Mobile library delivers literary fragrance to herders

XINING, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Shen Yanlong has two identities: a herdsman and a librarian, but his role as a librarian is far from usual. He travels on horseback with a mobile library, earning him the title of "librarian on horseback."

Shen, 45, resides in Dalang Village, Qilian County of Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province in northwest China. The library under his care is nestled within mountainous terrain, which has an average altitude of 3,300 meters above sea level.

Shen shouldered the responsibility of running the library five years ago, when the Qilian County started a reading advocacy campaign in his village.

Since then, Shen has been setting off early in the morning accompanied by his trusty horse and sometimes his wife, Zhao Hongmei. Their work delivering books is a true portrayal of their dedication, with Shen and Zhao often covered in mud during the summer and dust during the winter.

Due to the rugged terrain with deep valleys and steep mountains, nomads in the area live scattered, and it takes a whole day for the couple to reach several households, even if they follow existing roads.

"Even over great distances, the yearning for knowledge among these herders remains unbroken," said Shen. He draws increasing satisfaction from the mobile library's role as a means for herders to learn more about the broader world.

Shen is also well aware of the reading needs of the herdsmen and some of the most sought-after books among them are the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, the King Gesar epic, and books on scientific breeding.

Cengong Sanzhibo is among the eager readers served by the mobile library. "The librarian brings us two books each month, and whenever we are close to finishing a book, he comes to give us a replacement," said the 37-year-old herdsman.

"Although we may not have a high level of education, reading is beneficial in expanding our perspectives," he added.

Over the past five years, Cengong Sanzhibo has not only completed reading renowned works like "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms," which is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, but has also gradually cultivated a deep interest in books related to traditional Chinese culture.

"Sometimes when I'm tired from herding, I would lie on the grassland and contemplate the fate of the characters in the books. Reading makes me feel more emotionally empowered," he said.

Cengong Sanzhibo and other readers are the reason why Shen persists in his job, despite the challenges he faces while traveling along the roads.

During the summer months, the rivers that have to be crossed on the book delivery route often experience flooding. Sometimes, the strong currents can reach up to the horse's belly, and there have been several occasions when Shen was almost swept away by the water.

But Shen said it is a bittersweet experience. Along the roads, he encounters lush forests, rippling streams, snow-capped mountains, and grassland covered in blooming flowers throughout the year.

"Summer is the most beautiful season on the grassland, and it's also when the herders read the most," he said.

The herders move with their livestock to pastures with more abundant water and grass from July to November and maintain a monotonous routine of taking care of the animals, and so when it gets quiet at night, more of them turn to reading books, he added.

Shen said reading has become a tool to resist loneliness. Today, the delivery team has grown into six members, aged between 33 and 45.

"The world in the mountains is limited, but books can take us to places where the footsteps of the herdsmen cannot reach," said Sonam, one of the deliverymen.

According to Bao Xianqin, Party chief of Yeniugou Township, which administers Dalang Village, libraries on horseback are reaching out to more villages, and more and more offspring of herders have recognized the significance of reading and education.