In today's China, the gigantic population (1,300,000,000 people) is experiencing an extremity gap between the very rich and the very poor. The still existing Chinese communist system provides "cradle to grave" caretaking for its citizens. All major services like housing, education and medical treatment are currently supplied by the government; however, they are accessible only according to area registration in the community in which people are born. Lack of such registration or change of area of residence leaves people on their own. The majority of people in the

Babies who have escaped abortion are most dearly treasured and loved. They grow up to enjoy free education for nine years of school. However, kindergartens and universities are becoming privatized. Currently, a lot of children living in the rural areas have to work hard in the fields to help support the family and, therefore, drop out of school at an early age. In reaction to that, some local governments have promoted Project Hope, which sponsors children in those areas to stay in school.

Life in rural China, on the other hand, is less dependent on government housing schemes but is stamped by poverty. People living in villages have their own houses but they are usually small built of mud bricks with earthen floors and walls. Some villages have only one communal water tap and living conditions are extremely miserable. Little children and babies can be seen playing around with their bare bottoms hanging out of their slit open pants, diapers being a rare commodity.

In the midst of this capitalist boom and changing life-style in China, there exists an entire civilization, which has managed to preserve its purity and innocence in coexisting with the splendors of nature. This civilization is spread along thousands of miles fertile land in mid-mainland China, the Three Gorges of the Yangtse river land. Villagers in the area lead a primitive but happy life of self-reliance. They live off agriculture and fishing in the river. They dedicatedly plough their fields daily, mainly without the help of animals, and carry loads on their shoulders, heads and backs. Life is hard but their independence and the surrounding idyllic eminence is rewarding for them. The Gorges are a "painfully beautiful" blend of natural and cultural sights in the form of steep mountains and cliffs, dazzling green fields, air perfumed by the fruit trees, natural stone ridges, ancient walls, bridges, temples, caves... Situated along the river bank are many old cities, some with a verifiable history of 4000-6000 years that had witnessed the change of so many dynasties, each leaving a cultural relic behind to add to the scenic gallery.

All this glory is doomed to an apocalyptic fate. By the year 2009, the waters of the Yangtse River will rise 175 meters inundating all the cultural treasure and destroying the homes and farms of at least 1,300,000 people. Currently, the Three Gorges Dam Project is in progress. Upon its completion it will create the biggest dam in the world forming the largest lake visible even from space. The project is concerned with fulfilling three major tasks: providin

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Approximate Word count = 1731
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)