Water to Save the Nations Installation
As one of 13 nations in the world with a chronic water shortage, China 's meager water resources pose a threat to the survival of residents in the northwest region. During the 10 year period from early 1990 to the end of 1999, the 208 members of the National People's Congress, and the 118 members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Consultative Conference, have frequently discussed the Great West Line project, after which proposals were submitted. In other words, re-direct the waters of Tibet to save drought ridden China .
Guo Kai, who initially suggested the Shuo Tian Canal , Great West Line Project, is a civilian hydraulic expert in China . His primary idea is to build a canal that would link the six rivers: Yarlung Zangbo River , Salween River , Lancang River , Jinsha River , Yalong River , and Dadu River . Every year, this canal would supply Beijing, Tianjin, and other draught afflicted regions of north China, with a quantity of Tibet's top quality water equal to 4 Yellow Rivers, thereby greening 60% of China's land. Once in use, more than half of China would be safe from draught and related disasters. This would become the grand Eurasia canal, extending from Tianjin to Xinjiang. This idea first caught the attention of Chin's higher officials and was later included in the book, Save China with Water from Tibet , which later turned out to be a best seller and has since caused considerable reaction and controversy.
• Located on the floor in the middle of the display hall is a wooden Buddhist Eye carved in the Tibetan style. 120 centimeters long, 90 centimeters wide, and 50 centimeters tall, this wood carving is set in a metallic basin. The shape of the basin was specially crafted to match the contours of the sculpture, and is slightly larger.
• Many U shaped metal blades were made beforehand. These were then randomly hammered into the surface surrounding the wooden eye.
• Water spouts forth from the pupil of each eye, flows along the surface of the Buddhist eye, and into micro dams formed by the blades. The water continues to accumulate in these micro dams, until, after reaching a certain height, it finally overflows to form tiny waterfalls. The flow of water is repeatedly blocked by these blade dams until finally draining down into the water basin beneath the wood sculpture.
• A pump was installed in the bottom of the water basin which powers the water so that it circles back up to the pupil of the Buddhist eye, where it spouts out again.
• An introduction to the Guo Kai Project is found on the central wall. This includes maps, articles, pictures, and videos.
• A set of Thangka paintings hangs on each of the two walls. The blueprints for these paintings were designed and drawn by Qiu Zhijie , and were later completed by Tibetan folk painters. The Thangka paintings on the left describe the legendary tale of how the Guo Kai Project came into being, and the great benefits it will bring in the future. For example:
While imprisoned during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, Guo Kai obtained a book of maps that gave him the inspiration for his plan of drawing water from Tibet. ; Traveling over mountains and valleys, Guo Kai inspected China's river systems at his own expense.; The signatures of the many old generals who supported Guo Kai startled high officials; The construction site of the great dam on Yarlung Zangbo River ; Solving the water shortage problem in Beijing and Tianjin; By cleaning up the Yellow River and making it once more into an underground river; the problem of the Yellow River will be permanently solved.; Once work begins on the Tarim River Project and the water begins to flow to the sea, the Eurasia canal will be completed ; Large scale immigration to western China; China adjusts the volume of water flow to prevent flooding in Bangladesh
The Thangka paintings on the right demonstrate the dangers of the Guo Kai Project. For example:
Strong protests from India, the Indian Navy makes a show of strength in the Indian Ocean; Massive hydraulic engineering in the Tibetan region endangers local ecosystem; International supporters of Tibet independence protest against China's destruction of Tibetan environment and culture; Construction in western China causes dramatic rise in power costs; Massive hydraulic engineering project gives rise to fear that changes in earth's crust could result in earthquakes; The gigantic Great West Line' Project to divert water becomes target for international terrorists; Military conflicts between India and China
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