Piao's Trip Ends

In my December 26, 2010 post I described Piao Tie Jun's adventure along China's Yangtze River.  My grandfather, William Edgar Geil, traveled the Yangtze and recorded his journey in his 1903 book, A Yankee on the Yangtze.  For the past several months Piao has retraced my grandfather's expedition, moving upriver from Shanghai.  Where possible he has determined the exact location from which Dr. Geil took the photos in his book and rephotographed those scenes.  When Piao publishes the results of his adventure — probably as an online book — readers will be able to see how the Yangtze River basin has changed over the past 110 years.

From its headwaters in the Tanggula Mountains on the border of Tibet, the Yangtze runs southward until it reaches a point close to the border with Burma, then turns northeast and flows across central China to the sea.  It was at this turn in the river, on the border between Yunnan Province and Myanmar (formerly Burma), that Piao ended his journey a few days ago.  The Hongbenghe River marks the boundary between the two countries, and the area is so remote that the Chinese side of the border is not visibly guarded.  Not so on the other side.  The Myanmar government's writ runs through most of Burma, save for the eastern borderlands where armed ethnic minorities have long resisted government control.  In 2009 fighting in this area sent thousands of Burmese refugees fleeing into China.  This is really out in the "sticks" in China!

Piao reports that at Hongbenghe village there is a bamboo bridge which crosses the river from China into Burma.  When Piao walked across the bridge and prepared to set foot on Burmese territory, he found several guns pointed at him, and quickly decided to go back whence he had come!  Smart decision!  There are some places where tourists just aren't welcome.

Piao at the Hongbenghe footbridge.

Hongbenghe marks the end of my grandfather's expedition and the last location he photographed in his book.  Piao will now put together a record of his recreation of Dr. Geil's journey. •••