In celebration of the Spring Festival, we embarked on a journey along the Yangtze River—beginning at its origins in Qinghai and Sichang, tracing its path through the mountains and waterways of Sichuan and Hubei, exploring the water towns of Jiangnan, and finally reaching the shores of the East China Sea. Along the way, we visited ten villages named after the Yangtze, capturing the changing face of time and recording the imprint of an era upon the river.
In early 2016, at a symposium focused on accelerating the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued an important directive: to jointly protect the environment and refrain from large-scale development. Ten years have passed swiftly. In geological time, a decade is but a fleeting moment; yet in the timeline of human civilization, these ten years mark a period of committed and thoughtful guardianship of the Yangtze River—years that altered its destiny and redefined the balance between conservation and development.
A single drop of water can reflect sunlight, just as a single village can mirror the governance of China’s river systems. Villages along the Yangtze function like capillaries feeding the lifeline of the river. From its highland sources to its vast estuary, from remote grasslands to modern cities, the subtle yet powerful changes within each village over the past decade illustrate the river’s transformation. The clarity of every drop of water reflects a profound shift in ecological philosophy. These changes inspire genuine joy and broad public appreciation for the river’s renewal.
In Changjiangyuan Village of Haixi Prefecture in Qinghai Province, sprawling rodent infestations once scarred the grasslands with countless holes. These burrows eroded the vitality of the land and gnawed away at villagers’ hopes for a better life. Over the past decade, ecological relocation and restoration programs have gradually eliminated the rodent holes, reducing soil erosion significantly. Statistics show that in the Sanjiangyuan—the Source of Three Rivers, including the headwaters of the Yangtze—the area affected by soil erosion decreased by 684 square kilometers in 2024 compared with 2023. Water quality at the point where the Yangtze leaves the province has remained at Grade II or above for many consecutive years. The green grasslands of the Jiangyuan embody a core aspiration of ecological protection and stand as proof of the practical power behind the principle: “A clean source ensures a clean Yangtze.”
Once, Chachang Village in Jiangyin, Jiangsu Province housed large chemical plants that produced half of the global market’s synthetic anthraquinone. Today, following the closure of these facilities, the aroma of baked oats has replaced the sharp smell of chemicals—signifying an industrial leap from “polluting” to “green.” Similarly, in Changjiang Village of Ma’anshan in Anhui Province, dust from steel mills once burdened residents’ lives. Industrial transformation has since made the river’s waters clearer, the air cleaner, and local development more humane.
The Yangtze’s transformation over the past decade reflects a revolution in mindset, steadfast commitment in action, and—above all—a unifying consensus of hearts and minds. A clean and beautiful Yangtze must be preserved for future generations. This is a vivid example of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.
The concrete plans outlined in the 15th Five-Year Plan have further strengthened public confidence and expectations for the future of this mother river.
Source: Chai-Alim and Wang Haiman, China Media Group.