The Meeting
When Shen Qi and his party arrived in Mado County, the Party Secretary and the County Head were out raising funds. The Deputy County Head received Shen Qi and his party.
Seeking financial support shouldn't have been the secretary's concern, but there was no other way; Mado was so poor that the secretary had to seek help from all sides.
The areas most affected by poverty are healthcare and education. To Shen Qi's shock, appendicitis was the leading cause of death in Mado County.
There is a severe lack of medical resources and medicine, a severe shortage of highly skilled doctors, and a lagging education system. The percentage of people with a primary school education or above is very low, and there are very few herders who can understand Chinese and read Chinese characters.
The Three Rivers Source Region is dotted with temples, and most of the sounds that the honest and devout herders can hear and understand come from these temples.
"To be honest, due to the county's financial difficulties, we haven't received our salaries for three months," the deputy county head said with a wry smile, leading Shen Qi and the others to a primary school in the county.
There are about a hundred students in the primary school, most of whom are children of herders.
One-third of the children haven't seen their parents for several years. Some parents have left their children with the school and then traveled thousands of miles to herd livestock.
Shen Qi and two graduate students encountered a Tibetan girl on the playground. She was wearing a dirty and tattered old cotton coat and cloth shoes, and she timidly stole a few glances at the important figures from the capital.
"This girl is pitiful. She's always alone, and she stays at school during holidays instead of going home," the deputy county head said with great concern.
Shen Qi approached the little girl and asked kindly, "Little sister, what's your name? How old are you? What grade are you in?"
"I... I'm called Zhuoma, I'm eleven years old, and in fourth grade," the little girl said softly in Mandarin.
Zhuoma's Mandarin was a little broken. If she hadn't mentioned her age, Shen Qi would have thought she was a first or second grader, because Zhuoma was so thin and short.
Shen Qi felt a pang of sadness and asked again, "Where are your parents?"
Upon hearing this, Zhuoma lowered her head, pouted, and remained silent for a long time.
Suddenly, Zhuoma burst into tears. "They said they were going to herd sheep, but I don't know where they went!"
"Don't cry, don't cry, Zhuoma, don't cry." Shen Qi wiped away Zhuoma's tears, feeling extremely sad. He was a father with a daughter, but this Tibetan girl didn't even know where her parents were or whether they were still alive.
Just then, a teacher tapped the iron corner hanging under the eaves with an iron rod. Clang, clang, clang—that was the school bell.
Upon hearing the bell, Zhuoma quickly ran back to the classroom, showing her eagerness to learn.
After conducting on-site investigations, Shen Qi discovered that Mado County had far too many problems that needed to be solved.
The goal of eradicating poverty and achieving prosperity is far beyond what two graduate students from Yenching University can accomplish by teaching in rural areas.
"My abilities are limited. All I can do is what I can for our county." Shen Qi decided to donate a truckload of medicine to Mado County in his personal capacity. His father owns a pharmaceutical factory; they may not have much else, but they have a lot of medicine.
"Thank you, thank you, Professor Shen!" The deputy county head grasped Shen Qi's hand tightly.
Shen Qi grasped the deputy county head's hand and said earnestly, "Comrade Kang Wenhua, we all know that people need medical treatment and medicine, and so does nature. To completely change the current state of Mado County —a 'rat-infested wasteland'—and restore the once lush landscape of 'grasslands swaying in the wind revealing cattle and sheep'—we must first steadfastly follow the Party's lead, and secondly, our county must actively engage in self-help efforts. Poverty alleviation is not a long-term solution; finding ways to proactively escape poverty is fundamental. The ecological restoration of Mado County has reached a very urgent stage."
Vice County Mayor Kang said, "That's true. The deterioration of the ecological environment has not only seriously affected the economic development of our county, but it has also brought about many social problems. In the past, there were almost no criminal cases in the Three Rivers Source Region, but now... sigh, extreme poverty leads to trouble. Issues such as left-behind children, medical care, and education are also consequences of the deterioration of the ecological environment."
"Actually, we have long formulated a self-help strategy of planting grass, exterminating rodents, and improving the ecological environment. However, as you can see, Professor Shen, our remote corner has neither money nor talent. In my opinion, talent is more important than money, but how many senior professionals are willing to come here?" Vice County Mayor Kang said with a worried expression.
"I'll say it again: trust the Central Committee and trust the Party. Regarding the issues you raised, Vice County Mayor Kang, based on my on-site investigation, I will compile a research report and report it directly upon my return." As a Party member and a social service worker, Shen Qi's trip to the plateau had gathered a considerable amount of real material on social and political issues. He wasn't trying to deceive Vice County Mayor Kang; he truly would report it directly upon returning to the capital. Whether or not he would listen to Shen Qi's report was another matter.
As a scientist proficient in Science and Engineering, and biology, Shen Qi bid farewell to Vice County Mayor Kang after a brief stay in Mado County. He instructed the two graduate students to do a good job in their teaching support work, and then left Mado County with Driver Zhang from the provincial capital, heading to the Yellow River Source.
Mado County is the first county along the Yellow River. To the west of Madoi lies the Gezige Ya Mountain at the Bayan Kara Mountains foothills, with an altitude of 4,982 meters, which is the source of the Yellow River.
Several streams, Gezige Ya Mountain to form the Kari River, which is the true source of the Yellow River.
After the Kari River and the Yoguzonglie River merge, the river flows through Xingxiuhai Xingxiu Sea and then into Zaling Lake and Eling Lake, hence the saying "The Yellow River's waters come from the sky".
When Master Zhang drove to the vicinity of Eling Lake, there was no road left. This was the end of the road for vehicles, and even the most powerful off-road vehicles could not go any further.
"Master Zhang, you can go back first. I'll stay here," Shen Qi said.
"How could that be!" Master Zhang dared not leave Shen Qi alone in the wilderness; that would be a political mistake.
"I'm not alone, I have companions." Shen Qi got out of the car and gazed into the distance.
There was nothing in the distance except for snow-capped mountains, but after a while, a herd of cattle and horses appeared.
The horse is a fine steed, and the ox is a yak.
People ride on horses, and people carry their luggage and supplies on the backs of oxen.
Shen Qi cupped his hands into a megaphone shape and shouted into the distance, "Oh oh oh!"
A man riding a horse in that direction quickly spotted Shen Qi and shouted back, "Oh! Oh!"
Shen Qi: "Oh, oh, oh! Old Xu, is that you?!"
The man on horseback exclaimed, "Oh! Professor Shen, it's me!"
This matches the slogan; the group riding horses and herding cattle is Associate Professor Xu Zhou's Three Rivers Source Region scientific expedition team from Yenching University, along with their snow area guides.
Suddenly, more than thirty yaks became restless, bellowing and butting heads, chasing and butting each other, and a brawl broke out, causing the situation to become chaotic.
"Holy crap!" Shen Qi froze on the spot. "Old Xu and I just shouted some slogans, how did the yaks start fighting?"