UNION COLLEGE

Environmental Science, Policy & Engineering Program (ESPE) - Modern Languages Department

THE NEW WALL OF CHINA 

ENS222 - MLT209

FALL 2025

INSTRUCTORS

Course on WWW: china.union.edu

Lectures: TTH 10:55 AM - 12:40 PM, Bailey-106.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

ENS222 - MLT209 The New Wall of China. An interdisciplinary overview of the cultural, historical, and artistic attributes of a region in China whose geo-political landscape has been dramatically impacted by the construction of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD). In providing a context to the construction, students will be introduced to the intricate connections between all the above factors and engineering, technology, and the environment. GenEd: CHF/ETS/SPE; WAC.

COURSE GRADE

NOTES

• Assigned homework is due as will be arranged. Late submission results in -1 point per day grade loss. One week late submission results in total grade loss.
• Attendance of exams is mandatory. If you must miss the midterm test due to extraordinary circumstances beyond your control (a letter from the Dean of Students will be required in this case), your 25 points of the midterm test will be automatically transferred to the final exam, i.e., your final will be graded out of 50 points. No makeup for the midterm test will be allowed for any reason. If you miss the midterm without a supporting letter from the Dean of Students, there will be 10 points penalty, i.e., the maximum score you can earn in your final exam is 40/50.
• If you must miss the final exam due to extraordinary circumstances beyond your control (a letter from the Dean of Students will be required in this case), your grade in the course will be prorated based on the components of your term work. No makeup for the final exam will be allowed for any reason.
• The academic performace of the students in this course will be held to the standards of Union College's Honor Code.
• Students with disabiities will be accommodated as per Union College's Policy.

INTRODUCTION

China is presently witnessing a high rate of economic growth and rapid development. One of the mega projects recently constructed is the Three Gorges Dam (TGD). By any measure, the size of this dam earns it the title of the largest hydraulic structure ever undertaken. With a project of this magnitude, the lives of millions of people are impacted. This course will explore in detail the engineering, technical, economical, environmental, social, and cultural aspects of dam building in general, and the building of the Three Gorges Dam in particular.

READING LIST

A list of books on the subjects covered in this course is attached on the last page. However, extensive handouts detailing the main points of different subjects will also be used as an integral teaching tool. Furthermore, the book referenced below is required reading in this course.

COURSE THEMES

Engineering and Environmental Themes

• General background on dams: Dams are massive structures constructed across waterways to regulate the flow of water. The control of the water flow can be used to generate hydropower, prevent or reduce the hazard of floods, and provide water during times of drought. In this module, it is intended to cover different aspects related to different types of dam structures, method of construction, and the functions dams serve.
• Technical and engineering: The technical and engineering aspects of dam design are extremely complex. The design of dams must include safety features to ensure that the dam will not experience structural distress. Dam failure can result in the release of an extreme destructive force that can sweep everything in its way. Hence, dam design is always associated with the use of the latest, state of the art, engineering theories and technical tools. In this module, emphasis will be placed on the importance of theoretical and physical modeling to predict, with the maximum possible accuracy, the behavior of the actual dam after construction.
• Hydroelectric power: One of the great features of large hydraulic structures such as dams is the ability to generate clean power. Energy generated from dams is renewable and results in no pollution to the environment. The principle used in power generation from dams is simple. Obstructing a waterway, such as a river, with a dam leads to a significant difference in water levels between the upstream and the downstream sides of the structure. Allowing the water to fall from the high water level to the lower one produces mechanical energy. The mechanical energy is converted to electrical energy using a magnetic field installed in power generators. The height of waterfall and the amount of water released from the upstream to the downstream are the two major factors that control the amount of energy generated.
• Environmental issues: Dam construction alters the natural flow in waterways. It also results in the formation of a lake in the upstream side of the dam. In addition to the submersion effect towns and villages are subjected to, the formation of the lake results in elevating the amount of water evaporation and the heightening of the level of humidity in the air. This naturally results in a change in the ecosystem of the area where the dam is constructed. Another environmental aspect is the deprivation of the land on the downstream side of the dam from the settlements and deposits that come with every flood and provide the soil with rich nutrients, which keep it fertile.
• Flood control: The most important reason behind a decision to build a dam is probably protection against flood. This is especially true in the case of the Three Gorges Dam. Floods are occurrences of devastating proportion to people, property, and the economy. Clearly, flood control is a significant aspect of dam construction, however, it comes with a number of side effects that must be studied carefully to minimize the negative impact of the dam on the area in which it is constructed.
• Navigation: The blockage of waterway with a dam spells disruption to navigation in the river and delay for the transportation of people and freight. The problem can be remedied through the construction of a system of hydraulic locks as an integral part of the dam. Locks are structures that allow vessels to navigate between two different water levels through the use of a massive chamber in which vessels are "locked" and the water level inside is raised or lowered as the need be. This topic will be addressed in details to show how these locks work and the factors that affect this operation.
• Wildlife and fisheries: The construction of dams prevents the natural movement and migration of fish in the river. This may negatively impact the fish population in the river due to inability to reach natural habitat or breeding grounds. Furthermore, the formation of a lake in the upstream side of the dam may result in flooding vast areas of land that were once a refuge for animals and birds. Similar effect may also arise in the downstream side of the dam where the lowering of water level can force massive migration of animals and birds in search for a new land similar to what they are used to. Adjustment of wildlife to the new situation can take decades or generations.
• Finance issues: Dam construction requires commitment of enormous resources. The most important point that must be addressed before a dam is constructed is that once construction begins, the dam must be completed. Dams cannot stand partially completed. They could be constructed on phases or stages, but each phase or stage must be brought to full completion within a known timeframe. This necessitates the lining up of resources and money to meet financial obligations during construction. Most of the projects with such gigantic scope require international aid or support from the World Bank. This is where the line between engineering, economics, and certainly politics becomes blurred. Governments are aware of this aspect and usually study all options to ensure that the project is brought to conclusion in a successful manner.
• Economical and social issues: Dam construction usually results in an economic boom due to the increased flow of money into the local economy of the area where the project is built. It also leads to impacting the area of the project, as it becomes a tourist attraction or a recreational region. Other social impact includes the rise in the standard of living in the area of the dam due to the abundance of hydropower, which can be used in the establishment of new industries. These new industries employ thousands of people who move in with their families and establish new communities.
• Displacement of people: This is an unintended aspect of dam construction. Areas flooded with water in the upstream side of the dam become uninhabitable. Before the complete blockage of the waterway with a dam, plans are made to relocate the people affected by the formation of the new lake. Plans are also made to relocate important monuments or artifacts that could be permanently lost under water. The displacement of people to new communities requires extensive planning of housing and services to ensure smooth transition without major disruption to people's lives. The opposite is also true on the downstream side of the dam where a lower water level may negatively impact the agriculture activities and this can force the local population to flee their lands or focus on new pursuits.

Cultural and Social Themes

• History and Culture in Ancient China: The Yangzi River is one of the seats of early Chinese civilization, with Chongqing, Wuhan, and the Lower Yangzi region comprising core regional areas of cultural and technological development. This segment presents an early historical overview of the development of Chinese culture in this region, paying attention to historical accounts and archaeological remnants. Students will learn what historical artifacts will be/are currently being buried under the water.
• Waterways and Architecture: The Sanyou Caves, Temple of the White Emperor of the Three Kingdoms period present examples of early Chinese architecture, where building structures, art, and technology coincide. This segment examines the role the waterways have played in commercial and cultural development. We will pay attention to the cultural life along the canals in the Lower Yangzi region.
• Poetic Tradition along the Yangzi: From Chu Yuan to Song ci poetry, regions along the Yangzi represent the artistic talents of great poets and writers. This segment looks at the poetic history along the banks of the river, including influential Yangzhou poetry societies that influenced intellectual and cultural life in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
• Painting Along the Yangzi: This segment looks at Chinese aesthetics, perspective, and representation. Students will learn different ways of seeing the world through artistic representation of the Three Gorges.
• Music: From kunju opera to Suzhou pingtan , this segment examines the rich musical tradition developed along the Yangtze.
• Individual City Backgrounds and their Contributions to Chinese Culture: Nanjing as Ming dynasty court; Wuhan as seat of revolutionary government; Chongqing and wartime stories; Shanghai as port city.
• China's Goals for Modernization: We will begin with Sun Yatsen's early 20^th-century plans for the dam and his goals for a republican China as a means to understand what modernity meant to the Chinese and the role technology played in achieving this goal. We will pay attention to China's drive to modernize an impoverished region. This segment takes a specific look at the Yangzi during the height of socialism in China.
• Political History and the CCP Legacy: Building Another Great Wall. This segment compares the building of the Three Gorges Dam to another monumental technological feat, the Great Wall. While both endeavors reflect the political and historical conditions of the governments in power we will examine what precipitated the CCP's drive to create a modern legacy.
• The CCP and Ecology: Mao's purported swim across the Yangzi river constitutes one of the most iconic images of China's modernization project: man conquering nature. This segment looks at the environmental impact the dam will have/is having on the region. It will explore CCP's environmental policies and the writings of Dai Qing, an outspoken activist against the dam. We will consider questions about the possibility for dissent in the Party's plans, as well as China's approach to nature in light of its modernization goals.
• Population Migration and Displacement: Since the plan to build the Three Gorges Dam was announced, millions of peoples have been displaced or removed from their homes. This segment will examine mobilization efforts and campaigns to move villages and relocate peoples, as well as citizen's protests and unrest over the move.
• Visual Media: This segment examines cultural and social impact of the dam on Chinese culture and society. We will observe filmic representations about the displacement of people's along the Yangzi, as well as study the government's advertising campaigns in support of the dam.
• Changes in urban culture along the Yangzi (Yichang, Chongqing, Nanjing, Suzhou, Shanghai): This segment traces the rapid development and expansion of the cities along the Yangzi. Long important cities along the river, each city's cultural, technical, economic, and political growth has been tied to the river. This segment looks at what each city gains and loses with the creation of the dam. Moreover, this segment considers the important role of tourism along the Yangzi.

ASSIGNMENT THEMES

1. Political, social, and cultural aspects of dam construction. [due on fourth week]
2. Environmental, ecological, and economical impact of dams. [due on seventh week]

Each assignment will consist of 3-5 page paper on the given theme. The paper may include pictures, graphs, charts, or tables, but it must contain at least 3 pages of text, Times font (double-spaced type with one inch margin on all sides). Any standard method of citing works/references is acceptable (footnotes or standalone section). In addition to the quality of writing on the assignment theme, grading criteria will emphasize grammar, style, organization, and content. This course is worth a WAC credit, therefore all work should be a true reflection of the writing credit to be earned.

TERM PAPER SUBJECT

Decision making: considering all positive and negative aspects of dams, TO DAM OR NOT TO DAM becomes the ultimate question that requires an answer. The project in this course, called To Dam or Not To Dam, asks each student to pick a dam of interest and write a research paper on that subject. Students may wish to select a dam (constructed, under construction, or being considered for construction) and discuss the positive and negative aspects of this dam, and illustrate, in their opinion, why this dam should or should not be/have been constructed. Each student will write his/her paper on a different dam and if the same dam is selected by more than one student, only the first that made the selection will be able to use the selcted subject and other students will have to choose different ones. The paper should be equivalent to at least 10 pages of text (Word document, 12 point Times font, double-spaced type with one inch margin on all sides). Any standard method of citing works/references is acceptable (footnotes or standalone section). In addition to the 10 pages of text, students may add pictures, tables, graphs, charts, figures, and any other supplementing materials as they see fit. The total length of the paper, however, may not exceed 20 pages.

The final electronic paper of the project is due in the ninth week of the term as will be announced in class. Students will be required to make a class presentation in the tenth week of the course. The grade in this paper will be assigned based on the quality of writing and organization of the paper, relevance of content to the subject under consideration, understanding, organization, clarity of presentation, and demonstration of ability to address questions with comprehension.

READING LIST

Participation Rubric (4pt scale)
4.0 Strong preparation, frequent and substantive contribution to class discussion.
3.5 Good preparation, frequent contribution to class discussion.
3.0 Good preparation, frequent contribution to class discussion but not always articulate or related to subject matter.
2.5 Some preparation, needs prompting from instructors for contribution.
2.0 Weak preparation, does not communicate unless called upon by instructor.
1.5 Barely any preparation, communication minimal.
1.0 Attended class, but did not participate.
0.0 Absent.

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