For over four decades, Xi Zhinong has wielded his camera as a catalyst for change. From capturing the first footage of the endangered Yunnan snub-nosed monkey to chasing the elusive snow leopard alongside park herders, his lens has traced the heartbeat of biodiversity on the Chinese mainland.
In the mist of the Honghe River Valley, Xi recorded the rare green peafowl's haunting call – a moment that sparked conversations about protecting fragile ecosystems. His images reached beyond magazines and galleries; they landed on policymakers’ desks, laying the groundwork for a network of protected areas.
Today, China boasts 1.1 million square kilometers of national parks – an expanse rivaling large nations. But for Xi, true conservation isn't only about lines on a map.
"The ultimate means of conservation is to build protected areas and national parks in people's hearts," he says.
Xi’s journey offers a blueprint for a new generation of global citizens: tap into storytelling, champion data-driven policies, and connect communities across borders. Whether you're an entrepreneur exploring green tech, a digital nomad seeking immersive travel, or an activist driving sustainability, Xi’s work shows how passion and persistence can transform the wild spaces we cherish.
As climate change and habitat loss accelerate, his message rings louder than ever: conservation is a shared mission. Through one photographer’s vision, we get a glimpse of how building national parks in our hearts might just save the planet’s most precious inhabitants.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
