bbc美丽中国--西藏英文版

TheTibetanplateauisaquarterofChina.muchofitisextremelyremoteaninhospitable.Itssouthernborderrunsthroughtheworld’shighestmountainrange-theformidableHimalayas.ItscentralpartiswindsweptandfreezingwildernessthesizeofwesternEurope.Butthischallengingplaceishometoincrediblewildlife.Therearemorelargecreaturesherethananywhereelseinchina.Tibethasbeenapartofchinaformorethanfiftyyears.Yetithasauniquecharactershapedbythousandyear’sTibetBuddhism.Thisobscure archaic-looking religionhasproducedoneofthemostenlightenedculturesonearth.Herepeoplehavealongtraditionofcoexitingpeacefullywithcreaturesandlandscapearoundthem,arelationshipwhichhelpstoprotectthefragileenvironment.Inthisprogramwewilldiscoverwhythisharshlandwithitsancientcultureisvitallyimportantformuchofourplanet.  It’sthebeginningofthewinter,highupontheTibetanplateau,thetemperaturewillsoondroptominusfortycensius.Outherelifeisreducedtosingleimperative-survival.fortheargali,theworld’slargestsheep,itmeanssearchingforafewtuftsofgrass.Descendingfromthehilltopstoloweraltitudes,theargalibandtogetherforsafety.Hopefully,downhere,theywillbeabletofindenoughfoodtolastthemthroughtherestofthewinter.Althoughthiswinterlandscapelooksbarrenandforbidden,Tibet’sremotegrasslandssupportasurprising variety  ofcreatures.Though atthistimeof year,theycanbehardtotrackdown.  Bycomparison,Tibet’scapital,Lhasa,isa hiveof activity.Lhasaisafocusforanumberofpilgrims,who congregate atthecity’stempleseachday.Tibetishometoovertwoandhalfmillionpeople,mostofwhomaredeeplyreligious.ThoughTibetanBuddhistworship centreon elaboratetemples,statuesandimages,itsbeliefsare intimately linkedwiththewildlandscapesofTibet.  Thestartingpointoftherelationshipisthemountainrange thatrunsalong Tibet’ssouthernborder.Overthreethousandkilometerslong,theHimalayas,achina’srealgreatwall.Withhundredsofpeaksover7000metersand13peaks higherthan 8000meters,theyarethehighestmountainsonearth.TheTibetregioncontainsover35,000 glaciersthatcoverover100,000squarekilometers.TheycomprisethelargestareaoficeoutsidethePolarRegions,andnearlyasixthoftheworld’s total.Theseglaciersarethesourceofmostofthewaterintheregion.  OntheTibetplateau isstuddedwith glaciallakes.Atover4500metersup,LakeManasarovarinthefarwestofTibet,isthehighestfreshwaterlakeintheworld.Inlaterspring,thechillylakewatersareamagnetforbreedingbirds.Thecrestedgrebewooshismatewithofferingofweedforhernest.Finallythehoneymoon suite isreadyforaction.  Thegrebesarejoinedbythehighestflyingbirdsintheworld.HavingspentthewintersouthoftheHimalayas,bar-headedgeesemakethe hazardousmountaincrossingeachspringtobreedontheplateau’slakes.Thegeesenesttogetherforsafety.Butsomanychickenshatchingatthesametimemeansthatitcanbe tricky findingyourparents.Fortunately,once down atthewater’s edge,thereisenoughfoodforallofthem.  Fedbythemountainsglaciers,theTibetanplateauevenhasitsowninlandsea.ThisisQinghaiLake.China’slargest.Millionsofyearsofevaporationhaveconcentratedthemineralsintothelake,turningthewatersalty.Richinfish,itswatersattractthousandsofcormorants.Butit’snotjustwildlife thatvalues Tibet’slakesandseas.  Thelife-givingwaterisalsoimportanttopeople.TibetanreligionisauniquemixofBuddhismandmucholdershamanicbeliefsthatwereoncewidespreadthroughouttheregion.This hybrid religionformsthebasisofanextraordinaryrelationshipwithnature.Inshamanicbelief,thelandisimbuedwith magicalpropertieswhichaidcommunicationwiththe spiritworld.Here,animalskullsaredecorated,andtherocksarecarvedwithsecretmantras,groupsofsyllablesthatareconsideredtohave spiritualpower.Therecitingofthemantrasisbelievedtocreatemagicalsoundthatreverberates throughtheuniverse.Thelandscapeisdecoratedwithmulti-coloredflagswhich represent thefiveelements-fire,wood,earth,waterandiron.Theflagsareprintedwith prayers topurifytheairand pacify thegods,andthewindblowstheprayerstoheaven. Thepolesonwhichtheprayerflagsaremountedareregularlyreplenishedwithfreshflag. Theoldflagsaretreasured.Thosenearthetopofthepolearethemost auspicious,socompetitionforthesecangetfierce!Thegoldendome, whichismountedrightatthetopoftheprayerpole, isthemostsacredobjectofall.Oritwillbe,onceit’sretrieved.TheoldshamanicbeliefsofTibet ascribedmagicalpowerstothelandscape.Butthere’safarmoretangible source ofpowerherewhichowesnothing atall tothemagic.   Strewn acrosstheplateauareboilingthermalsprings,theevidenceofmightynaturalforceswhichhavebeenatworkovermillionsofyears.Deepbelowthesurface,thevastcontinentalplatesofAsiaandIndiaarecrashingintoeachother.Theturmoilbeloweruptsincloudsof sulphuroussteam.Itseemsunlikelythat scalding mineralspringsshouldsupportlife.Butoneunlikelycreaturethrivestherepreciselybecauseofthem.ThehotspringsnakeisuniquetoTibetandisbelievedtohavesurvivedintheinhospitableconditionsupontheplateau principally thankstothenaturalcentralheating.Thesecold-bloodedsnakes hungout instreamsandriverswhich arefed bythehotsprings, where theyenjoyasurprisinglyproductivelifestyle.Slippingintothewarmwater,theywaitpatiently,bobbingtheirheadsonthelook-out forfish.ThankstoitsunlikelyrelationshipwithvolcanicforcewhichbuilttheHimalayas,thehotspringsnakeisabletosurviveataltitudesupto4500meters,makingitthehighest-living snakeintheworld.    The slow-motion crashbetweenAsiaandIndiahasbeengoingonfor30millionyears.TheHimalayasarethe crumple-zone createdbythesetwocollidinglandmasses, abewilderingmaze ofmountainsandvalleyshometoelusive wildcreatures.Inthisruggedandunforgivingterrain, litteredwithfracturedrock andicecoldrivers,theslightestmiscalculationmayhavefatalconsequences.Thesnowleopardistheworld’shighest-livingbigcat.Butthereisanother,smallerpredatorthat ranges evenhigher,almosttotheroofoftheworld.Atmind-numbing8848metershigh, Everestisoneofthemosthostileplacesforlifeonearth.Hundredsofpeoplehavedied,tryingtoconquerit.But whenclimbersfirstreachedtheicefieldsthreequartersofthewayupthemountain,somethinghadalreadybeaten themtoit.Thisjumpingspideristhehighestpermanentresidentontheplanet.Totallyathome amongsttheglaciers ofEverest,itscourstheslopesfor wind-bornepreysuchas springtails.Chinesecallthisfiercelittlehunter“theflytiger”.Jumpingspidersarefoundallovertheworld. Theireighteyesincludeanoversizedcentralpair,which actlikepowerfulbinocularstospot potential victims.Theyuse hydraulic pressuretoworktheirlegslike pistons,catapulting upto 30times theirown bodylengths.theidealwaytogetaroundinrockyterrain.Butlikeallmountaineers,theyalwayssecureasafetylinefirst.Aspringtail grazeson detritus, unaware thatit’sbeingstalked bysuchan acrobatic predator.    TheTibetanscallEverest“qomolangma”,meaning“motheroftheworld”.It’samarkoftheir affection forthemountain,howeverbrutallyitmayappear. Venture furtherfromthemountainsand outonto theopenplateau,andlifedoesn’tappeartogetanyeasier.Highwindsscourthelandscapeandtemperaturecandropfrom baking tofreezinginmoments.Thisisthechangtangornortherngrassland.It’ssoremote that it’sbeencalledthethirdpole.It’sabout5000metersabovesealevel, wayabovethepointatwhichaltitudesicknessstartstoaffect  humans. Atthisheight,mostpeopleare gasping forbreath.Butlackofoxygenhasn’tcramped thiscreature’sstyle.Chiru,orTibetanantelopehavearrivedforthewinter rut.Inthe energy-sappingthinair, themalesmusttrytocontrolgroupsoffemalesbyconstantlyroundingthemupand corrallingthem.Butthechiruhaveanadvantage.Theirredbloodcells count istwiceashighas ours,sufficienttosupporttheirmuscles with oxygenevenatthisextremealtitude.Nevertheless,it’sahardworkkeepinghis haremincheck,andthemale’slifeisabouttogetevenharder.Anothermaleisgearinguptostealhisfemales.Withtheir rapier-likehorns,themaleswon’triskfightingunlesstheyreallyhaveto.Butifneitherbacksdown,conflictisinevitable.Someofthesefights endin death.Whilethemalesfence,thefemaleslookon.Injuredandweakenedbythebattle,theloserwillbeaneasytargetforpredatorsand scavengers thatpatrolthewilderness.Outherethereislittleroomformistakes.    Withaclearviewoftheendlessplateaubelow, vultures arequicktospotanyopportunity.Adiedyakhasdrawnacrowd.Vulturesaren’tfamousfortheirtablemanners.Thevulturesdowellhere,asthevastTibetanwildernessishometomanylargecreatures.Livinginherdsof upto 200intheremotercornersoftheTibetplateau,wildyakstravellargedistances,grazingonthealpinetundra.Strongandsecure over mountainpassesandrivers,theyakis initselement ataltitudesomuchsothatitgetssickifitgoesbelow3000meters.Standing2meters tall attheshoulderandweighingmorethan800kilos,thewildyakisbothformidableandaggressive.Butwithoutthis fearsome creatureit’sunlikelythathumanswouldhavesurviveduphere.Oncedomesticated,theyakisanamazinganimal,providingtheTibetanswithtransport,food,woolforclothesandtents,andmanureforfuel.It’sheldinsuchhighregardthatitsfurisevenusedtodecoratethesacredprayerflagpoles,andyakbutterisusedto asan offeringtothegods.TheyakhasevenledtheTibetansto buried treasure.Insummerpeoplecanbeseenscouringthegrassland,bentoverindeepconcentration.Thisistheworld’s weirdest harvest.Tibetanfirstinvestigatedthisstrange root-likeorganism,knownlocallyas“yartsagunbu”,whentheiryaksappearedtohavemoreenergyaftergrazingonit. Rumors ofitsamazingpropertiesgraduallyspread.Andtodaytheyartsagunbuisa passport intoashadyundergroundworld.It’spossibletodig upfortyofthem inaday,theproceedsfromwhichmayprovidehalfthecollector’sannualincome.Yartsagunbuhasbeenusedasatraditionalremedyforthousandofyears, thoughonlybytheverywealthy.Ithasbeen bartered forteaandsilk,and isworthmorethanfourtimesitsweightinsilver.So lucrative isthistrade,thatsitesandinformationare jealously guarded.Atthenearbymarket,theyartsagunbuarecleanedandtheirtruenaturebecomesclear.Theyartsagunbutranslatesas“summergrass,winterworm”.Thewinterwormisacaterpillar.It eats rootsofgrasses inpreparationfor itstransformationintoamoth.Butsomewinterwormsnevermakeitasmoths.Insteadastrangegrowth erupts fromtheirbody,appearingabovethegroundinsummer.Thisisthesummergrass,afunguscalledcordyceps,whosesporeshaveinfectedthecaterpillar,usingitsbodyastheirhost.Modernscientifictestshaveshownthat substances containedincordycepslowerbloodpressureandmakeiteasiertobreathe.Soinrecentyearsharvestingofthesenaturaltreasurehasgrownintoahugeandprofitablebusiness.YartsagunbusellsforbigmoneyinthetopdepartmentstoresofLhasa,andthereisagrowingmarketoutsideofTibet.   AlthoughTibetismodernizingfast,itretainsdeeplyspiritualculture.Eventoday,Tibetanvalleys resound todistinctiveandextraordinarycallstoprayer.TheTibetanhornmaybetheworld’smost unwieldy instrument,butitssoundisunique.Everymorningthenuns assemble forpractice. Theair ischilly,buttheysoonwarmup.Monksandnunscompriseasubstantialportion ofsociety,largely self-contained andisolated.DeepwithingthemonasteryisthespiritualenginethatdrivesmuchofTibetanculture.Buddhistsbelieveinanendlesscycleofrebirthinwhichtheactionofthislifewillimpactonthenext.TheBuddhism’sgoalistoescapefromtheearthlycycleof pain andsufferingbyachievingthestateoffreedomcalledenlightenment.Theenlightenedguides,orspiritualteachers,arecalledlamas.Thepossibilityofescapingthecycleoflifeanddeathandpromiseofenlightenmentencouragespeopletoperformactivitiesofbenefitallbeings.Thisbelief assignsasmuch importancetotheenvironmentanditscreatures asit doestohumans,sinceeverylivingcreatureisbelievedtohavesoul.IntheremotelandofTibet,forover1000years,thisconcepthasbeentranslatedintopracticalbenefitsforwildlife,anditstartsliterallyontheirdoorstep. Buddhistmonasterieshavesacredsites,areaswhere taboos areplacedonthehuntingandkillingofanimals.Somecreatureshavebecomesotamethatthenunsareableto hand-feed them,liketheseTibetan-earedpheasants.Thanksto hand-outs fromthenuns,thesebirdscansurvivetheworstofthewinter.Inthisextremeplace,peoplewithfewresources,arepreparedtosharethemwiththeir needyfellow-creatures.TheTibetanexampleisamodelforconservation.Thisrespectforwildlife extends beyondthemonasteriesandintothe widercommunity.     Oneoftibet’smostsacredcreaturesistheblack-neckedcrane.Insummertheyliveandbreedontheplateau,butinwinterthey congregate onfarmland.70%oftheworld’spopulationcanbefoundhere.Thisspecieswasonlyrecentlyidentifiedbyscientists,butithasbeenknowntoTibetansforhundredsofyears.Inthe17th century,Tibet’s supreme lamawrote,“crane,lendmeyourwings,I’ll gonofartherthan lithangcounty.Andthence,returnagain.”Tibetanbelievedhewaspredictingthesite ofhisownreincarnation and induecourse hissuccessorwasfound.Sureenough,liveinginlithangcounty.Eventoday,black-neckedcranes aretreatedwithreverence andarewelcomedbyfarmers astheylandinthefields aroundthevillages.Heretheyperformtheir elaborateskypointing rituals. Afterthedignifiedbusinessofparading,theybegintoforageforleftoverbarley,helpedbythepigswhichbreakup thesoil.Thefarmersarehappytohavethesesacredbirdsontheirfields.Withinthevillagethereligionisan integral partoflife.Each prayerwheel is inscribed withmantras. Spinningthemhasmuchthesameeffectas recitingtheprayers.PerhapstheBuddhawouldhaveenjoyed thethoughtthathisteachings couldprovidesomuchfun!Buddhistrespectfornaturemay findexpression inpracticalwaystoo.Thisbirdhasabrokenwingandhasbeen nursedbacktohealth bythevillagers.Suchkindactsarecommon where peoplebelievethathelpingotherbeings,animalsorpeopleinthislifemaybring rewardsinthenext.Thecultureof veneration andprotection extendsright acrossTibet,helpingtopreservetheuniqueyetfragile ecosystem.   Outontheplateauthereisasmallcreaturethat’sattherootofmuchofthegrasslands’delicateecology.Despitesummersnowstorms,thepike,arelativeofrabbitandhares,isperpetuallyeatingandgatheringgrass,anddiggingburrowsforitsfamily.Thepike’sconstantexcavationsaeratethesoil,whichhelpstheplantstogrow.Intheshortsummerthelandscapeiscarpetedwithhardygrassesanddecoratedwithendemicflowers.Insuchafrugalenvironmentthepike’sfarminghelpstokick-startthefoodchain,butthepikeitselfisaverytastymorsel.Itspresencehasenabledanuneasyrelationshiptodevelopbetweentwooftheplateau’smostopportunisticpredators,thefoxandthebear.TheTibetanbrownbear,acloserelativeofthegrizzly,tiredtodigthepikesoutoftheirburrows.Evenhard-frozensoilpresentslittleobstacletoadeterminedbear.ThewilyTibetanfoxisquicktospotanyopportunity.Truetoform,thecraftyfoxclaimstheprize.acombinationofinaccessibilityandancienttraditionwhichforbidhunting,meansthatinsomepartsoftheplateau,wildanimalshaveremainedrelativelyundisturbed,eventoday.   Butinthoseareaswhicharewithinreachofmotorvehicles,thosehistoricalsafeguardshavebeenundermined.Thischangeisillustratedinthefortunesofthechiru.Acenturyago,millionsmigratedacrosstheplateau.Unfortunatelyforthechiru,itsfur,knownas“shahtoosh”,or“kingofwools”,ishighlyprized.Inrecentdecades,poachershavebeenabletoventuredeepintothewilderness,killingthousandsofchiru.However,thesituationisimproving.Anti-poachinglawsareactivelyenforcedsoeverysummer,femalechirucanheadtothebirthinggroundsinrelativesafety.Outontheplateau,new-bornchiruarevulnerabletopredators,sothemothersmusttrytohideandprotectthem.ThemostrecentproblemfacedbythechiruisthenewTibet-qinghairailway,whichcutsrightthroughtheirtraditionalmigrationroutes.Runningnearly2000kilometersthroughsomeofthehighestterrainonearth,therailwayisanastonishingtechnicalfeat.It’stooearlytosayitseffectonthewildlife,buttheengineershavemadeeffortstoincorporateunderpasseswherethewildlifecancrossthelineinsafety.  AsthemodernworldincreasinglyimpactsonTibet,itstraditioncouldbeindangerofbeingeroded.Butthankstothesheerscaleofthisremoteregion,therearestillmanywildplacesthathavesofarremainedlargelyintact.TheleastexploredareaofallisfoundinTibet’sfarsoutheast.Heretheyarlungriver,tibet’slongest,hascarvedthroughtheHimalayas,allowingmonsooncloudsfromIndiatopassthrough.ThisisTibet’smostsecretcorner.Accordingtolegend,theyarlunggorgewasrenderedmagicallyinvisiblein18thcentury,andcanonlybeseenbythosewhohadattainedsufficientspiritualknowledgeandwisdom.Attwoday’swalkfromthenearestroad,thishiddenregionwasn’texploredbyoutsidersuntilthe1990s.thankstoannualmonsoon,thewholelandscapeiscoveredinlushforest.Thescaleofthegorgeisbreathtaking.Astheyarlungrivercutsthroughthemountains,it‘screatedtheworld’sdeepestgorge,threetimesdeeperthanAmerica’sgrandcanyon.ThisvastandmysteriousplaceprovidesavitalcluetoTibet’simportancefortherestoftheworld.ThemonsoonwhichsustainsthislushandfertilevalleyowesitsveryexistencetotheTibetanplateau.Likeagianthotplate,theplateauheatsupinthespringandsummer.ThechangeinairpressuredrawsinwarmmoistairfromtheIndianOceaninthesouth.Thankstothis,overabillionpeoplefromIndiatoBurmabenefitfrommonsoonrainthatthiswindbringswithit.Tibetisanenginethatdrivesthefertilityofawholesubcontinent.   ButTibethasanevengreaterroleintheecologyoftheregion.Cluestothisfunctionarefoundinalegendthatpre-dateseventheancientTibetancultureandwhichstilldrawpilgrimsfromallovertheworld.Severalworldreligionsbelieveinamythicalmountainthat’sequivalenttotheGardenofEden.Itspeakhasfourfaces,alignedtothepointsofthecompass,andfromitssummitfourriversaresaidtoflowtothefourquartersoftheworld.Thankstoitslife-givingwaters,thismountainisknownasthe“axisoftheworld.”  InoneoftheremotestareasofTibet,thereisaplacewherethislegendtakesphysicalform.Thatplaceismountkailash.Byanuncannycoincidence,mountkailashperfectlymatchesthelegendofthemythicalaxisoftheworld.Itsfourfacesareroughlyalignedtothecompassandfourmajorriversflowfromitsfoothills.ThesearesomeofthemostsignificantriversinAsia.TheYarlung,whichbecomesIndia’sBrahmaputra,theIndusandSutlej,whichflowtoPakistan,andthekarnali,amajorfeederfrotheGanges.Thankstoitsconnectionwiththemythicalmountain,kailashissosacredthatithasneverbeenclimbed.It’sTibet’smostimportantpilgrimagesite.ForTibetans,pilgrimageisajourneyfromignorancetoenlightenment.Apilgrimagearoundthesacredmountainisbelievedtowipeoutthesinsofalifetime,increasingthechanceofabetterrebirth.MostpilgrimstimetheirvisitforthemostimportantfestivalintheTibetancalendar.Foroverathousandyears,theyhavegatheredatthefootofkailashforthesagadawafestivaltocelebratebuddha’senlightenment.Thefestivalclimaxeswiththeraisingthenewlydressedaltar,a25-meterflagpole.ThefullentourageofTibetanmonksmakesthemostoftheoccasion,withmusic,prayersandblessings.Hundredsoffreshflagsarepreparedandaddedtothepole.Theheadlama’ssacredscarfaddsthefinaltouchtotheproceedings.   Butsignificanceofmou