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Beneath billowing clouds,在翻騰的雲霧之下 3 in China's far southwestern Yunnan province,處在中國西南邊境的雲南省4 lies a place of mystery and legend.是個充滿神秘與傳奇的地方5 Of mighty rivers and some ofthe oldest jungles in the world.這裏有浩瀚的河川及世上年代最悠久的森林6 Here, hidden valleys nurture strangeand unique creatures,隱密的溪谷培育出不可思議及罕見珍奇的生物7 and colorful tribal cultures.和多采多姿的民族文化8 Jungles are rarely found thisfar north of the tropics.離熱帶地區這麼遠的北邊森林是很罕見的景觀9 So, why do they thrive here?那麼此區為何會有茂盛的森林？10 And how has this rugged landscape come to harbor the greatest natural wealth in all China?這麼惡劣的地理環境是如何庇護全中國最重要的自然資源？ 14 In the remote southwest corner of China,在中國西南方的偏僻角落一個慶典即將舉行15 a celebration is about to take place.16 Dai people collect water forthe most important festival of their year.傣人為他們一年中最重要的節慶取水17 The Dai call themselves the people of the water.傣族人自稱為水鄉之人18 Yunnan's river valleys have been their homefor over 2,000 years.兩千多年來他們一直以雲南的河谷為家19 By bringing the river water to the temple,他們將河水帶到佛寺20 they honor the two things holiest to them -以河水浴佛來體現他們認為最神聖的兩件事21 Buddhism and their home. 佛教與家庭23 The Dai give thanks for the rivers and fertilelands which have nurtured their culture.傣族以此敬謝河川與良地豐富了他們的文化與生活25 Though to some it might seem just an excusefor the biggest water fight of all time.也許對某些人來說這個潑水儀式只是藉口讓他們打場最過癮的水戰27 Dai lives are changingas towns get bigger and modernize由於城鎮的擴大及都市化傣族的生活形態正逐漸改變28 but the Water Splashing Festivals still celebrated by all.但大家仍會慶祝潑水節29 The rivers which lie at the heart ofDai life and culture河川深深影響傣族的生活和文化30 flow from the distant mountains of Tibet,河流源自遙遠的西藏高山31 southward through central Yunnanin great parallel gorges.往南流經雲南中部穿越重重的巨大峽谷

32 The Dai now live in the borders of tropicalVietnam and Laos,如今傣族居住在鄰近越南與泰國的熱帶地區33 but their legends tell ofhow their ancestors came here但他們的傳奇故事敍述了祖先如何沿著河流34 by following the rivers from mountain landsin the cold far north.從遙遠寒冷的北方高地來到這裏35 Lying at the far eastern end of the Himalayas,橫斷山脈位於喜瑪拉雅山最東邊36 the Hengduan mountains form Yunnan'snorthern border with Tibet.是雲南北方與西藏的邊界37 Kawakarpo, crown of the Hengduan range,is a site of holy pilgrimage.橫斷山脈的頂峰卡瓦格博雪山是朝聖的聖地38 Yet, its formidable peak remains unconquered.然而它令人畏懼的山頂至今無人能征服39 Yunnan's mountains are remote,rugged and inaccessible.雲南群山偏僻、崎嶇，人類很難接近40 Here the air is thin and temperaturescan drop below minus 40 degrees.這裏的空氣稀薄溫度能降到零下40度42 This is home to an animal that's foundnowhere else on Earth.但地球上有某種動物卻只生活在這裏43 The Yunnan snub-nosed monkey.雲南金絲猴44 It's found only in these fewisolated mountain forests.它們只在這些孤立的山林出沒45 No other primate lives at such high altitudes.沒有其他的靈長類動物能居住在這麼高的海拔46 but these are true specialists.它們是真正的專家47 These ancient mountain dwellershave inspired legends.這些古老的山居動物造就許多傳奇故事48 Local Lisu people consider them their ancestors, 俚索族視它們為自己的祖先50 calling them \稱它們為山中野人51 During heavy snowfalls,even these specialists cannot feed.遇上大雪時期就連這些森林專家也無法覓食52 It seems a strange place for a monkey.這對猴子來說似乎是個奇怪的

居住地53 Between snows, the monkeys wasteno time in their search for food.雪一停歇，這些猴子立刻把握時間去尋找食物54 At this altitude,there are few fruits or tender leaves to eat. 在這高度很少有果子及嫩葉可吃56 90% of their diet is made up ofthe fine dry wisps of a curious organism.它們九成的食物來自一種很像束狀乾草的奇怪有機物體58 Half fungus, half plant -it's lichen.半菌半植物的地衣59 How have monkeys,normally associated with lowland jungle,按理該住在低地森林的猴子60 come to live such aremote mountain existence?怎麼會跑來住在偏遠的山區？61 This is not the only remarkableanimal found within theseisolated high peaks.在這些孤絕的高峰之中還有更多奇特的動物62 A Chinese red panda.一隻中國紅色熊貓63 Solitary and quiet, it spends muchof its time in the tree tops.生性安靜獨居大部份的時間都在樹上64 Despite its name,不管其名65 the red panda is only a very distantrelative of the giant panda.紅色熊貓只是大熊貓的遠親66 It's actually more closelyrelated to a skunk.它跟臭鼬反而有較近的血緣關係

67 But it does share the giantpanda's taste for bamboo.但它確實跟大熊貓一樣喜歡吃竹葉68 Southwest China's red pandas areknown for their very strongfacial markings中國西南方的紅色熊貓以明顯的臉部斑紋聞名69 which distinguishthem from red pandas foundanywhere else in the Himalayas.這和其他生活在喜馬拉雅山的紅色熊貓大不相同70 Like the monkeys, they wereisolated in these high forests就像金絲猴一樣它們也被孤立在這些高海拔森林71 when the mountains quiteliterally rose beneath them這是因為近代地質史上的造山運動72 in the greatest mountain-buildingevent in recent geological history.將它們腳下的山地整個托起拔高73 Over the last 30 million years,在過去三千萬年74 the Indian subcontinent has beenpushing northwards into Eurasia.印度板塊一直向北推擠歐亞大陸板塊75 On the border between India and Tibet位於西藏與印度邊界的岩石76 the rocks have been raisedeight kilometers above sea level,已經被推升到高達海平面8公里77 creating the world's highestmountain range, the Himalayas.造就出世上最高的喜馬拉雅山脈78 But to the east,但往東方看去79 the rocks have buckled into a seriesof steep north-south ridges,連綿的山岩形成南北向的懸崖峭壁80 cutting down through theheart of Yunnan,直接深入雲南中心81 the parallel mountains ofthe Hengduan Shan.平行的橫斷山脈82 These natural barriers serve toisolate Yunnan's plants and animals這些天然屏障阻絕了雲南境內的動植物互通有無83 in each adjacent valley.每個山谷幾乎都自成一區84 While the huge temperaturerange between the snowy peaks這裏的溫差很大，上面是積雪的山峰85 and the warmer slopes below下方是溫暖的緩坡86 provides a vast array ofconditions for life to thrive.氣候的多元性讓各種生命得以欣欣向榮87 Through spring,整個春季88 the Hengduan slopes stage one ofChina's greatest natural spectacles.橫斷山脈的山坡呈現中國最壯觀的自然風光89 The forests here are among the mostdiverse botanical areas in the world.這裏的森林蘊藏全世界最豐富的植物品種90 Over 18,000 plant species grow here,1萬8千多種植物有3千種是其他地區沒有的91 of which 3,000 are foundnowhere else.92 Until little more than a century ago,this place was unknown outside China.還不到一百年前這裏是不為外界所知的93 But then news reached the West但後來消息傳到西方94 of a mysterious, hiddenworld of the orient.原來東方還有這麼一個神秘、不為人知的世界95 Hidden among the mountains,a lost Shangri-la paradise.隱藏在群山中的世外桃源96 Western high society, in the gripof a gardening craze,西方上流社會的園藝熱潮97 was eager for exotic speciesfrom faraway places.讓他們渴望遙遠國度的奇花異草98 This gave rise to a newbreed of celebrity adventurers,引領新一代的名人探險風99 intrepid

botanist-explorersknown as \Plant Hunters\大膽的植物學家勘探者亦稱為植物獵人100 Yunnan became their Holy Grail.雲南成了他們的聖杯101 Indiana JonesThe most famous was Joseph Rock,a real life Indiana Jones.最出名的是喬瑟夫拉克現實生活中的印第安那鐘斯102 Remarkable film footage captured hisentourage on a series of expeditions,卓越的記錄片記錄他和同伴一系列的遠征104 as they pushed into thedeepest corners of Yunnan.進入雲南最深的角落

105 In glorious color he recordedthe plant life he found他用特別照相玻璃板106 on special photographic glass plates.記錄五彩繽紛的植物107 Sending thousands ofspecimens back to the West,把數千種樣本送回西方108 the Plant Hunters changed thegardens of the world forever.植物獵人一舉改變了世界的花園109 Rock's success was bornof a massive effort.拉克的成功來自他的努力以赴110 For, to find his Shangri-la,為了找到香格里拉111 not only had he to traverseendless mountain ranges,他不只橫越數不清的山脈112 but some of the deepestgorges in the world.還跨越一些世上最深的峽谷113 The Nujiang is calledThe Angry River.怒江被稱之為忿怒的河流114 This 300-kilometre stretchof raging rapids這條300公里的湍急河流115 is as much a barrier to lifeas are the mountains above.如上述的山脈一樣成為許多生物的屏障116 WAVES CRASH117 But the plant hunters weren't thefirst people to travel here.但是植物獵人不是最早到此地的人118 Along the Nujiang,沿著怒江119 less than 30 rope crossings allowlocals passage across the torrents.會發現不到30條的繩子吊索讓當地人渡過洪流120 Tiny hamlets cling to the slopes.小小村莊緊帖著山坡地121 This morning, it's market day,今早是市集日122 drawing people from upand down the valley.山坡上下的居民紛紛出門123 PIG OINKS124 GOAT BLEATS125 Hanging from simple rope slings,吊在吊索上126 people have been using the crossingsfor many hundreds of years.這已是人們幾百年渡江的老辦法127 In such narrow, precipitous gorges在這麼狹窄的險峻峭壁128 it's by far the easiestway to get around.這是最容易的交通方式129 Once across, the steepsides mean it's still a hike.一旦渡過陡峭的山坡意味著還有一段徒步130 Many trek for hours byfoot before they get to the market.許多人要徒步幾個小時才到市場131 The immense valley ishome to over a dozen ethnic groups.這無邊無際的山谷聚集超過12個少數民族132 Some, like the Nu people,are found only here.像怒族就只生活在此區133 The markets bring themountain tribes together.市集讓山上的族群聚在一起134 To continue his expeditions,為了繼續探險135 Rock had to get his entire entourageacross the giant Yunnan rivers.拉克必須讓全隊通過浩瀚的雲南大河136 He commissioned especially thickropes made from forest rattan他以樹藤做的粗繩為輔137 and filmed the entire event.並拍攝整個過程138 With yak butter to smooth the ride,40 men and 15 mules made the journey.利用犛牛油使過程平順40個人及15只騾上路了 139 Not all made it across.並不是每個人都過

140 On the far side of thegreat Nujiang gorge,在怒江峽谷遙遠的另一邊141 the Plant Huntersmade a remarkable discovery.植物獵人有個很棒的發現142 Far from the tropics,雖然遠離熱帶143 they seemed to be entering a steamy,vibrant tropical jungle,他們似乎進入了充滿蒸氣與生氣的熱帶雨林144 the forest of Gaoligongshan.高黎貢山的森林145 The flora here is unlikeanywhere else in the world.這裏的植物不像世界其他地方146 Next to subtropical species,alpine plants grow in giant form.緊臨亞熱帶植物的是生長茂盛的高山區植物147 Crowning the canopy, rhododendrons,up to 30 meters high.萬綠森中點點紅那是高達30公尺的杜鵑花148 In April and May, their flowersturn the forests ruby red,杜鵑花在4、5