The Hammer Falls

I lived on the east side of Jinan, which is the capital city of Shandong Province in China, in an area that is experiencing a significant amount of construction.  Most obvious are the numerous apartment complexes towering towards the gray polluted sky.  

My Neighborhood

© Mark Eaton

While exploring my little part of the world in Jinan during the day, I often heard booms that echoed off the mountains that are found in the area.  I thought construction crews were blasting into the mountains as some of the newly finished apartment buildings clearly abut the mountainous boundaries.

Then one day I discovered the source of the booms.  A large crane raised a large and obviously heavy pile driver.  The Chinese version of a pile driver looks a bit different than those I've seen from the western world, but evidently no less effective.  

The pile driver is targeted over a specific spot.  With a metallic snap, the driver is released.  The object falls silently, but there is an impressive explosive sound as it slams its target further into the ground.  And the ground shakes.  The process is repeated time and time again.

The Hammer Falls

© Mark Eaton

When several cranes are in operation simultaneously, it sounds as if a giant is walking unsteadily across the land.