美丽中国英文剧本6.docx

1、美丽中国英文剧本6NARRATOR: From the eastern end of the Great Wall, Chinas coast spans 14,500 kilometres and more than 5,000 years of history. This is the area which shows the greatest contrast between Chinas past and its future. Today Chinas eastern seaboard is home to 700 million people, packed into some o

2、f the most dazzling hi-tech cities on earth. Yet these crowded shores remain hugely important for a wealth of wildlife. Now, as ancient traditions mingle with new aspirations, is there any room at all for wildlife on Chinas crowded shores? In northern Chinas Zhalong Nature Reserve, a pair of red-cro

3、wned cranes have staked out their nesting territory in the stubble of a commercially managed reed bed. For centuries, cranes have been revered in China as symbols of longevity. Their statues were placed next to the Emperors throne. The cranes have cause to celebrate. This chick is a sign of hope in

4、difficult times. Red-crowned cranes are one of the worlds most endangered species. Over the last century, China has lost nearly half of its coastal wetlands and most of what remains is managed for the benefit of people, not wildlife. A few months from now, this chick and its parents will face a long

5、 migration south to escape the harsh northern winter. Their route will take them along a coast which has been greatly affected by human activity. Along their journey, the cranes will be joined by many thousands of other migrating birds. All heading south across the Bohai Gulf and along the shores of

6、 the Yellow and East China Seas, some even reaching as far as the South China Sea in search of a safe winter haven. The annual bird migration has been going on for thousands of years. Here at Mount Jinping on Chinas northeast coast, there is surprising evidence that people have lived here almost as

7、long. Seven thousand years ago, members of the Shao Hao tribe carved magical symbols representing significant elements of their daily lives. The petroglyphs show wheat sheaves connected by lines to human figures, the first known recordings of cultivation in China. Familiar with the spectacle of year

8、ly bird migrations, the Shao Hao people chose a symbol of a bird as their totem. Mount Jinping lies near the Shandong peninsula, an important wintering site for migrant birds, and even today there are still communities along this coastline who retain a special affinity with their local birdlife. Yan

9、dun Jiao village, on the north-eastern shore of the peninsula, is famous for its traditional seaweed-thatched cottages. On a chilly morning in early spring, Mr and Mrs Qu venture out at first light armed with the traditional seaside accessories of bucket and spade. As the Qus head down into the harb

10、our, a flock of whooper swans, known affectionately here as winter angels, are waking out in the bay. The Qus and their neighbours search for tube holes in the mud at low tide, the sign of cockles and razor shells hidden deep below. While gathering shellfish is a popular pastime, the main business o

11、f Yandun Jiao happens further out at sea. As the boats set out, with Mr Qu on board, the swans set a parallel course. The whole of the bay is a gigantic seaweed farm. The men work all day cleaning and tending the kelp fronds that are grown on ropes linked to a vast armada of buoys. The swans eat nat

12、ive seaweeds growing on the surface ropes rather than the valuable crop of kelp, so they do no harm to the commercial operation. In the afternoon, as the wind picks up out at sea, the workers and swans return to shore. While the culture of seeking balance with nature goes back a long way in China, i

13、t is rare to see such harmonious relationships on Chinas crowded coast. As evening draws on, the Qu family prepare their evening meal of cockles, steamed bread and seaweed. (KIDS CHATTERING) Leftovers are given to the village children to feed the swans. Its fun for the kids and provides an extra ene

14、rgy boost for the birds as they face another cold night. The swans have been using this sheltered bay at as a winter refuge for many generations. As long as the tradition of respect for nature persists, this remarkable association between the Yandun Jiao community and their winter angels looks set t

15、o continue. Out in the Bohai Gulf, northeast of the swan village, a small rocky island provides a quiet resting spot for migrating birds. But Shedao Island has hidden dangers. Pallas pit vipers trapped here 6,000 years ago by rising sea levels have evolved a sinister lifestyle. For 10 months of the

16、year there is nothing substantial to eat on the island, so the reptiles conserve their energy by barely moving at all. (BIRDS CAWING) As the sun warms their rocky home, the snakes climb up into the bushes and trees. But they arent here to sunbathe. More and more vipers appear until virtually every p

17、erch where a bird might land has been booby-trapped. Then the waiting game begins. The serpents camouflage is remarkable, but so are the birds reactions, as this high-speed shot reveals. The birds will only stay on the island for a couple of weeks. But although the snakes have been starving for mont

18、hs, their only hope of bagging a meal is to be patient and sit tight. The slightest miscalculation and the snake is left with a mouthful of feathers. The dropped meal is tracked down mainly by smell, the viper using its forked tongue to taste the air until it is close enough to see its quarry. The f

19、inal challenge is to swallow a meal thats twice the size of its head. It does so by dislocating its jaws and positioning its prey so the beak is pointing backwards. For the reptiles, this time of plenty is all too brief. In a couple of weeks, the migration will be over and the birds will have moved

20、on. This could be the snakes last meal for six months. But it isnt just islands that experience cycles of feast and famine. The sea, too, has its seasons, a fact well known to fishing communities along the neighbouring coasts. In Chuwang harbour, the start of a new fishing season provides the excuse

21、 for a massive party. But for boat owner Mr Zhao, its a day of prayer as well as celebration. Zhao hopes that by presenting gifts and showing respect to the sea goddess, he can help ensure a prosperous and safe year ahead for him and his crew. Meanwhile, drums, firecrackers and fireworks reflect the

22、 ancient belief that loud noises will frighten off dangerous sea devils and bad fortune. Occupying centre stage is a representation of the sea dragon, mythical ruler of water and weather. In the calm of the evening, Mr Zhao and his family light paper boat lanterns. Each flickering flame carries a wi

23、sh to the sea goddess, a tradition passed on from parents to children over countless generations. On Chinas crowded coasts, fishermen need to be extremely resourceful. Hauling in the nets is hard work, and so far theres not a fish in sight. Only jellyfish. Each year, millions of jellyfish are carrie

24、d south with the currents in the Bohai Gulf. The ecological story behind this event is complex, but by no means unique to China. Jellyfish are fast-breeding plankton feeders. In recent years, human sewage and fertilisers from intensive farming have increased plankton blooms in the Gulf, providing ex

25、tra jellyfish food. While over-fishing has reduced their enemies and competitors. Its a phenomenon that has become increasingly widespread across the worlds seas. However, what is seen elsewhere as a problem, in China is perceived as an opportunity. Back on shore, mule carts transport the jellyfish

26、to nearby warehouses where they will be processed and sold as food all over China. Four generations tuck into a bowl of sliced jellyfish, the recipe for a long and healthy life. Leaving the Bohai Gulf behind, migrating cranes, spoonbills and ducks are joined by other birds, all heading south in sear

27、ch of a safe winter haven. The birds migration route follows the coast of the Yellow Sea down into Jiangsu Province, a fertile agricultural landscape with some of the last remaining salt marshes in China. At Dafeng, a small salt marsh reserve is home to an animal which is lucky to be alive. The Chin

28、ese see these Milu as a curious composite animal, with a horses head, cows feet, a tail like a donkey and backwards-facing antlers. In the West, we know it as P鑢e Davids Deer, after the first European to describe it. During the rut, stags decorate themselves with garlands of vegetation collected in

29、their antlers. Fierce battles decide mating rights. The females still have last years fawns in tow. They havent been weaned by the time of the rut and band together in large cr鑓hes, only returning to their mothers to feed. This unique behaviour helps to keep them clear of the aggressive males. Today

30、, there are just 2,500 Milu in China, but it is remarkable that there are any at all. In the early 1900s Milu became extinct in the wild, but luckily, some of the Imperial herd had been sent as a gift to Europe. Those at Woburn Abbey, in England, prospered. And in the early 1980s, 40 of the deer wer

31、e returned to their homeland where they continue to thrive. The migrating cranes have so far travelled over 2,000 kilometres southwards along the coast. Passing the Milu Deer Reserve at Dafeng, they are approaching another salt marsh which will provide the perfect conditions for them to spend the winter. This is Yancheng, the largest coastal wetland in China, visited by an estimated three million birds each year. (SQUAWKING) Crane chicks that were only born seven months ago have now completed the first leg of a round trip which they will repeat