Chapter 3 Chapter 2 Special Witness

April 3, 1992 may be a day of no special significance to many people, but for those who live along the 662.9-kilometer stretch from the Wanli Yangtze River up to Jiangjin, Sichuan (now part of Chongqing), down to Yichang, Hubei For millions of people, it was an earth-shattering day.Because on this day, the Fifth Session of the Seventh National People's Congress held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing passed the "Resolution on the Construction of the Three Gorges Project on the Yangtze River". A cross-century grand project that has been dreamed by hundreds of millions of Chinese people for nearly a hundred years, and only engineering demonstrations have lasted for 40 years. It has been disputed for more than 30 years whether it will be successful or not, and it is finally about to be launched!

However, people living in the Three Gorges Reservoir area have been waiting for the Three Gorges Project for too long. They don’t understand how people in Guangzhou (in the period of Sun Yat-sen), then in Nanjing (in the period of Chiang Kai-shek) and then in Beijing (in the period of Mao Zedong) have always decided Not this day. Chinese leaders of all dynasties have had the "Three Gorges Dream" for nearly a hundred years, and the people of the Three Gorges have heard the myth of "building the Three Gorges Dam" for nearly a hundred years.Dreamers always have a "dream" hanging there that can make people look forward to, while myths can make people have religious superstitions.

I met such a person in the Three Gorges reservoir area. Her name is Wang Zuoxiu. The first time someone wrote her name in my interview book, I couldn't help laughing secretly: there are so many people making a show now, she even named her "show".However, when I saw her in person, I couldn't help being in awe: I misunderstood her, because a person like her can't be a show in life-she is 95 years old this year!When she named her, people probably didn't know what "show" meant. A Chinese farmer who has lived for nearly a century, it is impossible for her to think that she needs to show off.However, her name seems to have given her a chance to show off.

The old man Wang Zuoxiu is from Zhongbao Island, an old man who lives in the center of the Yangtze River, an old man who lives in the center of the Three Gorges Dam, and an old man who has been in love with the Three Gorges Dam for nearly a hundred years.These "three ones" are enough to make her a special shining figure in the epic of the Three Gorges Project—although she may never have been written by historians before this article, people should not forget such a person anyway. respectable character. Every historical stage of the Three Gorges Dream and the construction of the Three Gorges can be written into an epic chapter, but we can only forget ordinary people like Wang Zuoxiu.Although I know that she cannot become a figure in the future "History of the Three Gorges Project".

Zhongbao Island, where Wang Zuoxiu lives, is very famous in the Three Gorges area. It is the center of the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, and it is also the island in the middle of the river where the Yangtze River flows through Yichang.The so-called island in the heart of the river is actually just a sandbar formed by the river water engulfing sediment and other things and then being sprinkled down by the river water.As time went on, green trees and flower buds grew on the sandbar, and the fragrance of rice and grains wafted away. People nearby slowly built sheds and houses on it.Over time, Jiangxin Island has become a famous place.The island where Wang Zuoxiu lives is called Zhongbao Island—an indestructible island like a fortress in the great river.

Not to be destroyed does not mean not to be submerged by the river.According to Wang Zuoxiu’s recollection, after she came to the island as the child bride-in-law of the Wu family when she was 12 years old, she moved out of the island four times due to floods. The longest time was when she did not dare to return to Jiangxin Island for nine months. "The water was so big that it overflowed the eaves of our house. When the flood came, the thatched hut disappeared without a trace like a bamboo leaf..." When the old man said this, he slapped his knees with his hands, like In telling a fairy tale, there is no more pain.

As the owner of a small island in the middle of the river, Wang Zuoxiu is destined to become a special person with the ups and downs of the Three Gorges Project.The old man can still remember the scene when she went to the island, because her family was so poor that she couldn't even afford a bunker. When she was 12 years old, her father took her to the river and told her to go to the river.Xiao Zuoxiu was so frightened that he cried and said, Dad, I don’t blame you if you can’t support me, but Dad, you can’t throw me into the river to feed the fish! Dad let out a long sigh.Say you are stupid, no matter how cruel your father is, he can't throw his daughter alive into the river. Look, isn't there a place protruding from the water in the middle of the river!That's right, look further ahead—isn't there a small shed there, that's a family, and you go to that house.

Xiao Zuoxiu raised his eyes and looked towards the middle of the river as he swept across the rapids like drawing a knife. He saw the boats in the big river appearing and disappearing like bamboo leaves in the turbulent waves. "Daddy, then... can you stay there? I'm afraid..." "What are you afraid of? The river can't cover your head and neck, at most it can cover your ankles." The father said in a low voice, but he didn't dare to look at his daughter more. Even Xiao Zuoxiu's crying and shouting did not restore his father's "heartlessness". "I'm also afraid of being submerged up to my ankle..."

Wang Zuoxiu said that she didn't remember exactly how she got to the island that day. She said that when she disembarked and boarded the boat, she lay in her father's arms and cried so hard that she didn't even dare to lift her head. The year was 1919.It is impossible for Xiao Zuoxiu to know that there is a great figure in China at this time who is dreaming of building a particularly large dam on the island in the heart of the river where she lives.This man was Sun Yat-sen, the founding father of China in the early 20th century. When the father of the nation dreamed of building a "sluice and weir" on the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, he didn't know that a Chinese peasant woman in the dream of the Three Gorges Dam in the future would have a lifelong indissoluble bond with his great idea.

After Xiao Zuoxiu came to the island, the Wu family was naturally very happy, because although the 12-year-old daughter-in-law couldn't take on the heavy chores at home, she was fine with cooking, cleaning up fish and shrimp, and she couldn't afford to escape from the island. ! It's no use crying.Xiao Zuoxiu didn't even dare to leave her house for the first three years. She was homesick and wanted to stand by the river to see if she could see her hometown on the other side.But she didn't dare, because as soon as she left the house, she felt as if the whole island was shaking in the roaring waves of the big river, and it might sink to the bottom of the river at any time...

Wang Zuoxiu spent 4 years in helpless fear. When she was not very sensible, there was an extra piece of "meat" in her body.But at that time, the island in the heart of the river could not nourish too many lives, and the first little life Wang Zuoxiu gave birth to died.Wang Zuoxiu cried to death.The Wu family wrapped a piece of white cloth on the lifeless little life according to the legacy of the island, and then threw it into the river... Wang Zuoxiu and the Wu family on the island didn't know that two scholars in long gowns happened to pass by the river bank at this time, and one of the tall men pointed to the white cloth bag floating in the river and called out in surprise: "Look, sir, Does that mean Jiang Yu jumped up?" The man called Mr. stood on tiptoe, looked into the river, put down his heels again, sat on a rock by the bank and sighed, "That's not a fish, it's a dead man..." "Is it... a dead person?" The student turned his head nervously.Then he murmured: "This Yangtze River is really scary..." "Yes, if the Yangtze River is not brought under control, there will be no hope for China," said the gentleman. Who made the first contribution to China's Three Gorges Project? In the past, people thought that there was only one American, and his name was Savannah.In fact, before this American, Chinese geologists had already made many contributions.The two men in long gowns mentioned here are Li Siguang and his student Zhao Yazeng.This year, Wang Zuoxiu, who was on the island in the heart of the river, was unable to meet Li Siguang's teachers and students.However, Li Siguang and his students wrote "The Geology and History of the East of the Yangtze River Gorge" after visiting the Three Gorges. For the first time, he drew the "Zhongbao Island" where Wang Zuoxiu lived in his thesis illustration, and has since become famous all over the world. In the following 10 years, Wang Zuoxiu gradually adapted to life on the small island in the heart of the river, and he also had a healthy and lively son and daughter by his side.But in the past 10 years, she has never seen anyone come to touch the rushing river water and the sleeping bare rock on Jiangantou or Jiangxin Island.Fishing for a living and housework are Wang Zuoxiu's entire life. From the winter of 1932 to the spring of the following year, a group of foreigners came to Jiangxin Island, which made Wang Zuoxiu the first village woman in Zhongbao Island who had contact with the outside world. People from the small island in the middle of the river said that they were the Nationalist Government's hydropower survey team in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.Wang Zuoxiu still remembers that the leader's surname was Yun, and there was a foreigner with a big nose.Foreigners will babble and babble unintelligible words.Once after dinner, the foreigner looked at Wang Zuoxiu, who was sitting by the riverside undressing and breastfeeding her child in the sunset, and suddenly jumped up and down beside her, and then raised something and "clicked".Wang Zuoxiu didn't know what it was, and was so frightened that while protecting the child, he picked up mud and threw it at the foreigner.There was an even piece that just hit the "click" monster.The foreigner was startled, the monster fell into the river, and disappeared without a trace in a blink of an eye. "Look what diorama you are playing!" Wang Zuoxiu was muttering, when the Chinese surnamed Yun came over and told her quietly: "Go home quickly, you have caused trouble. That foreigner's camera is worth 20 yuan!" God, 20 oceans!Wang Zuoxiu was so frightened that she didn't dare to go out for a few days, for fear that the foreigner would come to her door and tear up her thatched hut.Later, the foreigners didn’t come, but the gentleman surnamed Yun came and said, Sister-in-law, we are acquainted once, and I and other people will come to Zhongbao Island in the future. I still want to drink your tea, you Don't neglect! Wang Zuoxiu knew at that time that they were here to see the water of the Yangtze River, and wanted to build some water conservancy project in her home, which was to use the water of the Yangtze River to generate electricity.Wang Zuoxiu may be the first ordinary people in the Three Gorges area to know about the Three Gorges Water Conservancy Project. Of course, she didn't know that they came up with the first blueprint to turn the Three Gorges Project from a dream into a reality. "Bang!" This rough but genuine "domestic" Three Gorges Project design plan was later locked in the iron cabinet of the Ministry of Communications of the Nationalist Government and lay there for 10 long years.First of all, blame the Japanese aggressors, and second, blame Chiang Kai-shek, who is bent on civil war. Wang Zuoxiu waited for 10 years in vain, and at the same time let her stop for another 10 years, because she was afraid that the foreigner whose camera she smashed would come to her. Wang Zuoxiu worked on Jiangxin Island at sunrise and rested at sunset, and gradually forgot about foreigners coming to the island.But just when she had forgotten what foreigners and foreigners looked like, one day at the turn of summer and autumn in 1944, Wang Zuoxiu was picking up vegetables by the river, and a large group of people boarded her Zhongbao three times by boat from the bank of the river. island.Some of them had sticks (measuring rulers) and fence poles (tripods), and some had guns! It's broken, they are here to catch me!Wang Zuoxiu was shocked because she saw that foreigner again!She ran home terrified. "Hahaha, sister-in-law, you don't have to be afraid. He is not the Mr. Stoopy who came last time. This gentleman is called Savannah. The famous Dr. Savannah is the kindest and kindest American. The chief engineer of your company. Mr. Stupei, whose camera you smashed, has gone back to the United States to teach and will not come again." Wang Zuoxiu looked back and was pleasantly surprised. She saw someone she knew, and it turned out to be Mr. Yun! "Then...why does that foreigner want me to 'death to pay'?" Wang Zuoxiu asked puzzled. "Haha, hahaha..." Everyone present laughed. "It's not about death, it's Shi Dupei. No, no, no, I can't tell your sister-in-law, I can't tell..." The surnamed Yun and the others babbled at that "Savanki" again. The well-dressed Savage walked over with a smile on his face, stretched out his hands to Wang Zuoxiu, and said, "We Americans are very friendly. Come on, let's dance together." slim waist. Wang Zuoxiu didn't know what this smiling foreigner was going to do, so he fled and hid in his small hut.Behind her came a louder laugh. They don't seem like bad guys.Wang Zuoxiu stretched his neck and looked out through the crack of the door, and couldn't help laughing in shame.In the days that followed, Wang Zuoxiu, who lived alone for a long time on a small island in the heart of the river, made tea and cooked for these foreigners and foreigners every day, and gradually became familiar with them.What made her admire even more was the bearded foreigner Savannah. Although he couldn't understand what he was talking about, Wang Zuoxiu felt that this foreigner had something to do with the Chinese gentlemen's expressions. Differences. One day Wang Zuoxiu served Savanchi and the others for dinner. These people drank wine and gnawed on the grilled fish she made for them. The more they talked, the more excited they became.That Savage stood at the small wooden table in her house, chattering for a while in high spirits, and the Chinese present applauded him vigorously after hearing this.Wang Zuoxiu was also infected. She quietly asked a young Chinese gentleman what kind of nice things that foreigner was saying and you applauded him so vigorously. The young man patiently said to Wang Zuoxiu: "Sister-in-law, Mr. Savanchi is the greatest water conservancy expert in the world. He said that he came to the Three Gorges and saw the greatest river in the world and the greatest river in the world. Three Gorges. In the future, the Three Gorges Dam will be built here. It is right in the heart of China. It is a blessing given to us Chinese by God! He said that he is now over 60 years old. If God gives him time, he can see it for himself. Seeing that the Three Gorges Project has become a reality, he will be buried on Zhongbao Island after his death, so that his soul will be resurrected forever with the Three Gorges Project!" Wang Zuoxiu thought, this foreigner really has feelings for Zhongbao Island! "Some people said before that what kind of dam is going to be built here, and what is the purpose of building the dam?" Wang Zuoxiu asked. "Power generation, so that we Chinese can use bright electricity. At that time, sister-in-law, your house doesn't need kerosene to light the lamps. You just need to connect a wire, and the night is like daytime, and you don't need firewood for cooking..." "No need for firewood?" Wang Zuoxiu couldn't figure it out, as if he was listening to a fairy tale, "Then—how tall and tall should the dam be?" "Cut the Yangtze River down the middle, and build a dam as high as a hundred stories." "What is a building?" "You don't even know the building? It's just—it's just a stacked house." "How tall is the one-hundred-story house?" "It's as high as your hundred houses stacked up." "Ah, do you want to build such a high dam?!" Wang Zuoxiu was stunned, "Then...then where do we live?" "Hee hee, your sister-in-law lives on the top of a dam that is a hundred houses high!" A joke made by the young gentleman made Wang Zuoxiu take it seriously for the rest of his life. Since the arrival of the foreigner Savannah, Zhongbao Island where Wang Zuoxiu is located has become lively.Not to mention that the white-haired and childlike Savannah came to her house again in the second year, even China's own survey team and survey team also came to Jiangxin Island every now and then.Every group of people came to sit at Wang Zuoxiu's house and eat the "Three Gorges Rice" cooked by her - the name was given by Jiang Daquan, a geologist known as "Old Three Gorges".That time, Jiang Daquan accompanied Dr. Corden, who was recommended by Savanqi to be the chief engineer of the Three Gorges Project, to Wang Zuoxiu's home for dinner. Dr. Corden felt that the hostess's meal was very delicious, so he asked curiously what kind of meal it was. Jiang Daquan said casually. He said "Three Gorges Rice", but Dr. Yang from the United States would eat "Three Gorges Rice" from now on. In fact, Wang Zuoxiu's "Three Gorges Rice" is nothing more than some farm dishes and some Yangtze River fish and shrimp mixed together and served on the table. There was a young man named Chen Mengxiong in the survey team. When he returned home in the field, he often hid alone in the back shed of Wang Zuoxiu’s house, shaking his head and shaking his head, reciting poems and composing lyrics. The "Three Gorges Rice" was burnt. "It's fragrant, it's so fragrant, this is called Jiangxin game meal!" The little poet blindly praised Wang Zuoxiu's rare meals. At that time, the civil war provoked by Chiang Kai-shek outside the mountain was fighting to the death, while Zhongbao Island in the hinterland of the river was exceptionally quiet.Wang Zuoxiu's small world didn't seem to be flustered by the rumbling of the guns outside.But there is also a little change. Wang Zuoxiu feels that these survey team members give her less and less money for meals, and sometimes they don't even give her food.This made her unable to hold on any longer.Once she approached the little man Jiang Daquan who named her "Three Gorges Rice" with a straight face, and said that I am not rich, why do you just eat and not pay?When Jiang Daquan saw Wang Zuoxiu coming to him to beg for food money, his face turned red to the base of his neck, and he stuttered: "Sister-in-law, sister-in-law, we...haven't received payment for...months. I'm really sorry. He is Chiang Kai-shek's mother, he only knows how to fight... the Communist Party, but he doesn't know that we are working hard for the country to rejuvenate the country..." Wang Zuoxiu stopped embarrassing a large group of men like this, "Anyway, they are acquaintances, so let's say something first. If there is anything on our island, I will make it for you to eat." "All right, even if we don't have anything to eat, we will be very happy if we can eat sister-in-law's handicrafts!" These men whose tongues have been slipped by books, are sweet on their bare lips!Wang Zuoxiu secretly laughed and cursed, still thinking about the dream of being able to put his home on a dam with a height of more than 100 floors. She naturally didn't know that the little Jiang Daquan and a few foreigners were carrying out the survey and survey mission of the National Three Gorges Project dam foundation under extremely difficult conditions, almost relying on their own strength.She naturally didn't know that Jiang Daquan, the little man who was "taught" by her and stuttered, was using his wisdom and judgment to challenge the famous "Six Six Plans" of the Three Gorges dam site by Mr. Savanch, an international dam authority. .What a spirit!Decades later, it was proved that Jiang Daquan's views were completely correct. In 1947, one day Jiang Daquan came to tell Wang Zuoxiu that they were about to withdraw from Zhongbao Island. "Will you come again in the future?" Wang Zuoxiu asked. Jiang Daquan with a cloudy face shook his head: "I don't know if they can come again, I think I will come again..." That day Wang Zuoxiu took out all the edible things at home and cooked a particularly hearty meal for the survey team members.But everyone at the dinner table was silent and mournful.Only Chen Mengxiong, the "little poet" who knocked out his upper teeth because he wanted to take pictures when he was parting, chanted his "farewell to the dam site, and the shadow of the gorge to move the love; Work into Wonders" new work. Wang Zuoxiu didn't know that these survey team members went through a life-and-death decision after returning to Nanjing.Especially the little Jiang Daquan. His father was a "legislator" of the Kuomintang government. He bought air tickets to Taiwan for his son several times and prepared a self-defense pistol.But Jiang Daquan did not obey his father's arrangement, but risked his life with Qian Changzhao and a group of people to completely protect the "Central Institute of Geological Survey", making New China the first and most sound geological scientific research institution. After liberation, Wang Zuoxiu returned to the shore for the first time after going to the island, and what he brought home was a portrait of Chairman Mao.She stuck it right in the middle of the wall inside the hut. One day in the early spring of 1958, Wang Zuoxiu was drying bean seeds on the beach by the river when a ship named "Xiajiang" departing from Wuhan was sailing against the current towards her Zhongbao Island.The peasant woman didn't know that the arrival of this boat would add a lot of color to Wang Zuoxiu's ordinary life. This is after Mao Zedong personally made the judgment of the "Lin-Li Controversy" and instructed the State Council to "study the Three Gorges Project carefully", Premier Zhou Enlai personally brought a group of experts to the Three Gorges for field inspection, and this inspection will determine the future of the Three Gorges Project. . "That was the morning of March 1st." 95-year-old Wang Zuoxiu blurted out the day when I interviewed her. "Sister-in-law, look who's coming!" Wang Zuoxiu had just returned home from drying beans on the beach to make lunch, when suddenly someone shouted outside the door.The voice was both familiar and unfamiliar.She hurriedly patted the dust off her body to greet him, yo, isn't this the little Mr. Jiang who hasn't seen him for more than ten years! "It's you!" Wang Zuoxiu opened his mouth happily, "Come in and sit down!" "Sister-in-law, look who has come to your house!" Mr. Jiang turned sideways to introduce a handsome and kind "big man" behind him to Wang Zuoxiu. "Hi, sister-in-law!" The big man who spoke Wu dialect came over, held Wang Zuoxiu's hand, and asked kindly, "How many years has your family lived in Jiangxin Island?" Wang Xiuzuo felt that the big leader in front of him looked familiar, but he couldn't remember who it was.She froze there thinking: who is it? "Sister-in-law, Premier Zhou asked you!" Mr. Jiang said, gently poking Wang Zuoxiu's arm. "Ah——you are Premier Zhou?!" Wang Zuoxiu's mouth remained open for a long time. "It's me, sister-in-law. I'm Zhou Enlai." Seeing Wang Zuoxiu's daughter sitting on the bench washing her feet, Premier Zhou walked over, knelt down and asked with a smile how old the child was and whether he went to school. The child has never seen so many foreigners, he only knows how to shake his head and nod, and dare not say a word. Premier Zhou straightened up and said to Wang Zuoxiu: "The children on the island should be able to go to school just like the children on the shore." As he spoke, he took out two yuan from his pocket as if he suddenly remembered something, and stuffed it into the Wang Zuoxiu's daughter said, "I hope you will study hard and contribute to the construction of the Three Gorges in your hometown in the future." At that time, two yuan was not a small amount, it could buy many eggs!The People's Prime Minister cares about the people and has warmed the hearts of Xiajiang people for generations. Wang Zuoxiu hurriedly thanked Premier Zhou on behalf of the child.Then quietly asked Mr. Jiang: "Please Premier and your comrades have 'Three Gorges Rice' at my house!" The little Mr. Jiang was amused, pointed to a group of people following Premier Zhou, and whispered to her: "I can't count on what I said." At this moment, Premier Zhou and his entourage went straight to the place where Soviet experts drilled wells on Zhongbao Island.Here it is necessary to mention the background of why Premier Zhou made a special trip to Zhongbao Island.Since Savage came to China Three Gorges and put forward his "Saxxy Plan", the question of where the Three Gorges Dam will be built has always been the most concerned issue of Chinese and foreign experts.At that time, Sa's preferred to build the dam at Nanjinguan, but China's own experts thought after a lot of investigations that it should be at Sandouping (where the Three Gorges Dam is now built), so the dispute over the dam site was very fierce. In 1955, experts sent by the Soviet Union’s “Big Brother” visited the Three Gorges, and they also tended to build a dam at Nanjinguan, and ignored the opinions of their Chinese counterparts. Their theory was: “There are no bad dam sites, only bad projects.” .This means: the dam site we chose will not have any problems. If you have problems after the construction of the Three Gorges Project starts at the dam site we selected, it must be because of the quality of your projects.This suddenly increased the psychological pressure on Chinese technicians.However, all these pressures did not overwhelm the conscience and sense of responsibility of the Chinese technicians for the Three Gorges Project. They repeatedly insisted that the geological conditions of the Nanjinguan dam site are not the best, and that Sandouping is the ideal dam site.This matter went all the way to Chairman Mao. "Since our own people think Sandouping is more ideal, we should pay attention to it. Enlai, where to locate the dam is up to you after you go to the site for inspection." Mao Zedong said to Zhou Enlai. Wang Zuoxiu didn't know these things, so she didn't know why Premier Zhou hurried to the site where the Soviet experts drilled the well after arriving at her house.At that time, there were not many people on the island, and the drilling equipment of Soviet experts was relatively simple, especially the water needed for drilling holes had to be carried on shoulders.Wang Zuoxiu's husband and the men on the island were all conscripted to dig wells for Soviet experts. The task was to carry 20 loads of water a day for each person, and they were paid 50 cents.Later, the well was drilled deeper and deeper, and there were not enough men on the island, so many militiamen were drawn from the shore to carry water together.Nearly half a century later, I went to Zhongbaodao Village to interview, and the elderly farmers all said that they had once carried water for the Soviet well-drilling team.Wang Zuoxiu knows that period of history best, because the well is less than 300 meters away from her home, and the large and small rock cores drilled by the Soviets have been left on the island, and the big ones can only be reached by hugging two people.Decades later, when the decision of the National People's Congress on the launch of the Three Gorges Project was broadcast, some Zhongbao Island farmer brothers made a lot of money by borrowing these rock cores left by the Soviets.At that time, someone called "The Last Tour of the Three Gorges" and attracted many Chinese and foreign tourists to the Three Gorges. Zhongbao Island is the dam site of the future dam, and it is also the island in the heart of the river. They took pictures with various paper signs such as "Three Gorges Dam Site Memorial", "Three Gorges Zhongbao Island Tour" and other large and small signs. "I've earned hundreds of dollars!" Wang Zuoxiu told me proudly. Because of her family's advantage in Zhongbao Island, tourists from afar heard that she was the oldest birthday star in Zhongbao Island. People who met Premier Zhou back then were all vying to take a photo with her, "It's not that I want to collect money, it's that they offered it to me, an old woman, saying that they are filial to me. See how popular people are now!" The old man was quite emotional and proud. That day, Wang Zuoxiu saw that Premier Zhou and his party went to the place where the Soviets dug wells to look at the core after leaving her house, so he went over to watch the fun. In front of a lot of long and short rock cores, Premier Zhou looked left and right with great interest, then took a fist-sized rock core, and asked the geological engineer Jiang Daquan beside him: "Is it so complete when you drill down?" Core?" "Yes. The geological structure of Sandouping and Zhongbao Island is relatively good, and there are no karst caves. The rock formations are quite complete." Jiang Daquan replied. "So, you have a very reliable scientific basis for your proposal to build the Three Gorges Dam here!" Premier Zhou happily weighed the rock core in his hands repeatedly, a little fondly, "Can I take a piece?" Jiang Daquan was taken aback, not knowing what to do, because according to the regulations, no one can take away such geological specimens casually, "Is... what is the use of the Prime Minister?" Premier Zhou smiled: "I brought it for Chairman Mao! The chairman has been worrying about the Three Gorges Dam. How happy he will be to see such a good rock formation underground here!" Jiang Daquan and his companions were all jubilant. "All right, Prime Minister, please bring it to Chairman Mao!" After Jiang Daquan finished speaking, he took out a pen from his pocket, and wrote a line on the record board of the core box: a certain year, a certain month, a certain date A section of core between a few meters and a few meters per day was taken away.And put your name on it. Premier Zhou asked curiously: "Is it necessary to sign for the removal of the core?" "Yes, this is discipline..." Jiang Daquan said with some embarrassment. "Then I will also sign my name." Premier Zhou asked for a pen from Jiang Daquan, and wrote down his name and date carefully on the record board. Naturally, Wang Zuoxiu didn't know what happened next: on the 28th day after Premier Zhou came to her home, a large ship "Xiajiang" came down from Chongqing, and when passing by her Zhongbao Island, she deliberately fell into the middle of the river. We slowed down for a long time.At this time, a window on the ship "Xiajiang" was gently opened, and a giant stood in front of the window and stared at Zhongbao Island for a long time, murmuring "Sandouping, Sandouping... ..." What he held in his hand was the core that Premier Zhou had taken away from Zhongbao Island. This giant is Mao Zedong. Since then, Wang Zuoxiu, the owner of Zhongbao Island, has received all kinds of engineering geologists without interruption. Naturally, the geological engineering technicians like Jiang Daquan are the most familiar. "Mr. Jiang, when you left in 1947, why didn't you visit our Zhongbao Island for more than ten years?" One day, Wang Zuoxiu asked the little engineer Jiang Daquan. Jiang was at a loss for words. Looking at this kind-hearted Xiajiang peasant woman, he couldn't help but burst into tears: "You know, I've been in a lawsuit for several years!" Wang Zuoxiu was shocked: "Why should you be imprisoned?" Jiang Daquan was a little embarrassed and didn't know where to start, because he didn't want to mention this sad thing.The famous geologist and his colleagues risked their lives to defend the old geological survey institute, and devoted themselves to the upsurge of new China's construction with enthusiasm.The first task he accepted was to be responsible for the engineering geological survey of Beijing Guanting Reservoir, the earliest reservoir in the early days of the founding of New China.At that time, because he obeyed the will of the chief, he failed to follow the requirements in the engineering procedures. After the completion of the Guanting Reservoir, water leakage occurred.Someone took advantage of the problem and asked Jiang Daquan and other engineering and technical personnel face to face: "This is definitely not a small matter! If you flood Beijing, you will flood Chairman Mao!" Putting on such a big hat, Jiang Daquan was imprisoned for "counter-revolutionary sabotage".Later, thanks to the leaders of the Ministry of Water Resources and He Changgong who pointed out that the problems in the project were caused by the will of a certain leader, Jiang Daquan was able to get out of prison. Although Wang Zuoxiu did not know from Jiang Daquan himself that he had suffered this crime for nothing, this kind-hearted peasant woman believed that Jiang Daquan had left home for many years to come to Zhongbao Island to work tirelessly for dozens of years to build the Three Gorges Dam. The "scholar" in the early years must be a good person.Therefore, she willingly cooked "Three Gorges Rice" for "dam builders" like Jiang Daquan for more than ten years. In those days, Wang Zuoxiu regarded cooking "Three Gorges Rice" for such "scholars" as the happiest and proudest thing in his life. She always has a beautiful wish in her heart: to build her own home on the top of the "hundred-story high" dam as soon as possible... However, the Chinese people's dream of the Three Gorges Project has been too long and too bitter, with twists and turns, rising and falling from time to time, appearing in the morning and hiding in the evening.People like Mr. Jiang, who are so dedicated to work, often come to the island suddenly, and are reluctantly transferred away from the construction site in a blink of an eye, and they have been away for several years or more than ten years during the "Cultural Revolution"... Zhongbao Island Although the rock cores still stand on the beach, they have been eroded by wind and rain, and many of them are buried in the soil.Wang Zuoxiu felt that her hair was also like these falling rock powders, either falling off or turning white.The sons and daughters also have their own sons and daughters, but the Three Gorges Dam is nowhere to be seen.She doesn't understand.Fortunately, her body is still strong, and she has been waiting for Jiang Daquan and the others to eat the "Three Gorges Rice" she cooked. But Jiang Daquan never came again. For this reason, Wang Zuoxiu stood in the center of the island in a daze more than once... In fact, she didn't know that Jiang Daquan and the others in Beijing had never stopped working on the Three Gorges Project. It was just that this outstanding geologist had worked hard in the field for many years Excessive, the body is like a burnt oil lamp.When the State Council decided to conduct an expert demonstration on the construction of the Three Gorges Project in 1986, Jiang Daquan was already unable to get out of bed. Stomach hemorrhage, pneumonia, lung abscess, rheumatoid, and ankylosing spondylitis made him already thin and small, with all internal organs, four limbs and seven orifices. damage.But his heart is always tied to the Three Gorges Project, especially the technical issues of the stability of the dam and reservoir banks.Without telling doctors and relatives, he wrote a long letter to then President Li Xiannian.When he heard that the national leader personally approved his opinion, his excitement was beyond words. On July 14, 1987, Jiang Daquan woke up in the morning after being tossed by illness all night, feeling refreshed, and insisted on being discharged from the hospital.In desperation, his second son had no choice but to return home with his father, who weighed only 30 kilograms.After returning home, the geologist began to work in his study, lying on his desk, as if to hold the lost minutes in his hands.Oh, God, give me some more time to finish what I have to say!Jiang Daquan struggled to write down his suggestions on the Three Gorges Project that he wanted to express to the national leaders in a "Wanyan Opinion Letter". Before he could finish writing the last line, he lost all strength and breath...Going home from the hospital At 7:28 in the morning of the third day, a sincere heart finally stopped beating. When the Babaoshan cremation workers performed the last plastic surgery for this scientific giant, they were so shocked that they couldn't believe that "there are still people who are so thin in the world." Soon after Jiang Daquan's death, the party committee of the Central Government ratified him as a member of the Communist Party of China.The surging Yangtze River accepted the last embrace of the "son of the Three Gorges"—Jiang Daquan's ashes were scattered in the river, and on Zhongbao Island where he had eaten countless sweet "Three Gorges meals"... Wang Zuoxiu was also unaware of all this.At that time, she was already an 80-year-old peasant woman, but she was still a healthy old woman looking forward to seeing "Gaoxia out of Pinghu Lake". A few years later, one night Wang Zuoxiu sat alone at the door and listened to the sound of the Yangtze River—the old man was used to enjoying the beautiful music of nature in his own way when others were watching TV after dinner.Suddenly, she heard the sound of gongs and drums on the island, and later many people on the shore rowed to her island.People sang and danced, and the festive energy was similar to the scene of celebrating the founding of New China back then. "What? The Three Gorges Reservoir is really going to be built! Is it really going to build a dam here?!" Wang Zuoxiu finally understood: It turned out that everyone was celebrating the decision of the National People's Congress on the official launch of the Three Gorges Project! "Happy! Happy!" Wang Zuoxiu stepped forward and cheered with everyone. Not long after that, officials came to the island to mobilize her family to relocate, saying that the Three Gorges Project was about to start. "Move! If we don't move, where will the dam be built? It can't be built on top of us!" Some neighbors were reluctant to move, so Wang Zuoxiu came out to speak. "Old birthday stars" have such awareness, who has anything to say? move! The residents of Zhongbao Island became the first batch of millions of immigrants from the Three Gorges.It’s just that they didn’t move far away—from Jiangxin Island to the col beyond the “red line” of the dam project. "Look—I can see the dam from here!" 95-year-old Wang Zuoxiu came out of the house happily when she heard that I had come to her home from Beijing to interview her.老人是个很爱面子的人，见我手里拿着照相机，便转身回屋穿上一件干净的花格子衬衫，然后乐呵呵地跟我聊起那令人神往的中堡岛曾经发生过的一幕幕往事。 “光荣哟，光荣。我见过周总理，还见过李鹏总理，大江截流合龙那天，李鹏总理还请我上观礼台呢！江泽民主席也见到了。光荣啊！”95岁的王作秀耳不聋，眼不花，还独自起居开伙。 “我有一个月60元的补助，国家对我好着呢！我要活到大坝建成那一天……”她满怀深情地对我说，然后掰着手指算道，“还有六……七年，那时我都102岁了。哈哈……你信不，我能活得到……我知道的三峡工程的事比谁都多，你信不？” “信，信信！”我在向这位可敬的“三峡见证人”点头时，眼眶里直发热。 这就是我看到的第一位三峡移民，一位我所见到的百万移民中的“老寿星”。95岁高龄了，她依旧坚持与儿女分而居之，独立操持家务，还时常帮助儿女掰包谷，到地里拔草……这位可敬的老移民为了实现她一生的“三峡梦”——那个属于三峡大坝人独有的“三峡梦”而顽强地显示着我们常人所不能完成的漫长的生命历程，辉煌而壮丽的生命历程！