Title from resource description page (viewed Aug. 6, 2013).

Electronic reproduction. Alexandria, VA : Alexander Street Press, 2013. (Asian film online). Available via World Wide Web.

This edition in English.

EPISODE 1: To say that the water crisis in China is imminent is inaccurate. The crisis is already here, and the impact of the water crisis is seen in many regions across China. By examining the Dianchi Lake in Southwest China, we learn that certain fish species have disappeared, which was probably caused by lake pollution. It has been original discovered that the origins of some traditional water sources, such as Changjiang River has changed. There is draught in north and west China, whereas in 2007 there were flood disasters in south China. The high density of people living in urban centers coupled with the rapid industrialization of China contribute to this problem. Throughout the history of China, the distribution of population is decided by the distribution of water source, which has lead to the underdevelopment of western China. There is an urgent need for Public Administrators, Government Leaders and Urban Planners, in cooperation with all the people of China, to work together in solving the water crisis.

EPISODE 2 One serious problem in China today is that the desert is rapidly expanding, which is caused by over exploitation of land and climate change. The high density of people living in urban centers, coupled with the rapid industrialization of China, contribute to water pollution, water shortage and global warming. The water supply can not keep up with China's rapid industrialization and increasing population.

EPISODE 3: How safe is China's drinking water? The third and fourth episodes wrestle with conflicting values in China today. For example, what difference does it make if one drives the biggest and most expensive car, but cannot safely drink the water running from the water faucet? In a country where there is rapid urbanization and unbalanced economic development, China now faces complex problems in trying to provide clean drinking water for all citizens. The immediate problem can be seen by looking inside the rivers of China. For example, the explosion of blue algae in the Wuxi section of Taihu is a result of the rapid development of industrialization along the banks of the River. China now faces three serious problems relating to water: water shortage, imperfect water supply facilities and capacity, and, most importantly, water pollution. Water safety is not only a great problem for China, but also many other countries in the world.

EPISODE 4: The fourth episode continues to deal with water safety problems. Water pollution not only happens in urban cities, but also in many of China's rural areas because of the inaccessibility to safe water sources and lack of water supply facilities. This episode also shows how people are working together to solve some of these problems. For example, the government in Wuxi City in southern China has completed a new water supply project that offers citizens safe water.

EPISODE 5: Are lives of the Chinese people at risk because of the water crisis? It appears so when you look at these examples: *In Southwestern China, hundreds of thousands of village residents have difficulty in getting enough water for daily usage. * A serious water pollution incident has led to the extinct of many native fish species in Dianchi Lake in southwestern China. * Lack of water treatment systems in many regions of China contribute to the water pollution problems. Although famous traditional Chinese songs celebrate the beauty of Chinese Rivers, the songs are now as source of embarrassment to the people of China. This is because most rivers in China are now terribly polluted. Although China achieved an industrial civilization in record time, it came at a horrible cost to the rivers in China. The pursuit of profit, the inability to create adequate water systems, and greed contributed to serious water pollution problems. Now the question is how can we make the water clean? And what have we learned? Water serves as a mirror, clearly reflecting the morality and conscience of a nation and all human kind.

EPISODE 6: Some traditional water sources, such as Dianchi Lake, are no longer famous for its native fish species because of the water pollution. The eco system of Dianchi Lake has been destroyed, which is mainly caused by waste water from chemical plants. One consequence of this kind of pollution is poisoned fish in lakes or rivers. Now China not only faces a shortage of water resources and lack of water facilities, but also lacks enough water treatment systems. Water pollution can cause a series of problems including environmental pollution and food pollution, which will directly has effect on human beings. For example, it is more likely for a person to be poisoned by the fish swimming in the water and food that are grown in the water than be poisoned by the water itself. Diseases that are caused by polluted fish are increasing dramatically these years in China. This is not just a war for water, but for all the human's health and survival.

EPISODE 7: The seventh episode examines floods and natural disasters in China and the attempts to harness rivers in order to distribute clean water. The constant threat of floods is real for most of China's people. More than half of the people have experienced either seasonal floods by the Yangtze River in the South, or the 'suspended' Yellow River in the North. This is not a new problem. The history of China contains painful stories about disastrous floods in Qinghai Province that took place thousands of years ago.

EPISODE 8: The eighth episode examines floods and natural disasters in China's main water sources such as the Changjing River, Huaihe River, and Yangtze River. These rivers had disasters since ancient times, and people throughout the history have tried all kinds of methods to control the disasters and tackle the water crisis. The natural change of environment and over exploitation of land near the river has caused some lakes to shrink. For example, Dongting Lake, Yunmeng Lakes, Hangjing River have all shrank during the past decades. This episode also illustrates the new program: Sanxia Project which could control the power of water in these rivers. People in China still looking for a perfect method to solve the water disasters, and it is still a long way to go.

EPISODE 9: When there is not enough water for everyone, people will risk their lives to get their share. Unfortunately there is no simple answer in finding a way to divide water equally. Water distribution has troubled the provincial leaders and farmers along the Zhang River as well as the Water Use Association in Hubei Province and the entrepreneurs from the Ordos region in Inner Mongolia. All struggle with sharing water. As leaders throughout China struggle to find a fair way to deal with water rights in China, they are influenced and often hindered by government control, legal constraints and market regulations. It is not easy to find justice among the stakeholders of the planet's ecosystems.

EPISODE 10: Episode 10 examines the environmental change in northwestern China. For example, Zhangye in Inner Mongolia which used to be a famous area for its water and nature, is now experiencing draught and a lack of water resources. The eastern part of Juyanhai Lake which was one of the two large lakes in northwestern China has dried up. As the development of economy in China and growth of population increase, the demand for water resources is on the rise. But water sources have begun to dry up. At the same time, Beijing also experiences sand storms. People in China must find a way of minimizing damage while developing their economy.

EPISODE 11: Episode 11 explores the feasibility of transporting water from water-rich areas to areas where water is scarce. In northern China they are faced with draught conditions while in southern China they are dealing with the opposite, as floods ravish the land. China is planning to transfer water in south China to north China. Is it feasible to transport water from water-rich areas to water-scarce areas? Is transporting water a necessity for regions that have little water? China is carefully weaving a water network that reflects the dreams, hopes and aspirations of the Country.

EPISODE 12: Two of the major rivers of China Huanghe River and Changjiang River, originate from Qinghai province. There is a huge project in China to transfer water from one river to another in order to help northern cities, such as Tianjin and Xi'an, that have severe water shortages. Some experts say that these diversions are causing severe damage to the ecological system. Certainly water diversion projects have caused damage in Australia where they have had such projects for decades. How can China keep the balance between industrial and agricultural needs and the need to protect the ecological environment? Does China's new water project really benefit people without sacrificing the ecological system? Only time can tell.

EPISODE 13: Is there something China can learn from Israel about saving water? Israel is a country famous for water saving technologies and regulations while still experiencing rapid development. When flushing a toilet in any Chinese city, a person flushes away the amount of water desperately needed by a family for a week in some areas in the Ningxia province. Yet, in Ningxia and Gansu provinces in Northwest China, developers bid and get large industrial projects that demand high quotas of water. During the hot summers, a bottle of water can be more expensive then buying gas for a car. Yet, people are buying bottled water as well as wasting water every day in a variety of thoughtless ways. It is not that the people of China are lacking inspiration from their own history on how to save water and how to share it. Ancient water-saving facilities and techniques such as the Karez irrigation well (northwest China) and water use in Beijing's Beihai Circular Wall have been in use for thousands of years. But what may now be lacking is the determination to solve the immediate problem of this severe water crisis. Finding a solution will require individuals, communities, corporations and government units work together and make unselfish decisions to share water and on spending money to save the water. China's survival may depend on these decisions and this kind of cooperation. It takes determination of all people living and working in China to solve this major crisis."

EPISODE 14: Saving water is one of the most effective ways to solve China's water crisis. This requires the cooperation of all people living in China. Experts in China advise that the best way to save water is to increase the price of water. For example, In Tianjin city in northern China, college students must use a card to track how much water they use, and they are charged accordingly. In addition, Tianjin has educational programs teaching residents how to save water. Some villages in Xinjiang Province in China are adapting new water saving techniques. It is clear that everyone in China needs to cooperate and make sacrifices in order to save China's precious water supply.

EPISODE 15: The fifteenth episode of the documentary series deals with this question: 'Where do we find the answers to the water crisis problems?' Examples abound as to the severity of the water crisis problem: Maduo, a county located at the source water of the Yellow River, used to be known for having thousands of lakes. Now the people of Maduo had to be relocated, because there is no water. Wealthy people used to reside at the shore of the Taihu Lake at the lower Yangtze Plain. Now they have had to move away, because the water is too dirty. The world's fourth largest freshwater lake, the Aral Sea, has shrunk in half. Almost all the rivers have now dried out or are polluted. The Chinese people are now asking themselves,'Did our ancestors ever imagine this would happen to us today?' Human civilization was born along the major rivers. The rise of the Sumerians came from their effort to live in harmony with the water of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; but their demise was precisely because of excessive water use. The documentary series of THE WATER CRIES tells the Chinese people that although they now live in the best period in recent history, they cannot forget that water gave birth to a civilization, and lack of it can destroy a civilization.

EPISODE 16: The sixteenth episode examines the broader picture of the current water crisis. Grasslands becoming dessert is not just a problem for China, but also a problem for many places on this earth. Global warming is a serious problem for all the people living today, because it can cause flood, drought. How can we achieve our dreams for success with the basic need to maintain balance and harmony with nature?

Water-supply > China.

Water-supply > China > Management.

Water-supply > Economic aspects > China.

Water resources development > China.

Sustainable development > China.