's domestic tourism center. "We recruited many newly graduates and offered them professional training to "Wuhan has a good foundation in travel resources and has the potential for further development as well," said Cheng Zhaode, a senior citizen from Zhuhai city in Guangdong Province. "However, it still needs to make some effort to catch up with coastal tourism cities in tourism services and related facilities." Various city government departments have been cooperating to improve public services and facilities, Chen Weihua said. Tourist information centers put in place in May at the city's main railway and bus information and travel packages to meet the diverse requests of individual visitors. The city also has been improving its transportation system and posting more signs, Chen said. "For advanced travel destinations, travel agencies only perform auxiliary functions," Chen said. "It is more important to offer more individual visitors an efficient transportation system, tourism infrastructure and an information system to create a most satisfied travel experience for them." Shaoguan: Accelerating the Industrial Transfer Text / Photo by Zhang Jin Shaoguan City in northern Guangdong Province is experiencing an industrial prosperity now that the Wuhan-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway has accelerated the transfer of industry there. The city now has four industrial transfer parks, with about 4.5 billion yuan (around 674 million U.S. dollars in investment as of the end of this June. Over 1,300 hectares of areas have been put into use for industrial transfer and another 3,000 hectares are under planning. Companies that were in the parks before the railway opened are seeing better development opportunities since the line went into operation at the end of last year. Shaoguan Kangrui Toy Company, which moved into one of the city's industrial transfer parks in 2005 when the railway construction started, has benefited greatly since the railway was put into use, said Qiu Jianzhong, deputy manager of the company. "Most of our clients are from Hong Kong. The high-speed railway has made their contacts with us and product checks easier, which has helped to increase efficiency and add our credibility, and then has naturally 23

24 High-speed Railways in China Zou Yongsong, vice mayor of Shaoguan, Guangdong Province, talks about industrial transfer into the city. brought more orders," said Qiu. The railway has also attracted a great number of new investors to transfer their companies to Shaoguan, said Zou Yongsong, the city's vice mayor. The city accepted 330 industrial transfer contract projects in the first nine months of this year, 42 percent higher than the same period last year. The total investment has reached 22 billion yuan, up 246 percent yearon-year. Of that, 7 billion has already been put into use, an increase of 84 percent from the same time last year. The reduced travel time has brought Staff members discuss the design of a product at Shaoguan Fortune Creative Industries, a Hong Kong-funded company that makes paper products, in the Muxi Industrial Zone of Shaoguan, Guangdong Province. Shaoguan Kangrui Toy Company products are on display in the Muxi Industrial Zone of Shaoguan, Guangdong Province. Shaoguan and the Pearl River Delta closer, which aids both industrial transfer into Shaoguan as well as the movement of labor from Shaoguan out to the delta region, said Zou. "The mountain range area in the north part of Guangdong has rich resources in land, labor force and minerals," said Zou. "With the traffic convenience brought by the high-speed railway, the city of Shaoguan has attracted a great many investors. The transfer of industries and labor force has greatly accelerated economic development." In the first nine months of this year, Shaoguan's GDP has increased 11.6 percent, above average in the province and the whole country. The city government expects a 13-percent increase by the end of the year. New Railway Helps Build a New Town Text / Photo by Zhang Jin A model shows the planning arrangements for new town in Shaoguan. Huang Yong, Deputy General Manager of the Xinhongda City Investment Operation Company which oversees the construction and operation of the new town of Shaoguan city in southern China's Guangdong Province, talks about the development of the new town in Shaoguan. The construction of the new town of Shaoguan city in southern China has been greatly accelerated since the Wuhan- Guangzhou High-Speed Railway went into operation at the end of last year. Located at the southwestern part of Shaoguan, the 20-square-kilometer new town will become the city's political, economic and cultural center within 10 years, advancing the development of the surrounding metropolitan area. Although the estimated total investment 24

25 High-speed Railways in China of the new town will be more than 100 billion yuan (about US$15 billion) -- a huge amount of money for an undeveloped mountainrange city such as Shaoguan -- the nearby high-speed railway has already attracted new sources of investment. According to Huang Yong, Deputy General Manager of the Xinhongda City Investment Operation Company which is responsible for the construction of the new town, the value of land inside the new town area has increased to 15 million yuan per hectare from about 3 million yuan per hectare in 2004 when the city was in the planning stage, thanks to the high-speed railway. "The high-speed railway has helped to raise the land value in the new town," Huang said. "We reinvest the revenue from land sales into the construction of public infrastructure facilities. It has become an efficient complement to governmental financial investment and has accelerated the construction of the new town." By the end of October, at least six stateowned enterprises, including leading ones in their industrial sectors, have decided to invest in the new town. With a planned resident population of 250,000 in the future, city officials hope the new town will attract more locals to live there as well as people who must commute to work between Shaoguan and Guangzhou, one of the most prosperous cities in China where housing prices are high, as the high-speed railway has slashed the previous travel time between the two areas from about three hours to 45 minutes. A residential real estate project inside the new town generated 130 million yuan in property sales during the past National Day holiday. Some of the buyers were from Guangzhou. With the high-speed railway station located within a five-minute drive for most residents, the new town is expected to attract more investors as well as home buyers with its transportation advantage. High-Speed Tourism, Moving as Fast as the Train Text The Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed railway, which opened last December 26, has greatly boosted the tourism industry in the provinces through which it passes. The railway, which crosses central China's Hubei and Hunan provinces and southern China's Guangdong Province, has slashed the previous travel time between Wuhan and Guangzhou from 10 and a half hours to just three on trains that can travel up to 350 kilometers per hour. The much shorter travel time has attracted many visitors to the region. Qiu Han, a tourist who was heading to Hunan with her colleagues to visit Hengshan Mountain, one of the most famous mountains in China and the hometown of Chairman Mao Zedong, took the new train for the first time and said its high speed helped to save time. "It used to take three to four days to visit Hunan from Guangzhou when we could only take old trains," Qiu said. "Now we can finish the whole journey within two days." The high-speed rail service's comfortable, smooth ride, more convenient facilities and better service also have contributed to an increase in the number of tourists traveling to the area. / Photo by Zhang Jin Zhang Huijuan, General Manager of the domestic travel department at CYTS Tours Guangdong Railway Co., Ltd. (GR CYTS), said the revenue from domestic tourist groups traveling with her company to Hubei and Hunan has increased by about 700 percent since the high-speed railway went into operation. The high-speed railway has also strengthened the cooperation between travel agencies in different places, Zhang said. "We have interacted a lot with travel agencies in Hubei and Hunan since the opening of the high-speed railway," she said. "We arrange for visitors to go to tourism sites there, and they also send tourists to Guangdong and even to Hong Kong and Macao afterwards." The cooperation has greatly increased the income of the tourism industry in the three provinces, Zhang said. Some travel agencies have created new itineraries that combine traditional tourist sites with new ones or those that used to be too far to reach to attract more visitors from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao. The number of foreign visitors to Zhang Huijuan, General Manager of the domestic travel department of CYTS Tours Guangdong Railway Co., Ltd., discusses the changes in the region's tourism industry since the opening of the Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed railway at a meeting with reporters in Guangzhou on October 21,

26 High-speed Railways in China the region has increased as well. More than 10,000 foreigners have traveled with the overseas department of GR CYTS since the opening of the Wuhan-Guangzhou highspeed railway. The increase in the number of overall tourists has served as a test for travel agencies to ensure they can adequately handle even larger groups during peak travel seasons. "In March when a great number of visitors appreciated the cherry blossoms in Wuhan, the quantities of hotels, tour buses and guides were not enough sometimes," Zhang said. She added that she was confident that the situation would improve after the adaptation period during the early stage of the high-speed railway. The upcoming Guangzhou Asian Games in November is expected to draw a new wave of visitors to the city and nearby areas via high-speed rail. Members of a tourist group traveling to Hengyang in Hunan Province from Guangzhou take up seats in more than one carriage on a high-speed train on October 22, The Guangzhou South Railway Station, the terminal station of the Wuhan- Guangzhou High-Speed Rail in Guangzhou, capital of southern China's Guangdong Province, has a roof in the form of six plantain leaves, as shown in a photo taken on Friday, October 22, Guangzhou is the centre of Lingnan culture, the culture of Guangdong and nearby provinces in southern China, which is often symbolized by plantain leaves. It is typically contrasted with Zhongyuan culture, that of China's northern plains (Zhongyuan). The Wuhan-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway's Hengyang East Station in Hengyang, Central China's Hunan Province, has a roof in the form of three flying wild geese, as shown in a photo taken on October 22, The roof was inspired by Huiyang Peak (Wide Geese Peak) of Mount Hengshan, one of China's Five Sacred Taoist Mountains. The Wuhan Railway Station, a terminal station of the Wuhan- Guangzhou High-Speed Railway, is located in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province. A file photo shows the roof of the station, with nine flying yellow cranes in reference to the city's famous and historic Yellow Crane Tower. A file photo shows the Wuhan- Guangzhou High-Speed Railway's Chibi North Station in Chibi, central China's Hubei Province. The station is red in reference to the Red Cliff, or "Chibi" in Chinese, the site of a famous battle in Chinese history. 26

27 High-speed Railways in China Shanghai Nanjing Shanghai-Nanjing High-speed Railway in Good Operation Text / Photo by Xu Leiying This photograph taken on October 26, 2010 shows a bullet train. A glass of tea stands still on a running bullet train on October 26, Despite recently-publicized concerns about the viability of the new high-speed train running between Shanghai and Nanjing, neighboring Jiangsu's capital, railway officials remain confident the fledgling raillink is going to be a long-term benefit to one of China's most important economic areas. As the first of its kind in the Yangtze River Delta, both local governments and the people living in the area had been anticipating the new service may help to promote economic development and regional integration. However, ticket prices for the high-speed trains are now drawing criticism. Critics say the ticket prices are too high for the average person to afford, keeping a lot of people away. Railway Ministry Spokesperson Wang Yongping says, though, that despite the negative reports recently, the Shanghai- Nanjing High-speed railway is still able to draw in customers. "The line has seen rapidly increasing number of passengers. Its load factor is quite high, especially during the weekends and national holidays. It is hard to book one ticket for high-speed train on those special days. I was told that even on an ordinary day, the load factor is more than 90 percent. That proves that many people have gradually accepted the ticket prices." Still, Wang Yongping says the railway department is willing to listen to what its riders have to say. "We are learning to become smarter. During the operation, we solicited opinions from both the public and the media in order to optimize our operation plan. " Based on passengers' suggestions and demands, the railway department has increased the number of direct trains between the two cities. Wang Shenjie lives in Shanghai, and says he likes to keep a close eye on how the high-speed rail system here in China is developing. "On the first day when the high-speed railway line was put into operation, I took the first train via the route at the Hongqiao Railway Station. The service is good since it is the first high-speed railway in eastern China. Now it has become more convenient than before after they increased the number of direct trains." 27

28 Shanghai Hangzhou High-speed Railways in China Shanghai-Hangzhou High-speed Railway Starts Operation Text / Photo by Xu Leiying A passenger gives an interview to a CRI reporter on the first high-speed train from Shanghai to Hangzhou on Tuesday, October 26, A train attendant greets passengers in front of the first high-speed train from Shanghai to Hangzhou on Tuesday, October 26, The high-speed railway linking eastern China's metropolis of Shanghai and Hangzhou, capital of neighboring Zhejiang province, began operation on October 26. The service marks another step in China's pursuit to expand high speed rail across the country. The fastest train in the direct service between Shanghai and Hangzhou can cover the 202 km route in just 45 minutes, traveling at up to 350 kilometers and cutting 33 minutes off the previous time. The service is the second one of its kind in the Yangtze River Delta. On July 1st, the high-speed railway between Shanghai and Nanjing, capital city of Jiangsu province, was put into operation as a part of the efforts to boost regional integration. The opening of the new service attracted the attention of both media and the public. Since many tickets have been reserved for reporters, only a few ordinary passengers are able to get one ticket for the first high-speed train between Shanghai and Hangzhou. Wang Shenjie, a train super fan is one of those lucky people. "The highlight of today is the formal operation of the CRH 380A train. We all know that the train once hit a maximum speed of 416 kilometers per hour. And this is the first time I experience a trip on such a train." The China-made train sets a new record for world train speed during its trial run between Shanghai and Hangzhou in September. The high-tech train as well as the new railway attracted not only Wang Shenjie, a local of Shanghai but also many train fans from other cities. "We two come from Shanghai; our friends are from Changzhou, Ningbo and Hefei. One guy from Xiamen cannot take the first train because he didn't book the ticket successfully. Some of us even asked for leave from work in order to take the first highspeed train." China's Railway Ministry Spokesman Wang Yongping expressed his optimism towards the new railway line. "I am optimistic about the future of the Shanghai-Hangzhou high-speed railway because the Yangtze River Delta is one of China's major economic zones. At the same time, it is a densely populated area with a great demand for rail service." The launch of the new railway line helped China break the world's record of high-speed railway mileage again. "I can announce now that the new route brings the length of China's high-speed railways in operation to 7,431 kilometersthe longest in the world. The train's speed up to 350 km an hour is also the fastest in the world. In addition, more such railways are under construction, covering about 10 thousand km." 28

29 Qinghai-Tibet Railway Qinghai-Tibet Railway Celebrates 4th Anniversary Text by Shi Yingying The Qinghai-Tibet Railway was the first railway to connect Tibet with the outside world. July 1st marks the 4th anniversary of the railway's opening. How has the world's highest train route benefited Tibet during the past 4 years? A train is leaving Xining, capital of Qinghai Province in northwest China for Lhasa, capital of Tibet autonomous region. According to Lin Zhigang, an official with Qinghai-Tibet Railway Corporation, by the end of June, more than 29 million passengers and 130 million tons of cargo had been transported along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway since the line opened in July Lin says, the line, considered to be a large artery linking the "roof of the world" with the rest of China, has greatly boosted economic development in Tibet. "The effect is quite obvious. In 2009, Tibet's tourist industry saw a huge development, and its GDP exceeded 40 billion Yuan, or 5.9 billion US dollars, which is up 59.4% compared to the figure in According to Tibet's tourism bureau, more than 5.5 million people visited Tibet in Compared with 2007, the number has gone up 40%." Before the opening of the railway, flights were the main way to carry passengers Lhasa Railway Station CRI reporters pose for a group photo at Lhasa Railway Station A train attendant to Lhasa. Many experts were concerned the Qinghai-Tibet Railway would impact the airline business in Tibet. But according to Lin Zhigang, the fact is quite the opposite. "Actually, both the railway and airline industry are booming simultaneously. Many people choose to go to Tibet by train, as they can enjoy the beautiful scenery on the way to Lhasa and adapt to the high altitude. But they choose to leave Lhasa by air." Lin says tourism is not the only industry in Tibet that has benefited from the railway; the local handicrafts, beef and mutton as well as dairy industries are also booming. "Now the logistics industry in Tibet is very busy. Many local products are in mass production. But in the past, this was not possible due to bad and expensive transportation. Now the railway is transporting a large number of local products outside Tibet for a much cheaper charge, only 0.12 Yuan per ton per kilometer." Lin Zhigang believes the 1,956-kilometer railway, built at a cost of 33 billion Yuan, will further benefit Tibet's development in many more areas in the future. 29

30 Qinghai-Tibet Railway Tibetan Music Ambassador, Bianba Text by Shi Yingying Fifty-year-old Bianba is the principal conductor of the Tibet Philharmonic Orchestra. As the only Tibetan conductor of a symphony orchestra in China, Bianba is committed to promoting Tibetan music to the outside world and introducing western music to Tibet. It's 9:30 a.m. in the rehearsal hall of the Song and Dance Troupe of the Tibet Autonomous Region. One man is talking to a group of Tibetan musicians in the Tibetan language. This humble and a little shy person is conductor Bianba. He and his orchestra are busy preparing for a performance at the Shanghai Expo. They will present a symphony called "Chun Gu Fei Yang," featuring ancient Tibetan drums. Bianba composed the symphony himself. He uses ancient Tibetan instruments such as the four-meter-long tongqin and different drums used in rituals and royal courts in his music. "All these instruments are invaluable. Many of them were borrowed from the Potala Palace, and each of them has a history of more than a thousand years." Bianba's inspiration for composing the music comes from a Buddhist temple in Tibet where he recorded the recitations of monks and used them as the theme of his music. He mixed the tunes with different Tibetan drums and wind instruments to produce a unique Tibetan style. "Traditional Tibetan music features both singing and dancing. Unlike western music, our music is always loud and energetic. But I have adopted western composing techniques to interpret our traditional music to make it more accessible." All the members of the orchestra are Tibetans who have received professional musical training outside of Tibet. But the orchestra has very few commercial performances because of the small local market. And highway tolls can be very expensive when traveling to other place for concerts. Basically, the orchestra is funded by the government. The rehearsal finishes at 11 a.m. Bianba is fairly satisfied with the result as every member in the orchestra has been cooperative and has had no problem understanding his music. Afternoon is free time for Bianba during which he usually composes music or teaches students. This afternoon, he is going to the Tibet Bureau of Culture to see a local songwriter. The two are cooperating on forming a chorus to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Changdu's liberation. "Changdu was the first district in Tibet that was liberated in A grand concert will be held to celebrate the big event. We're composing a chorus which will be the grand finale of the concert." After a short discussion, Bianba has an idea of the musical style for the chorus. "Popular songs in Tibet are usually close to folk-music style. Rock and jazz enjoy little popularity here. So the chorus should be Bianba plays the erhu, the two-stringed fiddle. very straightforward and have a folk flavor. Every Tibetan should be able to understand it." Born into an ordinary Tibetan family in Lhasa, Bianba was sent to study the erhu, the two-stringed fiddle, at Beijing's Art School of the Central University for Nationalities when he was 14. Later he was selected by the Shanghai Conservatory of Music to continue his studies. "I didn't know why I was picked. No one in my family knew music. They didn't give me any training in music. Maybe I had some potential talent in music? Who knows?" After graduation, Bianba returned to his hometown to play the erhu in the Song and Dance Troupe of the Tibet Autonomous Region. But the young musician was not satisfied. "I loved playing the erhu at home, but I felt it couldn't express my feelings well, so in 1985 I returned to Shanghai to study with conductor Zhang Guoyong, a professor at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. During the four-year period, I studied hard and gained a further understanding of western music." With a strong willingness to promote western music in Tibet, Bianba returned to Lhasa, but he found very few opportunities to 30

31 Qinghai-Tibet Railway perform western music. "There was no market demand for classical western music in Tibet, as Tibet has a small population, and it's hard to convince local people to accept western music." To improve the situation, Bianba and other Tibetan musicians began to compose Tibetan-style music using western instruments. They performed in Lhasa's theaters, on campuses and in large communities. "In the mid-1980s, a group of Tibetan musicians began to collect traditional instruments from temples, royal courts and folk music families. We composed music on these instruments and made some changes to adapt it to modern life." In 2002, the Tibet Philharmonic Orchestra was founded with the help of the central government. Every New Year's Eve, it performs a New Year's Concert broadcast by Tibet TV. The repertoire is a mixture of popular classical western pieces and Tibetan music. Bianba is now happy to see that more Tibetan parents are sending their children to study western or traditional Tibetan instruments. "The situation has changed a lot. Tibetan families have begun to attach importance to children's musical education. And a music department was recently founded at Tibet University. Many of our orchestra members, including me, are teaching in the department which has cultivated a number of young Tibetan musicians." After a day's work, Bianba returns to his apartment very close to the Song and Dance Troupe's orchestral hall. He has a bird and many plants which give his apartment a cozy feel. "The facilities of our orchestra are pretty good, even better than some orchestras in other parts of China. Although we give few commercial performances, we have pretty good salaries and living conditions provided by the government. In Tibet, being a member of our orchestra is a respectable job." Bianba says he was once proud of being the only Tibetan conductor in China. But now, he hopes the younger generation will soon mature and carry on his mission. Exploring Mystical Tibetan Medicine with Baima Wangzha Text by Shi Yingying Tibetan medicine is one of the world's oldest known medical practices. The practice of traditional Tibetan medicine is now widely respected in China and throughout the world. And in Qinghai province and the Tibet autonomous region where a large group of Tibetan people live, Tibetan medicine is the major treatment used when people contract a disease. How does the centuries-old medicine cure disease? Baima Wangzha (left) and his assistants attend to a patient. [Photo from CRIENGLISH.com] Baima Wangzha (right) attends to a patient. [Photo from CRIENGLISH.com] At the No. 202 consulting room of Qinghai Tibetan medical hospital, 56-yearold Baima Wangzha is attending to his patients. Sitting beside him is an assistant. The doctor doesn't speak much Mandarin, so when he meets Han people he needs the assistant to help him. On the wall in his office there's a picture of a Buddha. Baima Wangzha says it is the Buddha of medicine who founded the Tibetan medicine system. "Every Tibetan doctor respects the medicine Buddha. If the patient believes it, he or she would recover soon." Wearing a white gown and sitting in 31

32 Qinghai-Tibet Railway front of his patients, he looks no different than an ordinary doctor. But if you observe carefully, you may find there are no modern medical instruments such as the stethoscope or the thermometer on his desk. How does he diagnose his patients? Here comes a patient named Zhang Wuping. Zhang Wuping is from Gansu province, which is close to Qinghai. She feels shaky and low in spirits and has a shortness of breath, especially in the morning. She has been suffering these symptoms for years. After several unsuccessful treatments, she was recommended to try Tibetan medicine. Baima Wangzha asks Zhang to put her right hand on his desk; he then uses his index, middle and third fingers together to feel her pulse. After a few seconds, the doctor understands the general physical condition of the patient. "How's your appetite these days? It is not so good, right? Your constitution is really poor. Let me see You sleep badly. And you have some gynecological problems. Hm you may also have heart disease. Let me check further." He then asks Zhang to turn round and show him her back. He presses different acupoints on her back and asks whether it is painful. When he touches an acupoint near Zhang's spine, Zhang screams out in pain. This proves Baima Wangzha's diagnoses is correct, because according to Tibetan medicine, the acupoint he pressed is the reflection point of the heart. If it's painful, the patient may have problems with their heart. Zhang Wuping was sad after hearing the diagnosis. Baima Wangzha tells her it's not very serious and he won't use any medicine to treat her disease. Instead, he will practice Tibetan moxibustion on her. He takes out an average leather bag. It looks like an antique from a museum. He carefully opens the bag and takes out some soft yellow herbs. "This is a medicine bag. I got it from my uncle. I began to study Tibetan medicine with my uncle when I was 15. My uncle's uncle, and uncle's uncle's uncle are all doctors. This bag is passed down by them. It has been used for more than 400 years." "Prior to 1968, I was a barefoot doctor. I used to live in a pasturing area. Every day, I brought the medicine bag with me and moved around in the area by riding a horse. If someone was ill, I would stop and practice my treatment." The patient Zhang Wuping is a little scared. She doesn't know what's going to happen. The doctor says it will hurt a bit, but it won't last long, just a few seconds. He asks his patient to relax. Baima Wangzha uses his three fingers to twirl the herbs into a small cone. He daubs some ointment on the painful acupoint on Zhang Wuping's back, and then sticks the cone on it. He burns the cone with a lighter, and then keeps blowing on it to reduce the heat on Zhang's back. When the burning finishes, he presses the ashes tightly on Zhang's back and says, "OK, we've done it! Walk around! Don't drink cold water in the next hour. You'll feel better." Baima Wangzha has treated about 20 patients today. He tries to avoid prescribing medicine for his patients because he believes every medicine has a side effect to the body. Apart from moxibustion, he often practices another Tibetan treatment. "We use s bloodletting treatment to treat gout. The gout comes from the toxins in the blood which are moving in the vessel. So the patient may feel the pain at different areas at different times. We have a kind of Tibetan medicine which can converge the toxins at one place. For example a fingertip, then I cut the fingertip to let the toxins flow out with the blood. But to practice the bloodletting treatment need a sunny day. And the subject's animal sign should match that day." Sound mysterious? Baima Wangzha says Tibetan medicine originated from the Buddhist temple. In ancient times, only a senior Buddhist could work as a doctor. When practicing the treatment, the doctor always chanted sutras. Baima Wangzha is a devout believer of Buddhism. After seeing his last patient, it's thirty minutes before it's time to leave. The doctor faces the medicine Buddha on the wall and begins to chant sutras. Baima Wangzha jokes that besides treating patients, reading sutras is his only hobby. "I get up at 4:30 a.m. Then I chant sutras till 7:30 a.m. After that, I go to work. As long as I'm free in the clinic, I chant sutras. After dinner, I chant again." Baima Wangzha says although he is a doctor, he never uses his treatments on himself, because he has never been sick in his life. What's his secret? "If you want to be healthy, don't lend yourself to worry and have anxiety, try to be happy. If you believe in Buddhism, read more sutras. Ha-ha " Life of A Tibetan Monk Text / Photo by Shi Yingying Modern society allows people in big cities to live rich and varied lives. But it also makes many of them lose inner purity and virtues in this impetuous world. In Tashilhunpo Monastery in Tibet, however, I visited a Tibetan monk named Zhaxi Wangla, who is living a simple life shut off from the noisy society. It's 5 a.m. in Shigatse, the secondlargest city in Tibet. The sun hasn't come up. The citizens are still asleep. Zhaxi Wangla wakes up in his room at Tashilhunpo Monastery located in west of Shigatse. The monastery was founded in 1447 by the First Dalai Lama, and is home to the Panchen Lama, the second most important religious leader in Tibet. Thirty-year-old Zhaxi Wangla has been living here for more than a decade. Zhaxi Wangla enjoys a single room, which is a 10-square-meter loft. It contains simple furniture such as a bed and several cabinets. A cooking stove sits in the center of the room. The wall is plastered with pictures of successive Panchen Lamas. Incense burners and butter lamps are laid out in tribute in front of the pictures. Zhaxi Wangla quickly washes and dresses in a red robe, then prepares breakfast, which is butter tea with tsampa, the traditional staple food in Tibet. Zhaxi Wangla says his parents provided his breakfast. His parents live in a small county near Shigatse. They often come to the monastery as pilgrims on important festivals. Every time, they bring butter tea and tsampa 32

33 Qinghai-Tibet Railway as gifts for their son. After eating, Zhaxi Wangla goes downstairs from his loft and walks to the main chanting hall of the monastery for morning prayer. A stone path leads Zhaxi Wangla to the grand hall, where many monks have already arrived and started to chant. Zhaxi Wangla says every monk living in this monastery has to attend the morning chant. They must arrive before 5:30 a.m. A senior monk will check attendance every day. Zhaxi Wangla takes off his shoes and leaves them outside of the hall. He crosses the threshold, and then sits cross legged on a seat and joins the chant. The grand hall has a history dating back more than 500 years. It is the largest hall in Tashilhunpo Monastery and can accommodate several hundred monks. All of its pillars are made of sandalwood, which sends forth a delicate fragrance. In the front of the hall, a huge Buddhist statue sits on a throne. All of the monks face the statue with great respect. The morning chant is accompanied by drum beats played by senior monks. Zhaxi Wangla says every Tibetan is a devout believer in Buddhism. To become a monk has been a dream for him and his family since he was a little boy. His parents sent him to the monastery when he was 14. He was lucky to be accepted after passing several exams, including Tibetan language exams and physical tests. The morning chant finishes at 8:30 a.m. when tourists began to enter the monastery. It is the tourist season; many visitors are coming to the Tashilhunpo Monastery. Sometimes, Zhaxi Wangla works as a tour guide to introduce the history of the monastery. Most of the time, he listens to sermons given by senior monks and takes regular lessons. There are many subjects for him to learn - Tibetan language, history, religious studies and the biographies of Panchen Lamas. The study process can last for 18 years or more. Today, Zhaxi Wangla will attend an important religious gathering held at another chanting hall on the southeast side of the Two monks play the suona at Tashilhunpo Monastery. Tibetan Monk Zhaxi Wangla monastery. It has a garden in its courtyard with many fine trees. Several groups of monks are debating loudly under the trees. Each group is composed of two monks, one sitting and the other standing, one asking and the other answering. The questions and answers were accompanied by vivid hand gestures, clapping and shouting. Zhaxi Wangla says they're practicing the sutra debate. The sutra debate is important to help them master and deepen their understanding of Buddhist theology. These debates are also a method of examination. Those who pass the examinations held in their own monasteries will be qualified to participate in the Monlam Debate. A Geshe Lharampa Degree, which represents the highest degree in Tibetan Buddhism theology, will be conferred on the winners. It's lunchtime after the debate. Zhaxi Wangla goes back to his room, where he has some raw vegetables and beef, which he cooks for himself. Zhaxi Wangla says every monk in the monastery has to cook for himself. He usually leaves the monastery to buy food and daily necessities on weekends. Due to the high altitude, Tibetan monks can eat meat to provide the bodies with the necessary energy. But they have to pray for the animals before eating meat to show their respect. Afternoons and evenings are time for indoor study. Zhaxi Wangla usually stays in his room and studies sutras by himself. When he gets tired, he comes out of his room and takes a walk around the monastery. He comes across a courtyard near his room where several monks are practicing the suona, an instrument used in religious ceremonies. These monks belong to another school of Buddhism. Apart from reading sutras, they also need to play instruments such as the trumpet and suona. Many of them are good friends of Zhaxi Wangla. Zhaxi Wangla says he likes to listen to their performance. It refreshes his mind when he's tired. He enjoys the simple life in the monastery, which has purified his mind. After so many years of practicing Buddhism, he believes he has accumulated the necessary deeds of virtue for his next life. 33

34 Qinghai-Tibet Railway Nyingchi Forest Rangers Protect the Land Text / Photo by Liu Donghui Drobu Jie, a forest ranger, talks to CRI. A rhesus monkey living in the mountainous area at Gongbujiada county, Tibet Autonomous Region, walks to a ranger's duty room to find food, July 4, Baizhen, deputy director of the forestry bureau of Gongbujiada county, Tibet Autonomous Region, tells CRI reporters their efforts in forest protection at her office, July 4, One part of the forest is under Drobu Jie's care. Photo taken on July 4, 2010 at the Gongbujiada county, Tibet Autonomous Region. Drobu Jie is one of two original forest rangers in a town in the Nyingchi area, located in the east of China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Watching over local forests since 1979, Drobu Jie said the monkeys living on the hill is now a new "headache" for him, as the number of rhesus monkeys has been increasing rapidly since 2003 when the precious animal was first found in Gongbujiada county. Usually the primate group will find their own way to the ranger's duty room for food every day. However, once they encounter the wild dogs and get frightened, they will hide for several days, which forces the 62-year-old forest ranger to search for them through the woods covering an area of several hundred mu (15mu =1 hectare). "Taking care of these monkeys has been a new priority of my job," Drobu Jie told CRI reporters, "Sometimes I had to spend the whole day searching for them three or four times." Baizhen, deputy director of the county's forestry bureau, said there were less than forty monkeys seven years ago, but now thousands of rhesus monkeys inhabit the mountainous area. Actually, 163 mu of the monkeys' current habitat was once farmland owned by locals, who turned their land into forests so the monkeys and other animals could have a better environment for proliferation, according to Baizhen. Although attending to the forest creatures has made Drobu Jie tired, he appeared glad to talk about them and seemed to enjoy the days with the monkeys. But his job was completely different before As Nyingchi is well-known for its abundant forestry resources, many locals ignored related regulations and wantonly cut the trees to make money. Drobu Jie had to take every effort to stop such behavior, which brought him some trouble. In the 1990's, he confiscated some wood from his relatives, and was hence seen as their enemy. Drobu Jie said the hatred between him and his once-close relatives lingers today as result of his job. Besides local residents, someone from the neighboring province such as Sichuan, also coveted the wood and stole trees from time to time. Dealing with these people even threatened the safety of Drobu Jie and the other forest rangers. Baizhen, who usually visits the forests 34

35 Qinghai-Tibet Railway under her management for more than 300 days a year, said even the forestry officials would frequently receive threats from the thieves. She recalled that several years ago when they seized a batch of illegally-cut wood at a checkpoint, the law breakers vowed to take revenge on them, and threatened that they "will pick up the children for you" as they know where the children studied. Regarding the job's high risk, Baizhen said the county buys personal insurance for all 873 forest rangers in Gongbujiada County. In fact, not only the rangers are involved in protecting the forest. Each and every resident in Gongbujiada is supposed to keep an eye on the surrounding trees which cover an area of 369,600 hectares. Starting in 2007, the county has prohibited any form of deforestation, which severed the source of income of some people, and brought inconveniences to residences once allowed to cut wood to keep themselves warm. However, Baizhen said a certain sum of money has since been extended to each family as an energy subsidy, to encourage forest protection. Now each family can receive 114 yuan (16.81 US dollars) per month from the government. "We inherit the mountains and trees from our ancestors," Baizhen said, "If we only employed a few forest rangers and gave them high salaries, it would not be enough. Everyone's participation is necessary." Besides protection efforts, the county also aims to add more trees to its territory. In the past several years, it has seen an increase of 44,000 mu forest on the land which lies at more than 3,400 meters above sea level. The rigorous control over exploiting natural resources has brought substantial benefits to Gongbujiada and its people. "In the past when the county suffered from the excessive cutting of trees, the forestry officials were not welcomed when we visited the forest area. People knew that our appearance indicated that their penalty was coming," Baizhen recalled, "But now things have been totally different. It is us who are giving people money and creating opportunities to make money." Although the "no deforestation order" has saved the local environment, it was a fatal blow to local revenues since forestry was once a pillar industry for Gongbujiada and the whole Nyingchi area. Fortunately, local tourism has been booming since the Qinghai- Tibet Railway opened in July 2006, and is a rising industry of the remote place which is 450 kilometers away from Lhasa, capital city of Tibet Autonomous Region. Figures from the county's tourism bureau showed that it earned 30 million yuan (almost 4.5 million US dollars) from tourism in 2006 and the annual income doubled the next year. In the first half of this year, tourism revenue has hit 58 million yuan (8.5 million US dollars). Baizhen said they are applying for more country-level natural reserve areas. She believed more people will choose to travel in her county to experience the untouched forests. Tibetan Diary My First Impression of Qinghai Text Dominic poses with a horse. [Photo from CRIENGLISH.com] I was sitting by the window as our plane approached Qinghai Airport. Breaking through the clouds and passing the city we gradually came to land amongst a landscape of dusty brown hills with few signs of vegetation. Mountains surrounded the airport on almost all sides. It was almost like landing by Dominic Swire in a desert. Qinghai province is located on the northeast section of the Tibetan plateau. The average elevation is 3,000 meters above sea level. This was actually one of my first concerns. Coming directly from Beijing, which lies at a mere 43.5 meters above sea level, the difference in atmospheric pressure can induce altitude sickness in some people in the form of headaches, nausea and sometimes nosebleeds. In my case I noticed almost nothing except for two strange phenomena. Firstly, the need to breathe deeply every five or ten minutes and get a good lungful of air. The simple act of walking briskly leaves you out of breath very easily. The second clue of being at a higher altitude than normal is foot products wrapped in plastic packaging. As you go higher the air pressure changes resulting in them blowing up like balloons. The mosque mixes both Chinese and Islamic styles. [Photo from CRIENGLISH.com] 35

36 Qinghai-Tibet Railway First stop on our visit to Qinghai was the Dong Guan Muslim Grand Mosque in Xining, the capital of the province. Of the 5.5 million inhabitants in Qinghai, one million of them are Muslim. The mosque is one of the four biggest in northwest China and dates back over 900 years to the Song dynasty. The large numbers of Muslims in the area were noticeable walking outside and visiting the mosque to pray. They were distinctive due to their flat round hats. The mosque is large with two minarets flanking a large dome by the entrance. Inside there is a courtyard and several buildings with Chinese-style roofs and window shutters. The mix of architectural styles is fascinating. The main event of June 28, our first full day in Qinghai province, was visiting the houses of a couple of Tibetan herdsmen. After driving hours into the vast grasslands we arrived at a small rickety stone house and were warmly invited in by the family who then proceeded to make us a cup of buttery tea. The tea itself was boiled in a large kettle on a stove in the middle of the room. The stove was attached to a trough of fuel that was pushed into the fire when the heat died down. The fuel looked like lumps of soil, but was in fact animal excrement. This may sound A young Muslim boy poses for a portrait at the Dong Guan Muslim Grand Mosque in Xining. [Photo from CRIENGLISH.com] disgusting but it was dried, didn t smell at all and seemed to burn extremely well. In fact the house was surrounded by animals and standing still outside you could hear many of them. Shaggy Tibetan dogs growled as we encroached, small colorful birds chirping on the telegraph wires, goats bleating and roaming yaks noisily munching on the bright green grass. The house was quite isolated amid the rolling grasslands. What I took to be the neighbor s was actually a small stable to breed horses. Spurred on by our curiosity, the Tibetan translator that was helping us and who used to be a doctor of Tibetan medicine - decided to demonstrate his sporting prowess by attempting to jump on the back of one of the horses. The fact he was wearing a two-piece blue suit failed to dampen his enthusiasm. Unfortunately this show of bravado was unsuccessful. The horse quickly threw him to the ground and, in the process, trampled on his hand resulting in a nasty cut that was dripping blood. But this gave our heroic helper the chance to demonstrate the Tibetan method for stemming blood flow namely by applying a burnt clump of sheep s wool to the wound. Moments later the bleeding had stopped and all that was left as a brush of ash on the translator s hand and the acrid smell of burnt wool. Tibetan Diary Tibetan Medicine Text / Photo by Dominic Swire While yesterday we had a practical expansive, it s impossible to take everything demonstration of how Tibetan medicine can in during one visit. But the section that most come in handy (no pun intended) in a crisis, impressed me was the display of tangka. today we gained more of a background into These are graphical representations of the this fascinating tradition through visiting a practice of Tibetan medicine, containing all museum, a shop, a factory and a hospital, kinds of information such as the symptoms all specializing in the semi-mystical healing of various diseases, what cures to take in techniques found in this part of the world. which circumstances and even advice on how Tibetan medicine is practiced in many a doctor ought to act. The ancient pictures countries including India, Nepal, Bhutan have been produced in the form of colorful and Mongolia, as well, of course, as China. posters each approximately the size of an The concept of Tibetan medicine is based A1 piece of paper. They range from large on the Buddhist belief that all illnesses are depictions of the human body and its various ultimately derived from the three poisons of ailments to cartoon-like storyboards. The the body, namely ignorance, attachment and history of the tangka is shrouded in mystery aversion. Most of the cures recommended by no one knows exactly when or how this Tibetan medicine are herbal in origin. tradition of recording information began, Our day started with a visit to the but the art has been traced back at least as Tibetan Medicine Culture Museum in Xining, early as the 7th century AD. The detailed capital city of western China s Qinghai pictures are fascinating to look at alone, but province. The centre offers a comprehensive to fully understand them, one needs to refer history of this fascinating system of health to the ancient literature, which is housed in with hundreds of cultural relics on display. An example of a Tibetan tangka, documenting the museum s library. Opening a book with Like most great museums, the collection is so the art of traditional Tibetan medicine English translation here can show you; for 36

37 Qinghai-Tibet Railway example, that the picture of a patient, a doctor and a man riding a horse means that a doctor must be wholly absorbed in the treatment of a patient, as if controlling a horse. The old books are all oblong in shape and wrapped in a decorated golden material, which gives the shelves of the library a feel of a bank vault rather than a place of study. Following the museum we popped into a shop selling present-day Tibetan medicine, an industry that is extremely popular and worth around 8 million dollars per year, according to information from our guide. Some of the more eccentric cures include boxes of dried grubs and a long gift box containing the rather gruesome looking penis of a deer. Fortunately the laboratory producing Tibetan medicine that we had a quick tour of did not demonstrate how these curious items were produced. But we did see many noisy machines spewing out buckets of musky smelling brown pills, which no doubt offered some mystical health benefit, which was not immediately apparent. Next stop was a functioning hospital that focused on providing Tibetan medicine for patients. The highlight here was the bathrooms. Here patients soaked themselves in baths full of hot liquid medicine usually twice a day for a couple of weeks. One bath we saw when we walked into a ward with a handful of surprised patients (fully dressed, I hasten to add) was full of a pungent dark brown substance which I can only describe as resembling mud. A couple of moments later we were climbing the stairs to see where this liquid came from. We entered a steamy room containing a dozen cauldrons all bubbling away, each with a measured bag of herbs inside. It works like this: after the doctor decides exactly what mixture the patient needs to wallow in, he drops a bag of the prescribed medicine into one of the large vessels, which then boils until the water is ready to be used. Each of the containers is connected to a particular ward on the lower floor, so the water can be pumped directly to the individual baths. Ingenious! Unfortunately there was no time for us to sample any of these remedies first hand. But if you ever fall sick and would like experiment in what Tibetan medicine can do for you, I would advise a quick trip to Xining city. Tibetan Diary Qinghai Tibet Train: Railway on the Roof of the World Text by Dominic Swire I write this diary entry lying on the top bunk of a train carriage rocking gently to and fro with my head just inches from the ceiling. We ve just begun our journey on the Qinghai Tibet railway, the highest train track in the world. The train is currently celebrating its fourth anniversary after opening in the summer of 2006 or rather, it isn t, as four is not a celebrated number in Chinese culture because the pronunciation si sounds like the Chinese word for death. Nevertheless that did not stop CRI sending us on this adventurous trip to mark four years since this phenomenal engineering feat was completed. And phenomenal it certainly is. Many said the idea of building a train track connecting Lhasa with neighboring Qinghai province must have come from someone with his head in the Dominic (center) with his colleagues at the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region. clouds. Instead the Chinese government put a train in the clouds to prove them wrong. But the engineering challenges were immense: sending workers up to an altitude so high oxygen itself is in short supply; tunneling through rock at -30 degrees Celsius and laying track on earthquakeprone frozen ground that melts in the summer. Mountains tower above the 15 dark green cars of the train that we are about to spend 24 hours on. Immaculately dressed guards with white gloves guide passengers laden with luggage to their respective berths. Stepping onto the train and into the narrow corridor we eventually find our compartment it s a hard sleeper, which means six beds, three on each side of the room with a window, a small table and thermos of hot water. Not much different from any other night train you may think but you d be wrong because 37

38 this vehicle boasts many features that would be difficult to find on any other train on the planet. Perhaps the most obvious sign that this is no ordinary journey are the small boxes found behind the curtains on the walls offering additional oxygen for the higher altitudes. Lifting the flap reveals a small nozzle from which, presumably, the oxygen is released when needed. The windows themselves are also specially made to protect passengers from the ultraviolet rays of the sun that can be harmful at high altitudes. And the train travels through terrain so high and so cold that the water in the toilet has to be heated to stop it freezing. The train sets off very smoothly and maintains a gentle rocking motion as the sun sets over the jaw-droopingly beautiful green mountains stretching up into the clouds. The track itself is yet another engineering wonder as much of it was laid on frozen ground that melts in the warmer months and would make any structure unstable. To get round his problem Tibetan Diary CRI reporters pose for a group photo in front of the railway station in Xining, Qinghai province. special cooling pipes were planted under the track to enable the foundations stay frozen. The laying of the track was one of the most interesting features of the train Lhasa at Last Text The first of July 2010 marks the fourth anniversary of the Tibet Qinghai railway, the highest in the world. Fitting, then, that this morning I should wake up on it. I slept reasonably well there are worse ways to drop off than being gently rocked to sleep on a train headed for Lhasa. Having said that, this sleeping compartment suffers from the same problem all others do around the world namely, that when you sleep in the same room as five other people, one of them is bound to snore. For me, it was my colleague, who shall remain nameless, sleeping in the bunk closest to mine. Having said that, I was able to wake up fresh enough the next morning not to need any extra oxygen available at various points around the train. But that didn t stop me sampling the service because I was curious to find out how it worked. I found the answer after asking the guard, who passed me a long tube, one end of which fixed to the attachment on the wall The view from the dining car of the Qinghai Tibet train of the train, the other had two nozzles that I put up each nostril. Immediately I could hear the hiss of oxygen being piped straight into for Bernard, an engineering student from Innsbruck in Austria who was smoking a cigarette between the cars as I passed. Bernard was just one of several foreign faces onboard the train attracted by the romance of travelling across the railway at the top of the world. I have now moved to the table by the window to finish this diary entry. Sitting here is more comfortable than trying to type lying on the bed, but it s much more difficult to concentrate as every five minutes the landscape transforms from rolling grassland to mountains resembling crumpled brown paper to smooth round landforms that appear to have been imported from the desert. As the sun sets the colors grow brighter and the contrast of the shadows even more intense. I m making the most of this now because in an hour or two darkness will descend and the magnificence of the scenery will be hidden from view as the train chugs along throughout the night. See you in the morning. / Photo by Dominic Swire my nose. I felt a strange tickling sensation as I breathed the cold air supply deeply several times. However, rather disappointingly, there was no other effect. But maybe that was because I didn t have a headache to begin with. The only other person I saw using the oxygen supply was a guard through the door of his cabin who had his feet on his desk and an oxygen pipe in his mouth. I guess most of the other passengers must have been pretty healthy. But one wasn t as we heard an announcement to ask if there were any doctors on the train that might be able to help. Luckily this didn t turn out to be an emergency as it seemed the man was simply suffering from severe indigestion. There was also another drama I witnessed, which could have turned out much, much worse. This happened during one of the few stops where passengers are 38

39 Qinghai-Tibet Railway able to step off the train to stretch their legs and gulp some fresh mountain air. This is exactly what I was doing when I turned to glimpse a small child being hauled up from the gap between the station and the train. The gap was actually pretty large and the child must have taken a wrong step and slipped down. Luckily there seemed to be no lasting damage. But these two incidents must have seemed like nothing to the guards who make this trip on a regular basis. One of them told us he was on duty when one lady who gave birth on the train. When I asked if he had to act as midwife, the guard replied that it was a Tibetan lady and the Tibetans, he said, are able to give birth on their own without the aid of medical assistance. Sometime later in the day the same guard caught our attention by frantically pointing in a downwards direction at a window in the corridor. We soon realized that was the moment we were crossing the bridge that marks the border between western China s Qinghai province and the Tibet Autonomous Region. Despite this being one of the most significant points on the trip, there is nothing to signify the location no plaque, and no river, valley or obvious reason why there is even a bridge there in the first place. The only way of knowing you re crossing this point is from a metal bar of the bridge that you can just make out if you stand close to the window and look down. This explains why the guard was so insistent that we take a look, because it s so easy to miss. The afternoon may have dragged a little bit were it not for the simply stunning mountains that got taller, more dramatic and even snow-capped in some places as we neared Lhasa. But as if the scenery wasn t enough, the cabin crew of the train announced that they would put on a performance of traditional Tibetan songs for the passengers. This took place in the middle of a hard seat carriage with barely enough room to walk down the aisle normally, never mind fitting half the population of the train there to listen to some people sing. But this didn t stop a large crowd forming with some standing on seats and clinging to the luggage rack to get a better view. As promised the crew gave a performance one by one, which was a big hit with the audience who demanded more and got it as several passengers stood up to offer an additional song or two. A huge applause ended this festivity as the crowd dispersed and everyone prepared their bags for arrival. Tibetan Diary Tibet s Young Generation Text / Photo by Dominic Swire Home to at least two different ethnic minorities, the question of how to integrate these diverse cultures into Chinese society at the same time as maintaining their unique identity is a key issue for a government striving for social harmony. Nowhere in China is this more important than in Tibet, which witnessed social unrest only two years ago. Can a prosperous Tibet be achieved while maintaining the unique culture of the region and ensuring that Tibetans are not marginalized in their own home? The answer to this question is likely to be found in how the young generation is brought up. Lin Fengqiu is headmistress at Beijing Primary School in Lhasa, which has a total of around 1,000 students, more than 60 percent of which are Tibetan. Her daily job involves dealing with this issue of integrating Tibetan and Han students at the same time as making sure the Tibetan students don t loose their own identity. And it s a tough demand. "The two groups of students used to be mixed until 1986 when we separated many A Tibetan child studies in a Tibetan language class at Beijing Primary School, central Lhasa on July 3, of the classes into Tibetan and Han classes in response to criticism that the Tibetan children were in danger of losing their identity," says Lin Fengqiu. Now the vast majority of lessons in the school are divided into Tibetan and Chinese language. Ironically, however, Lin Fengqiu says it is now some of the Tibetan parents that are putting their children s identity in danger as many would rather they studied Chinese than Tibetan because of greater opportunities in later life. "After teaching for 30 years," says Lin Fengqiu, "I have not met one single Tibetan parent that would refuse Chinese lessons being offered to their children." The headmistress strongly disagrees with such parents that put learning Chinese above the language of their own people. She stresses the importance of maintaining the Tibetan culture. Puba Zhuoma is one of the many Tibetan teachers in the school. She agrees that it is essential to teach the Tibetan children their own language, but 39

40 Qinghai-Tibet Railway admits that this is often difficult in the cities as the language has strong links to rural life, which these children have trouble relating to. "Much of the Tibetan vocabulary is derived from agricultural tools, which are simply not available in the cities," said Puba Zhuoma. But with so much emphasis on teaching Tibetan students in their own language, and with many subjects split into Chinese and Tibetan classes, there is a risk that the school could become divided along ethnic lines. Headmistress Lin Fengqiu says they make the utmost effort to involve both sets of students in extra curricular activities such as sports competitions and performances. According to Tibetan student Danzhe Dujie, this seems to be paying off. "I have lots of Han friends. In our spare time we chat together and practice English," says Danzhe Dujie who is dressed in a bright red sports uniform and matching neckerchief. As the wider economy of Tibet prospers thanks to government investment, the continued stability of this region rests on the shoulders of the younger generation. It s a huge responsibility. But if schools such as Beijing Primary School continue the good work they are already doing, the future of the region is in good hands. Tibetan Diary Text / Photo by Dominic Swire Visiting the Potala Palace Think of Tibet and you re more than likely to conjure up an image of the city s most famous building, the Potala Palace. Perched on a rocky hill close to the centre of the city, the huge edifice was once home to the various incarnations of the Dalai Lama. It s now a museum open to tourists. But if you want to go, make sure you book your tickets early. The numbers are limited to 1,500 per day to protect the structure. While that may sound a lot, this site has been known to pull in as much as 6,000 tourists in one day. Despite its huge religious significance the design of the building resembles a fortress with the sloping white walls rising into a number of square sections of the building. Apparently the average width of those walls is 3 metres. The façade of the palace is peppered with small square windows, many of which are trimmed with colourful material flapping in the wind. The central section of the building is deep brown in colour and called the Red Palace and has a national flag proudly planted on top. Entering the building means climbing the zigzag steps on the outside of the palace that can be seen from street level. Doing so one is exposed to the eternal dilemmas of Tibet that of economic development and religious preservation. As you progress up the steps the experience of entering one of the world s most religious buildings is slightly affected by blaring advertisements from a huge video screen close to the bottom of the hill. But once entering the building the sound of the city is lost and it s as if you have entered another world. The tour begins by entering a huge View from the bottom of the steps outside the Potala Palace in the Tibet Autonomous Region. ornate doorway with colourful tassels the size of a horse s tail attached to the large brass knockers. As your pupils dilate after being exposed to the strong Tibetan sunlight you slowly see formidable faces with white eyes staring down at you from the murals on the walls. After climbing yet more stairs and traversing a couple of narrow walkways one emerges in a courtyard outside the White Palace. This square white building used to be the living quarters of the Dali Lama. Entering one has to climb a wooden staircase divided into three sections, but only one was being used. The middle section, which is roped off, is reserved for the Dalai Lama, and the other is for people exiting the building. The wooden floor of the White Palace creaks as people pass through the small, dark, meticulously decorated rooms. Not one part of the interior of this building is left unadorned by murals, wall hangings or statues. There are many ornate carpets and rugs draped across furniture with what looks like white beanbags placed on a couple of seats. Looking out of the small windows that are not hidden by curtains one can see tourists walking across the main square of Lhasa. It s a strange feeling to think that you are in the same room that the Dalai Lama would entertain guests and drink tea. Entering the next part of the building you are confronted with a volley of huge golden shrines, one after the other, commemorating the previous Dalai Lamas. Many of these are in the form of stupas, a kind of turnip-shaped monument widely used by the Tibetans to pay homage to those deceased. Through the haze of incense, which is often so thick one feels like choking, it s impossible to fully appreciate the 40

41 Qinghai-Tibet Railway ornamentation on display. Colourful lanterns, rugs, murals and golden statues all combine to overwhelm the senses. Amongst the tourist hoards are a number of pilgrims and monks. Turn a corner and you re likely to hear the deep chanting of a figure draped in robes sitting cross-legged on a bench. There are also many native Tibetans wearing beautiful traditional clothes and praying in front of the many shrines around the building there s said to be over 10,000 in total. Many offer money, too, and it s not uncommon to see bowls overflowing with small notes, some of which are stuffed into the smallest of cracks in the walls of the building. Exiting the building you climb down another staircase and are gradually immersed back into the reality of this noisy city. Crossing the main road we walked to the main square of Lhasa to take some photographs with the palace in the background. Doing so we passed another surreal site, that of several old Tibetan ladies dressed in traditional clothes kowtowing in the direction of the palace. They had positioned themselves beside a tourist lake with several plastic peddle boats floating around behind them. Another example of the proximity of two completely different worlds, and an illustration of what makes Lhasa so special. Tibetan Diary Lhasa s Bajiao Street Text / Photo by Dominic Swire Visiting Tibet s many temples and shrines, it s easy to think their exquisite statues, murals, sculptures and ornaments were ordered directly from heaven. Obviously, this is not the case. Many of the artifacts on show are not actually that old and are made by skilled contemporary artists and craftsmen, a number of which are based in Bajiao Street, Lhasa s main circular street for handicraft gifts. Stepping into one small shop we meet one such artist. He is working on a large colorful painting depicting the lives of numerous lamas. The almost-finished picture includes a wealth of detail and many saintly-looking figures including one half submerged in a mountain that was said to be able to walk through land, and another demonic-looking character with snakes wrapped around his wrists and ankles displaying a string of severed heads attached to his belt. The whole picture doesn t tell us one story, there are many. All the figures depicted are students of very famous lamas, the artist tells us, brush in hand, adding that all the characters depicted are positive and have a good character, even the blue faced demon in a ball of fire. He may look like a demon but he is actually a good guy. He s a guardian of law and drives away the evil spirits, said the artist. The picture measured about two meters high and three meters wide. As it was yet to be completed some white canvas around the edges were exposed, but once these had been filled in the work will be shipped off to a local temple. Stepping across the street and into a second small workshop another artisan is applying paint to a small statue of a lama he is making for a temple. Two artists work on a large painting to go on display in a temple in Tibet. A lot of temples place orders here, says the artist, adding that the rather frightening mask hanging above his head and the golden Buddha statues on the shelf are the most popular products. Bajiao Street itself also called Barkhor Street is a trinket-lover s paradise with stalls and stalls of jewelry, fabric, traditional clothes and much more all surrounding Jokhang Temple (Dazhao in Chinese), one of Lhasa s main tourist destinations. The street itself turns from narrow zigzagging lanes to wider market roads as you walk round. In the warmer months the place is packed with 41

42 Qinghai-Tibet Railway a mix of tourists, monks, pilgrims, some of which kowtow themselves along the ground, all walking clockwise, as is the Buddhist tradition. The street originated in the seventh century when the king of Tibet ordered tribes to move to Lhasa, which was then a rural area. The newcomers then built the beautiful Jokhang Temple, which soon attracted many faithful pilgrims and eventually formed what we now know as Bajiao Street around the historic site. Today the site is one of the most popular in Lhasa and a must-visit place for unique gifts to take back home. Tibetan Diary NyingchiText / Photo by Dominic Swire The last two days have been spent mainly on the road as our group made the six hour car journey to Nyingchi in the southeast of Tibet. The area is on the very southwestern fringe of China, situated close to the Himalayan mountain range and bordering India and Myanmar to the south. It might be expected, then, that the views are something special and we weren t disappointed. Six hours in a car (each way) does not seem so long when you are driving past snowcapped mountains brushing their heads against the low cloud cover; when you have to slow down to avoid hairy yaks trotting across the road; or when you catch a glimpse of Tibetans in colorful local dress going about their daily lives in rural villages. On the way we stopped and talked to a local official from the forestry department of Baizhen town in Nyingchi. She explained the success of the government s plans to protect the local forest and stop excessive logging by paying would-be loggers not to cut down trees. Simple solution, but it seems to be working. She then took us to the foot of a mountain range to meet a local Tibetan man in his sixties who has been protecting the forest for decades. After a 30 minute drive up winding narrow roads we reached his office a picturesque log cabin next to a bubbling stream and meadow of wild blue flowers. The meadow ran across to the foot of the mountains where there is a small population of macaque monkeys. Throwing some peanuts onto a white zigzagged bridge crossing the water, the old man persuaded a couple of lethargic monkeys with fluffy grey A rainbow forms after the rain. fur to stroll up for a snack. But they must be well fed because they soon lost interest and made their way back into the trees. We were then kindly invited back to the old man s house where we sat on the front lawn of his house under an apricot tree and drank hot butter tea or, at least, sipped it. This drink is a traditional Tibetan offering and made from local milk, sometimes from a yak, butter and tea. The taste is - how should I put it diplomatically unique. Very rich and salty. In fact the greatest fan of this mixture appeared to be the local cat, which repeatedly attempted to sneak up behind us and put its nose in our cups. Eventually the creature got its prize as we stood up to say our goodbyes and left the garden to continue on to Ningchi city. Often referred to as the Hong Kong of Tibet, Ningchi is a small but vibrant bustling city. We arrived around nine in the evening and took a stroll to a small restaurant for some noodles. Even at that time the streets were still busy, neon lights were still flashing and market traders were still operating. Although in Tibet the city has a very much Chinese feel to it as the vast majority of the population is of Han ethnicity. However, if you are thinking of visiting this area, make sure you get the appropriate documents as at the time of writing it is impossible for foreigners to come unannounced. Next day we made for one of the most popular sites in the area, Basong Lake (sometimes known as Basum). After a couple of hours driving further into the mountains, dodging wild boar, horses and other random wildlife on the road we eventually arrived at this scene of paradise. A vivid turquoise stretch of water reflecting snowcapped mountains that kissed the sky. Silently standing here you can hear birds twittering in the trees, a bubbling brook and a slight breeze rustling the leaves of the trees. The site is well known among Tibetans, many of whom come to pray by the water side. Evidence of this can be seen by the numerous flags planted into the ground on tree branches. Some as big as bed sheets, they are covered with Tibetan scripture, said to be heard as they are blown by the wind. The lake looked all the more 42

43 Qinghai-Tibet Railway beautiful due to a strip of bright blue water close to the other bank. This was produced by the shadow of a cloud, which eventually floated overhead and dumped a light shower on us. But amid such scene of beauty, it would take more than this to dampen the spirits. The lake itself is over 3,500 meters above sea level, which explains the ease at which one feels out of breath walking down the bank. But the fresh air rich with the scent of wild flowers is more than compensation to refill the lungs. The lake is also known for a small island on which lies a temple of the yellow hat Tibetan Buddhist sect. You can cross over to this on a floating walkway. The island is so small it barely takes five minutes to circumnavigate but it s well worth the effort to see the lake through the trees from a different angle. If there is anything this trip is teaching me it s that Tibet is more than just Buddhism and temples. The scenery is absolutely stunning, too. Tibetan Diary Travel to Shigatse Text / Photo by Dominic Swire Most of today was spent travelling as our minibus sped through the windy mountain roads from Lhasa to Tibet s second largest city, Shigatse. Located at around 3,900 meters above sea level Shigatse has a population of 80,000 and lies approximately 250 kilometers southwest of Lhasa The city is county level and serves as administrative centre for Shigatse county. (Shigatse is sometimes known as Rikaze or Xigaze.) The city is also known for the Tashilhunpo Monastery, the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama. We intent to visit this place tomorrow. However, today the travel proved more interesting than the destination. We took the mountain road from Lhasa climbing around countless hairpin bends as the strong sun thumped down on the valleys and peaks of the barren mountains. The scenery was amazing but we stopped at a couple of places that were truly beautiful. The first was Yamdrok Lake, one of the autonomous region s three most holy lakes. The expanse of pristine blue water covers over 600 square kilometers and a length of over 70 kilometers. All around mountains surround the site, some with a sprinkling of snow on the top. There were a number of other tourists that had stopped at the same place as us and the Tibetans cater for them by arranging dozens of stalls of jewelry, and opportunities to take a picture with Tibetan dogs, sit on a huge horned yak, or even wade into a small flock of sheep. This bustling modern day popularity makes it somewhat difficult to appreciate that the lake is considered divinatory and is often visited by pilgrims coming to worship. Another stunningly beautiful stop we made along the way was at the foot of a CRI s Dominic Swire pats two Tibetan dogs on the head by Yamdrok Lake in Tibet. Beautiful Yamdrok Lake in Tibet Tibetan stalls by the foot of a glacier close to Yamdrok Lake in Tibet. glacier not far from Lake Yamdrok. Although the sun was very strong lower down the mountain, up here there was a very chilly wind and a low cloud was threatening rain. But look up and your mind is instantly taken off the weather by the snow and ice covering half the mountain like icing on a cake. As time was ticking, we soon jumped back in the bus and headed to Shigatse. After settling in to our hotel and being treated to a very nice dinner we went for a stroll into town to see what Tibet s second largest city feels like. Unfortunately we took a wrong turning and ended up in the outskirts of this small city a very dusty place with broken pavement and few shops open. The slightly desolate feel was strengthened by looking to the horizon and seeing the wide expanse of the sky propped up by the distant jagged mountains. But soon we were in the taxi and heading to Shanghai Square, which was mentioned on a tourist brochure and sounded like a place to visit. Unfortunately the square tuned out to be little more than a shopping complex but at last we were in the center of town and able to have a look around. Although it was around 9:30pm, the streets were still busy, shops were still open and Tibetan music could be heard piped onto the street. The streets seemed clean, neon lights shone and hoards of school children dressed in neat blue and white sports uniform made their way home on bicycles and electric scooters, some sitting three to a bike. Here we sensed a more relaxed feeling than in Lhasa. Of the many restaurants we saw open, my favorite was the (I quote) Yakheadtibe restaurant. With a clear disregard for individual English words the owner had simply divided the number of letters in the name and stuck a huge model of a yak s head in the middle. The beast s eyes were red-ringed and its tongue was sticking out of its mouth giving it a slightly mad look. We didn t go in but it made me laugh and seemed to match the friendly nature of the city. 43

44 Qinghai-Tibet Railway Tibetan Diary Text / Photo by Dominic Swire Tashilhunpo Monastery What does a monk do in his free time? Where do they go when they get ill, and why do you never see one driving a car? These questions and more were answered today during our visit to Tashilhunpo Monastery. Situated in Shigatse, Tibet s second largest city, Tashilhunpo Monastery is the seat of the 11th Panchen Lama and effectively serves as a small village and school as well as a place to worship for the hundreds of Monks that live there. Walking through the grand gates into the grounds of Tashilhunpo is not like walking into a religious site. The view that greets you is one of a small village a cluster of small white buildings slowly rising towards the mountain in the background. If you look up you may see a golden roof or two or you could spot the odd monk walking past in red robes. But it s not until you traverse a couple of narrow passageways that you come across any explicitly religious building. The first we were shown by our guide, who was one of the monks from the monastery, was the Maitreya Temple, built in 1914 by the 9th Panchen Lama. Stepping into the incense-filled dark interior, your eyes are pulled up to meet the round golden face of the Maitreya Buddha beaming down at you. Truly impressive, this giant deity has his right hand raised in a symbolic pose that looks like he is giving the sign for perfect. Each finger is around four feet in length. The statue is 28 meters high and contains 279 kilograms of gold. Next we visited a second temple, which functions as a shrine to the 10th Panchen Lama. I had to be careful entering as there was one man lying flat on his face praying as we stepped inside. The centerpiece of the temple was a huge stupa with a slightly plump man sitting inside in a rainbow colored alcove staring into the middle distance. Walking around the temple clockwise, as is the Buddhist tradition, one could see 1,000 individually painted images of Sakyamuni on the wall. The observant visitor may also notice that one of the six pillars at the front of the temple has dozens of pens and stationary One of the main halls at Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, Tibet s second largest city Impressive architecture at Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, Tibet s second largest city An angry tiger can be seen inside one of the gates at Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, Tibet s second largest city. Monks debate with each other in the grounds of Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, Tibet s second largest city. equipment attached. The reason is because this is the place budding scholars come to pray for good marks in their exams. Exiting this temple I spotted a public telephone in the courtyard although I was told it did not have a direct line to god In between the sites we asked the monk about his daily life. What does he do in his spare time; does he play sport, what contact with the outside world? Walking with his red robe wrapped around him as he talked our guide told us they do play sport in the monastery and enjoy football, for example, but they don t have a team. If a monk falls ill, there is a local hospital they go to with both Tibetan and western doctors. And they are allowed to watch TV, listen to radio and enjoy films but only on Saturdays. Driving cars is a no, no, though according to Buddhist law. Next stop was a courtyard full of monks debating with each other but from the other side of the wall it sounded like a kung fu fight as there were raised voices and what sounded like punches being thrown. Entering one could see groups of young monks standing around under the shade of several trees. There was no violence. The slapping sounds came from the monks clapping their hands in an exaggerated fashion with both arms straight, which signified that they had just challenged their colleagues to answer a question about the scriptures. Tashilhunpo Monastery is not just full of history culture and religion; it is also a living, breathing way of life for the monks that live there today. Visiting is an experience not to be missed at least not in this lifetime. 44

45 Behind the Scene A Hong Kong Tour Guide in Fascinating South Africa Text by Zhang Zhang Having lived in South Africa for more than 20 years, Linda Leung acknowledged she feels more like a South African than a Hong Kong citizen. As a tour guide, she worked nearly nonstop during the World Cup, but was glad to see the tournament inspire people of different colors to be more harmonious with one another while helping visitors from outside Africa learn how wonderful the country was. Born into a family of educators in Hong Kong, Linda was expected to follow in her parents' footsteps and become a teacher. In fulfilling a childhood dream to travel around the world, she instead decided to be a tour guide. "I prefer traveling thousands of miles to learning knowledge from thousands of books in a limited space. But with instinct as a teacher inherited from my family, I also would like to share with others my experiences in the places I have been to." Since starting her guide work in the 1980's, Linda has left her footsteps on all the continents except the Antarctic and she has traveled through 10 African countries so far. Linda came to South Africa in 1986 and found it hard to leave the country as she was deeply impressed with its friendly and polite people, clean air and fantastic natural landscapes. "What attracts me most here is the manner in which the residents behave. Everyone is polite. Drivers are always polite to each other on the roads and people smile to whoever they meet. And the natural scenery is of course another factor that keeps me here." Linda re-embarked on a career in tourism while working as a freelance guide three years after settling in South Africa. Though difficulties were inevitable in the beginning, ranging from the language barrier, to cultural differences and public rules, she quickly adapted to her new home and later became outstanding in her work thanks to her language advantage. Able to speak well in English, Chinese and Cantonese, Linda became popular with local travel agencies that were busy serving a surging number of inbound tourists from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan and other Southeast Asian countries and regions. Linda received high praise from both the agency and her customers. Her career peaked in 2009 when she won three major tourism competitions sponsored by the South African government. The selection was based on the comments from her employers and tourist customers as well as from an assessment lasting more than one month, during which an assessor from a randomly-chosen travel agency joined in Linda's group and recorded her work on video. After a sweeping victory in the state of Gauteng, Linda qualified for the national competition, where she later made an unexpected "miracle". "One of the competitors in the final was a local black girl. I thought she had a bigger opportunity than us to win and was ready to compete for the runner-up. But to my surprise, the top award went to me at last. It was hard to believe." Linda said the award was not only an honor for her, but also recognition for the Chinese contributing to the country. Months ago, Linda established an association for Chinese tour guides in Gauteng to facilitate information on traffic, weather and places of interest. The non-profit organization also helps the administration investigate customer complaints and defend the rights of its members during such probes. Linda said they were planning for emergency training for its members after the recent bus hijacking in Manila, where eight Hong Kong citizens were killed. Though having acclimated to local life, Linda suffers from nostalgia sometimes and maintains nearly all traditions on Chinese festivals like wrapping Zongzi and watching the dragon boat competitions at the Duanwu Festival. "I return to Hong Kong nearly once a year and will move the family back there when I'm old. Going home when one is old as falling leaves return to the root is a Chinese tradition." Linda wants to teach tour guide license applicants after she retires, or work at an orphanage in Hong Kong or in the Chinese mainland to tell children about her experiences and inspire them to embark on a global tour one day. Winning the Welcome Award National Tourist Guide is always the most memorable for Linda. [Photo from CRIENGLISH.com] 45

46 Behind the Scene Post-World Cup South Africa Text / Photo by Zhang Zhang High expectations for huge profits from surging inbound tourism, massive investment in urban construction as well as a stimulus for future development have always motivated countries to try and host the FIFA World Cup, or even the Olympic Games, at any cost. But when the games end, the host nation may find reality sometimes deviates from expectations. South Africa ended up unique in the history of both the World Cup and within the African continent, which embraced the most popular sporting event for the first time after an eighty-year wait. The successful tournament, which was devoid of violence and doping scandals, maintained a good reputation throughout while reaping soaring revenues for the country. But what did the tournament mean to its people and how will it affect the country for years to come? In a misty winter morning in late August, we landed in South Africa's largest city of Johannesburg which hosted the opening and final matches of the 2010 World Cup just two months ago. To our surprise, the city looked as if nothing special had recently taken place. In addition to a few posters at the airport and a railway put into service prior to the World Cup, we found nothing else related to football on our way to the hotel that sits next to the Emperors Palace - the most popular casino in Johannesburg. Customers flowed in and out of the casino day and night, and their passion for gambling only withering slightly at dawn or during live telecasts of rugby games, once the favorite sport of local white residents, and still the most influential sport in the country, even more so than football. Linda Leung, a Hong Kong emigrant who has been in South Africa for more than twenty years, said she could hardly feel the instant effects of the World Cup on the country except in a transient prosperity in employment and a hike in income as there was a new direct flight on British Airways from London to Cape Town. As a senior tour guide, Linda and her colleagues worked nonstop every day throughout June and early July. She remembered almost everything was in shortage during that time, and that even school buses were hired to carry travelers, while teachers were invited to work as temporary guides. The tournament brought in more than 5 billion US dollars in revenue for South Africa, and created about one million jobs while nearly every employee in the tourism sector received double their pay during this period. However, Linda said the heyday did not last long. "The World Cup looked like a 'honeymoon' for South Africa. When it ended, many people lost jobs again and as foreign tourists left, the situation returned to normal - sporadic customers in supermarkets, while more and more vacant rooms grew in hotels." But the World Cup inspired local citizens to become closer to each other and rendered the country an opportunity to show the world its attractions, Linda said. "It's amazing to see everybody, whatever, white or black, rich or poor fully enjoy the sport, putting behind anything unpleasant. In stadiums, audiences sang songs and danced together, hugged each other to cheer for the goals and victories in the reverberating noise of Vuvuzuela." "People from outside Africa learned about the beautiful landscapes, comfortable environment, top-level education and health care services in South Africa, making them more interested in coming back to our country in the future." The World Cup was also a remarkable milestone for the whole continent, smashing a traditional view that Africa is mostly related with severe poverty, incurable diseases and insufficient public services, she added. Lounging in downtown Johannesburg on sunny days was a pleasant experience. But most foreigners were advised to tour certain areas and return to their hotels before sunset over safety concerns. Reports of theft, robbery and rape have made the country notorious for its crime, and several foreign journalists were indeed robbed during the World Cup which further tarnished the country's image. Linda admitted its bad security records had impacted the development of local tourism and caused the less-than-expected tourist flow during the World Cup. She even had to give up on a plan to teach local kids Chinese in rural areas considering the situation. But compared with the high crime rate, Linda said inadequate police efficiency and rampant offenses by fake officers are even more discouraging and that many victims prefer not to call the police unless they have been seriously attacked. "If you report a case to the police, you will never exactly know when they will come. The wait may be several minutes, half an hour, three hours, everything is possible. And what's worse, the victims were even sometimes robbed again by false policemen before real officers rushed in." The locals are still not confident with the police even if they maintained a smooth World Cup. And if you were there, you might also have been disappointed with them. On the day of our arrival, a local newspaper, The Star, reported on its front page that an officer who crashed his car and killed a passenger and then fled the scene, was still at large. In contrast to Beijing which has maintained traces from the 2008 Games, and has a comprehensive plan to utilize the legacy of the Games, South Africa seemed unprepared for its post-world Cup period. Located some 10 km southwest of the city center, Soccer City stadium hosted all the key events of the World Cup including the opening ceremony and the final match between Spain and the Netherlands. But just two months later, the stadium looked old as if it had been obsolete for quite some time. In the sunshine, the bright-colored stadium looked dull and dusty as a result of insufficient maintenance. When our car stopped at the only accessible entry, there was nobody there except several guards and 46

47 From Our Listeners a vendor selling shabby souvenirs. No box office was open and each entry required 80 SA rand (11 US dollars) that would be R70 for group travelers. Everyone was shocked and surprised over the condition of the stadium, and our driver Elizabeth Nkohla even asked why we chose to visit it. Linda said unlike Beijing, which has renovated its major Olympic venues for commercial purposes, the local government has no such plans thus far. She suggested the government implement what the Chinese mainland has done and hold concerts, performances and other profitable activities at the stadium in order to make a profit to fully or at least partly cover the stadium's maintenance expense. When we arrived in the city, there was a large-scale strike by civil servants underway. Linda said people should not expect the World Cup to be effective in every aspect, as constant growth depends more on a stable and safe society. "The political unrest has reined in the confidence of foreign investors. More than a decade ago, many people invested in the manufacture sector in South Africa, but now, the industry has declined with its decreasing investments but rising unemployment rate, posing a threat to future stability." However, Linda remains positive about the future. She believes tourism, a backbone of the country's economy, will prosper more since the World Cup successfully advertised South Africa to the world. "The tourists at the World Cup must tell their friends how impressive South Africa is and their publicity may lead to a larger tourist inflow some day. As for themselves, they may also return for another visit. The only thing we can do at this time is to wait and be prepared." Mailbag Cheeno Listener s Club Pakistan HOW SPECIAL YOU ARE, CRI If all the poetry of the world Was at my command And all the beauty of Nature On palm of my hand With all the words of our languages Vast as sky and sea I still would have never been able to express What you mean to me I could take every glorious sunset Light from each glowing star But still I could never say How special you are, CRI! From, Shakeel Ahmad, President, Cheeno Listener s Club, Pakistan. 28th April, 2010 Dear CRI English Team, Well done CRI English. I am beyond excited to inform you how much you changed and reshaped me for almost last two decades with your current and accurate programs. I gave you my two thumbs up! And five star ranking of classic and excellent station. CRI English, you mean everything to me. Your daily broadcasting of truth without bias deserves the best. To me you re the only station that serves the interest of their audience and motivating them by creating contest for them regularly, which is truly encouraging. For fact your programs are always pure. That s why you beat every other stations across the globe and undoubtedly you re No.1, an ace station with superb programs, that worth everything to me. Through your wonderful programs, I ve learnt a lot about great country China with ancient history, it s culture and costume, which remind me that we ve similarities, as we in Africa we treasure culture always, especially in the Northern part of Nigeria, where I held from. Once again let me salute you CRI English for being the best international radio station. I wish CRI English and China all the best always. Abdulkadir Ibrahim Kano, Nigeria 47

48 China Radio International The Messenger magazine is the internal journal of the English Service of China Radio International, published bimonthly for CRI listeners and web visitors. Director-General: Wang Gengnian Director: Yang Lei The Messenger is free of charge. For extra copies, further information and sending in your contributions, please contact: to: English Service CRI, 16A Shijingshan Road, Beijing, China Tel: / 1580 Fax: Website: Editors: Tang Minguo, Xie Qiao Executive Editor: Shen Siling Designer: Zhang Nan