submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by Nakoichi@hexbear.net to c/urbanism@hexbear.net

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[-] Dessa@hexbear.net 8 points 1 month ago

I have to wonder what caused these folks to up and build a city on a wall. There must be something really worth it up there besides a view

[-] CloutAtlas@hexbear.net 10 points 1 month ago

Not sure about this place specifically, but before we went and built dams, a lot of these river valleys would flood seasonally. I'd wager the buildings closer to the river are newer than those further away.

Hell, my hometown of Wuhan still floods occasionally and that's post Three Gorges upstream

[-] Dessa@hexbear.net 2 points 1 month ago

So it's a matter of having really good farmland but terrible suitable land for housing?

[-] CloutAtlas@hexbear.net 2 points 1 month ago

Possibly not "unsuitable" but they preferred being closer to running water but not too close as a convenience. And/or a trade/fishing thing, I know the Yellow and the Yangtze are both huge sources of food and trade, not sure about Wangxian

Sort of a "this is going to be annoying to build in the moment but will be beneficial in the long term" sort of thing.

[-] CloutAtlas@hexbear.net 7 points 1 month ago

There's a really good documentary made by a Japanese filmmaker about some of the poorest parts of China and the government's poverty alleviation schemes here

One of the Yi villages in Sichuan is located 1400m above sea level (the capital of Sichuan, Chengdu is 500m, for reference). The cliff side villagers used to have to climb almost 800m of cliffs to go back home if they decide to come down from the mountain, before the government funded stairs so the way up and down is now "only" a 3km stairway where you ascend 800 meters.