This painting was done by Chinese artist He Jiaying in 1980. 

It depicts a group of female workers shopping and chatting on the street after finishing work at the Gezhouba construction site.  

The Gezhouba Dam or the Gezhouba Water Control Project is China's first water conservancy project on the Yangtze River.  

The Yangtze River has flooded periodically over the years, including a historic disaster in 1931 that killed millions. It's the principal waterway in China with rich resources.  

Studies on the Gezhouba Dam date back to the late 1950s. 

After years of inspections and testing, Chinese engineers carried out a construction plan involving power generation, flood control and navigation.  

In December 1970, Chairman Mao Zedong approved construction of the Gezhouba Water Control Project in Yichang city in Central China's Hubei province. 

Over 100,000 hydropower specialists and construction workers from all over the country were involved the project. 

Many female workers helped dig, transport materials and supplies and weld steel bars. 

The project took 18 years to complete. 

Since its completion in 1988, the Gezhouba Dam has safely controlled the release of water 60 times on the Yangtze River. 

The Gezhouba hydropower station generates an average of 16 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, largely easing electricity shortages in the region. 

Its success has provided valuable experience, technology and help in the construction and operation of China's Three Gorges Dam since 1994.

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