长江(The Yangtze River)

whatariverthismustbetomakeitselffeltsofaroutfromland,tosoimpressitspersonalityonitsoverlord,thesea.imadeabowtoitinmymind,forifeltinthepresenceofagreatmonarch.andiwasnotmistaken.theyangtzeriver,aswefolloweditssmoothcourseupthroughtheimmensestretchesofflatfarmlandofcoastalchina,wasoneofthoseriverswhichgivetheimpressionofbeingtheonlytrueandpermanentrulersoftheearth.b7e

riversperhapsaretheonlyphysicalfeaturesoftheworldthatareattheirbestfromtheair.mountainranges,nolongerseeninprofiles,dwarftoanthills;seaslosetheirhorizons;lakeshavenolongerdepthbutlooklikebrightpenniesontheearthssurface;forestsbecomeathinimpermanentfilm,amossonthetopofawetstone,easilyrubbedoff.butrivers,whichfromthegroundoneusuallyseesonlyincrosssections,likeasmallsampleofribbon--riversstretchoutserenelyaheadasfarastheeyecanreach.riversareseenintheirtruestature.b7e

theytumbledownmountainsides;theymeanderthroughflatfarmlands.valleystrailthem;citiesridethem;farmsclingtothem;roadandrailroadtracksrunafterthemandtheyremain,permanent,possessive.nexttothem,mansgleamingcementroadswhichhehasbuiltwithsuchcarelookfragileaspaperstreamersthrownoverthehillseasilyblownaway.eventherailroadsseemonlyscratchedinwithapenknife.butrivershavecarvedtheirwayovertheearthsfaceforcenturiesandtheywillstay.