People In Western China (1940)

back from the Waters of the yellow bee far inland from the Eastern Plains lies a valley of western China cradling the valley are lofty chains of mountains to the east to the north and to the West for longer than written history has recorded the Deeds of men these mountains have loomed in silence over life in the valley below when did Men first settle here when did they learn to till the soil when in their dead in Sepulcher Stone these things no one knows with certainty but this we know that Chengdu Royal City has sheltered its people for centuries people who in time of Peace have pursued their Placid ways flow to the friendly Earth people who have remained always though dynasties Rose and fell people with an Anchorage in the land for centuries the flow of seasons and the tides of growth have let them their days theirs is a life rooted in a life rooted in the soil of the ever-enduring Earth for humbered Generations Farmers have plowed the fertile soil after the Harvest the plow and after the plow the planting this has been the cycle endlessly heated Through the Ages Waters from the mountains have been fed to the fields of the valley for here irrigation is one of the ancient Arts through Untold years the water has been LED from Nature's drinks through man-made channels out to the planted fields for centuries the muscles of men have raised the water as needed for crops that have never failed on a map of induced light the great engineer Li ping laid out the plan of the system two thousand years ago clearly cut in Timeless Stone every detail was skillfully traced by the ancient engineer and the plan of two thousand years ago still guides the flow of the waters to the fertile fields of the valley where soil water and men have met to provide a community's food the water serve alone for raising the varied crops Mills where grain is ground into flour beneath revolving stones these may have their source of power in water-driven Wheels from Valley Fields rain that is ground in the Mills and grain that may be held by hand with implements ancient in design generation after generation the farmers of the valley have followed their age-old methods producing grain from the Fertile Earth rain for the farming households grain for the shops of the city where those who do not till the soil may buy the farmer's produce from farmlands to come vegetables for many a busy Market stalls vegetables of every kind in seemingly endless variety food from the soil for the people of the valley food that the Earth has yielded through the years but the Earth yields more than food one of its richest offerings is versatile bamboo growing straight and tall in the mild climate of the valley down Through the Ages it has served the pole cut from luxuriant thickets it provides a raw material of endlessly varied uses discovered long ago out of bamboo chairs for the homes of the valley chairs ingeniously fashioned by Craftsmen like Lam chin products two of his skillful hands are other articles for the home baskets and hampers and ladles trays and mats and ropes of bamboo one and all out of bamboo the Chopsticks which every home must have thousands of pairs are shaped by hand by Artisans like mahion and with chopsticks of bamboo one may eat bamboo itself its roots provide nourishing food long popular in the valley bamboo upon the banquet board and bamboo too in bridges so vast is the range of uses devised by men of the valley for more than 20 centuries this torrent has been crossed by Travelers safely treading the narrow wooden walk supported by sturdy cables of sinewa bamboo material that forms alike the bridge the porter crosses and the shoulder pole he bears bamboo for the Flames of sedan chairs bamboo for the pipes of tobacco that season a friendly chat chairs and Chopsticks baskets and bridges shoulder poles and pipes these are but a few of the uses devised by the valley people for bamboo from the soil and from the Earth to find clay for The Potter's art an art that has brought to the valley one of its greatest Glory the craftsmanship of the Potter of today is not of today alone its roots slide Deep In traditional skills perfected long ago through the classic dynasties of Tang and soon and Ming The Potter's Wheels revolved then as now was Beauty shape with patient artistry honored Craftsman of the valley too are silversmiths of well-earned Fame taking their place beside fellow artists working in wood and Clay these silver Craftsmen work in metal refined from native oars whether incising with rarest skill their intricate designs or deftly fusing with sureness of touch delicate part to delicate part theirs is a concentration born of a pride in their art an art pursued Through the Ages yet older still is another art the manufacture of silk silk secured from the filmy strands of delicate cocoons more than four thousand years ago so the legend claims Chinese hands acquired the skill of weaving the silk and thread certain it is that for centuries shuttles have darted back and forth in the silk Blooms of the valley products of the Weaver in his Loom are the Fabrics displayed in Valley stores rich and glossy today even as long ago when sought by Traders of far-off Europe thus is Beauty created from threads of the fragile cocoons of silkworms that feed on the tender leaves of mulberry trees of the valley as Generations have come and gone the Mountain Streams have flowed on but one day two thousand years after the great Lee ping the engineers of a far off land devise new uses for flowing streams they made the waters to turn the rotors of hydroelectric plants producing a strange new power to the valley became electricity and there were men of the valley who mastered the skill required to handle this strange new Force today electric power lines cross over ancient city walls wires that bring to Valley homes the signs of a changing world electricity and new methods of lighting for the people of the valley electricity and new methods of communication for people of the valley electricity and new methods of education for the classrooms of the valley use of the fruits of science for instruction in science itself yes changes have come to the valley one day the farmer looked up from his work in age-old fields and saw a strange new Carriage a vehicle that could carry many people far and fast down Through the Ages the doctors of the valley have followed their ancient methods of diagnosing disease the actual causes of illness they have not often known yet Guided by knowledge gradually gained through the years they have arrived at much of value in the treatment of the sick why a certain prescription might offer the patient's relief or just in what specific way the medicines called for acted may have been unknown to the doctors of the valley but the various mixtures of Valley herbs have been of help for ages though for reasons often obscure in medicine based on lore but one day there came to the valley new methods of diagnosis new practices for cure yes there have been vast changes including machines that fly changes have come and continue to come and who shall say whether they lead much has changed in the valley and much Remains the Same the farmer tills his Fields today as his ancestors did in ages past the people of the valley come and go life in village and City goes on a Heritage endures walls that have stood through centuries remain the friendly Earth still yields its produce and cradling the Valley now as always silent lofty mountains keep their Eternal vigil foreign