1954 Yangtze floods

These dams have since proven their effectiveness in minimizing the impact of flooding events, such as with heavy downpours in 2010[2] In 1969, a large stone monument was erected in the riverside park in Hankou (City of Wuhan, Hubei) honoring the heroic deeds in fighting the 1954 flood.

Among the carvings on the monument is a calligraphic inscription by Mao Zedong, dedicated to the people of Wuhan:[3] We must still be prepared to do battle against and overcome similarly severe floods that may occur in the future.Below, is his poem "Swimming"[4] (1956), envisioning future bridge and dam construction on the Yangtze:[5] I have just drunk the waters of ChangshaAnd come to eat the fish of Wuchang.

Great plans are afoot: A bridge will fly to span the north and south, Turning a deep chasm into a thoroughfare; Walls of stone will stand upstream to the westTo hold back Wushan's clouds and rain Till a smooth lake rises in the narrow gorgesThe mountain goddess if she is still there Will marvel at a world so changed.

"On the sides of the monument's pedestal are reliefs depicting heroic people of Wuhan fighting the flood, raising banners and placards with quotations from Mao Zedong.

This is probably a result of the intense logging on the banks of the upper reach of Yangtze River during the later part of the 20th century.

People of Wuhan fighting the flood, as depicted on the monument in Hankou. The text on the placard they carry, " 一不怕苦，二不怕死 " ("First, don't fear hardships; second, don't fear death") is said to be a Chinese Red Army's saying from the times of the Chinese Civil War; it was used by Mao Zedong in an April 1969 speech. [ 1 ]