Longing for love from Himalaya outposts
Source: Xinhua |
August 11, 2012, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THEY are young. They are dedicated. They secure the country's borders, but often struggle to keep their own marriages or other romantic relationships from falling apart.
China-Nepal border patrol points are located in remote and desolate Himalayan plateau regions nearly 5,000 meters above sea level. A rare visit by Xinhua reporters showed that border guards there work in extremely harsh conditions, both physically and emotionally.
"Summer here is colder than winter in many other places in the country," said Gojo Namgyal, acting deputy head of the Lhatse Gyagya Station in Saga County, Xigaze Prefecture in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.
He said temperatures can easily fall below negative 10 degrees Celsius at night, even in summer. Border guards have to wrap themselves up in two quilts and a sleeping bag to stay warm in their tents. "The conditions are so harsh that none of our soldiers is able to take a shower," Gojo Namgyal said.
The station is manned by 10 young guards - the youngest is just 17. By day, they carry guns on patrol. But at night, there is nothing to do other than stare at the stars, the guards said.
Only three are married. There is no mobile phone reception. Visits by wives and girlfriends are rare, they said.
A 20-year-old guard named Yang Baoqian recalled that he was dying to see his girlfriend one month after he was posted there. The girl he had been dating for over a year was coming to visit on April 1 with the army's regular supply convoy.
But then a blizzard came. The convoy was forced to turn back after running into a section of snow- and ice-covered road just a few kilometers from the patrol station. Upon learning what happened, Yang knelt on the ground, crying "What is this? An April Fool's Day joke?"
When the blizzard passed, Yang traveled to the section of road where the supply convoy stopped. A graffiti-style note scrawled on a rock saying, "I came, but wasn't able to see you." His girlfriend's name was signed at the bottom.
Border guards, from regions all over the country, are primarily tasked with curbing illegal crossings. The guards are also required to help the government deliver welfare shipments to border villagers and participate in disaster relief.
Sang Erfeng, head of the station, quoted a diary from a younger guard who grew up in a city. "There is no iPod and no 3D movies. Crows are my friends during the day, and sometimes I have only sheep to talk to in the depth of those lonely nights."
China-Nepal border patrol points are located in remote and desolate Himalayan plateau regions nearly 5,000 meters above sea level. A rare visit by Xinhua reporters showed that border guards there work in extremely harsh conditions, both physically and emotionally.
"Summer here is colder than winter in many other places in the country," said Gojo Namgyal, acting deputy head of the Lhatse Gyagya Station in Saga County, Xigaze Prefecture in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.
He said temperatures can easily fall below negative 10 degrees Celsius at night, even in summer. Border guards have to wrap themselves up in two quilts and a sleeping bag to stay warm in their tents. "The conditions are so harsh that none of our soldiers is able to take a shower," Gojo Namgyal said.
The station is manned by 10 young guards - the youngest is just 17. By day, they carry guns on patrol. But at night, there is nothing to do other than stare at the stars, the guards said.
Only three are married. There is no mobile phone reception. Visits by wives and girlfriends are rare, they said.
A 20-year-old guard named Yang Baoqian recalled that he was dying to see his girlfriend one month after he was posted there. The girl he had been dating for over a year was coming to visit on April 1 with the army's regular supply convoy.
But then a blizzard came. The convoy was forced to turn back after running into a section of snow- and ice-covered road just a few kilometers from the patrol station. Upon learning what happened, Yang knelt on the ground, crying "What is this? An April Fool's Day joke?"
When the blizzard passed, Yang traveled to the section of road where the supply convoy stopped. A graffiti-style note scrawled on a rock saying, "I came, but wasn't able to see you." His girlfriend's name was signed at the bottom.
Border guards, from regions all over the country, are primarily tasked with curbing illegal crossings. The guards are also required to help the government deliver welfare shipments to border villagers and participate in disaster relief.
Sang Erfeng, head of the station, quoted a diary from a younger guard who grew up in a city. "There is no iPod and no 3D movies. Crows are my friends during the day, and sometimes I have only sheep to talk to in the depth of those lonely nights."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
