The Harbin Blog Post
In my coverage of the The Water Crisis in Harbin, there is a short section in which I may have expressed some mild dissatisfaction about how the western media did not tell me enough about the common people of Harbin. That was an expression of personal preference. My upbringing was very much affected by the sentiments expressed in the song Guantanamera, with these lyrics from a poem by Josι Martν:
Yo soy un hombre sincero
De donde crecen las palmas
Y antes de morirme quiero
Echar mis versos del almaCon los pobres de la tierra
Quiero yo mi suerte echar
El arroyo de la sierra
Me complace mas que el marI am a truthful man
From the land of the palm trees
And before dying, I want
to share the poems of my soulWith the poor people of this earth
I want to share my fate
The streams of the mountain
Pleases me more than the sea
That is, I have much less interest in the pronouncements from very important persons than in the experiences of common people. Those are my personal preferences and I am sorry to inflict that on everybody else.
Just to show you what I want to read about, here is a translation from a post by Chinese blogger Rainbow Sister (彩虹姐姐) via ChineseNewsNet.
If you like, you can also take this as an example of the raw emotional power of personal blogging over the dispassionate and reasoned approach of mainstream media. Let me put it another way: in the face of hundreds or thousands of blogs like this one, mainstream media agenda-setting will be tossed aside completely. Mind you, the Rainbow Sister blog is totally non-subversive and there is no justification to delete it; yet the substance of the experience of the blogger makes all the official lies totally unsustainable.
Rainhow Sister really did not care about that infamous "well-intentioned lie" from the government or not -- she only wanted to know about what she need to do! Is that so hard to understand!?
November 21, 2005, 11:00pm
Today was a rest day.
At some time around 10am this morning, my son came home and secretively told me, "Mom, store some water. Harbin is going to have a city-wide water stoppage." I said, "Is this a quick hygiene clean-up?" My son said: "My guess is that it is the Jilin benzene factory explosion leading to pollution of the water upstream coming from Jilin." My son also said: "In order to prevent citizen panic, this is still a secret at this time."
"Don't believe in rumors!" I said, even as I systematically went through all the hygienic procedures while talking to my son. Before I knew it, it was 2pm and the phone rang: "This is the building maintenance department. Water will be stopped at midnight all across the city. Please make preparations to store water ..." The voice was light, as if it was afraid to scare me. It would seem that what my son told me was true!
Hmmm ... I just called my elder brother to inform him of the water stoppage. He hurriedly said: "Yes, yes. I know about it. I was just buying water from the outside. The supermarkets are sold out!" Heavens! It is that serious!!! I immediately called the trainer at the recreational club. Before I even finish talking, he told me: "Hey, sister! Everyone at the club has gone out to purchase water, so you better get prepared. Don't come here! I am going home right now!" This is getting serious!! My husband then called to say: "I really didn't expect that the water at the supermarket is selling out."
So I started to collect water. I used all the pots and buckets. When my husband and son came back from work in the evening, I told them that they will have to eat instant noodles and western food the next few days in order to conserve water and not wash dishes! The two men agreed. I told them to take baths immediately, so that I can fill up the bathtub with water immediately afterwards. It had been a hurried and tense day, and I have no idea what is going to happen tomorrow.
Novmeber 22, 2005, Tuesday
I opened my eyes and the sky was quite blue. I yawned and I went into the bathroom. There were water receptables everywhere, and then I recalled the traces of terror from last night. The water has stopped coming to the recreational club, so I can take a break because there is no water. The telephone rings. It is the cosmetoligist Xiao Xue. She tells me that since the water is stopped, the skincare program cannot function. So their boss has given them a long vacation.
My husband sent me an SMS: "The water may be contaminated, so it must not be consumed. I will buy some water and bring it home tonight!!! Please remember!!!" Heavens! So many exclamation marks!
My mobile phone received a message from 86133: "According to the Harbin municipal government spokesperson: at the moment, there has been nothing unusual about the Songhua river water according to testing, and the water supply meets national drinking water standards. Therefore, citizens should store as much as possible. All building management units should supply water to the residents to ensure that the largest amount of water can be stored."
I immediately forwarded the message to my husband. In order to lighten up the tense atmospehre, I called and joked: "No matter what the water is, the most important thing is the resistance that the body can put up!" My husband laughed over the telephone. My husband said that the demand exceeded the supply at the supermarkets, but his unit has purchased water from the outside as benefits to the workers.
My son said that a certain boss has put out all the water in storage on sale in the street. 12 yuans' worth was being offered for 30 yuan!! There was a rush on rice, noodles, oil, salt, sauce and vinegar. Bread, sausages and biscuits were sold out at the supermarkets! But it is said that the other cities are rushing water over to support Harbin continuously, and that is good!
Netizens are sending in consolations in various forms -- Ah Ning (阿寧) called. Kanyao18 (看妖十八) who usually only wishes to see chaos called to ask about the situation in Harbin, perhaps being afraid of seeing me dead. The tone was gentle, and I was moved to tears.
At around 8pm in the evening, my son received a call from a classmate who said that there was going to be an earthquake tonight centered in Harbin at Richter scale seven! I started to lecture my son: "What kind of classmates do you have! They only know how to create terror!" I was getting mad at my son; I was also getting mad at myself. I was getting really terrified. I have just barely withstood the water stoppage, and now there is the earthquake!
My husband wanted to go to sleep. I said: "You better sleep in your clothes." He said: "Impossible. I can't sleep that way!" I got mad! "How can you sleep?" So he said: "How about you keep sentry the first half of the night! If there is a real earthquake, please remember to duck underneath the table!"
At 11:53pm, my mobile phone received this message: "The formal notice from the Harbin people's government concerning the water stoppage: according to the test reports from the environmental protection bureau, the explosion at the PetroChina's Jilin benzene factory has polluted the Songhua river. In order to guarantee that safety of the water for production and consumption in our city, the city government has decided to shut down the intaking of water from the Songhua river as of midnight November 23."
Yesterday, all the water stopped. Today there is no water in the whole city. Dear netizen friends, please wish me good luck!
November 23, 2005, Wednesday
The recreational club has formally notified me that they have stopped operations. We can all go home to rest. I woke up in the morning and I can't find my mobile phone. I looked everywhere for it. I was perplexed. The phone was still there last night. How come it vanished when I went to sleep? There was not even a hint of the earthquake! Even as I cursed my son, I looked for my mobile telephone. Then I glanced at the bag for the camera and videocamera on the floor! Heavens!!! I remembered! Before I went to sleep, I was afraid of the earthquake and I put everything related to telecommunications into my traveling kit bag!
I turned on the mobile phone. I tested the connection. Everything was normal.
The heating was working. It was warm inside the home. Nothing has changed.
I turned on the computer. It was running normally.
My life was no different than before. Ha ha ...
The amount of stored water is rapidly going down. One bucket after another was used up; one pot after after another was used up. How will we last until the fourth day, the fifth day or even longer after that? The door bell rings. "I am from the building management. The water will be turned on at one o'clock. Please have someone at home to store water, and please make sure that there is no water leak." The voice was extra-gentle.
I asked: "Is this temporary, or has the alert been removed altogether?"
Answer: "It is temporary. From now on, the water may be supplied regularly. It can only be used to flush the toilet, but not for consumption."
Oh, that's not too bad. I am so easy to please!
My husband called me again to tell me that his unit has given him another two cases of mineral water and a case of milk. Hmm hmm ... that's not bad. The water came -- ten minutes early. I turned on the water. I will continue my live report later.
The water came slowly. It continued for one hour. All the water receptables are filled. There was much more saved this time than before. The bathtub was filled to the brim. This time, the chaffeur from the unit called to say that water is being distributed in the courtyard. Oh, the water at home can be sold too, thanks to the government!
GO! GO! GO! Go to the supermarket!
When I got to Carrefour -- the largest supermarket in Harbin -- it was like a weekend when the place was mobbed. Every shopping cart was filled with beverages. Vegetables, fruits, biscuits, candies and snacks were in sight, as well as orange juice and everything else. I saw the clerks continuing to refill the shelves. According to the Internet, the government is using every water supply source to help the citizens. I know this, because the motherland will not abandon us!
Since I could not find shelf for the mineral water, I went around and around. Finally, I had to ask a worker. He said that it was on the first floor, next to the beverage section. I pushed the cart back there. Oh! I understand why I could not find the water. There was no water left. Many customers were asking when water will be available again. I saw many properly dressed workers and security staff there, and I carefully and quickly took some photographs for the blog.
But in front of the shelf without the water, I was caught. A young man with a big scar on his face rushed up to me and frightened me! He yelled: "No photographs are allowed!" Then he glared at me and said: "Give me the film!" I was stupefied and I didn't react. He jumped in front of me and said: "Film!" I was stunned: "Film?" Then I realized immediately that this man did not even understand the concept of a digital camera. I patiently explained to him: "This is a digital camera." I did not expect him to yell at me: "I don't know what a digital camera is! Just take the film out!"
But he did not harrass me afterwards. Ah Ning from Hangzhou called me later to say that he read about my blog in the Metropolic Daily. Oh, I told her about my experience just then. Over the phone, Ah Ning said: "Rainbow Sister, you have the potential to become a reporter."
When I arrived at the checkout counter, I saw people pushing cartons and cartons of water. I asked and I found out that the water has arrived, with a limit of two cartons per person. I examined the cartons carefully and saw that they were produced in Beijing. My almight national capital, I love you to death!
I returned home and I began to make dinner. It turned out that the water came back from 1pm without stoppage, even though it cannot be consumed. I used the mineral water to wash a white tulip, I opened up a can of beef and I made a dish of beef with tulip. After a while, it turned into a fragrant-smelling dish. Then I used the water saved from a few days ago to rinse the rice, and I used the mineral water to boil the rice in the electric cooker. It wass simple. When the men came back from work, they said: "This tastes good. Water stoppage is really good. As soon as we come through the door, we get to eat!"
That is really nice. The water stoppage has turned me into a full-time housewife.
(Northeast.cn) 博客：彩虹姐姐在停水的日子里
2005年11月21日23点
今天休息。
上午十点多，儿子回来神神秘秘地说：妈妈，储存点水，哈尔滨可能要全市性停水。我说：那可要快点清理卫生了哪。儿子还说：估计是吉林石化双苯厂爆炸，造成哈尔滨受上游来水污染。儿子又说：为了防止市民恐慌，还属于保密阶段。
别相信谣言！！我一边按部就班搞卫生，一边和儿子说。
一晃就是下午两点，电话又响了：我是大楼管理处，零点全市停水，请做好储水准备
说话的声音轻悄悄的，好像怕把我惊吓着似的。看来儿子说的事情是真的！
嗯，给哥哥挂个电话，刚告诉他要停水的事，他就急巴巴的说：是呀是呀，我知道了，我正在外面买水呢，超市水都没有啦！天！这么严重！！！马上给我们健身俱乐部的教练打电话，还没说完，他就告诉我：姐姐呀，俱乐部的人都跑出去买水啦，你在家好好准备吧，别来了，我也马上回家！问题的确严重！！老公也打来电话说：真没有想到，超市的水都快卖光了。
开始接水，用了所有的盆和桶。
晚上等老公和儿子下班回来，我告诉他们，这几天就吃面条和西餐，节省用水，省得刷碗！！两个先生都同意了。督促他们洗澡，然后我洗完澡后把浴缸也接满了水。
这一天过得匆忙又紧张，明天不知道会怎样？
2005年11月22日星期二
睁开眼睛，天好蓝啊。打着哈欠走到卫生间，看到到处是接满水的容器的时候，才想起来昨天晚上的丝丝恐慌。
健身俱乐部那里停水了，没有水我也就休息吧。电话铃声大作，是美容院的小雪，她说因为停水，皮肤护理不能正常做了，老板放她们大假了。
先生给我发来短信：接的水受污染，一律不可以喝，晚上我买水回来！！！切切！！！
天！这么多惊叹号哪！
手机收到86133的信息：据市政府新闻发言人称：目前，松花江哈尔滨段水体未发现异常，经监测，城市供水符合国家饮用标准，请广大市民抓紧储存，所有物业管理单位必须启动二次供水设施，保证向居民供水，并最大限度储满水箱。
我立刻把这条信息转给先生，为了缓和紧张空气，打电话过去开玩笑说：不管是什么水，身体的抵抗力是最重要的啦！老公在电话里笑起来。
老公说，超市的水还是供不应求，他们单位在外面买了水回来作福利。
儿子说一个老板把仓库的水都摆到大街上卖，12块钱的卖30块了！！米面油盐酱醋也开始抢购了，超市的面包、红肠、饼干都买空了呀！
不过，听说各城市支援哈尔滨的水源源不断地运过来了，这就好！
网友们也纷纷用各种形式来慰问了
阿宁打来了电话。
平时惟恐天下不乱的看妖十八，也来了电话询问哈尔滨的情况。也许怕俺一命呜呼，口气温和，令人感动得眼泪哗哗的。
晚上8点左右，儿子又接到同学的电话，说今晚地震，震中就在哈尔滨，7级！我开始训儿子，你都什么同学呀！一个个都在那制造恐慌！我开始生儿子的气；也有些生自己的气。其实我开始真正地恐慌了，对于停水，我能不能承受得住还没有缓过劲来，又出来个地震！
先生要睡了，我说：你穿衣服睡吧。他说：不行，那我睡不着！我突然火了！还睡得着？他只好说：那你前半夜值班吧！要是真震了，记得钻桌子底下！
21点53分手机接到信息：哈尔滨人民政府关于正式停水的公告：根据省环保局监测报告，中石油吉化公司双苯厂爆炸可能造成松花江水体污染。为了确保我市生产、生活用水安全，市政府决定于11月23日零时起，关闭松花江段取水口！
昨天就停水了，今天整个城市开始停水了。
亲爱的网友们，祝我好运吧！
2005年11月23日星期三
健身俱乐部正式通知停业了。我们都回家休息了。
早上起来，找手机找不到，翻天覆地地找。我就纳了闷了，怎么昨天夜里还有电话，睡着了就不见了？地震的苗头也没有呀！心里骂着该死的儿子，心急地寻找手机。瞄了一眼地板上昨天一股脑收拾的照相机和摄像机的包包，天啦！！！想起来了，睡前怕有地震发生，把一切和通讯有关的东东都放在我的旅行包里了！
手机开机，试验一下网络，非常正常。
还有暖气，家里还是很热，没有丝毫变化。
电脑开机，运行正常。
生活和以往没有什么不一样。呵呵
储存的水在飞快下降，一个个桶都用完了，一个个盆也用完了。这怎么维持到第四天或者第五天，或者更长的时间呢？
门铃响。我是大楼管理处的，一点整来水，请家里留人储存水，另外防止水管漏水。声音还是格外的温和。
我问了下：是临时供水还是解除警报了？
回答：是临时的，以后可能要定时送水，只能用作冲厕所，不要饮用！
哦，这样就很不错了。我这个人忒容易满足了！
先生打来一个电话告诉我，单位又发了两箱矿泉水，还有一箱牛奶。嗯嗯，这个不错哦。
来水了提前了十分钟。我去接水了。一会回来再继续现场报道。
水流很慢，接了几乎一个小时，把所有能盛水的又都灌满了，这次比第一次储存的要多了，浴缸放得满满的。
这时，单位的司机来电话说大院要分水了。这不，家里分的水可以开仓卖了啊，感谢政府啊！
GO！GO！GO！去超市喽
来到佳乐福哈尔滨最大的超市，一进门，场景有些像周末似的，人流熙熙攘攘，每个推车上都装着饮料。蔬菜水果饼干糖果还有小食品的货架上琳琅满目，还有可乐碧橙汁货源齐全，而且还看到员工继续在补充着。网上说，政府已经调配各路水源供居民饮用，这个我明白，祖国是不会抛弃我们的！
一直没有找到矿泉水的货架，绕了一圈又一圈的，只好问了一个员工，他说就在一楼，就在前面，就在饮料的那边。我又推车回去，哦，明白了，我为什么找不到水，原来没有水哦。有很多顾客在询问水什么时间可以买到，看到很多穿戴整齐的员工和保安，我非常小心迅捷地拍了照片，想给博客配点照片。
不过在缺水的货架旁，我还是被逮着了。一个脸上带着大疤瘌的年轻男人忽然冲到我面前，吓了我一跳！他喊：不许拍照！然后虎视眈眈地盯着我又说把胶卷拿来！我呆着，没有反应。他蹿到我面前：胶卷！我结巴了：胶卷？马上我明白了，这个家伙还不懂得数码相机。我和蔼地非常耐心地和他说：这是数码相机。没有想到他冲我喊：谁不知道数码相机！把胶卷卸下来！
不过后来他没麻烦我。在杭州的阿宁打电话来说看到都市快报我的博客了，呵呵，我告诉她我刚才的经历，电话里阿宁说：彩虹姐姐，你有做记者的潜质啊。
当我到了收银台，看到很多人往超市里推着一箱一箱的水，我问了下，原来是水来了，一个人限购两箱。我仔细看了，是北京生产的水。我伟大的祖国首都呀，爱死你了！
回到家，开始做饭，原来自来水从下午1点来了就一直没有停。但是不能饮用。用矿泉水洗了一个白萝卜，开了牛肉罐头，做个牛肉炖萝卜，不一会香味四溢，又用前天接的水把米淘了，再用矿泉水把米放在电饭煲里煮了，简单点吧。先生下班后说：味道不错，停水真好，可以进门就吃饭了！
真有意思，停水使我成了全职太太了。