Looking for He Guizhen
Chapter 1 – Wushan 巫山
Wushan is the last decent-sized town located by the Yangtze River in Chongqing Region before the water flows into Hubei Province.
While big cities have a culture of formal, indoor nightlife, many small towns in China take the fun onto the streets. Food stalls, vendors, spontaneous dance groups, and other informal activities add to the dynamism and liveliness of these places.
A sightseeing cruise sailed to the Longmen Gorge which lies beyond the bridge. - Wushan, Chongqing, China, June 2011
As I was walking through the main street in Wushan, I saw a growing crowd gather in the People’s Square amphitheater. I was curious to know what was going on. The bleachers were filled with people. Some were holding babies. Some were chatting away with each other. And some were just waiting for the performance to begin.
It was an event organized by a real-estate developer to promote a new residential project. Over the years, these types of gatherings had gained popularity. They had live performances and were free of cost.
The photo of the gathering was used by ChinaFile of the Asia Society as a postcard for a discussion about the uncertainty regarding China’s future at the end of 2015. At the time, I wrote, “This picture says a lot about China. Especially today. The entire Western world spent nearly four decades hoping the country would move in a positive direction, predicting progress, courting the authorities. And now, all of a sudden, everyone is stunned and has no idea what to do, what they are doing. This is true not just of people outside the country but the people in it, too. They are puzzled and they are confused.”
A crowd in the People’s Square of Wushan. People gathered to watch a gala sponsored by a real estate developer to promote the new residential complex on the Yangtze River. - Wushan, Chongqing, China, June 2011
I came to that place looking for answers, for a real person who appeared in a report. Yet, the trip raised more questions than answers. It was what drove me to keep going, to see what comes next.
After the event, I approached motor taxi drivers on the same street to enquire about Dongping Village, He Guizhen’s home before being displaced from Wushan. One thing led to another, and I met Mr. Wu, who knew Dongping Village as well as Guihua Village where some of He Guizhen’s fellow displaced villagers had migrated. The next morning, both of us set out to look for him on Mr. Wu’s motorcycle.
