These slogans are more common than I thought. Just discovered several more at Tuanshan Historical Village in Yunnan's own Jianshui (建水). The Qing dynasty era village is undergoing active reconstruction.

Wonder if the slogans will survive.

"Wish long life for Chairman Mao!" (祝毛主席万寿无疆). Those are simplified characters, but several are actually written in traditional form.

imgur.com/DtEmtyc

"Forge valiantly ahead holding high the great red flag of Chairman Mao's thoughts!" (高举毛泽东思想伟大红旗奋勇前进)

imgur.com/a/hXblS

I took photos and have posted two to imgur.

The red sign in front is about traffic regulations, no connection with the slogan.

imgur.com/a/xRfNg

The entrance to Beijing's Forbidden City sports a large portrait of Mao Zedong and these grand Chinese characters:

Long live the People's Republic of China! (中华人民共和国万岁)

Long live the great unity of the people of the world! (世界人民大团结万岁)

Which serves as introduction to what I saw recently in a small town in western Guizhou Province:

Long live Chairman Mao! (毛主席万岁)

The characters, faded and in poor repair, measured about a meter high and appeared on the wall of an old building located in a side alley. Many people could see the slogan as they walked to nearby shops and vendor stalls.

This slogan, as a written public expression in present-day China, I

suspect is quite the rarity. My Chinese relatives told me the characters were likely applied during the Cultural Revolution, a relic of that era which has never been taken down.

It depends on how your kids react to high-exposure situations, and only you can be the judge of that. I would like to take my wife on the trek and have concerns about how she will react, as she is an eager flat-ground walker but not an experienced hiker in rugged terrain. I believe I can walk her through any sections where she feels scared.

I do recommend staying on the standard path from Qiaotou to Tina's. The Bamboo Forest Path, from just above Tina's to Walnut Garden Youth Hostel, is a couple degrees more serious than the standard path, not one I would recommend for your kids.

Lemon Lover makes a valid point. I have hiked the trail twice, October 2014 and mid-November 2017. I noticed significant changes to the trail over the intervening three years, making for less of a trekking experience and more of an "urban" experience.

More paving, whether for autos or for the footpath itself, specifically, a long portion of the footpath below the 28 Bends. Construction of a new bridge over a stream will permit autos to pass directly on the trail not far from one of the main guest houses (Halfway House if I remember correctly).

About water level, I noticed the river in November was indeed low. Not a complaint for me as my goals were of a different sort: training for mountain climbing (carrying a relatively heavy pack), meeting interesting folks from all over the world. My progress speaking Chinese with guest house staff was especially encouraging, compared with my feeble efforts of three years ago. Now I can hold a meaningful and rewarding conversation--usually.

In the last year Keats has stopped providing toilet paper in their bathrooms, sometimes soap as well. So, BYOTP. They have also cleaned house of leadership, staff and teachers. Penny pinching probly by the long term owner(s). That said, their teachers are excellent in my experience and that of other students I speak with. I give the school a high recommendation.