CRI听力:A 70-Year-Old's Passion for Africa

Hello, and welcome to this edition of Africa Express here on China Radio International. I'm your host, Wei Tong.

Today we'll come to the final episode relating the experience of An Youzhong, a 70-year-old Chinese photographer in Africa.

An Youzhong unveiled that the most exciting aspect of his African tour was that he managed to photograph legendary pigmies, a group of small people who inhabit in the thick tropical jungle of Africa. This makes him the first Chinese photographer to picture these aboriginal people. So how did he manage to reach the hard-to-get thick jungle and communicate with the pigmies? Please stay tuned...

With strong curiosity, An Youzhong risked his life to picture these pigmies. For a man aged 70, it was really not a simple task.

"Photographing pigmies is full of danger and ordeal. Pigmies inhabit places deep in the primitive forests of the East African Great Rift Valley. It is a virgin land. There are areas upon which no man has ever set foot. Furthermore, there are some species of wild animal that have never been found."

Pigmies are one of the most aboriginal races in Africa. They feed on tree leaves, fruits and insects. The jungle is their home. Since they are of small build, with tender skin, they are regarded as monsters, as neither man nor beast - and often attacked and eaten by cannibals. In addition, through some regional conflicts, the number of pigmies has seen a sharp decrease in recent years - from millions down to only 200,000. In order to protect them, the Ugandan government has called on some pigmies to move to cities. They have built houses for them and offered their kids access to education.

As soon as he got to Uganda, An Youzhong asked the government officials and locals whether he could find pigmies. They were also not clear as to the location of their settlements. Not until his visa was about to expire did he get an accurate clue to track the pigmies.

"A Chinese friend told me one of his colleagues had a photo featuring pigmies, and taken just a few days before. I then drove a car 500 miles away to the rift valley. It was really a scary journey. The winding road was only 3 to 4 meters wide. Beyond the road was a bottomless valley. Sometimes I could see cars dropped in the valley and hear their engines. It took me three hours to travel only 40 miles."

But there was still not any trace of pigmies. The bumpy road made An Youzhong feel sick. Just as he was hesitating as to whether to drive back home, at a turning, he suddenly found a pigmy family, building a house.

"I was extremely excited at that moment. I stopped my car and kept on pressing the shutter. I took pictures with them – some of whom are only 1.40 meters tall. Our height difference can obviously be seen from the picture. I was the tallest of all. More and more pigmies gathered around me. They were friendly but I felt a bit nervous for fear of my camera being snapped by one of them."

After he returned to China, An Youzhong published a book showing the Chinese public a real picture of pigmies. He is honored as the first Chinese to have photographed this jungle race.

An Youzhong told me that he plans to go to Africa again. If possible, he will stay longer and visit more countries next time. Many of his friends think he is too old to venture out again. But he does not mind the worries.

"The trip to Uganda totally changed my distorted conceptions of Africa. The continent is really a charming place, an Eden on earth. I don't think I am too old to venture there. I find it a pleasure. I am keeping that balance in mind."

A French who has the Chinese name Lu Ming admires An Youzhong's bravery.

"He is near 70 years old but still adventurous. As far as I am concerned, some Chinese youngsters may not have the courage to voyage to Africa even if they know English well. I admire his courage."

His view is echoed by a renowned Chinese artist Chang Guitian.

"He is quite open. He doesn't have many taboos or restrictions before making decisions. He is aged 70 but has the mind of a 17 year old."

Ugandan ambassador to China, Madibo Wagidoso, praises An Youzhong as a culture messenger between China and Uganda. Chinese people can learn of a real Uganda through his pictures. To some extent, he has made his contribution to the tourism industry of Uganda. Madibo invites An Youzhong to visit his country again, so as to promote the China-Uganda friendship.

Now that's all from Chinese photographer An Youzhong. I am Wei Tong. Thanks for listening and bye for now!