Then
and Now
Fuling is situated along the Yangtze River in what until the late 20th century was southern Sichuan Province.
Today Fuling belongs to the Chongqing Municipality, an autonomous
prefecture
apportioned to accommodate the massive Three Gorges Dam Project. This region of
China is known for its fertile earth, generous growing season and (until
recently)
mountainous inaccessibility to the rest of the world.
Fuling's
story is ancient. The
Wujiang River, which merges with the Yangzte at Fuling, was called "Fu Water." This location was once heavily marked
by tombs belonging to the Ba kingdom, which came into existence 4000
years ago. The
Chinese word for tomb is "Lingmu." Fu and Ling were eventually joined
together to identify this political and cultural center of the Ba. It
was formed as the officially recognized "Fu State" in the first year of
the Tang Dynasty (CE 618), although there have been people living along
the rivers there since the Stone Age.
Getting to FuIing has become fast and easy. It used to take eight hours by boat to get to Fuling
from the central city of Chongqing; a new highway built in the year 2000
cut the travel time to two hours. Today a
train can get you from Chongqing's North Train Station to Fuling in an
hour.
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A Striking Landscape
Two hundred thousand people live in Fuling proper,
although the total population in the area exceeds 2 million--and
growing. Fuling is surrounded by villages and green
mountains. The views on a drive to Fuling
are
spectacular. Valleys open in breaks between mountains,
revealing terraced farms and land that has been tended for centuries.
The Yangtze appears and disappears, then seems to widen upon arrival in Fuling.
The Three Gorges Dam, miles to the east, has left its mark on the city: a higher river
and
new concrete levees and walkways.
Fuling is quickly urbanizing. While
fresh vegetables, fruit and meat can still be bargained for at
outdoor markets, slick department stores and modern grocery stores are
now within easy walking distance. Luxury hotels have a
firm hold in the city as well. Fuling is home to Fuling Teachers
College, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and companies
packaging the locally grown zhacai, the pickled vegetable that puts Fuling
on the mental (and culinary) map for most Chinese people.
A
city stroll will instantly take you into the vibrant street
life Fuling is known for. You'll encounter tea shops,
clothing vendors playing
mahjong to pass the time, tailors working away on dress orders, and
noodle shops steamy from fresh dumplings.
By evening, local people come out to dance and eat hot pot or huo guo together.
Walking through Fuling is like passing through a friendly gathering on a
warm night: the food is good and plentiful and people are happy to sit and chat. |
Fuling
Kids International tends with
heart to
orphanage needs and
fosters a community
for children adopted from Fuling, China
Donate to support Fuling
Kids efforts at the orphanage
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Or you can send a check to:
Fuling Kids International
c/o 6110 Kestrel Park Drive
Lithia, FL 33547 U.S.A.
Please send inquiries to
connect@fulingkids.org
Fuling
Kids International is a 501 (c) 3 U.S. registered non-profit
organization. Donations are tax-deductible.
We are eligible for many
company matching fund programs. Check with your employer to
see if they can match your donation. Many
can!
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