"Six months later, I took a year off from school to live in Chengdu, take Chinese classes and figure out how I could help bring people to the river. I had no idea what a I was getting myself into or how miserable and steep the learning curve would be."

He completely insulated himself from all foreigners but became crushingly lonely because he couldn't yet freely communicate in Mandarin.

It was during this time a Chengdu friend gave him his Chinese name - Wen Dachuan, which translates as Cultural Big River.

Winn says he was lured to China and its rivers by their "cultural landscapes", which he says go beyond the US' "physical landscapes".

"The culture along the rivers doesn't exist anymore in the US. Our Native Americans live on reservations, and there are cultural sites along the rivers. But if you want to learn about them you have to read a book," Winn says.

"In China, it's as simple as walking into a village, making friends and asking a few questions."

He says the inhabitants of remote riverside settlements where he has docked to chat have shared amazing stories that have given him insight into their cultures.

One of his favorite folktales comes from a small settlement on a stretch of the Yangtze called Tongtianhe (The River That Floats Into Heaven).

Villagers there told him about a nearby whirlpool they believe is a portal to another world. Long ago, they say, local monks announced a water buffalo with bejeweled horns ridden by a young boy planned to come to this world to visit some dragons dwelling in nearby hills.

When villagers ignored warnings to avoid looking at the beast when it emerged from the eddy, it fearfully lunged back through the vortex into its world. This unhinged the equilibrium between the universes, gradually causing the local monastery to crumble into ruins.

"However, the old man at the river's edge maintains that it is still a paradise, and I agree," Winn says.

Winn is planning an expedition this year to collect such riverside folklore.

"The real reason I'm here is not because of the rivers, it's because of the people," Winn says.

"The rivers are some of the best in the world, but they alone couldn't motivate me to live here."

And he hopes he can make a contribution during his time in the country.

"If we can create a business model where we can create conservation and make money, and show we can make a difference while doing it, and do it in China, that's a really important message," Winn says.

"If there's one thing I want out of living in China, it's for future generations to be able to have the chance to float down its rivers."

(China Daily January 8, 2009)