CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Tuesday, June 16, 2020 | 7 CHINA Raised in reeds, milu find a home to roam Populations of the especially when they live in the thick reeds that are 4 to 5 meters tall,” said large deer in the team leader Song Yucheng, who is Dongting Lake area also deputy chief engineer of the nature reserve and a member of the are on the rise milu conservation association. Early in 2009, Song saw a milu for thanks to efforts of the first time when he was studying conservationists for his doctorate in zoology. Since then, he has helped protect and expand the habitats of the species at CHANGSHA — Milu, also known Dongting Lake. as Pere David’s deer, are herd ani Whenever a research team mem mals that usually shun humans, but ber spies a deer through his or her when Diandian comes into contact telescope they can barely contain with people at a nature reserve in their excitement. Yueyang, Hunan province, she is Each member has a specific calm. research role, with some flying Eight years ago, 1weekold Dian drones, some counting the number dian was left behind by her herd. of milu and some estimating the age When people found her in the reeds of the males based on the shape and of a lake, she looked too weak and size of their antlers. emaciated to survive. As the flood season approaches, Raised by keepers at the East Song and his colleagues are gearing Dongting Lake National Nature up for their busiest time of the year. Reserve, Diandian gradually started They will patrol the lake area day treating people as her friends. and night to search for stranded and Today, she is the mother of three injured deer, monitor the flood milu, thanks to the attention and intensity and supply feed for the ani care shown to her by staff members mals when needed. at the reserve. The past several years have wit “Most milu break into a gallop nessed the gradual recovery of the once someone approaches, but milu population. Once extinct in Diandian is deliberate in her actions China, its native land, and with only and unhurried,” said Li Zheng, a 18 individuals surviving in the keeper at the reserve who has taken world, the milu deer is now prosper care of Diandian for years. Clockwise from top: A herd of milu deer wanders around the wetland in the East Dongting Lake National Nature Reserve in Hunan pro ing in its home country. Li is also the president of a milu vince. LI GA / XINHUA A male milu drinks from a pond in the reserve on May 26. WANG XINYI / XINHUA A member of a research team counts the num As the environment improves in conservation association in Yueyang ber of milu through his telescope on May 27. CAI XIAOXIAO / XINHUA and around Dongting Lake, China’s and head of a local milu and bird secondlargest freshwater lake, the rescue center, where 11 deer, includ wetland has become a haven once ing Diandian, have their families. “I fed Diandian some fresh aspar ring to the Mandarin word for tion in Yueyang. “As our country is equipment that once posed a threat again for a number of wildlife spe The breeding season starts in agus shoots and leaves for breakfast “threethree”. placing more emphasis on environ to the animals is no longer seen in cies, including migratory birds and March and it is the busiest time for as usual, and moments later when I Li was initially driven by curiosity mental and wildlife protection, peo nature reserves. the Yangtze finless porpoise. Li and his colleagues as they need to returned, a newborn milu was tee about the animals, and he has since ple are increasingly aware that milu On May 27, a team of experts went “We will continue to protect these work extra hours to take care of the tering right beside her,” Li said. developed a deep affection for milu are Stateprotected animals,” Li on patrol to observe a herd of milu precious animals and their living animals until midMay. “Since it is her third calf and born and is determined to protect them. said. near Dongting Lake. environment,” Song said. He vividly remembers 7:58 am on in the third month of the year, we From 2016, he has been on the Milu habitats are usually centered “It takes time and luck to spot one March 18 this year. named it Sansan,” he added, refer front line of milu rescue and protec around water, and Li said fishing and figure out the total number, XINHUA Thais impressed by Chinese tech training
By YANG CHENG in Tianjin tributing to the coastal city. He [email protected] received the award for fostering Chinese vocational education over I was lucky to speak Thai student Nattawut Thusawut, seas and fundraising for the Luban who was raised by his grandmother, Workshop. fluent Chinese after said attending a Luban Workshop at Over the past 5 years, the Luban the training course a college in his home country Workshop in Ayutthaya has expand changed his life. ed from 232 square meters to 2,000 and shared many light The 21yearold studied mechat sq m. It offers courses in mechatron moments with the ronics at Ayutthaya Technical Col ics and robotics, new energy vehi lege in Thailand, the first overseas cles, the internet of things, teachers, including institution to join the vocational computing and highspeed train eating dumplings technology training program Jarun Youbrum, director of technology. launched by Tianjin education Ayutthaya Technical College To date, more than 6,000 students during Chinese folk authorities in 2016. have joined the project. The diplo festivals.” Nattawut said his mother died ma issued by the Luban Workshop A sanitation worker cleans up garbage on the Grand Canal in a Luban when he was young and his father knowledge, but also form ties with is recognized by Thai education Nattawut Thusawut, Yangliuqing, Tianjin, on June 5. SONG RUI / XINHUA Workshop graduate in Thailand abandoned him. “My father only left their Chinese instructors that result authorities. me with a computer,” he said in an in closer bonds, he said. Workshop students have won interview with Tianjin TV and the Jarun Youbrum, Ayutthaya Tech many international and ASEAN Tianjin’s vocational training Tianjin Bohai Vocational Techno nical College’s 61yearold director, competitions for automated schools will be set up in Africa. Grand Canal cleanup logical College’s TV station. said the Luban Workshop can help machinery skills, which has bur The workshops are named after He said the workshop became his students from Association of South nished the school’s reputation for the Chinese craftsman and inventor “second home” and he developed a east Asian Nations member states excellence. Lu Ban of the Spring and Autumn benefits Tianjin township close personal bond with his Chi gain a worldclass education. Enrollment applications have Period (770476 BC), who was nese teachers and friends. He said the Luban Workshop at also come from other countries, revered as the embodiment of pro “I was lucky to speak fluent Chi his college was an example of how to including Indonesia and Malaysia. fessional and technical excellence. TIANJIN — At dawn, Ren Zhao pollution. Since 2017, a total of 245 nese after the training course and boost global training and crosscul Bai Haili, deputy director of the Ten workshops have been estab yong started his daily patrol along companies in Yangliuqing have shared many enjoyable moments tural communications. Tianjin Education Committee, said lished in Asia, Africa and Europe, side the Grand Canal to check been shut down, relocated or with the teachers, including eating “Nothing is greater than sharing to honor the commitment Presi providing skills training and certifi whether there was rubbish float upgraded. dumplings during Chinese folk fes education,” said Jarun, who was dent Xi Jinping made at the Beijing cation for more than 100,000 stu ing on the water or washed up on Under the river chief system, 40 tivals,” Nattawut said. recently given the Haihe Friend Summit of the Forum on ChinaAf dents in nearly 20 fields, including the shore. cadres at various levels are desig Students accepted into the pro ship Award in Tianjin, the top rica Cooperation in Beijing in 2018, transportation, mechanics and new Ren is the Party chief of Dong nated as river chiefs for environ gram not only acquire skills and award granted to foreigners con 10 Luban Workshops initiated by energy. niantuozui village, Yangliuqing mental protection of the canal’s township in Xiqing district, Tian Xiqing section. jin. Yu Shengmin, 57, who has In January 2018, he was worked as a cleaner along the Knotmaking skills kept alive online by craftswoman appointed as the river chief waterway since 2012, said in the responsible for the protection of past cleaners salvaged about two the water environment of the metric tons of garbage every day. TIANJIN — Resting her phone on taught her fans how to make differ canal section in his village. “Nowadays, little garbage can be a stand and adjusting the angle of ent Chinese knots step by step. The Grand Canal, the world’s seen in the canal, except for some the lighting, 49yearold Lyu Min “I have more than 200 followers longest manmade waterway, fallen leaves,” Yu said. started her livestreaming session — right now. I see more and more Chi stretches 3,200 kilometers from Several other measures have her daily routine during the novel nese knot enthusiasts on online Beijing to Hangzhou, capital of been adopted to clear the water coronavirus outbreak. platforms,” she said. Zhejiang province. way, including dredging the canal, Clad in a qipao, a traditional Lyu has integrated the antiepi The canal’s history dates back growing plants that can absorb Chinese dress, Lyu started the demic spirit into her works, express more than 2,500 years, and it once pollutants, restoring rock livestreaming session from her ing the determination and served as an important waterway embankments and repairing workshop at 10 am, sharing the art confidence of the Chinese people to for transporting supplies to Bei dams. of making Chinese knots with defeat the epidemic. jing. A stretch of the canal of over Last year, the local government many handicraft lovers in Tianjin. “I have a deep affection for 1,000 km was recognized as a completed the construction of a Lyu, an inheritor of the art of Wuhan (in Hubei province), where world heritage site in 2014. sewage pipe network, along with making Chinese knots, which is I exhibited my works in 2019. Chi The 29.2km Xiqing section of treatment stations located in villa listed as an intangible cultural nese knots are popular among the Grand Canal not only meets ges along the canal. After the waste heritage in Tianjin, became a many local people, and I made lots industrial, agricultural and water had been treated, it was fit for livestreaming host during the of friends there,” Lyu said. domestic needs, but also nourishes agricultural use. COVID19 epidemic. She designed a special Chinese the local economy and culture. Li Baolei, deputy Party chief of “Though the sales of Chinese knot to express her gratitude to the Since the 1980s, many factories Yangliuqing, said the improved knots have dropped a lot, I’m still medics of Tianjin who were dis have been built along the canal. water environment also has eco optimistic I can ride out the pres Lyu Min livestreams the art of making Chinese knots at her home in patched to aid Wuhan, the Chinese However, some of them secretly nomic benefits. sure brought by the outbreak. I can Tianjin. SONG RUI / XINHUA city hit hardest by the epidemic, sev discharged industrial wastewater “As the lives of the villagers make full use of this period to eral months ago. and sewage into the waterway and improved and with more compa improve my weaving techniques “I am using a length of colored rubbish was piled on the shore. nies willing to invest here, we have and revive this traditional handi livestreaming every day and record under control in China, Lyu said cord and perseverance to keep this “The water was as black as soy realized the essence of the idea craft online,” she said. a huge number of educational vid livestreaming classes can satisfy Chi traditional art of Chinese knots alive sauce, with a foul smell. No one that clear waters and green moun Lyu is quite new to the world of eos,” Lyu said. nese knot lovers’ curiosity and their online and help more people under was willing to go close to it,” Ren tains are as valuable as mountains livestreaming, having bought all the As facetoface interaction is still eagerness to learn the handicraft. stand it,” Lyu said. said. of gold and silver,” Li said. necessary equipment after follow impractical for many, even as the During one of her classes, Lyu In 2015, the local government ing her friends’ advice. “I practice outbreak has been largely brought intertwined the threads as she XINHUA started a campaign to stop water XINHUA