Fuling is at the junction point where the Wujiang meets the Chang Jiang. The porters here have skipped the whole basket thing and get straight down to it. They lift huge items on their backs,or dangle them from ropes attached to a bamboo yoke. These guys were very very friendly and helpful.

Why is it that poor people who have very little are more generous and open, whilst successful, affluent people are more stingy and closed?

I find my interactions with poor people in China far more rewarding than I do with the richer people. The poor have nothing, but give you everything without question. The rich think about money all the time and have no time to help others around them. A sweeping statement I know, but when you spend a lot of time in the mountains and arrive at a big city you notice thedifference very quickly. It could have been Fuling, Beijing, London or Paris.I think I would have felt the same.

Many of the people I interacted with had no time to help or no interest to help. Everything was given a monetary value. Even a question or a request for directions. If I approached a shop keeper he would be cheerful. The moment he knew I would not buy something he had no time for me.

I know there are some people from Fuling reading this. I'm sorry to say that I didn't really have a chance to explore your city, so I cannot talk much about it. Generally though people were friendly. Especially the porters. I have a lot of respect for what they do. Carrying a huge weight on their backs provides an invaluable service to the people in Fuling.