Producer's Note: Lingering Melody on the Plateau

China's splendid history is not recorded only in books; it's also seen in the everyday details of traditional life. We traveled from Beijing, the Chinese capital, to the distant mountains and pastoral areas of southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, to find a different way of life. 

There, we witnessed aspects of daily life that to us appeared strange and astonishing but that, to the people living on the mountains and grassland, are features of their regular routine. Through this documentary, we hope to create a record of the culture and traditions of Xizang for future generations to enjoy.

Over 20 years ago, when there was no train to Lhasa, we traveled by truck through the Tanggula Mountain Pass into Xizang. It was then that we first heard about the Nagchu Horse Racing Festival, which is believed to be the largest event of its kind on the entire Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, attracting thousands of enthusiasts who cross mountains and rivers every summer to participate. Yet the horse-racing festival is just one of numerous fascinating traditions still kept alive by the Tibetan people. Wanting to draw a broader picture of the region's unique culture and traditions, we eventually chose as additional subjects the Jiuhe Dro dance and eagle flute.

Tibetans love horse racing. The Nagchu Horse Racing Festival is a major event in northern Xizang, and it also provides an exciting time for the horses. The eagle flute, traditionally made from the bone of an eagle's wing, has a history of more than 1,700 years. Over the centuries, it has become a symbol of nomadic culture and the Tibetan spirit. 

The Jiuhe Dro dance, which dates back over 1,300 years, is a folk dance designed to frighten away evil spirits and pray for good luck. In Xizang, it is popularly known as the "waist drum dance." As an art form unique to Xizang, the Jiuhe Dro dance is one of the oldest forms of traditional dance of any ethnic group in the world.

We plan to make our final presentation restrained and gentle. By employing simple recording techniques, non-interfering observation and poetic imaging, we hope viewers will be fully immersed in this documentary. During the production process, we have abandoned the use of excessive music and commentary, as well as any superfluous voice-overs or subtitles. The stories are told clearly and concisely, emphasizing the narrative nature of the documentary and respecting the reality as much as possible. By showcasing details of real life without interfering with the protagonists, and by using original soundbites and adopting non-manipulative editing skills, we tried to create a documentary depicting local life on the plateau as it really is.

In the horse-racing story, after losing the race the children naturally comfort one another and kiss the horse lightly on its forehead; in the story of the Jiuhe Dro dance, the younger brother takes care of a kitten; in the story of the eagle flute, Grandpa Yugu tolerates his granddaughter Pema Dekyi's mischievous behavior, and the love between them is revealed naturally. We were impressed by the local people's spirit of perseverance and their lifelong dedication to the things they love. For example, there's Sita Wongya and his son Karsangya at the horse racing festival; Nyama and his grandson Tsering Dondrup who perform the Jiuhe Dro dance; Tsering and his eagle flute student Dorje; and Yugu and his beautiful daughter Pasang in Amdo County. Their devotion to and profound love for their ancient culture deeply moved us.

This is not a feature film, but a documentary. Yet we have still included some suspense. In the story of the Jiuhe Dro dance, we reveal how regular meetings and training sessions are vital for perfecting the teamwork and maintaining the drumming skills. However, all the performers have jobs. Aside from farming work, they also work at construction sites or supermarkets, earning average wages from 300 to 400 yuan (about $50) a day. But they only receive a subsidy of around 150 yuan a day when they take leave for a Jiuhe Dro dance performance. So, they are losing money whenever they stop working and return home for a dance. Under the circumstances, especially when their family doesn't support them out of financial considerations, will they carry on dancing?

The story of the eagle flute was filmed in two locations, Lhasa and Amdo County in Nagchu. These days, there are very few people who can make and play the instrument. In fact, Yugu is the only master of the art of making and playing the eagle flute in Ambo. Under a cultural heritage preservation project, the government is encouraging Yugu to train more inheritors; however, he has been unable to find anyone suitable for training. He hoped his daughter Pasang would learn to play the eagle flute, but she always refused. Now that she has graduated from university, will she change her mind?

The horse-racing story features 16-year-old Karsangya, who was born on the grasslands of northern Xizang. He started riding at the age of 5. He is now an outstanding horseman, and once took second place at the Nagchu Chaqing Horse Racing Festival. The Seni Horse-Racing Association to which he and his father belong owns a ranch, where they rear more than 100 horses, and Karsangya is learning how to tame them. In 2023, three of his family's horses reached the final round at the Nagchu Chaqing Horse Racing Festival, and seven others will compete in the 8-kilometer race. However, one of his horses, named Khubon Longsel, was injured after taking second place in the final of 8,000-meter sprint. The horse is entered for the Grand Finale, but hasn't eaten or drunk anything for a whole day beforehand. Can it still win?

We filmed this documentary in full-process 4K ultra HD imaging. We also employed a professional production team to collect and produce surround sound. During filming, we encountered and recorded the magnificent beauty of nature and humanity, such as a rainbow over the grassland in the early morning, a sudden hailstorm in the afternoon, the extraordinary splendor generated by the coming together of azure-blue lake water and the sound of the eagle flute, and the moment when a boy riding like the wind looks back from his horse.

We only had two days of shooting in Amdo. But on our way back, we were fortunate enough to encounter a group of vultures near a lake, soaring into the sky or walking leisurely on the grassland. Their wing bones are the material used to make the eagle flute we present in our program. We also recorded many Tibetan customs and traditions, as well as the subtle emotions and strong passion displayed by the Tibetan people: the difficulties of performing the Jiuhe Dro dance; the frequent disappointments behind the horse racing; the struggle to preserve the eagle flute.

Then there are the timbre, rhythm and voices of life that can't be conveyed in books and the details of which may differ in each generation: the ritual of sprinkling three times before drinking any beverage; the smoking ceremony in the morning performed by ordinary families; the careful and intricate dressing before the Wangguo Festival, or Bumper Harvest Festival; and the sprinkling of water on each horse's forelegs after a horse race. All these rituals are normal aspects of daily life there. But they are intriguing and exciting for us filmmakers and observers.

In conclusion, I would like to thank our production team. From Beijing to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, there is a significant increase in altitude. People are often short of breath when just walking on the plateau, let alone carrying heavy equipment and frequently climbing up and down. Moreover, there were tremendous mental challenges in planning and designing the filming. Communicating with the interviewees often proved quite awkward. During filming on the plateau, in addition to altitude sickness, the fatigue resulting from the demanding schedule led to the recurrence of physical illnesses. 

Our journey lasted for over 30 days, during which time our crew took turns at "falling down" and "standing up." In Nagchu, which is 4,500 meters above sea level and where we spent the last 10 days of our assignment, the crew faced its greatest difficulties, and completed filming with gritted teeth. But they pulled through. 

As highly-experienced professionals, the members have won several domestic and international awards, including a China News Award, a Gold Award at the U.S. International Television and Film Festival, and a Silver Award at the New York International Film and Television Festival. I would like to express my special gratitude to director of photography Huang Xiaodong for his professionalism in guiding his camera crew in such a challenging environment. 

Special thanks also go to Michael Harrold, a senior editorial consultant who has been working with us for many years. He has a deep understanding of international communication and a good knowledge of Xizang. He has cooperated with us on a series of in-depth documentaries on Xizang over the past years, including "My New Year," "Once Upon a Time in Northern Xizang," "I was a Serf," "Daughters of Xizang," and "Earth Summit Mission." Each of these documentaries has won national or international awards. 

In fact, I would like to thank the whole team for their efforts to present the true face of Xizang to the world.

What is life today like for the people on the vast, pristine plateau? As documentary filmmakers, we hope that through the images and sounds we record, audiences can experience the daily lives of ordinary people on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. We spent many months investigating, filming and editing, in an attempt to accurately present their idyllic life on the plateau. 

The people we filmed are devoting themselves to a lifelong passion, while awakening the next generation to invest their energy and time in carrying forward their unique heritage. Our encounters on the plateau have been the highlight of our year.

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