Today’s Animal World:
Our Co-Inhabitants
will be presented
in Bunun and Chinese,
with subtitles in Arabic,
Aulacese (Vietnamese),
Chinese, English,
French, German,
Indonesian, Italian,
Japanese, Korean,
Malay, Mongolian,
Persian, Portuguese,
Russian, Spanish
and Thai.
Everywhere in the world,
we can observe
and be touched
by acts of kindness.
People from all walks of
life, faiths, and cultures
extend themselves
beyond the call of duty
to help others
unconditionally.
Through their noble deeds,
humanity as a whole
is elevated.
To commend
virtuous actions and
encourage more people
to be inspired
by their examples,
Supreme Master
Ching Hai
has lovingly created
a series of awards,
including the Shining
World Leadership
Award, Shining World
Compassion Award,
Shining World Hero and
Heroine Awards, Shining
World Honesty Award,
Shining World Protection
Award, Shining World
Intelligence Award,
and Shining World
Inventor Award,
to recognize some
of the most exemplary,
generous, caring,
and courageous people
who walk amongst us.
Today, we’re sitting here
to witness a very humble
indigenous person who,
instead of relying on
educational background,
skills or power,
uses his inner qualities
and the wisdom inherited
from his ancestors to
realize harmony with nature.
He has succeeded
and received a response.
Welcome,
wonderful viewers,
to another edition of
the Shining World
Award series.
Lin Yuan-Yuan,
a member the indigenous
Bunun mountain people
of Formosa (Taiwan),
is a mountain ranger
at the Nan-an Visitors’
Center in Yushan
National Park.
He is known for moving
from the role of a hunter
of the Formosan
Black Bear into a
protector of this precious
endangered species that
is a victim of widespread
poaching and habitat loss.
When asked in
a media interview about
his feelings regarding
his changed lifestyle,
Ranger Lin said,
“I feel happy every time
I’m in the mountains.
When I see an animal,
I no longer want to shoot it.
I want to film it.”
My father once asked me
to take a bottle
to an old graveyard
at 8 pm - three times –
in order to test my courage.
After that, my father said,
“You’re probably
qualified to go into the
mountains in the future.”
In addition to my father
some elders agreed that
I could spend my life
on the mountain.
One of them said to me,
“In the future
this mountain will
belong to you forever.
You will stay
in the mountain and
it will make you rich.”
After working
in the National Park
for over 20 years,
I have come to
understand the meaning
of the elder’s words.
I understand what he meant.
I’m very familiar
with these mountains.
It’s all due to the teachings
of our ancestors.
The mountain
is a very sacred place
to the Bunun people
as retired Bunun priest
Mr. Zhang Yu-Fa explains.
We, Bunun people
are the protectors of
the mountains and forests
because we live around
the Jade Mountain.
We, as parents,
older people, already
believe that there is
an invisible, mysterious
power in the mountains,
and we respect it very much.
When I patrol the
mountain or go to Dafen,
I always start from here.
I tell the ancestors
in the mountains
that I’m setting off.
I say, for example,
“I am leaving now.
I will go to Walami today,
tomorrow
I will be in Bao-ia,
and the day after
I will go to Dafen.
Please help to remove
the stones, the branches
and any undesirable
things along the way.”
By living in the mountains
for many years
and learning skills
from his father,
Ranger Lin is well versed
in wilderness survival.
For carrying water,
you can drink it from this.
Have you encountered
any danger when
bringing tourists here?
Tourists?
Like, maybe it suddenly
started raining very hard?
Yes!
How did you deal with that?
For example, when I took
Professor Yang Yang-Jing
to Dafen, we encountered
a typhoon and couldn’t
pass through the valley.
Yes.
We had to come back.
They were surprised
that I found a huge rock.
We rested under the rock
that night.
You found a huge rock?
Yes.
We spent one night there.
The heavy rain didn’t stop.
The rock was so huge
that we could sleep
in the space under it.
How did you know
there was a huge rock?
Did you find it by chance
or did you know it already?
My father had brought me
there before
and showed me.
In the olden days,
the Bunun, who are
mountain dwellers,
communicated with
one another and
other indigenous peoples
in a very unique way.
Here’s how it’s done.
There was no telephone
before.
When there was a family
event, for example,
when there was going to
be a wedding in five days
or one week, we would
deliver the message
by shouting.
For example,
he lived there and
the other person lived here.
They would find
a very quiet place
for their tribe and use it
for shouting exclusively
to those who lived
across the valley.
Then those people who
lived across the valley
could hear clearly,
but those who lived
behind it couldn’t.
So these people would
shout across to those
on the other side,
and people on that side
would shout to
the next tribe and so on.
How do you do this?
Like this: “la la la la la
la la la oh~~”
Does it mean that
someone is getting
married in your family?
No! It means
I’m inviting you to my
house for a special event.
There are several ways
of shouting.
For example:
“muhuba mu~~”
What does it mean?
It is asking someone
to come over.
Asking someone
to come here? (Yes!)
Safeguarding the animals
of Yushan National Park
is a large responsibility.
Ranger Lin teams up
with three other park
staff members to patrol
the grounds on foot
every month, covering
as much as 40% of the
Park’s 105,000 hectares
(260,000 acres).
I have been working
in the National Park
for a long time. Although
the work is exhausting,
I feel good in my heart.
I need to protect the
mountain of my ancestors
and the animals.
I gradually
got to know them well.
In 1996, Yushan
National Park established
the “Conservation Group
for Black Bears Project”
to actively work
on ecological study
and preservation of
Formosan Black Bears.
Hwang Mei-Hsiu,
an Associate Professor
at the National Pingtung
University of Science and
Technology’s Institute
of Wildlife Conservation,
has been studying
the bears since 1998
and works closely
with Ranger Lin
in her endeavors.
Thus Ranger Lin
has been instrumental
in Formosan Black Bear
protection efforts
for many years.
I’ve worked with several
research groups in the
Yushan National Park.
I guided them.
I’ve worked with
Hwang Mei-Hsiu
on her study of Black Bears
for several years.
I know now that
the study of animals
is related to humans.
The reason for
illegal hunting is simply
the existence
of the black market.
Some buy and some sell.
In fact, the primary
culprit is the buyer who
asks for the gall bladder
and paws of bears,
and eats bear meat.
Brother Lin is a very
important reason I chose
Yushan National Park to
start my Black Bear study.
I noticed that Mr. Lin
is very familiar
with the forest.
To me, a researcher
from the outside,
he would be able to
give much guidance.
He would be a guide.
But later I found that
he turned out to be
a great mentor in my life.
I always call him
“Big Brother.”
I am a researcher and
I admire his relationship
with the land.
I respect and admire him
very much. For example,
he treats the animals,
the plants, and
every kind of species on
the mountain with respect.
People like him
respect nature.
For his dedicated work
to conserve the Formosan
Black Bears of
Yushan National Park,
Supreme Master Ching Hai
honored Ranger
Lin Yuan-Yuan with
the Shining World
Compassion Award.
In recognition of
Immense Bravery and
Loving Care and Protection
Providing Freedom and
Sanctuary for Formosa’s
Majestic Black Bears
Inspiring Ever Higher
Ideals of Kindness and
Respect for All Beings
Along with the Award,
Supreme Master Ching Hai
sent a letter
of gratitude and
appreciation to Ranger Lin
for his noble work.
The following is
a reading of the letter.
Dear Ranger Lin,
It is with great
admiration and gratitude
that we present to you
the “Shining World
Compassion Award.”
This Award is presented
in recognition of
your outstanding success
in protecting
the Black Bears of
Yushan National Park,
for your selfless spirit of
service towards animals
in need and your wisdom,
which helps keep society
and nature in balance.
Compassionately
responding to the needs
of these beautiful
yet endangered species,
you have devoted
your life as the revered
guardian of these rare
‘kings of the forest.’
Your invaluable knowledge
of the bears’ habitat
and behavior is helping
park management
make the right decisions
to ensure the conservation
of these magnificent
beings for all to enjoy.
Thank you, Ranger Lin,
for showing that animals
belong in their natural
habitat and will thrive
if left to enjoy their lives
in peace and happiness.
Your two decades of
dedication protecting
and nurturing these
shy creatures is
an inspiring achievement,
a fine example of love
in action for all to follow.
Often walking
and climbing almost
impassable trails in risky,
mountainous regions
for their sake is a heroic
effort which has already
resulted in positive steps
towards their
continued survival.
May the majestic
Formosan Black Bears
flourish evermore
in safety and well-being
on a gentle and
long-lasting planet.
Wishing you Heaven’s
protection and blessings,
Ranger Lin.
For bravely protecting
the Yushan Black Bears,
for your loving connection
with Mother Earth and
unconditional kindness,
and for being a dedicated
and noble role model,
we hereby applaud
and celebrate
the compassionate deeds
of Mountain Ranger
Yuan-Yuan Lin,
caretaker and guardian
of the forests.
With Great Honor, Love
and Blessings,
Supreme Master Ching Hai
Thank you, Supreme Master.
I’m so glad to receive
this Award from you
today in Nan-an.
Thank you!
In addition to the Award
and letter,
Supreme Master Ching Hai
provided Ranger Lin
with US$10,000 to
support his noble work.
Who is singing loudly
in the mountains?
It’s Iser
singing loudly there.
All strong men are like him.
This is the ancient teaching
from our ancestors.
Lead everyone to
the peak of the mountain
to sing out loud.
Those who are called
“the wise.”
are all very sincere.
Those who are called
“the brave”
are all far-sighted.
The teachings
of the ancestors
are now very clearly
understood.
Keep moving forward,
and you will surely
get higher and higher.
With Heaven’s grace,
everyone is protected.
Ranger Lin also received
from Supreme Master
Ching Hai a selection
of her DVDs and books
including
“From Crisis to Peace,”
“The Realization of Health”
and her #1
international bestsellers
“The Birds In My Life,”
“The Dogs In My Life”
and
“The Noble Wilds.”
Our warmest
congratulations to you
Ranger Lin Yuan-Yuan
for being honored
with the Shining World
Compassion Award.
May you continue
to vigilantly safeguard
the Formosan Black Bears
of Yushan National Park,
while enlightening the
public about the beauty
and majesty of
these beautiful,
endangered beings.
Friendly viewers,
we thank you
for watching this edition
of the Shining World
Award series.
May love forever permeate
our splendid world.