Have you ever heard of Guoliang Tunnel?

Have you ever heard of Guoliang Tunnel?
Jan 7, 2013 21:56
JIMMYB Points: Join Date: Feb 7, 2007 Status: offline	Searching on the internet, you may find some information about Guoliang Tunnel. It is famed as one of ten most dangerous roads in the world. Unfortunately, fewer people know about its history. Guoliang Tunnel is carved along the side and through the Taihang Mountain. It was the villagers of the Guoliang Village who built the tunnel with their hands. Before the construction of the tunnel, the villagers were isolated from the outside world. There was only one way out called Aerial Ladder. Villagers carried their mountain products out through the Aerial Ladder and exchanged some daily necessities. How did they raise cattle? The villagers had to carry baby sheep, pig or cattle from the outside world and then raised them up. However, it was too dangerous to bring mature cattle out through the Aerial Ladder. They had to choose another 15 kilometers long road. In 1972, Shen Minxin, the village communist party leader led a team of 13 young men to carve the road on the Taihang Mountain. The villagers sold out 1000 sheep and hundreds of trees and the six production teams in the village took out all their money to buy the construction materials (250 kilograms dynamite, drill rods, hammers and detonators). In the team, one man cooked food for other 12 men who carved holes and equip detonators. According to the old villager, almost all young men joined the team. Two years later, the construction ceased because the village ran out of all their money. After discussion, about 80 young men and women were sent out to plant trees in Shaanxi Province. They earned CNY 3100 and all the money was used to build the road. In late autumn of 1976, the villagers finally completed the tunnel. In five years, the 13-man team ran out 4000 hammers and 12 tons of steel in order to build the 1250 meters long tunnel. Wang Huaitang and several other villagers lost their lives during the construction of the tunnel. In 1977, more than 300 teachers and students from the Hui County helped Guoliang Village to widen the tunnel. After 40 days’ hard work, the tunnel was opened to traffic on May 1.

Jan 7, 2013 21:56

JIMMYB
Points:
Join Date: Feb 7, 2007
Status: offline

Searching on the internet, you may find some information about Guoliang Tunnel. It is famed as one of ten most dangerous roads in the world. Unfortunately, fewer people know about its history.

Guoliang Tunnel is carved along the side and through the Taihang Mountain. It was the villagers of the Guoliang Village who built the tunnel with their hands. Before the construction of the tunnel, the villagers were isolated from the outside world. There was only one way out called Aerial Ladder. Villagers carried their mountain products out through the Aerial Ladder and exchanged some daily necessities.

How did they raise cattle? The villagers had to carry baby sheep, pig or cattle from the outside world and then raised them up. However, it was too dangerous to bring mature cattle out through the Aerial Ladder. They had to choose another 15 kilometers long road.

In 1972, Shen Minxin, the village communist party leader led a team of 13 young men to carve the road on the Taihang Mountain. The villagers sold out 1000 sheep and hundreds of trees and the six production teams in the village took out all their money to buy the construction materials (250 kilograms dynamite, drill rods, hammers and detonators).

In the team, one man cooked food for other 12 men who carved holes and equip detonators. According to the old villager, almost all young men joined the team.

Two years later, the construction ceased because the village ran out of all their money. After discussion, about 80 young men and women were sent out to plant trees in Shaanxi Province. They earned CNY 3100 and all the money was used to build the road.

In late autumn of 1976, the villagers finally completed the tunnel. In five years, the 13-man team ran out 4000 hammers and 12 tons of steel in order to build the 1250 meters long tunnel. Wang Huaitang and several other villagers lost their lives during the construction of the tunnel.

In 1977, more than 300 teachers and students from the Hui County helped Guoliang Village to widen the tunnel. After 40 days’ hard work, the tunnel was opened to traffic on May 1.

Jan 9, 2013 21:05	#1
MARRIE Points: Join Date: Jan 7, 2008 Status: Offline	Jimmy, I don't know the story about TaiHang Mountains BUT I really love this Anti-Japanese song On the Mountains of Taihang. The emotional lyrics accompaned by its mighty background music would cheer u up as much as three cups of coffee could do. I hope somebody can translate the lyrics into English...I espcially enjoy this sentence in this song: The place where they launch the attack is the place where we beat them down to the hell... Enjoy
MARRIE Points: Join Date: Jan 7, 2008 Status: Offline	Last edited by MARRIE: Jan 9, 2013 21:12

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