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位置 > 首页 > 首页 >首页banner >School News >News > A Journey of Gratitude: Haidian Kaiwen Students Visit Xichuan | Study Trip Diary

A Journey of Gratitude: Haidian Kaiwen Students Visit Xichuan | Study Trip Diary

发布时间:2023-08-06 | 浏览次数:

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At the exit of Beijing West Railway Station, there's a modest billboard that reads, “Xichuan, Source of the Canal, Poetry and Painting of the Danjiang.” For a station with an average daily flow of 400,000 passengers, this billboard might easily be overlooked. Yet behind this simple sign lies an invisible thread that connects Beijing and Henan through water.


Haidian Kaiwen School's 10th and 11th-grade students boarded train G1579 from Beijing, heading to Xichuan County in Nanyang City, Henan Province, the starting point of their study trip.


Xichuan County is situated in the southwestern corner of Henan Province, at the intersection of Henan, Hubei, and Shanxi provinces. The county is named after the Xishui River, which runs through it, creating a fertile alluvial plain. To address the water scarcity in northern China, the South-to-North Water Diversion Project was proposed in 1958. After extensive research, experts chose Xichuan as the water source for the central route due to the high quality of the Danjiang River water and the stable elevation along the route. The Danjiangkou Reservoir, built at the confluence of the Danjiang and Hanjiang rivers, was established as the water source. This project significantly alleviates the water shortage in northern and central China, improving the ecological and investment environment of the recipient areas.


When eating fruits, one should think of the fruit trees; when drinking water, one should think of the source of the river

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This study trip focused on "water" and began at the Danjiangkou Reservoir, which spans Hubei and Henan provinces. The students aimed to explore the roots of gratitude and the generational stories of survival and development.


At the Taocha Canal Headworks in Xichuan County, students were awed by its grandeur. This is the starting point of the central route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. From here, about 400 tons of water per second flow northward, benefiting millions of people.


Standing on the canal head bridge, the Taocha Canal Head Dam stretches between two mountains. Upstream, the wide diversion channel connects to the scenic Danjiangkou Reservoir; downstream, the main canal extends northward. Sweet, pure Danjiang water gushes from Taocha, winding its way through central China, crossing the Yellow River, reaching North China, and ultimately Beijing and Tianjin, nourishing the land and people along the way.


The Xichuan Migration Museum preserves the memories of the displaced communities. The smoke from village chimneys represents countless memories, much like the wind chasing clouds. The journey through others' stories reveals the profound sacrifice of leaving one’s birthplace.


In the museum, students learned about the enormous sacrifices made by the people of Xichuan for the national water project. The construction of the Danjiangkou Reservoir required raising the water level five times, ultimately reaching a height of 157 meters. This affected 14 districts, 302 brigades, and 1,314 production teams in Xichuan, displacing 204,900 people, including 106,000 relocated outside the county and 96,000 resettled within. This massive resettlement, which began in 1959 and ended in 1978, spanned 20 years.


Behind each touching story and moving scene lies the heartfelt dedication and poignant songs written by a generation for the nation's strategic development. The resettlement of migrants was both a grand battle and a harmonious chorus. To facilitate the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, they sacrificed family bonds and left their homes. They buried the memories of their hometowns deep in their hearts and carried the longing for their homeland far away.


Just as small sparks of light can combine to become as bright as the sun, countless drops of rain can merge to form an ocean.

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Haidian Kaiwen School students and teachers conducted a two-day teaching activity at Dashiqiao Township Central Primary School. Stepping into a different world, they shared joy with the local children, discovering the broadening of their own life horizons.


"Life echoes; kindness begets kindness." In both urban and rural settings, every child has dreams. These dreams, though small, have the potential to grow and bear fruit. The few days of teaching might seem brief, but their impact extends far beyond, perhaps opening a window to a broader world for the children.


Despite the Danjiangkou Reservoir bringing prosperity to the areas it serves, many local residents in Xichuan still struggle with water scarcity. Approximately 200,000 people in Xichuan’s mountainous areas face difficulties accessing water. Through their efforts, Haidian Kaiwen students hope to help local students with their water issues, lighting up small sparks of hope through their actions.


As Principal Li Yongyuan of Haidian Kaiwen School said, “We live in uncertain times. Predicting the future requires complex algorithms and countless parameters. However, maintaining our humanity in a complex society only requires a bit of kindness in our hearts. Our visit to Dashiqiao Township not only opens our school’s resources to better prepare teachers and educate children but also includes fundraising to provide a well for clean water. We hope the children of Xichuan live better lives and that our students learn gratitude and strive to be good youth.”


Life’s meaning lies in mutual illumination between people. Through mountains and rivers, we deliver kindness. Even in darkness, there’s a hopeful future. May every child’s life be filled with melodies and books, growing freely and steadfastly.


Haidian Kaiwen students raised 130,000 yuan for the construction of a well at Dashiqiao Township Central Primary School and donated five laptops and two sets of original Harry Potter books. Here, they saw the dilapidated well and witnessed the reality of over 200 teachers and students sharing a single faucet. Each scene was like a documentary, deeply etched in their minds.


Initially, many children were shy, avoiding eye contact when called upon. Even when invited to introduce themselves, they hesitated and recommended each other. However, thanks to a few brave children leading the way, more students began to step forward, finding courage in their small breakthroughs.


During the brief time together, the Kaiwen students were also healed by the children's simplicity and purity. They enjoyed sticking colorful stickers on each other, singing songs, playing games, and sharing their dreams. They listened attentively to advice on safety and civility, showing a willingness to learn and change.


The answers the children wrote to the questions posed to them were surprising and powerful, reflecting their resilient spirits. They never complained about starting from scratch, believing they must walk 99% of the journey themselves. They embraced life’s challenges with sincerity and action, continuing to write their own stories.


The children’s faces and pure smiles, like mountain elves, spread hope. The yellow earth dotted with green grass embodies freedom and brilliance. Stories carried by the wind and sung by birds reach far and wide. Beyond lies a vast sky and open sea. Let us venture together to new heights.

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