2026 NaPM 22 April

[busker]

Monoculture


China, Middle Kingdom, a vast hydraulic
empire, home to exquisite culture, poets,
art, refined calligraphy, and perfected
system for placing

men of intellectual merit in its
upper reaches, exercised great control of
its whole landscape, rivers and Grand Canal with
damming and digging

carried out by millions of drafted peasants.
Over time the rivers revolted - silting,
flooding, leaving salinization. Later,
so did the peasants.

Cliched and out of date sentiment, but clever ending