-
The Tibetan plateau is a quarter of China.
西藏高原的陆地面积约占中国领土的四分之一
Much of it is extremely remote and
inhospitable.
其中的大部分极度偏远荒无人烟
Its
southern
border
runs
through
the
world's
highest
mountain
对于这只盘羊世界上最大的羊而言
it means searching for a few tufts of
grass.
这就意味着寻找几簇草丛
Descending from the hilltops to lower
altitudes,
从山顶到更低一些的地方
range,
南部边界贯穿了世界上最高的山脉
the formidable Himalayas.
望而生畏的喜马拉雅山
Its
central part is a windswept and freezing
中部是暴露在风中的寒冷荒地
wilderness the size of Western Europe.
其面积与西欧相似
But this
challenging place is home to incredible
wildlife.
难以置信这个具有挑战性的地方竟然是野生动物的家园
There are more large creatures here
than anywhere else in China.
这里的大型生物比中国其它任何地方还要多
Tibet has been a province of China for
more than 50 years,
西藏加入到新中国这个大家庭五十多年来
yet it has a unique character,
< br>有着
1000
多年悠久历史的的藏传佛教
shaped by over 1,000 years of
Tibetan Buddhism.
依旧保持着她独特的风貌
This
obscure and archaic-looking religion
这个鲜为人知的散发着古老气息的宗教
has produced one of the most
enlightened cultures on Earth.
孕育了这个世界上最开明的文化
Here,people have a long tradition of
co-existing peacefully
在这里人们与自然界
with
the creatures and landscape around them,
和谐相处的悠久传统
a
relationship
which
has
helped
to
protect
their
fragile
environment.
促进了对脆弱自然环境的保护
In
this programme we will discover why this harsh
land with its
ancient
在这个节目中我们将展示这块承载着古老文化的厚重土地
culture is vitally important for much
of our planet.
对我们的地球来说是多么的重要
It's the beginning of winter,
初冬
high up on the
Tibetan plateau.
高高的青藏高原之上
The temperature will soon drop to minus
40 Celsius.
气温会骤降到零下
40
摄氏度
Out here,life is
reduced to a single imperative - survival.
在这里生命中只剩下唯一的念头
求存
For the
argali,the world's largest sheep,
the
argali band together for safety.
盘羊为了安全而团结在一起
Hopefully, down here,they'll be able to
find enough food
如果顺利的话在这里能找到足够的食物
to last them through the rest of the
winter.
以帮助它们熬过残冬
Although this winter landscape looks
barren and forbidden,
尽管冬的大地是如此的贫瘠与荒凉
Tibet's
remote
grasslands
support
a
surprising
variety
of
creatures.
西藏偏远的草地却养活着种类多的令人吃惊的生物
Though at this time of year, they can
be hard to track down.
尽管每年的这个时候难以寻觅它们的踪迹
By comparison,Tibet's capital,Lhasa,is
a hive of activity.
相比之下西藏的首府拉萨却熙攘异常
Lhasa is a focus for large numbers of
pilgrims
拉萨是众多朝圣者的聚集地
who
congregate at the city's temples each day.
他们每天在市内的庙宇相聚
Tibet is home to over 2.5 million
people,
西藏供养着超过
250
万的人口
most of whom are
deeply religious.
其中大部分都是虔诚的信徒
Though
Tibetan
Buddhist
worship
centres
on
elaborate
temples,statues
and images,
尽管西藏的佛教徒倾心于精致复杂的庙宇雕塑以及画像
its beliefs are intimately linked with
the wild landscapes of Tibet.
他们的信仰却和西藏的野生环境密切地交织在一起
The starting point for that
relationship is the mountain range
这种关系起源于
that runs
along Tibet's southern border.
蜿蜒在西藏南部边界的山脉
Over
3,000 kilometres long,
喜马拉雅山脉的长度超过了
3000
千米
the
Himalayas are China's real Great Wall.
是中国真正意义上的长城
With
hundreds of peaks over 7,000 metres and 13 peaks <
/p>
有上百个山峰的海拔超过了
7000
米<
/p>
其中十三个的海拔超过了
8000
米
higher than 8,000
metres,they are the highest mountains on Earth.
是地球上最高的山峰
The
Tibetan region contains over 35,000
glaciers
西藏地区有
3
万
5
千个以上的冰川
that cover over 100,000 square
kilometres.
覆盖了超过
10
万平方千米的土地
They comprise the
largest area of ice outside the polar regions,
组成了除去极地之外的最大的冰区
and nearly a sixth of the world's
total.
接近世界冰区总面积的六分之一
These glaciers are the source of most
of the water in the region.
冰川是这个地区大部分水流的源头
And the Tibetan plateau is studded with
glacial lakes.
青藏高原上镶嵌着众多冰冷的湖泊
At over 4,500 metres up,Lake
Manasarovar
坐落在西藏遥远西部海拔
4500<
/p>
米处的玛旁雍错湖
in the
far west of Tibet,is the highest freshwater lake
in the world.
是世界上海拔最高的淡水湖
In
late
spring,the
chilly
lake
waters
are
a
magnet
for
breeding
birds.
晚春时节寒冷的湖水吸引了很多繁衍的鸟儿
The crested grebe woos his mate with
offerings of weed for her
nest.
这只冠毛??给它同伴衔来了杂草以此示爱
Finally the honeymoon suite is ready
for action.
最终爱巢为它们圆房做好了准备
The grebes are joined by the highest
flying birds in the world.
除了??这里还有世界上飞的最高的鸟
Having spent the winter south of the
Himalayas,
斑头鹤在喜马拉雅山的南面过冬
bar-headed
geese
make
the
hazardous
mountain
crossing
each
spring
每年春天都要冒险飞越巅峰
to
breed on the plateau's lakes.
到高原的湖泊繁衍生息
The
geese nest together for safety.
为了安全它们在一起筑巢
But
so many chicks hatching at the same time means
that it can
be tricky finding your
parents.
但如此多的小鸟同时孵出也就意味着
找到亲生父母是一个很棘手的问题
Fortunately,once down at the water's
edge,
幸运的是一旦到了水里
there's enough food for all of them.
就能够找到足够的食物
Fed by
the mountain glaciers,
凭借着高山冰川
the
Tibetan plateau even has its own inland sea.
青藏高原甚至形成了自己的内陆湖
This is Qinghai Lake,
青海湖
China's
largest.
中国最大的内陆湖
Millions of years of evaporation have
concentrated the minerals
in the lake,
经过百万年的蒸发矿物质浓缩了在湖中
turning the water salty.
使水变得咸了
Rich in
fish,its waters attract thousands of cormorants.
湖中丰富的鱼资源吸引了成千上万的鸬鹚
But it's not just wildlife that values
Tibet's lakes and seas.
西藏的湖泊不仅是野生动物的家园
Their life-giving waters are also
important to people.
其间的水也使得人类的生命得以延续
Tibetan religion is a unique mix of
Buddhism and much older
西藏的宗教是佛教与曾经在此地广为流传的
Shamanic
beliefs
that
were
once
widespread
throughout
the
region.
古老萨满教的独特的混合体
This
hybrid
religion
forms
the
basis
of
an
extraordinary
relationship
with nature.
这种混合信仰构成了他们与自然独特关系的基础
In Shamanic belief,the land is imbued
with magical properties
在萨满教义中这片土地被赋予了魔力
which aid communication with the spirit
world.
使之能够帮助与精神世界进行交流
Here
animal
skulls
are
decorated,and
rocks
are
carved
with
sacred mantras,
在这里动物的头骨被装饰起来岩石
也
刻上了神圣的曼特拉
(
传统的颂歌
)
groups of syllables that are considered
to have spiritual power.
人们认为那些音节拥有精神的力量
The reciting of the mantras is believed
to create a magical sound
人们相信诵读这些曼特拉能够产生魔音
that reverberates through the universe.
在宇宙中回响
The
landscape is decorated with multi-coloured flags
which
大地被分别代表了金木水火土五种元素的
represent the five elements -
fire,wood,earth,water and iron.
多彩的经幡装饰着
The
flags are printed with prayers to purify the air
and pacify the
gods,
经幡上印着祷文用以净化空气安抚神灵
and the wind blows the prayers to
heaven.
而风会把这些祈祷带向天堂。
The poles
on
which
the prayer
flags
are
mounted
are
regularly
replenished with fresh flags.
印着祷文的经幡所装裱的番杆经常会被换上新的经幡
The old flags are treasured. Those
nearest the top of the pole
而旧的经幡很是珍贵那些最接近番杆顶部的
are the most auspicious,so competition
for these can get fierce!
经幡更是象征着吉祥如意所以经幡的争夺可能会很激烈
The golden dome,which is mounted right
at the top of the prayer
pole,
番杆顶部的金顶
is the
most sacred object of all.
是所有物体当中最神圣的
Or it
will be,once it's retrieved.
至少一旦它被降下来之后是这样。
The old Shamanic beliefs of Tibet
ascribed magical powers to the
landscape.
古老的萨满教把魔法的力量归功于这片土地
.
But there's a far more tangible source
of power here
但这里还有的更多可以感知的力量
which owes nothing at all to magic.
却和魔法没有一丁点关系
Strewn across the plateau are boiling
thermal springs,
散布于高原上的是滚烫的温泉
the
evidence of mighty natural forces
这是在这里有百万年历史的
which have been at work over millions
of years.
浑厚的自然力量存在的证据
Deep below the surface,the vast
continental plates
在地下深处巨大的亚洲板块和
of
Asia and India are crashing into each other.
印度板块互相冲击
The
turmoil below erupts in clouds of sulphurous
steam.
地下的混乱状态使大量含硫的蒸汽喷薄而出
It
seems
unlikely
that
scalding
mineral
springs
should
support
life.
由滚烫的矿物泉来孕育生命听起来并不太可能
But one unlikely creature thrives here
precisely because of them.
但确实有种不寻常的生物因之而繁衍兴旺
The hot spring snake is unique to Tibet
这种温泉蛇是西藏所特有的
and
is believed to have survived the inhospitable
conditions up
人们把它在高原艰苦环境存活下来的原因
on the plateau principally thanks to
this natural central heating.
主要归功于这里的天然地热
These cold-blooded snakes hang out in
streams and rivers which
are fed
这些冷血的蛇在由温泉形成的溪流中游弋
by
the
hot
springs,where
they
enjoy
a
surprisingly
productive
lifestyle.
在温泉中它们无忧无虑的生活着
Slipping
into
the
warm
water,they
wait
patiently,bobbing
their
heads on the look-out
for fish.
滑进温暖的水中耐心地等待脑袋在水面上下疾动静等鱼儿上
钩
Thanks to its
unlikely relationship with the volcanic forces
which
built the Himalayas,
正由于与形成喜马拉雅山的火山的不寻常关系
the hot spring snake is able to
survive.
温泉蛇才得以生存在
at altitudes up to 4,500 metres,
海拔
4500
米的地方
making it the highest-living snake in
the world.
这使它成为了世界上过着“最奢侈”的生活的蛇
The slow-motion crash between Asia and
India
亚洲和印度板块之间的缓慢运动
has been going on for 30 million years.
已经持续了
3
千万年之久。
The
Himalayas
are
the
crumple-
zone
created
by
these
two
colliding landmasses,
喜马拉雅山脉就是这两个大陆板块撞击后的结果
a bewildering maze of mountains and
valleys,
它是一个山峦和山谷的迷宫
home to elusive wild creatures.
也是各种难以捉摸的野生动物的家园
In this rugged and unforgiving terrain,
在这个多岩的恶劣环境中
littered with fractured rock and ice
cold rivers,
散落着各种碎石和冰冷的河流
the slightest miscalculation may have
fatal consequences.
极微小的失误也可能导致致命的后果
The snow leopard is the world's
highest-living big cat.
雪豹是世界上居住的海拔最高的猫科动物
But there's another,smaller predator
that ranges even higher,
但这里还有一种更小的食肉动物它居住在海拔更高的地方
almost to the roof of the world.
几乎是在世界之巅
At a
mind-numbing 8,848 metres high,
在令人目眩的海
拔
8848
米的高度看
Everest is one of the most hostile
places for life on Earth.
珠穆朗玛峰是地球上最危险的地方之一
Hundreds of people have died trying to
conquer it.
数百人在试图征服它的尝试中死于非命
But
when
climbers
first
reached
the
ice
fields
three
quarters
of
the
way
但当攀登者们第一次完成登山之路的四分之三的之时
up the mountain,something had already
beaten them to it.
有种生物早已在这方面打败了他们。
This
jumping
spider
is
the
highest
permanent
resident
on
the
planet.
这种跳蜘蛛是地球上海拔最高的永久居住民
Totally at home amongst the glaciers of
Everest,
在珠穆朗玛峰的冰川之中
it scours the slopes for wind-borne
prey such as springtails.
它在斜坡上四处搜索靠风飞行的猎物比如弹尾虫。
Chinese call this fierce little hunter
the
中国人把这种小而凶猛的猎食者成为“飞虎”
Jumping spiders are found all over the
world.
跳蜘蛛在世界各地都有分布
Their eight eyes include an oversized
central pair,
他们的八对眼睛中有一对很大
which act like powerful binoculars to
spot potential victims.
像双筒望远镜一样四处搜寻潜在的目标
They use hydraulic pressure to work
their legs like pistons,
他们利用水压使腿像活塞一样
catapulting up to 30 times their own
body length.
可以弹跳到
30
< br>倍于他们体长的高度
The ideal way
to get around in rocky terrain.
这是在山地中行走的理想方法
But
like all mountaineers,they always secure a safety
line first.
但像其他的登山者一样他们也总是先确认哪里是“安全线”
A springtail grazes on detritus,
一个弹尾虫正盯着碎石屑
unaware that it's being stalked by such
an acrobatic predator.
对这个耍杂技般的掠夺者的潜行跟踪浑然不觉
The Tibetans call Everest
藏民
们把珠穆朗玛峰称为“
Qomolangma(
珠穆朗玛
)
”
meaning
意为“大地之母”
It's
a
mark
of
their
affection
for the
mountain,however
brutal
it
may appear.
这象征着他们对山的热爱而不管山看起来多么的冷酷无情
V
enture
further
from
the
mountains
and
out
onto
the
open
plateau,
从高山一直到广阔的平原都充满危险
and life doesn't appear to get any
easier.
在这里活下去并不容易
High winds scour the landscape
风在大地上急速穿过
and
temperaturescan drop from baking to freezing in
moments.
气温也可以从酷热难当骤降到冰冷入骨
This is the Chang Tang or Northern
Grassland.
这里是羌塘或叫北部草原
It's so remote that it's been called
the Third Pole.
它远离人烟，被称为“世界第三极”
It's about 5,000 metres above sea
level,
这里海拔超过
5000
米
way
above
the
point
at
which
altitude
sickness
starts to
affect
humans.
远远超出了人们会有高原反应的高度
At this height,most people are gasping
for breath.
在这个高度下大部分人都要不停地喘气
But lack of oxygen hasn't cramped this
creature's style.
但缺少氧气却对这种生物没多大影响
Chiru,or Tibetan antelope,have arrived
for the winter rut.
长角羚或叫藏羚羊已经到了冬季的发情期。
In the energy-sapping thin air,the
males must try to control
在这样耗能的稀薄空气当中雄性还必须经常地围着
groups of females by constantly
rounding them up and corralling
them.
成群的雌性跑以使她们在自己的控制之下。
But the chiru have an advantage.
但是藏羚羊也有优势
Their
red blood cell count is twice as high as ours,
他们的红血球数量是我们的两倍
sufficient to supply their muscles with
oxygen
即使在如此高的纬度也足以为他们的
even at this extreme altitude.
肌肉输送氧气
Nevertheless,it's hard work keeping his
harem in check,
然而想要控制住这么一大群家眷并不容易，
and the male's life is about to get
even harder.
甚至有时雄性的生活会更加艰难。
Another male is gearing up to steal his
females.
另一只雄性垂涎于它的家眷们
With their
rapier-like
horns,the
males
won't
risk
fighting
unless
they really have to.
除非逼不得已雄
性一般不会冒险用它们剑一样锋利的角搏
斗。
But if neither backs down,conflict is
inevitable.
但如果双方都不退让大战就不可避免。
Some of these fights end in death.
有时甚至不死不休
While
the males fence,the females look on.
在雄性抵抗的时候雌性就在一旁看着。
Injured
and
weakened
by
the
battle,the
loser
will
be
an
easy
target
虚弱受伤的失败者很容易成为在荒原上游弋的
for the predators and scavengers that
patrol the wilderness.
食肉动物和食腐动物的目标
Out
here there's little room for mistakes.
在这里生存不容许有任何失误
With a clear view of the endless
plateau below,
从高空俯视着广袤无垠的高原
vultures are quick to spot any
opportunity.
秃鹫们不会放过任何一个机会
A dead yak has drawn a crowd.
一头死牦牛吸引了一群秃鹫前来
V
ultures aren't famous for
their table manners.
秃鹫的就餐礼仪并不好
The
vultures do well here,as the vast Tibetan
wilderness is home
to many large
creatures.
但在这里秃鹫们却表现的很好
,
因为广阔的西藏荒原有足够多的大型生物
Living in herds of up to 200 in the
remoter corners of the Tibetan
这是世界上最奇特的收割方式了
Tibetans first investigated this
strange root-like organism,
藏民们首先发现了这种被称为
“牙扎
梗布
(
藏语
:
冬虫夏草
)
”
known locally as
的奇怪的根状生物体
when
their yaks appeared to have more energy after
grazing on it.
原因就在于看到了牦牛们
在吃完它之后精力充沛
plateau,
居住在西藏高原偏远角落的野牦牛
群
居的数量甚至可能达到
200
只
wild yaks travel large
distances,grazing on the alpine tundra.
他们走过遥远的距离来到高山上的冻土地带寻觅食物
Strong and secure over mountain passes
and rivers,
依靠着山口和河流牦牛在这里强大而安全
The yak is in its element at altitude
它们于这个海拔的环境是如此地连为一体
so much so that it gets sick if it goes
below 3,000 metres.
以至于如果他们到
达海拔
3000
米以下身体就会变得虚弱。
Standing two metres tall at the
shoulder and weighing more
牦牛身高
< br>2
米体重超过
800
千克
than 800 kilos,the wild yak is
both formidable and aggressive.
不仅自身强大还很好斗
But
without
this
fearsome
creature
it's
unlikely
that
humans
would
have survived up here.
但若没有这种看起来吓人的生物人类就不可能在这里生存。
Once domesticated,the yak is an amazing
animal,
一旦被驯服牦牛会让人惊异万分，
providing the Tibetans with transport,
它为藏民提供运输
food,wool for clothes and tents,
食物做衣物和帐篷的毛
and
manure for fuel.
还有可以做燃料的粪便
It's held in such high regard
牦牛很受如此器重以至于
that
its fur is even used to decorate the sacred prayer
flag poles,
人们用它的皮来装饰神圣的经幡番杆
and yak butter is used as an offering
to the gods.
它的脂肪也被用作敬奉神的贡品
The yak has even led the Tibetans to
buried treasure.
牦牛甚至还帮助藏民找到了地上的宝藏
In summer,people can be seen scouring
the grassland,
夏季可以看见有的人贴在草地上，
bent over in deep concentration.
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This is
the world's weirdest harvest.
Rumours
of its amazing properties gradually spread.
关于它的神奇的特性的传言逐渐传播开来
and today the yartsa gunbu is a
passport into a shady,underground
world.
到了今天冬虫夏草已经进入了地下黑市
It's possible to dig up 40 of them in a
day,
有时一天一人就可以挖掘
40
个左右
the proceeds from which
may provide half the collector's annual
income.
而这些收入则可能占采集者年收入的一半
Y
artsa gunbu has been used
as a traditional remedy for thousands
of years,
冬虫夏草被用作传统药物已经上千年
though only by the very wealthy.
但仅限于非常富有的人群
It
has been bartered for tea and silk,
它被用来交换茶叶和丝绸
and
is worth more than four times its weight in
silver.
可以换回超过本身四倍重量的银子
So lucrative
is this
trade,that sites and information are
jealously
guarded.
这项贸易是如此的暴利使得它的
交易地点和信息都被谨慎地保护起来
At the nearby market,the yartsa gunbu
are cleaned,
在附近的集市上冬虫夏草被清理干净
and their true nature becomes clear.
这使得它的本来面目显露了出来
The yartsa gunbu translates as
冬虫夏草被翻译为“冬天的虫子夏天的草”
The winter worm is a caterpillar.
冬虫是一种毛虫
It eats
roots of grasses
它以草根为食
in preparation for its transformation
into a moth.
为自己变身成蛾做准备。
But some winter worms never make it as
moths.
但有些冬虫却从没有机会变成蛾
Instead,a strange growth erupts from
their body,
而在夏季一个奇怪的植物
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