WILD CHINA - S01E05

转经筒

0' - 15'
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To outsiders this is a mysterious land. It contains dazzling man-made structures, and it’s home to some of China’s rarest and most charismatic creatures. The people who live here, the Han Chinese, comprise the largest ethnic group in the world, and their language, mandarin, is the world’s oldest and most widely spoken language.

/ ]2 Z) X5 ~) t' m; H2 {In the last 50 years, China has seen massive development, bringing many environmental problems. But the relationship of the Chinese to their environment and its creatures is in fact deep, complex, and extraordinary. In this program we will look for clues to this ancient relationship and what it means to the future of China.

Our journey starts at the very heart of China – Beijing. China’s capital is a vast metropolis, home to 15 million people. This *** modern city seems an unlikely place for traditional beliefs and customs. But beneath the contemporary over near, it’s possible to see glimpses of a far old China. Every morning people head to the parks around the Forbidden City, to continue a custom which is centuries old. Many Chinese keep birds as companions, specifically a type of laughing thrush from southern China. But they know that *** up in doors birds may become depressed, so they try to brighten their day by meeting other birds. This surprising scene in the heart of Beijing is a clue to China’s oldest spiritual ambition: the harmonious co-existence of man and the nature. But from the 1950s onwards this ancient belief was to be severely challenged.
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After a century of humiliation and invasion by foreign powers, Chairman Mao thought to rebuild China’s dignity. Mao believes strongly in self reliance, achieve through using all nature resources. Mao’s first concern is to feed the Chinese people, by turning as much land as possible over to grain production, destroying non-*** crops and uprooting fruit trees in the process. A campaign to *** crop-eating sparrows backfired when insect-eating birds were also targeted, causing an increase in insect pests.

+ J$ c6 b* m/ B4 F* x0 R8 gEfforts to make China’s self reliant in steel resulted in 10% of the country’s forests being felt to fill the furnaces. This had a profound impact on China’s environment, with the fact in some cases lasting in present day. Mao’s policy towards the countryside has been described in the phrase: man must conquer nature, quite different from the ancient concept of harmonious co-existence with nature.
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As modern China engages with the outside world, which of these attitudes seems to be likely to prevail? To find the answers, we will travel to the far reaches of the heart land, to see how the traditional cultures and unique creatures are faring today.

  A7 A1 J: l  w  t) Y8 c3 ^Beijing has always depended on the north China plane, a rich farmland twice the size of UK. The fertility of this plane derives from further west, from the loess plateau. The mineral rich soil of loess plateau is incredibly fertile. People have lived here for thousands of years, hollowing their homes out of the soft soil. The caves might lack the glamor of Beijing, but people can survive here, warm, secure, and best of all, well fed.
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As a result of centuries farming, the landscape has become scarred, with thousands of water worn gullies. But this spectacular erosion has had an unexpected benefit. The streams which drain the gullies carry the fertile yellow soil into the plateau’s major river, known to the Han people as the mother of Chinese civilization. This is the Yellow River. Each year the Yellow River carries billions of tons of sediments from the loess plateau eastwards to the cross fields of Chinese heart land.
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Historically the Chinese relationship with the river has been uneasy. Sediments filling up the river bed has caused the river burst its banks periodically, unleashing *** floods, resulting in millions of deaths. But when tamed with dykes and channels, the river’s bounty is legendary.

  X$ E& V5 k. J3 G* [4 [$ AEven today half of China’s wheat comes from the Yellow River flood plane. For thousands of years, the sediments rich Yellow River has underpinned the prosperity of the Chinese heart land. But increase demand for water by people and industry now threaten to run the river dry. And the source of its fertility, the loess plateau is also under threat. Loosened by cultivation, it’s soft soil is blown away.  

The north China plane is choked with duststorms that even loom in Beijing. So much so that the Chinese government has made improving the city’s air quality a priority, in the run up to Beijing Olympics. Heart land China’s life support system is in trouble, yet in a few areas it’s still possible to find landscapes that appear to have remained untouched.

) S7 E- g2 n1 g: kAt the southern edge of north China lies the Qinling Mountains. At 1500 kilo meters long they run like a back bone through middle of China. Deep with the mountains is a maze of remote valleys and forests, home to strange and wonderful creatures. This is golden snub-nosed monkeys, a species unique to China. Seldom seen, they are frequently heard. Their strange childlike *** and extraordinary appearance might have inspired the local tales of *** like wild man of the mountains. As winter temperature drops to minus 10 Celsius, their fur keeps them warm. Neutral grooming not only keeps their precious fur in good condition, but also helps to reinforce the bound within the troops.

, H  L3 r3 Y% u* V# [In summer the monkey go around in huge bands, but at this lean time of the year they split up into smaller foraging parties. In the dead of winter the monkeys are forced to *** around the rocks for a few *** of lichens and moss. As the world surrounding their mounting home has filled up with towns and croplands, the snub-nosed monkeys’ habitat has changed dramatically. Today they’re just 10000 left in existence.
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0 c. J+ T( O- l' BTo the people who live in the Qinling Mountains, the forests and its wildlife are the resources to be used, the basis of their lively hood. These people share the forests with a even more illusive animal. It’s probably China’s most famous animal, but very few have ever seen it. Unlike the monkeys this creature has a very specific diet – bamboo. It’s a wild giant panda. Secretive and sensitive to noise, the giant panda is often gone before anyone can get close to it. The panda has long been known by Chinese, it was mentioned in dictionaries more than 2000 years ago and the emperor garden is said to have housed one. In the dense bamboo of the forest, one panda rarely sees another, instead they communicate by subtle scent signals.

转经筒

15‘ - 25’

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9 s8 W- w' [" M* l# B2 ~/ `* rAt a meter and a half long and 135 kilos the giant panda is a member of the bear family. But its bear-like digestive system is built for eating meat, not this tough fiber stuff. To make matters worse, the bamboo leafs are frozen solid. But the panda has devised a cunning to break the ice off. It rubs the bamboo over its nose. Unlike other bears the panda can’t fatten itself far upon hibernate through the winter, bamboo is so low in energy that panda has to spend most of its day eating. Once it has exhausted one area, it must move on to the next.

2 L! n' B& \) t! a$ ^8 [The panda’s paw is surprisingly un-bearlike too. It’s flexible with an enlarged wrist bone which allows it to grasp *** of bamboo with *** and precision, that a monkey would be proud of. Twisting the bamboo leaves into a cigar shape makes them easier to munch. Hungry pandas once roamed that cross vast tracks of bamboo rich forest that covered much of Chinese heart land. But since the 1950s logging has fragmented the Qinling Mountain forests. Its remaining wild pandas are now confined within isolated reserves.
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In the past 50 years China’s heart land has been subjected to desertification, drying rivers and deforestation, the fating not only people, but also wild life too. The relationship between the Chinese people and their environment appears to be out of balance, but if we dig a little bit deeper, there is some surprising and intimate connections, even today. Clues to the nature of this link can be found in everyday life, even in the center of China’s capital city.

In the parks of Beijing, mandarin ducks keep a close watch over their young. Believed by Chinese to pair for life, they are seen for centuries as a symbol for love and fidelity. In natures of these birds are believed to improve personal relationships. As a result Beijing’s mandarin ducks are highly protected.  
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The alley ways of the capital’s ancient hutongs are home to a very different kind of creature. Each day Zhou, Guoguang tends his brood of pigeons, his chance to escape the pressures of city life for an hour or two. Appear on the roof top Zhou is confident his charges will be safe. But in the streets below lurk dangerous spirits as scavenge and steal. Deeper into the hutongs the influence of modern Beijing resits. These alleys are full of ancient beliefs. As night falls spirits emerge from their hiding places.
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A yellow weasel. Some people believe that offending this crafty animal can bring bad luck. So they turn a blind eye to the weasel’s night time ***. Old beliefs coupled with a rising awareness of conservation are helping the yellow weasels survive in the middle of Beijing, despite killing the odd pigeon.
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4 B0 c" {: b% X' I. e: Q; sIn the south of China, the relationship with nature appears more brutal. Cantonese cuisine is famous for its diversity, some ***: we eat anything on for legs except a table. Although the government has banned the consumption of wild life in China, most of the meat here comes from captive *** animals. A significant amount is taken illegally from the wild.
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- U2 ]3 B& a) z7 U& K# GThis restaurant in Hongkong specializes in serpents. Most are harmless rat snakes, but with the odd cobra on the menu, one false move will spell trouble. Zhao, Kailing has lost the count of the numbers that she’s being bitten, so she always carries a Chinese herbal remedy, just in case. We might turn our noses up that such a strange choice of food, but eating snakes is more than just a matter of taste. The Cantonese believe that it can help to clean the blood, increase the *** and beautify the skin.

In such a crowded land, the tradition of eating everything with very little waste could be seen as a commendable thrift. The problem is that there’re so many people eating wild food in south China that the illegal supply chains stretch well beyond these borders, contributing to the disappearance of wild life not only within China, but from other countries too.

Our visit to a traditional Chinese medicine shop reveals another aspect of the use of wild animals and plants. Doctor Shou has been practicing for over 20 years. The most important part of his diagnose is the pulse, examined in several places. Doctor Shou also observes the colors of the tongue and eyes, and ask questions about the patient’s taste, smell and even dreams. Once satisfied with his diagnosis he write a prescription, using a script unique to doctors.

8 s6 Y* X/ v, QChinese traditional medicine uses an incredible array of animals, vegetables and minerals to treat the individual rather than the illness, aiming to restore the harmony of opposing complementary forces, known in China as Yin and Yang. The concept is rooted in the ancient belief that the universe is harmonious and that the people is intimately connected to and affected by their environment. Despite the seemingly bizarre natural of the ingredients, Chinese traditional medicine has been successfully treating people for thousands of years. But although the use of endangered wild life in ingredients and medicine is now banned in China, some wild animals and plants are still used illegally, once again nature bears the cost.

转经筒

25‘ - 35’
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( Z+ b: F4 Q* R8 O2 U+ `But Chinese tradition has borrowed from nature in other ways, which are not in the least exploitive. In ancient Chinese philosophy man was considered part of the natural world, and able to benefit from its wisdom. Thousands of years ago, Buddhist monks on sacred Shaolin Mountain incorporated their observations of wild creatures into a system of exercises, to help the flow of energy and build strength. This animal inspired art form became Gongfu.
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Today ancient Shaolin Mountain, the place where Gongfu began remains its prime training center. Xi, Yangting is a master, students from all over the country come here to learn the knowledge derived from the natural world. The emphasis today is perhaps more on physical rather than the philosophical elements that underline Gongfu, but it’s a significant real wakening. This 7-year old is perfecting the *** punch as *** mantis. When combined and perfected this animal forms such as mantis, monkey and crane become an unstoppable force.
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Ancient Chinese philosophy took nature itself as the inspiration for its most fabulous creature. Fertile rivers may have shaped the civilization, but the Chinese believed that the rivers themselves were formed and controlled by a dragon. Unlike the destructive dragon in West, the Chinese dragon was benevolent, provided it was treated with respect. Ancient Chinese called themselves descendents of the dragon, and knew that they needed to live harmoniously in the dragon’s role.

This respect for dragon has a relevant for a remarkable creature which lives around the paddy field of China’s another great river, the Yangtse. This fearsome looking beast is a Chinese alligator, known as the muddy dragon. Despite its association with the mythical Chinese dragon, the reptile has long been regarded by the country people as a fish-eating pest, and has been *** almost to the point of extinction.

0 S6 \  C5 \9 {5 Y7 SThere’re only around 150 Chinese alligators left in the wild and it’s mainly done to the care and protection of dedicated people like retired farmer Chang, Jinghong that any survive at home. Today most Chinese alligators live in captivity. At this breeding center near Shuangzhong, Chinese alligators gather for their extraordinary copulate. The males bellow to attract a mate, when it travels through the water, the sound is both heard and felt by the female. The bellowing is her cue to investigate. In the alien world of the Chinese alligator, these two will be able to learn much about each other using their scent gland under their ***. Satisfied with her choice, the two swim off together before mating. The paddy alligator owes its continuous survive to the initiative of the government, which created the captive breeding center at Shuangzhong.
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Having dug a little deeper it does seem that ancient beliefs about nature still have resonance in modern China. Far up stream, along one of the Yangtse mountain tributaries, another ambitious conversation project is tempting to save China’s most famous creature. China’s first captive breeding center for giant panda opened in 1983.
This is Wulong reserve, a far *** from the bamboo forests where wild pandas live. Every spring male and female pandas are ferried around the site, in the hope that introductions will lead to romance. Scientists have been trying to encourage the pandas to breed naturally, but it’s difficult to get the conditions right since few people have seen how panda’s *** happens in the wild. Meanwhile artificial insemination has proved highly successful. At just 5 weeks old this baby needs 24-hour care. It’s simply too precious to be entrusted to its natural mother, who may have little experience of parenthood.  
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After initial teething problems, Wulong’s artificial insemination program has been remarkably successful. In 2006 the breeding center reared 16 ***, and there’re now more captive bred pandas in Wulong and can be safely released back to the shrinking wild habitat. In nature giant pandas learn survival skills from their mother, but have little contact with other pandas. These youngsters may have exceptional social skills, but they wouldn’t have a clue how to survive in the wild. For the majority their future lies in zoos.

While the ultimate value of captive breeding projects like this is debatable, there’re other places in China where animals are being successfully protected in their wild habitat

转经筒

35‘ - 50’
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4 R/ n6 h) R: J3 ^Right at the top of Qinling Mountains lives a rare and mysterious creature that has inspired legends as far away as ancient Greece. The size of a bafolo and with a temper to match, this is the original owner of golden ***, the golden takin. Golden takins make their way to the top of the mountains for the breeding season. It’s an opportunity for the males to prove their metal. They are formidable and aggressive creatures. Now victorious, this male has the access to the female. Despite living high in the mountains, golden takin were once hunted to near extinction for their meat. In a return to the laws of ancient China, there’s now a governmental ban on poaching, and the takin is now officially protected.

' k1 y* H2 o  G. [  K4 D  nAttitudes towards nature in China are clearly complex in root and tradition. And in the Qinling Mountains there is one story that just shows how valuable this tradition can be. Every morning, a flock of crested ibis leave their roost, close to the village of Yangxian in search for food. Traditionally the birds’ departure marks the start of the farmers’ day. Crested ibis need wetland for breeding, and the rice paddies are perfect place to hunt for eels, frogs and snails. The birds and the farmers have coexisted here for thousands of years, until the 20th of last century when in parts of China rice was replaced by more profitable wheat production. Crested ibis number rapidly declined. At one point they were even believed to extinct.
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Then in 1981 the last 7 crested ibis on Earth were found here. The government stepped in, protecting the rice paddies so the birds could continue to feed, and save gardening the neighboring trees to enable them to breed. Rescued from brink of extinction there’re now 500 crested ibis living around Yangxiang Town. In modern China room is being made for nature once again.
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! x7 r- ^; a1 V: G7 vBut the appreciation of nature in China isn’t confined in impressive animals or colorful birds. Mountains’ landscapes have held the fascination for Chinese artists and poets throughout the history. Mountains also have religious significance as places that link the heavens and the earth. One of the most sacred of all is here, at Mount Emei, the site of a 2000-year old Buddhist temple. China today has the largest Buddhist population. This old sacred site is highly cherished. Nearly 2 million people visit Mount Emei each year.

5 D/ {- e) w: B; u8 y9 GBut the Buddhist temple is not the only attraction. Mount Emei is home to ***, the biggest of their kind. Their thick coat enables them to thrive in harsh mountain conditions, at altitude up to 3000 meters. Ancient people believed that good deeds towards human looking macaques will be an investment for eternity. But for these city dwelling tourists whose every life are far away removed from wild life, this encounter is a mix of reverence and fear. For the macaques too, it’s an awkward relationship. The monkeys normally forage for fruit, but the tourists are much easier source for food. Constant contact with people is changing the behavior of the troop, once *** of humans the macaques are getting bolder. How are the tourists supposed to know this eye brow raising display means trouble? Some of the more assertive monkeys have to be bleased accordingly. Although the impact on wild life from massive tourists is not entirely beneficial, the fact that increasing numbers of people are enjoying the nature at first hand suggests some hope for the future.

3 I. z! u" I, q1 yDespite all the changes happened in China during the last 50 years, many sacred places like Emei has been protected. Heading west, China’s heart land becomes increasingly rugged. Beyond the Qinling Mountains lied the even high Ming Shan, where towering peaks conceal China’s most remarkable landscape, known by Chinese as fairy land paradise. Jiuzhaigou was virtually unknown until the 1970s, today it’s one of China’s most famous tourist areas, and it’s recognized internationally as a world heritage site.
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, j& r# v7 {1 m/ y. lThe lime stone mountains are the source of crystal clear springs, which have formed over 100 lakes filled with lime rich water of unbelievable color. Under water is a perfectly preserved *** forest shrouded in algae. This strange world is home to a species of fish, unique to these lakes. Who would’ve guessed that with a billion habitants China’s heart land can still harbor a landscape of such a pristine beauty.

; f# m6 [0 b3 P! w" `7 l4 aIt’s spring in the Qinling Mountains, as farmers tend their new crops, the secret life of China’s most famous animals is finally coming to light. In one of the panda’s last strong holds, a drama is about to unfold. One has rarely been witnessed. A young female has ventured into the valley, sparking a flurry of interest among the resident males.
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A panda’s life is mostly solitary, until the spring breeding season. When the brief opportunity to mate arises, the males must be ready to take their chance. But timing is everything. This male’s approach is somewhat matter in subtlty, and anyway the female isn’t ready for him yet. Her peak receptive time lasts just two days. So he guards her, biding his time by a good supply of bamboo. Unfortunately his hostage must eat too, but she doesn’t feel like descending. Another male has been attracted to the scene, he’s a *** of many breeding seasons. He’s aware of his arrival, because at this time of year, males are transformed from peace-loving bamboo-eaters to potential killers. Despite the danger, he makes a challenge. The defending male rises to meet him. The challenger is chased by the defending male. In the thick bamboo the battle rages as the males fight for dominant. The female wisely stays clearly off trouble. Challenger backs down, the size and strength of the defending male is just too much. The lose retreats, and exhausted but triumphant victor returns to the female. This time she’s ready for him. Instead of running she waits. This is the first this extraordinary *** behavior has ever been filmed in the wild. If mating is successful, the female will produce a single *** and rear it on her own.

转经筒

50‘ - end

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With improving attitudes towards wild life conservation there is hope that China’s 1600 remaining wild pandas have some chance of survival. In 2003 the conservation became a *** part of the curriculum of China’s 200 million school students. To the students of Qinling Mountains, knowing what special neighbor they have may help to protect it in the future.

/ t0 U0 H. x7 _; VIn the mist of headlong change, conducted had a pace unpresented on human history, can China hold on to its ancient desire for harmony with nature? Can it reconcile the inspiration of its people with long term need to protect the environment.
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Here in the temple of Heaven at the very heart of Beijing, there are signs of a new attitude towards nature. Each year a thousand birds migrate southwards to escape the winter, one secretive species seek shelter in the temple grounds. Save guarded by the temple’s tradition, as many as 10 owls can be seen in the same tree. The owls’ arrival is celebrated by the members of the recently formed bird club.
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3 L+ N  a5 G, v- hMigration can be a dangerous undertaking, and every year many owls are suffered from the hazards of power lines, traffic and industry. Some of the more fortunate end up here at the Beijing’s raptor rescue center. Established in 2001, it’s the first of its kind. Here owls are given medical attention by Sun, Chuanhui and his team. The birds are even exercised to help their rehabilitation. Once *** as healthy, the owls are taken to the hills at the edge of Beijing. Every spring stuffs from Beijing raptor rescue center release dozens of owls. Today there are over 1500 designated reserves in China, covering large tracks of some of the country’s landscapes.
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As China looks to the future with a renewed sense of direction, ancient traditions are still very much a part of its culture. It’s the Chinese new year. All over the country the people prepare to apeace their oldest and most venerated creature – dragon. As the night falls, everyone from the neighborhood brings a lantern. One by one the lights are headed to the dragon’s tail. As the procession grows longer, the atmosphere builds with the spectacles of one of Chinese oldest and greatest inventions.
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The dragon dance is performed all over China, the ceremony its self is thousands of years old, but it’s still the highlight of the Chinese new year. As the dragon wines through the village, it has grown hundreds of meters long, everyone if part of it.

* \" j2 K$ F; S. X4 LAfter a century of unpresented change in China, during which the environment protection has not been a priority, there’re now signs of a new direction. In the October of 2006, the communist party specifically identified promoting the harmony between the man and nature as an important step in the goal of building a harmonious society and called on the Chinese people to accelerate the construction of an environmentally friendly society. As the economy of China continues to grow, its reengagement with the ancient idea of harmony with nature provides a glimmer of hope for the future of wild China.
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