In the past, women of the Dulong ethnic group were not allowed to go into the mountains. The tattoos on the face of Li Yuhua's mother, implying mountains, trees, flowers, streams, winds and butterflies, from the tradition of old times, are the only testament to her close relationship with nature. Years later, as a member of the younger generation, Li doesn't have to get her face tattooed and is able to become a female forest ranger among the Dulong people. For her, patrol, fire control, observing and recording wildlife in the forests are new rituals of living with the mountains.

They love nature in different ways, but the love is the same.

About Journeys in Nature: Timeless Valley Series

Dulongjiang, known as the "last uncharted land in Yunnan," is a deep valley on China's southwestern border between the Hengduan Mountains and the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. The place was once shrouded in mystery, until a highway connecting the valley to the outside world was fully opened in 2014. In this series, CGTN Nature takes you on a ride to unveil the incredible fauna and flora as well as the minority Dulong people who call this place home.

For more:

Timeless Valley Series Ep. 5: How does it feel to wear a rainbow?

(Cover image a video screenshot; video by the CGTN Nature film crew)

(If you have specific expertise and want to contribute, or if you have a topic of interest that you'd like to share with us, please email us at nature@cgtn.com.)