The largest dam in the world is slowly nearing completion along the Yangtze River in China. The construction of the Three Gorges Dam has displaced over a million residents along its banks to make way for the rising waters. Hundreds of towns were literally reduced to rubble by hand to ensure the new waterway's ships would not strike the abandoned buildings. The Chinese expected both flood control and clean energy to result from the years of hardship but not...entertainment.
From sledge hammers and broken rocks has emerged China's newest super pop girl band- "Three Gorgeous Dames." The three beautiful women come from Xe Xnong, a town formally located just three miles upstream from the massive dam. "As we were knocking down the 10 story apartment building we lived in, with a government-supplied screw driver, we would always sing and stuff and hum and stuff," said unofficial band leader, Guong Zi. The band is a mega-sensation topping the Chinese charts for the past two months.
Even Heng Zi, Guong's mother, occasionally attends the sold out concerts. The single mother is the only resident, of over 1.5 million, to refuse relocation and now lives 35 meters below the water in an aqua house. "She was a great free diver which also lets her help manage the band and occasionally buy food for herself," said the daughter.
Chen Li and Han Sing make up the remainder of "Three Gorges Dames," with Sing writing most of the song lyrics. "Damn that dam" is the song that pushed the band into the national spotlight and is also the name of their CD. They have been asked to perform the song "Mao Say Dung Smell Very Bad" for the Opening Ceremonies at the Beijing Summer Olympics this year.
