The Yangzi (the ‘Long River’) is one of the longest rivers in the world (and China's longest). Its watershed of almost 2 million sq km – 20% of China’s landmass – supports 400 million people. Dropping from its source high on the Tibetan plateau, it runs for 6300km to the sea, of which the last few hundred kilometres is across virtually flat alluvial plains. In the course of its sweeping journey, the river (and its tributaries) fashions many of China's scenic spectacles, including Tiger Leaping Gorge and the Three Gorges, and cuts through a string of huge and historic cities, including Chóngqìng, Wǔhàn and Nánjīng, before surging into the East China Sea north of Shànghǎi. As a transport route, the river is limited, but the Three Gorges cruise is China's most celebrated river journey. The waterborne journey along the Lí River between Guìlín and Yángshuò in Guǎngxī is China's other major riverine experience.
In 2010, six of China’s dānxiá (eroded reddish sandstone rock), karst-like geological formations, were included in Unesco’s World Heritage List. The list includes Chìshuǐ in Gùizhōu province. The rocks can also be seen outside Zhāngyè in Gānsù.
Fields & Agriculture
China’s hills and mountains may surround travellers with a dramatic backdrop, but they are a massive agricultural headache for farmers. Small plots of land are eked out in patchworks of land squashed between hillsides or rescued from mountain cliffs and ravines, in the demanding effort to feed 20% of the world’s population with just 10% of its arable land.
As only 15% of China’s land can be cultivated, hillside gradients and inclines are valiantly levelled off, wherever possible, into bands of productive terraced fields. Stunning examples of rice terraces – beautiful in the right light – can be admired at the Yuányáng Rice Terraces in Yúnnán and the Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces in Guǎngxī.
Wildlife
China’s vast size, diverse topography and climatic disparities support an astonishing range of habitats for animal life. The Tibetan plateau alone is the habitat of over 500 species of birds, while half of the animal species in the northern hemisphere exist in China.
It is unlikely you will see many of these creatures in their natural habitat unless you are a specialist, or have a lot of time, patience, persistence, determination and luck. If you go looking for large animals in the wild on the off chance, your chances of glimpsing one are virtually nil. But there are plenty of pristine reserves within relatively easy reach of travellers’ destinations such as Chéngdū and Xī’ān and even if you don't get the chance to see animals, the scenery is terrific. Try Yàdīng Nature Reserve in Sìchuān, Mèngdá Nature Reserve in Qīnghǎi, Sānchàhé Nature Reserve in Yúnnán, Fànjìngshān in Guìzhōu, Shénnóngjià in Húběi, Wǔzhǐshān in Hǎinán, Kanas Lake Nature Reserve in Xīnjiāng and Chángbái Shān, China's largest nature reserve, in Jílín.
The dawn redwood (Metasequoia), a towering (growing up to 60m) and elegant fine-needled deciduous Chinese tree, dates to the Jurassic era. Once considered long extinct, a single example was discovered in 1941 in a Sìchuān village, followed three years later by the discovery of further trees.
Mammals
China’s towering mountain ranges form natural refuges for wildlife, many of which are now protected in parks and reserves that have escaped the depredations of loggers and dam-builders. The barren high plains of the Tibetan plateau are home to several large animals, such as the chiru (Tibetan antelope), Tibetan wild ass, wild sheep and goats, and wolves. In theory, many of these animals are protected but in practice poaching and hunting still threaten their survival.
The beautiful and retiring snow leopard, which normally inhabits the highest parts of the most remote mountain ranges, sports a luxuriant coat of fur against the cold. It preys on mammals as large as mountain goats, but is unfortunately persecuted for allegedly killing livestock.
The Himalayan foothills of western Sìchuān support the greatest diversity of mammals in China. Aside from giant pandas, other mammals found in this region include the panda’s small cousin – the raccoon-like red panda – as well as Asiatic black bears and leopards. Among the grazers are golden takin, a large goatlike antelope with a yellowish coat and a reputation for being cantankerous, argali sheep and various deer species, including the diminutive mouse deer.
The sparsely populated northeastern provinces abutting Siberia are inhabited by reindeer, moose, bears, sables and Manchurian tigers.
Overall, China is unusually well endowed with big and small cats. The world’s largest tiger, the Manchurian tiger (dōngběihǔ) – also known as the Siberian tiger – only numbers a few hundred in the wild, its remote habitat being one of its principal saviours. Three species of leopard can be found, including the beautiful clouded leopard of tropical rainforests, plus several species of small cat, such as the Asiatic golden cat and a rare endemic species, the Chinese mountain cat.
Rainforests are famous for their diversity of wildlife, and the tropical south of Yúnnán province, particularly the area around Xīshuāngbǎnnà, is one of the richest in China. These forests support Indo-Chinese tigers and herds of Asiatic elephants.
The wild mammals you are most likely to see are several species of monkey. The large and precocious Père David’s macaque is common at Éméi Shān in Sìchuān, where bands often intimidate people into handing over their picnics; macaques can also be seen on Hǎinán’s Monkey Island. Several other monkey species are rare and endangered, including the beautiful golden monkey of Fànjìngshān and the snub-nosed monkey of the Yúnnán rainforests. But by far the most endangered is the Hǎinán gibbon, numbering just a few dozen individuals on Hǎinán Island thanks to massive forest clearance.
The giant panda (xióngmāo – literally ‘bear cat’) is western Sìchuān’s most famous denizen, but the animal’s solitary nature makes it elusive for observation in the wild, and even today, after decades of intensive research and total protection in dedicated reserves, sightings are rare. A notoriously fickle breeder (the female is only on heat for a handful of days each spring), there are approximately 1600 pandas in the Chinese wilds according to World Wildlife Fund. Interestingly, the panda has the digestive tract of a carnivore (like other bears), but has become accustomed to exclusively eating bamboo shoots and leaves. However, the panda’s digestive tract is unable to efficiently break down plant matter so the mammal needs to consume huge amounts to compensate and spends much of its time eating, clearing one area of bamboo before moving on to another region. The easiest way to see pandas outside of zoos is at the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, just outside Chéngdū or at the Yǎ’ān Bìfēngxiá Panda Base, also in Sìchuān.
TOP BOOKS ON CHINA'S ENVIRONMENT
AWhen a Billion Chinese Jump (2010) Jonathan Watts’ sober and engaging study of China’s environmental issues.
AChina's Environmental Challenges (2012) Judith Shapiro's excellent primer for understanding China's manifold environmental problems.
AThe River Runs Black: The Environmental Challenge to China’s Future (2010; 2nd edition) Elizabeth Economy’s frightening look at the unhappy marriage between breakneck economic production and environmental degradation.
AThe China Price: The True Cost of Chinese Competitive Advantage (2008) Alexandra Harney’s telling glimpse behind the figures of China’s economic rise.
AChina’s Water Crisis (2004) Ma Jun rolls up his sleeves to fathom China’s water woes.
Birds
Most of the wildlife you’ll see in China will be birds, and with more than 1300 species recorded, including about 100 endemic or near-endemic species, China offers some fantastic birdwatching opportunities. Spring is usually the best time, when deciduous foliage buds, migrants return from their wintering grounds and nesting gets into full swing. BirdLife International (www.birdlife.org/datazone/country/china), the worldwide bird conservation organisation, recognises 14 Endemic Bird Areas (EBAs) in China, either wholly within the country or shared with neighbouring countries.
Although the range of birds i
s huge, China is a centre of endemicity for several species and these are usually the ones that visiting birders will seek out. Most famous are the pheasant family, of which China boasts 62 species, including many endemic or near-endemic species.
Other families well represented in China include the laughing thrushes, with 36 species; parrotbills, which are almost confined to China and its near neighbours; and many members of the jay family. The crested ibis is a pinkish bird that feeds on invertebrates in the rice paddies, and was once found from central China to Japan.
Among China’s more famous large birds are cranes, and nine of the world’s 14 species have been recorded here. In Jiāngxī province, on the lower Yangzi, a vast series of shallow lakes and lagoons was formed by stranded overflow from Yangzi flooding. The largest of these is Póyáng Lake, although it is only a few metres deep and drains during winter. Vast numbers of waterfowl and other birds inhabit these swamps year-round, including ducks, geese, herons and egrets. Although it is difficult to reach and infrastructure for birdwatchers is practically nonexistent, birders are increasingly drawn to the area in winter, when many of the lakes dry up and attract flocks of up to five crane species, including the endangered, pure white Siberian crane.
Recommended destinations include Zhālóng Nature Reserve, one of several vast wetlands in Hēilóngjiāng province. Visit in summer to see breeding storks, cranes and flocks of wildfowl before they fly south for the winter. Běidàihé, on the coast of the Bohai Sea, is well known for migratory birds. Other breeding grounds and wetlands include Qīnghǎi Hú in Qīnghǎi, Cǎohǎi Lake in Guìzhōu, Jiǔzhàigōu in Sìchuān and Mai Po Marsh in Hong Kong. For the last, the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society (www.hkbws.org.hk) organises regular outings and publishes a newsletter in English.
Most birdwatchers and bird tours head straight for Sìchuān, which offers superb birding at sites such as Wòlóng. Here, several spectacular pheasants, including golden, blood and kalij pheasants, live on the steep forested hillsides surrounding the main road. As the road climbs up, higher-altitude species such as eared pheasants and the spectacular Chinese monal may be seen. Alpine meadows host smaller birds, and the rocky scree slopes at the pass hold partridges, the beautiful grandala and the mighty lammergeier (bearded vulture), with a 2m wingspan.
Parts of China are now well-established on the itineraries of global ecotour companies. Bird Tour Asia (www.birdtourasia.com) has popular tours to Sìchuān, Tibet, Qīnghǎi, eastern China and southeast China, and also provides custom tours.
Chángqīng Nature Reserve in Shaanxi province is well worth a visit for its relatively unspoilt montane forest and the chance to see giant pandas in the wild. Find out more at www.cqpanda.com.
SOUTH–NORTH WATER DIVERSION PROJECT
Water is the lifeblood of economic and agricultural growth, but as China only has around 7% of the world’s water resources (with almost 20% of its population), the liquid is an increasingly precious resource.
A region of low rainfall, northern China faces a worsening water crisis. Farmers are draining aquifers that have taken thousands of years to accumulate, while industry in China uses three to 10 times more water per unit of production than developed nations. Meanwhile, water usage in large cities such as Běijīng and Tiānjīn continues to climb as migrants flood in from rural areas.
To combat the water crisis, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) embarked on the construction of the US$81 billion South–North Water Diversion Project, a vast network of pumping stations, canals and aqueducts (as well as a tunnel under the Yellow River) lashing north and south via three routes. The ambition is to divert 3.8 million Olympic swimming pools' worth of water yearly from the Yangzi River to the parched regions of China's north. The first stage began operating in 2013 and water began flowing along the second stage at the end of 2014. Calculations, however, suggest that by 2020 only 5% of Běijīng's water requirements will be met by the diverted water.
There are also concerns that pollution in the Yangzi River waters will become progressively concentrated as water is extracted, while Yangzi cities such as Nánjīng and Wǔhàn are increasingly uneasy that they will be left with a water shortfall. Alarm has also arisen at the pollution in channels – including the Grand Canal, which links Hángzhōu with north China – earmarked to take the diverted waters. There are worries that these polluted reaches are almost untreatable, making elements of the project unviable. In 2016, it was revealed that lakes along the Yangzi River were drying up, with a 40% drop of water inflows into Dòngtíng Lake being reported.
Critics also argue that the project, which will involve the mass relocation of hundreds of thousands of people, will not address the fundamental issue of China’s water woes – the absence of policies for the sustainable use of water as a precious resource. Pricing is also a central issue. In regions where water is an increasingly scarce resource, the liquid is still very cheap, which encourages further wastefulness.
The government has recently begun encouraging China's citizens to eat potatoes rather than rice and wheat, which are both more water-intensive crops.
Plants
China is home to more than 32,000 species of seed plant and 2500 species of forest tree, plus an extraordinary plant diversity that includes some famous ‘living fossils’ – a diversity so great that Jílín province in the semifrigid north and Hǎinán province in the tropical south share few plant species.
Apart from rice, the plant probably most often associated with China and Chinese culture is bamboo, of which China boasts some 300 species. Bamboos grow in many parts of China, but bamboo forests were once so extensive that they enabled the evolution of the giant panda, which eats virtually nothing else, and a suite of small mammals, birds and insects that live in bamboo thickets. Most of these useful species are found in the subtropical areas south of the Yangzi, and the best surviving thickets are in southwestern provinces such as Sìchuān.
Many plants commonly cultivated in Western gardens today originated in China, among them the ginkgo tree, a famous ‘living fossil’ whose unmistakable imprint has been found in 270-million-year-old rocks.
Deciduous forests cover mid-altitudes in the mountains, and are characterised by oaks, hemlocks and aspens, with a leafy understorey that springs to life after the winter snows have melted. Among the more famous blooms of the understorey are rhododendrons and azaleas, and many species of each grow naturally in China’s mountain ranges. Best viewed in spring, some species flower right through summer; one of the best places to see them is at Sìchuān’s Wòlóng Nature Reserve.
A growing number of international wildlife travel outfits arrange botanical expeditions to China, including UK-based Naturetrek (www.naturetrek.co.uk), which arranges tours to Yúnnán, Sìchuān and the Tibetan plateau.
The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution causes more than 1.4 million fatalities per year in China, while around 300 million rural Chinese do not have access to safe drinking water.
Endangered Species
Almost every large mammal you can think of in China has crept onto the endangered species list, as well as many of the so-called ‘lower’ animals and plants. The snow leopard, Indo-Chinese tiger, chiru antelope, crested ibis, Asiatic elephant, red-crowned crane and black-crowned crane are all endangered.
Deforestation, pollution, hunting and trapping for fur, body parts and sport are all culprits. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) records legal trade in live reptiles and parrots, and high numbers of reptile and wildcat skins. The number of such products collected or sold unofficially is anyone’s guess.
Despite the threats, a number of rare animal species cling to survival in the wild. Notable among them are the Chinese alligator in Ānhuī, the giant salamander in the fast-running waters of the Yangzi and Yellow Rivers, the Yangzi River dolphin in the lower and middle reaches of the river (although there have been no sightings since 2002), and the pink dolphin of the Hong Kong islands
of Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau. The giant panda is confined to the fauna-rich valleys and ranges of Sìchuān.
Intensive monoculture farmland cultivation, the reclaiming of wetlands, river damming, industrial and rural waste, and desertification are reducing unprotected forest areas and making the survival of many of these species increasingly precarious. Although there are laws against killing or capturing rare wildlife, their struggle for survival is further complicated as many remain on the most-wanted lists for traditional Chinese medicine and dinner delicacies.
China Dialogue (www.chinadialogue.net) is a resourceful dual-language website that seeks to promote debate on China’s immense environmental challenges.
The Environment
China may be vast, but with two-thirds of the land mountain, desert or uncultivable, the remaining third is overwhelmed by the people of the world’s most populous nation. For the first time in its history, China’s city dwellers outnumbered rural residents in 2011, with an urbanisation rate set to increase to 65% by 2050. The speed of development – and the sheer volume of poured concrete – is staggering. During the next 15 years, China is expected to build urban areas equal in size to 10 New York Cities and a staggering one billion Chinese could be urban residents by 2030.
Beyond urban areas, deforestation and overgrazing have accelerated the desertification of vast areas of China, particularly in the western provinces. Deserts now cover almost one-fifth of the country and China’s dustbowl is the world’s largest, swallowing up 200 sq km of arable land every month. Over 400 million Chinese people are affected by China's encroaching deserts while each spring sees vast dust storms sweeping across north China, scouring cities such as Běijīng and Xī'ān, turning the skies red and depositing several hundred thousand tonnes of (sometimes toxic) grit on urban conurbations, bringing traffic to a standstill and pushing face masks to their limits.
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