Arrival at the Yellow River Source
In this area, cars have difficulty passing through, so the Scientific Expedition Team uses horses and yaks for transportation.
Horses are equivalent to "passenger cars," while yaks are equivalent to "freight cars."
These dozens of yaks came from different families and were not familiar with each other. Under the arrangement of the township leaders, these yaks were temporarily formed into a transport team.
Startled, the yaks became wild and started fighting in groups, organized by their families.
Click!
That was the sound of bulls horns clashing together, echoing across the plateau.
Scientists like Shen Qi and Xu Zhou, who came from low-altitude areas of the capital, had never seen such a chaotic scene of a large-scale fight between yaks and were at a loss for what to do.
Yaks are an irreplaceable means of transportation on the plateau. If several yaks are killed or injured in a fight, it will cause irreparable and enormous losses to China's scientific research efforts.
At this critical moment, a clear whistle rang out, and a rider charged out.
The rider was imposing and strong, wearing Felt Hat, Leather Coat, Hunting Rifle slung over his shoulder, and Leather Whip in his hand—dressed like Tibetan hunter.
Slap! Slap!
The rider cracked his whip and whistled a few rhythmic notes.
"Ayo hey ho!" The rider circled the herd of yaks, uttering a kind of ritualistic shout.
One thing can subdue another.
After the rider's series of moves, the yaks quieted down, and the chaotic situation was brought under control.
Shen Qi and Xu Zhou met up. This Scientific Expedition Team was mainly composed of personnel from Yenching University, with Sun Yat-sen University also sending scientific expedition personnel with relevant majors.
The Tibetan young man who bravely tamed the yak Awang. He is the administrator of the Eling Lake - Zaling Lake Nature Reserve and also the guide for this Scientific Expedition Team.
"Brother Awang, you're really skilled." Shen Qi praised the Tibetan guide highly and asked him for tips on taming yaks.
Awang taught Shen Qi the Ox Taming Whip Technique and related incantations, which Shen Qi memorized.
The Scientific Expedition Team rode horses and herded cattle westward, and as night fell, they set up tents to rest for the night.
The joint scientific expedition team from Yenching University and Sun Yat-sen University came with a mission. Scientists from various disciplines gathered around the campfire for a late-night discussion, under a dazzling starry sky on the plateau.
This group of scientists unanimously agrees that global warming is exacerbating the already arid and water-scarce Northwest China.
Unreasonable human intervention in the ecological environment is a major reason for the rapid environmental deterioration in the Three Rivers Source Region in recent decades.
"Man-made disasters require stronger government management. Natural disasters, on the other hand, require the joint efforts of us scholars." Shen Qi put Yak Dung into the campfire; Yak Dung is the most useful energy source here.
"Yes, if we don't make a firm decision to improve the ecological environment, humanity is doomed." Xu Zhou wrapped his coat tighter around himself. It was midsummer in July, but the nights on the plateau were unusually cold.
Scientists from the capital sat by the fire discussing science, Awang didn't quite understand the technical details. He patrolled with Hunting Rifle, acting as both a guide and a bodyguard.
"Brother Awang, come and sit down." Shen Qi waved to Awang.
Awang walked to the campfire, looking somewhat reserved; he was the least educated person in the group.
"Brother Awang, you know the plateau best, tell us some stories about this place," Shen Qi said.
"Digging for gold and Cordyceps made us rich, but also made us poor." Awang, speaking in broken Mandarin, recounted the past of the Three Rivers Source Region in simple language, while a Han Chinese cadre from Mado County added to the story.
The Three Rivers Source Region is rich in gold and Cordyceps, two precious resources that have brought wealth to Three Rivers Source Region but have also caused enormous damage to its ecological environment.
During Ma Bufang's reign, large-scale Gold Mine began here.
Despite extremely low productivity at the time, Ma Bufang's private treasury received over 40,000 taels of gold annually.
Ma Bufang's gold-mining team once unearthed a giant Gold Nugget weighing 23 kilograms in Mado County. Ma Bufang was overjoyed, thinking it was an auspicious sign from heaven, and immediately ordered people to make a very exquisite large frame to display the Gold Nugget.
This Gold Nugget has a unique shape, resembling a fierce dog howling at the sky. Its dazzling golden light is breathtaking, leaving all who see it in awe.
The exact amount of gold that Ma Bufang took with him when he fled remains a mystery to this day.
It is said that when Ma Bufang went into exile, he carried so much gold that it indirectly broke down the plane, forcing him to temporarily change his escape plan.
"Digging too much gold is bad; it damages the environment, turns the water yellow, and adds too much sand." Awang expressed his strong desire to protect the environment of the Three Rivers Source Region in his simple words.
"During Ma Bufang's time, the mining was basically destructive. After so many years of mining, it's clear that the gold reserves here are extremely enormous. However, the price we paid was also huge," Mado County official sighed, shaking his head.
Compared to gold mining, the damage caused to the Three Rivers Source Region by untrained individuals digging for Cordyceps is far greater.
In the 1990s, a large number of outsiders flocked to the Three Rivers Source Region. They had no experience in identifying or harvesting Cordyceps, so they searched for it by turning over the Cordyceps. Often, they would work for several days without finding a single Cordyceps, but they would turn over a large area of excellent grassland.
Outsiders dig up Cordyceps and leave, leaving the local residents with nowhere to go. The consequences of this are borne by the local residents and officials.
The vegetation in the Yellow River Source basin has been severely damaged, forming large areas of sandy land, which has also affected the middle and lower reaches. In recent years, landslides and mudslides have occurred frequently, and the country invests astronomical amounts of manpower, material resources and financial resources in disaster relief every year.
So Awang stopped herding sheep. He realized that only by protecting the environment of his hometown could they survive.
After daybreak, the Scientific Expedition Team continued their journey.
As you venture deeper into the Yellow River Source nature reserve, you'll find an increasing number of wetlands and marshes.
Within a small area, countless ponds and lakes of varying sizes and shapes are scattered throughout, Sun Yat-sen University from several thousand square meters to just a few square meters.
Under the summer sun, the lakes and ponds resemble mirrors set on an emerald plate. When they are connected, they look like a peacock spreading its tail. Historically, the Tibetan called this section of the Yellow River the Peacock River.
"Fortunately, the ecological environment near the source is in good condition." The Scientific Expedition Team stopped to collect scientific data on the climate, hydrology, geology, and other aspects of the area.
Suddenly, a clear cry rang out from the sky. Everyone looked up and exclaimed excitedly, "Look, Black-necked Crane!"
A flock of large birds, with white wings and black necks, hovered in the air; they were exceptionally beautiful.
Upon seeing the bird, Awang immediately bowed down and murmured incantations, reciting scriptures.
The Tibetan people are Buddhism and have a great fondness for the Black-necked Crane, calling it "fairy crane," "divine bird," and "auspicious bird."
The Black-necked Crane is an endangered species, and the fact that the Scientific Expedition Team encountered a flock of wild Black-necked Crane here is considered an auspicious sign.
Shen Qi picked up his camera and started snapping pictures of the sky. He had brought his own high-performance camera and captured images of the flock of wild Black-necked Crane.
Based solely on these photos of wild Black-necked Crane, along with simple textual descriptions, a brief collage can be compiled back in the capital and transformed into a zoological research paper.