Herder ensures 'mother' is safe

Editor's note: This year, the People's Republic of China celebrates its 75th anniversary, marking a crucial year for achieving the goals and tasks outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25). China Daily is publishing a visual series focusing on the high-quality development of various fields, capturing the process of Chinese-style modernization through photographic images. This week, we are highlighting a herder's family who lives at the source area of the Yellow River.

Family members of Karchug, dubbed "the first family at the Yellow River source", take a photo by the river. (Zou Hong/China Daily)

Often referred to as a "mother river" by Chinese people, the Yellow River frequently impresses sightseers with its grandeur.

Yet at its source area in Qumarleb county, Qinghai province, the scene looks vastly different. Here, the water that feeds the mighty Yellow River is just a creek, where streams gurgle through the ground.

This is the place where Karchug resides.

The 37-year-old Tibetan herder's family has lived a mere 3 kilometers away from the river's source, at Yoigilangleb Basin, for generations. At 4 am each day, Sodnamkyi, Karchug's elder sister, goes to the river to collect water for the family and their yaks.

Karchug and his family salute at the source area of the Yellow River. (Zou Hong/China Daily)

Apart from being a herdsman, Karchug has a more significant role — serving as the river's "first guardian". At his house, a stone pillar is inscribed with the characters "Yellow River's first outpost", and he devotes himself to fulfilling his protection duties.

Riding his motorcycle, he carries rations with him as he embarks on his daily patrols, recording the activities and major changes among the wildlife, plants, and snow line.

Karchug and his family at a stele inscribed with the words "Yellow River Source". (Zou Hong/China Daily)

Karchug told China Daily that ever since he was young, his parents have instilled in him the importance of taking care of the environment, as life along the river would suffer if the river was polluted at its source.

He has passed on this duty to his children. These days, whenever they have school holidays, he takes them to pick up garbage in the area. He said he will continue to promote this responsibility to them so that they will continue this work in the future.

His family lives by a stream that eventually becomes the Yellow River. (Zou Hong/China Daily)

Karchug's niece Drolma (right) and nephew Rinchen Dorje tend to one of their yaks. (Zou Hong/China Daily)

Karchug and his family patrol the Yellow River and pick up garbage around it. (Zou Hong/China Daily)

Family members of Karchug (right) get together every evening for a chat at his home at the source area of the Yellow River in Qumarleb, Qinghai province, drinking boiled water from the Yellow River. (Zou Hong/China Daily)

Karchug's elder sister Sodnamkyi holds a glass of boiled Yellow River water. (Zou Hong/China Daily)