Thesummer of 2022 is destined to become an indelible memory for the Chongqingpeople, a summer where we were tested beyond measure and a time we cametogether to adapt and overcome. Long known as a furnace of China, the summer of2022 has made Chongqing the white-hot pinnacle of the unrelenting Chineseheatwave, up to 45 °C by day and remaining in the high 30s overnight. This hasbrought about cascading problems, including dried-up rivers, insufficienthydroelectric power, drought, and forest fires in 9 districts. Add to that arenewed epidemic outbreak, and the situation is difficult and complex. But thepeople’s spirit is resolute and indomitable.

WhatI’ve seen is that when things get hard, Chongqing rises to the challenge.Without complaint, the city has moved to save electricity, reducing hours forshopping malls and construction, ensuring critical power is safe for residents,hospitals, and schools, and diverting water to where it’s needed by any meansnecessary. To fight the fire, professionals and volunteers have come forwardand given all their strength. We battle the epidemic as one family, cooperatingto overcome any adversity.

Exhausted,sweaty, and tired, we rest but do not give up. Hemingway said, ‘A man can bedestroyed but not defeated,’ because we lose the fight only by quitting. Thearmy has come to help fight the fires, and cold weather on the horizon promisesmuch-needed relief from scalding temperatures by the weekend. It may be theworst continuous hot weather since 1961, but every second we fight on brings uscloser to victory. The night may seem dark, but when the first licks of dawnrise, Chongqing is still standing, strong as ever. Perhaps stronger.

“Don’tfear suffering,” said actor Ethan Hawke, in a moment of stoic sage advice. “Forthe strongest steel is forged in the hottest fire. The facts are alwaysfriendly. Without a little agony, none of us would bother to learn a thing. Theearth has to be tilled before the seeds can be planted.”

   

“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth”

LocaleSports champ and Chess master Joamie Lin and his friends, volunteering to keepShapingba

safe, fed, and well hydrated through their lockdown. (Photo by JoamieLin)

   

Whenformer eSports champion and current Chess master and instructor Joamie Lin (林九米), 26, foundout Shapingba district was locked down to control the spread of COVID-19 inChongqing, he didn’t think twice: he suited up in a hazmat suit and volunteeredto protect his community.

“Soit’s been going quite well. My job is to deliver supplies within the buildingand assist doctors with their routine COVID tests daily,” said the formerUniversity of British Columbia, Canada, computer science student. “It getspretty hot in the suit in this weather, but otherwise, it’s been quiterewarding.” He leads doctors through his complex, knocks on doors, and asksresidents to provide their codes while doctors do their tests—all in the suit.“I also deliver supplies, mostly daily food, water, and such door-to-door. Peopleorder an unnecessary amount of bottled water and beers,” he laughs. “That’s soheavy to carry around, and the suit is required at all times, all part of oursafety procedure.”

Whenasked about positive cases – 23 of the 40 cases for today were found in Shapingba,he said, “Yes, there was one red case. We moved three floors of people toquarantine as a precaution. But I’ve heard they’re living in a hotel withdelicious food. Spirits are high. People are a bit worried, but they have thedoctors and us to reassure them, so they are alert but not anxious.” When askedwhy he decided to spend his days sweating in a hazmat suit instead of relaxingand playing games in front of his air conditioner, he said. “Honestly, I justwanted to help. I was going to sit at home and play video games anyways; Ithought I might as well contribute to the community and be helpful. ‘Service toothers is the rent you pay for your room here on earth,’ I remember MuhammadAli said this.” Ali, the greatest fighter of all time, urged us to help otherspay our way through life. Pay it forward. And fight we do, on all fronts.

   

Volunteers win the hearts of the people while racing necessary supplies tothe firefight

Volunteercouriers, locals, and motorcycle enthusiasts from all corners of Chongqingassist in

delivering critical supplies up remote roads to fight the fires.(Photo by iChongqing)

   

Meanwhile,a local student at Chongqing University of Science and Technology, a24-year-old motorcycle enthusiast and social media influencer who goes by theinternet moniker, ‘Whale,’ has had a heck of a day. Along with hundreds ofothers, he has been helping deliver supplies such as fire extinguishers,mineral water, heat-relieving medicines, gloves, rubber shoes, chainsaws, andother supplies up dirt roads that are inaccessible to larger vehicles. In 40-44°C weather, they ride under direct sunlight for 20-30 minutes each way. Carscan not access these remote areas, so their job is essential, but it’sphysically exhausting. Sweat and dust cover the riders in thick layers of grey,and when a rider falls over or wipes out due to exhaustion, local villagershelp them back up, repack their baskets and packs full of fire fighting gear,and get them back on their way. Whale injured his foot while driving too closeto the wildfires and was treated at a hospital and released. “I must continueto fight!” he cried and returned to the front lines.

   

Motorcycleenthusiasts ride through smoke and fire to deliver essential fire fightingsupplies on

remote roads as the people of Chongqing unite to prevent furtherdisaster. (Photo by iChongqing)

   

Aviral video of a Western foreign guest on a motorcycle carrying a chainsaw andother goods has been circulating today, showing community spirit goes beyondChinese locals and includes all who call Chongqing their home.

   

Firefightersand thousands of volunteers work day and night to extinguish the

flamesravaging several mountainous districts in Chongqing. (Photo by iChongqing)

   

   

Artificial rain-enhancing planes arrive in Chongqing to quench the fires

Totry to stop the fires from spreading to villages, other tactics are beingemployed, and in Beibei District, excavators spent the day digging a100-meter-wide fire isolation zone to stop the fire in its tracks. The militaryhas lent their assistance, and in the skies over the fire, artificialrain-enhancing planes arrived in Chongqing on August 23.

   

Artificialrain-enhancing planes arrived in Chongqing on August 23.

(Photo courtesy of theMunicipal Meteorological Bureau)

   

“Captain,I can still fight,” shouted Yao Yu after waking up after fainting fromexhaustion. He’d been fighting the fire in Jieshi, Banan District, ChongqingCity. The Chongqing Blue Sky Rescue Team dispatched 176 people from 6detachments to emergency rescue, and 26-year-old Yao Yu was one of them.

Accordingto reports, the main task of the blue sky rescue team was to establish a60-meter-wide forest isolation belt from the foot of the mountain to the top ofthe hill to prevent the fire from continuing to spread. As the chain saw in theteam, Yao Yu was the most critical officer for this job. Sawing trees anddigging trenches over and over for 12 consecutive hours before passing out.They did not rest until the job was done.

   

Volunteercouriers, locals, and motorcycle enthusiasts from all corners of Chongqing

toassist in delivering key supplies up remote roads. (Photo by iChongqing)

   

Meanwhile,the high-temperature weather caused drought disasters in 778 towns (streets) in36 districts and counties in our city, resulting in drought. Over one millionpeople have been affected, but workers and volunteers race to bring waterbottles and new pipelines to ensure all have drinking water. Of the 18 forestfires in the city, 13 of which have been extinguished so far, and the remainingfive forest fires are being put down, with no casualties reported.

   

Workersand volunteers strive to get new pipelines in place to deliver essential

waterand supplies to villagers affected by drought. (Photo by iChongqing)

   

“Mostmountain fires have been extinguished, the fire situation is generally undercontrol, and there are no casualties,” said local representative Ran Jinhong.Thirteen fire sites had been extinguished, and five fire sites are still beingput out.

Bythe principle of “counties and counties fight early and fight small, close toeach other, and support each other at the municipal level,” as of August 23,the Municipal Emergency Management Bureau dispatched and coordinatedprofessional emergency rescue teams, armed police officers and soldiers, firerescue teams and militia at the urban level. A total of more than 15,000 peoplewere dispatched, and a total of 8 helicopters were sent to fight the wildfireby combining air and ground.

   

Firefightersand thousands of volunteers work day and night to extinguish the

flamesravaging several mountainous districts in Chongqing. (Photo by iChongqing)

   

Chongqing central districts conduct nucleic acid tests for all in 24hrs

WhileChongqing fights to keep fresh water to all who need it and extinguish themountain fires, another fire is igniting in Chongqing. This new COVID-19outbreak has hit Chongqing’s core districts simultaneously. On August 24, themunicipal administration ordered nucleic acid tests for all residents incentral urban districts to control the quickly evolving pandemic situation.

Chongqingreported 40 new positive COVID-19 cases, 21 symptomatic and 19 unsymptomaticcases on August 23. The Shapingba District, where static management wasenforced six days ago, reported 23 cases, over half of the 40 total. Also, newcases were detected in four more downtown areas, warning of the possibility oflarge-scale infection in an area of 10 million population. It was decided thata large-scale nucleic acid test would be conducted, including all residents inChongqing’s nine urban center districts.

Frommidnight on August 24, all people in the region received an orange pop-upnotification on their health QR code user interface. Certain public areas willbe restricted to those with orange pop-up messages. When people completed onenucleic acid test on August 24, the orange pop-up notifications returned to ahealthy green. Elderly, disabled, chronic disease patients, and special needsindividuals would receive home visits for testing.

AniChongqing reporter observed during the day that several temporary testinglocations had been set up on the sidewalks in Jiulongpo District. As theresults roll in, certain smart lockdowns of XiaoQu (communities) and evenentire districts will close temporarily to halt the spread of the virusoutbreak, and most people in Chongqing have decided to stock up on necessitiesand bunker down until its once again under control.

   

Mostof Chongqing lined up for COVID tests on August 24 to

ensure the safety ofChongqing. (Photo by iChongqing)

   

“Strength through adversity. The strongest steel is forged by thefires of hell. It is pounded and struck repeatedly before it’s plunged back into the molten fire. The fire gives it power and flexibility,and the blows give it strength. Those two things make the metal pliable andable to withstand every battle it’s called upon tofight. (Savitar)”― SherrilynKenyon, in the novel Devil May Cry

Whetherfire, drought, or a renewed outbreak, Chongqing people might be suffering, butthey display unrelenting resilience, perseverance, and an indomitable spirit intimes of trouble. As a community, we show humanity, kindness, and generosity aswe work together to overcome any obstacles we face because we are strong enoughto face any challenge. There’s strong, and then there’s ChongqingStrong, and with the challenges ahead of China and the West, Chongqing canserve as a paragon of virtue and community spirit to inspire the rest of usthat (We > I) we are better together.

 

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