Chapter Ten: Visiting the Nomadic Herders

54

Zhangyang's passenger van headed toward Nagqu. Their next destination was Lake Namtso, whose name in Tibetan means "Heavenly Lake."

Along the way, whenever they spotted a large group of nomadic herders, Zhangyang would stop the van and accompany Zashi to meet the group's leader and inquire about the whereabouts of the original handwritten manuscript. Zhangyang and his party continued their journey, stopping at one place after another.

In the afternoon, the van arrived at the lakeshore of Namtso. Zhangyang and the others headed toward a herder settlement, where Meido and Annie chatted casually with the herder women.

Zhangyang accompanied Zashi to visit the leader of the herders.

A little later, Annie went for a walk along the lakeshore by herself and unexpectedly ran into Dage Gesang.

Annie asked in surprise, "Gesang, what are you doing here?"

"My paternal uncle lives here. He's Dage Wangdui, the leader of the local herders. I've come to record the activities of the annual horse-racing festival, which will soon be held in Nagqu, and took the opportunity to visit him."

"I see. I was actually planning to look for you after returning to Lhasa and ask you for some information."

"Annie, I saw the poem you sent me in reply."

Annie blushed and said shyly, "Oh?"

"Annie, do you believe in reincarnation?"

"Well... I can't really say. That elderly lama at Ramoche Monastery said I was the reincarnation of Princess Wencheng. I still find the idea rather unbelievable."

"You really are. It's just that you don't have memories of your previous life."

Annie asked in confusion, "Memories of my previous life?"

"Yes. It wasn't until I returned to Tibet that I gradually began recovering fragments of my memories from my previous life."

Annie asked curiously, "Can that old lama really see my past life?"

"He probably can. I've gradually come to believe that in my previous life I was Songtsen Gampo, the king of Tibet, and you were Princess Wencheng, who came from Chang'an. Our marriage in that previous life was destined to bring us together again in this lifetime."

"But I remember you telling me that you came from Taiwan."

"That's the mystery of reincarnation. You came from America, and I came from Taiwan, but fate brought us together in Tibet."

"Gesang, actually, when I met you on Barkhor Street in Lhasa, I already had a vague feeling that I had known you before. But I feel that we've only just met. Even if, as you say, we're destined to be together in this lifetime, we still need time to get to know each other, don't we? A friendship has to develop into a romantic relationship. That's what falling in love is all about."

Gesang smiled. "That's true. We need time to get to know each other. By the way, what brings you here?"

"I'm traveling around with my father, searching for a lost family heirloom."

"Searching for a family heirloom? What kind of item is it? Is there anything I can do to help?"

"It's the original handwritten manuscript of the love poems written by the love monk Tsangyang Gyatso during his lifetime. We're descendants of Tsangyang Gyatso."

"The original manuscript of the love monk's poems? That could be quite difficult to find. I've read the entire collection of love poems and studied the life of the love monk Tsangyang Gyatso. His romantic spirit fascinates me, but I've never thought about this particular matter. Perhaps my friend at the Cultural Relics Bureau can help find some clues."

"A friend at the Cultural Relics Bureau? Don't even mention those weasels! They've been following us all the way from Lhasa."

Gesang asked in confusion, "They've been following you?"

"It's a long story. At first, I thought just like you and wanted to ask the Cultural Relics Bureau for help. I never expected that I'd end up letting the wolf into the house."

"You mean they want to get their hands on the handwritten love-poem manuscript?"

"Exactly. Perhaps they consider the manuscript an extremely important historical relic."

"If it's an important historical relic, then it should be collected and preserved by the official Cultural Relics Bureau."

"But my father doesn't see it that way. It's a family heirloom belonging to the Tsangyang family! My father feels that he has a responsibility to recover the manuscript."

Gesang summed up the situation. "So Professor Zashi, your father, doesn't want the authorities involved, but the Cultural Relics Bureau is actively trying to intervene."

Annie nodded. "That's exactly what's happening."

Gesang asked, "Have you found any clues?"

"More or less. A presiding lama told my father that the manuscript had been taken away by a group of Tibetan nomadic herders."

"Taken away by a group of herders? Did the lama mention which group it was?"

"No. The presiding lama himself didn't know."

"That will make the search very difficult. It'll be like looking for a needle in a haystack. But my uncle knows a lot of people. Perhaps he can help make some inquiries."

"Thank you, Gesang. But my father doesn't want this matter made public. The authorities are already keeping an eye on us."

Gesang thought for a moment and said, "There's still a way to handle this. I'll discuss it with my uncle, then accompany you on the search."

Gesang gathered his courage and asked, "Annie, may I hold your hand?"

Annie smiled and nodded. Gesang took her hand, and the two walked along the lakeshore, gazing at the waterfowl circling above the lake and the golden light shimmering across its surface.

55

In the living room of Dage Wangdui's home, the leader of the herders personally received Zashi and Zhangyang.

Zhangyang explained the purpose of their visit to Dage Wangdui in Tibetan.

Wangdui said, "Professor, I've never seen that sandalwood box decorated with gold. You could go to our tribal chief, Dorje Tenzin. He's widely traveled and knowledgeable. Perhaps he can provide you with some clues."

Zashi said, "In that case, could I ask you to help arrange an introduction to Chief Dorje Tenzin?"

Wangdui replied, "I'll write you a personal letter to take to Nagqu. The horse-racing festival is being held there now. Go and look for Dorje Tenzin."

Zashi clasped his hands together in a traditional gesture and bowed three times. "Thank you, Chief, for your assistance."

Just then, Gesang and Annie walked in. Meido and Zhangyang, who were already there, were both surprised to see the two arrive together.

Zashi asked in surprise, "Gesang, what brings you here?"

Gesang said, "Good to see you, Professor. I happened to run into Annie by the lakeshore just now."

Wangdui said, "Gesang is my nephew. He often comes to visit me."

Gesang stepped forward and whispered a few words into Wangdui's ear. Wangdui whispered a few words in reply.

Wangdui then said, "Professor Zashi, my nephew Gesang happens to be going to Nagqu to watch the horse-racing festival. He can take you there to meet our tribal chief, Dorje Tenzin."

Zashi said, "Chief, thank you very much for your generous assistance."

Hearing that Gesang would be joining them, Zhangyang felt displeased and began to have a bad feeling about the situation.

56

The following morning, Zashi and his party drove away from the nomadic herder settlement near Namtso. There was now one additional passenger in the vehicle: Gesang.

Zhangyang kept glancing at the rearview mirror, occasionally looking toward the back seats. Annie, Meido, and Gesang were chatting and laughing together, which left Zhangyang feeling rather uncomfortable.

Meido said, "One of my college classmates took a trip to Taiwan last spring. She said that during cherry blossom season on Alishan, when you walk through the forest, the petals fall like snowflakes. Gesang, is Alishan really that beautiful?"

Gesang replied, "Most visitors from mainland China who go to Alishan only visit the forest park to see the giant ancient trees and ride the forest railway. Actually, when you travel to Alishan, you should spend a few days staying at guesthouses in Tsou villages such as Tefuye, Dabang, and Shanmei. Most of these guesthouses are nestled among tea plantations more than two thousand meters above sea level, where clouds and mist drift through the mountains. You'll feel as if you've arrived in a paradise on earth."

Annie said, "When I traveled to Taiwan, I only visited Sun Moon Lake. It's a shame I never made it up to Alishan."

Gesang said, "Annie, I'll take you back to Alishan one day. There's a saying in Taiwan: Even an unattractive bride must eventually meet her in-laws. My maternal grandfather's family lives in Dabang, a Tsou village on Alishan."

Annie said coyly, "You haven't even started dating me, and already you want me to be your wife. You're taking advantage of me!"

Gesang laughed. "Aren't we starting to date now, Annie?"

Annie said shyly, "Who starts dating like this? You haven't even brought me flowers, asked me out for coffee, or invited me to a movie!"

Gesang replied, "We're in Shangri-La. Drinking coffee and going to the movies aren't popular activities here! If you don't believe me, ask Meido."

Meido said, "Young men and women in the cities still enjoy romantic dates."

Annie laughed. "Ha! Meido just proved you wrong!"

A wry smile briefly crossed Zhangyang's face as he drove. "Annie never seems to have been this happy when she's with me."

Zashi said, "Perhaps it's a cultural difference. Annie grew up in America, so her behavior and manner are more American in style."

Zhangyang put a music CD into the player and played some popular songs, letting the music drown out the conversation that followed between them.

Zhangyang asked in confusion, "Professor, what exactly does American style mean?"

"Simply put, it means being straightforward, uninhibited, and not beating around the bush."

"I get it! But I'm pretty uninhibited myself!"

Hearing the jealousy in Zhangyang's words, Zashi replied pointedly, "Zhangyang, both you and Gesang are people Annie has only recently met. I won't interfere with whom she chooses to be friends with."

57

When Zashi and his party arrived in Nagqu and entered the urban area, they were immediately spotted at an intersection by an alert local traffic police officer. The officer promptly got on his police motorcycle and began following them, while using his radio to notify the traffic police headquarters.

"Reporting to headquarters. This is unit LS0157. Over."

"This is headquarters. Unit LS0157, go ahead. Over."

"I've spotted a vehicle listed in the search-and-locate notice. License plate number: Tibetan A25NA0."

"Copy that, unit LS0157. We can see your location. Continue following and monitoring the vehicle. We'll dispatch a police car to assist you immediately. Over."

Looking in the rearview mirror, Zashi spotted a police motorcycle following them.

"Zhangyang, we're being followed by the public security police."

Zhangyang glanced at the rearview mirror. "Li Ming really won't give up! What should we do?"

Zashi said, "Let's stay calm and wait for the right moment. First, we'll find a hotel in the busy downtown area and check in. Then we'll look for an opportunity to shake them off."

Zhangyang drove the passenger van into the busy commercial district and stopped in front of a hotel. The group gathered their luggage and entered the hotel.

The traffic police motorcycle remained hidden around the corner at the entrance to an alley. The officer continued monitoring the situation while reporting to headquarters by radio.

58

Inside the office of the Cultural Relics Bureau in Lhasa, Director Dawa received a phone call from the Nagqu Public Security Bureau.

"...All right. Please continue assigning personnel from your unit to keep the group under close surveillance."

"May I ask for your instructions, sir? Do you need our assistance in arresting these people?"

"These people haven't committed any criminal offense. You only need to assist with surveillance. I'll send someone over immediately to take charge."

"Yes, sir."

Dawa hung up the phone and gave his instructions.

"Li Ming, Yangjin, the two of you must leave immediately for Nagqu and take over the operation."

Li Ming and Yangjin stood up from their seats and answered in unison, "Yes, Director."

Dawa reminded them, "Remember, stay alert and act smartly. Don't mess things up again."

Li Ming and Yangjin replied together, "Yes, Director."

The two immediately left the office.