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This respect for wildlife extends beyond the monasteries and into the wider community. |
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One of Tibet' s most sacred creatures is the blacknecked crane. |
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In summer they live and breed out on the plateau, but in winter they congregate on farmland. 70 of the world' s population can be found here. The species was only recently identified by scientists, but it' s been known to Tibetans for hundreds of years. In the 17th century, Tibet' s supreme lama wrote, " Crane, lend me your wings, I go no farther than Lithang county, and thence return again." |
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Tibetans believed he was predicting the site of his own reincarnation and in due course his successor was found, |
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sure enough, living in Lithang county. |
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Even today, blacknecked cranes are treated with reverence and are welcomed by farmers as they land in the fields around the villages. |
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duì yě shēng dòng zhí wù de zūn zhòng yǐ jīng cóng sì miào, yán shēn dào le gèng guǎng kuò de shè huì zhōng xī zàng zuì shén shèng de yī zhǒng dòng wù shì hēi jǐng hè xià jì tā men zài gāo yuán shàng fán yǎn shēng xī dōng tiān tā men jù jí zài nóng tián lǐ shì jiè shang 70 de hēi jǐng hè dōu shēng huó zài zhè lǐ jǐn guǎn kē xué jiā zuì jìn cái shí bié chū le zhè zhǒng shēng wù dàn shì xī zàng rén shú shí tā men yǐ jīng yǒu le jǐ bǎi nián zài 17 shì jì xī zàng de dá lài lǎ ma xiě dào" tiān kōng zhōng jié bái de xiān hè, qǐng jiè gěi wǒ nǐ de shuāng chì, wǒ bù fēi wǎng yuǎn chù, zhǐ dào lǐ táng jiù huí" xī zàng rén xiāng xìn tā zài yù yán zhuǎn shì de dì diǎn zài shì dàng de shí hòu, kě yǐ zhǎo dào tā de jì chéng zhě dāng rán jì chéng zhě yí dìng shēng huó zài lǐ táng jí shǐ zài jīn tiān, hēi jǐng hè luò zài cūn zhuāng fù jìn de nóng tián shí nóng mín dōu huì zūn jìng dì huān yíng tā men de dào lái |