Recently, a warm short video has been widely viewed across the Internet.

　　In the video, a group of lovely little Tibetan antelopes gathered around a man, rushing to drink milk.

　　The mountain patrol of the protection station has rescued 11 Tibetan antelope cubs around the Zhuonai Lake in the hinterland of Kekexili during the migration and parturition season of Tibetan antelopes

　　

　　- Kekexili: Mountain Patrol -

　　　　

　　Kekexili: Mountain Patrol, a classic work directed by Lu Chuan, tells the story about the people of Kekexili, who protect the once-endangered Tibetan antelope in this largest uninhabited land in China. This film, which was screened at the 4th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF), will meet the audience again at the online exhibition of the 10th BJIFF from August 21 to September 22.

　　-  Awe for Nature -

　　As the title of "Kekexili: Mountain Patrol" fades out, the fog, desert, and snow-capped mountains are slowly unfolded under the wide-angle lens, presenting a desolate and vast picture of the land. With a large number of wide-angle and distant view scenes throughout the film, it displays the unique landscape of Kekexili. Besides, some elevation-angle scenes represent creators’ awe for the nature. As director Lu said, “Kekexili is a heaven and hell at the same time, as well as a holy place to witness life and faith. It’s hard to tell the story here. Only those who have really set foot on this land can understand!”

　　

　　Kekexili, which means beautiful green mountains and girls in Tibetan, is the largest uninhabited land and the last primitive wilderness in China, with an average elevation of 4,700 meters. Here, with complex landforms and harsh climate, however, is the last paradise for various plateau wild animals, including Tibetan antelope.

　　Due to the demand for Tibetan antelope wool from western countries, the number of Tibetan antelopes dropped sharply from 1 million to less than 10,000 from the 1980s to 1990s. The local government organized armed patrols to protect Tibetan antelopes against illegal poachers. They were understaffed and might guard an area alone for three years with only a tent. They were underfunded and might sell seized Tibetan antelope skins for their injured team members. Sometimes, they might borrow some money from their girlfriends. What was worse, they might lose their lives anytime and anywhere due to ruthless bullets of poachers and unpredictable natural disasters. A blizzard might block their way; gasoline leakage or a punctured tire might kill them in the desert; and even a quicksand can swallow a person in silence.

　　

　　However, all of these could not prohibit them from accomplishing the holy mission.

　　The film, based on the real experience of the patrol, tells about the story of these heroes who have protected nature and life from the perspective of Ga Yu, a journalist from Beijing.

　　-  Faith of Guardians -

　　The film begins with the death of a patrol member and ends with the patrol leader Ri Tai’s sky burial. There are many overhead shots for figures to show the tininess of human beings from a natural perspective. However, patrol members, who live under such harsh conditions but with firm faith, are the undoubted core of the film. They are so small in the uninhabited land but so great in human dignity.

　　

　　Patrol leader Ri Tai, as the protagonist of the movie, is a brave hero. His life is filled with sadness but exudes romantic persistence, which is touching and impressive. He always frowns with unswerving gaze. No matter how cunning the criminals are, he can find out keys or Tibetan antelope wool. When his injured team member is short of money for treatment, he says decisively, “Sell the skin.” After he leaves his teammates alone for catching poachers, he is asked whether his peers will be safe, he only says, "I hope it will not snow." When Ga Yu asks him what is the biggest difficulty now, he replies, “No money, no people, no gun.”

　　He is facing numerous difficulties. But he never stops his endeavor to catch poachers.

　　Ri Tai says “Have you ever seen those who are kowtowing? They are dirty in hand and face, but pure in heart.” This statement is a firm testament to his principle and romance. He may do something illegal. But his faith as a guardian never changes.

　　At the end of the film, he finally catches up with poachers. Standing in front of a gang of poachers with guns in hand, he stays calm and determined and says, “Hand in your guns and get arrested.”

　　Death is not scary for dauntless Ri Tai.

　　　　

　　Another important figure in the film is the patrol member Liu Dong, who is more like an ordinary person compared with his leader. He is full of emotions. Sometimes he is lustful, sleeping on the laps of Leng Xue. Sometimes, he is outspoken. When he is trying to rescue his peer, he repeatedly says “money is not enough” in front of Ri Tai. But when he sells skins to cover the treatment cost, Liu is too reluctant to hand over the skins to the buyer, who robs the skins from him. As for protecting Tibetan antelope, he stays true to his team’s original belief and asks Leng Xue to borrow money. At the end of his life, where he is swallowed by the quicksand, Liu struggles again and again, and finally, faces up to the sky, showing his passion for the world.

　　

　　Now, Kekexili has become a national nature reserve and is listed as a world natural heritage. The number of Tibetan antelopes is also steadily rising due to the protection of patrols. On September 4, 2016, the Tibetan antelope was reclassified on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red list from Endangered to Near Threatened.

　　In fact, there are a great number of unsung heroes around us, who are devoted to protecting the nature, animals and human beings, just like the medical workers who have protected us during the pandemic. Some of them may be like Ri Tai, who are romantic and heroic. Some of them may be ordinary as Liu Dong, just like our classmates, colleagues, brothers and sisters, who work in earnest in their own posts. They are all like the figures in the film, showing the humanity and giving people hope and strength.