Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
FLORA OR FAUNA?
In early summer (May and June) you will see nomads and entrepreneurs camped in the
high passes of eastern Tibet, digging for a strange root known as yartsa gunbu
(Cordiceps sinensis)that locals say is half vegetable, half caterpillar. It is actually a fusion
of a caterpillar and the parasitic fungus that mummifies it and then grows Alien-like out of
the dead caterpillar's head. The Chinese name for the root is dōngchóng xiàcǎo('winter-
worm, summer-grass'), a direct translation of the Tibetan name. Used by long-distance
Chinese runners, it's also nicknamed 'Himalayan Viagra', and is highly prized in Tibetan
and Chinese medicine as an aphrodisiac and tonic similar to ginseng.
Fetching around ¥20,000 (US$3200) per kilo, it's one of the most expensive commod-
ities in Tibet and is fast being harvested to extinction. The business is most lucrative in
Tengchen county, where amazingly it accounts for more than 60% of the local GDP.
Entire tent villages spring up on the grasslands during harvest time, equipped with res-
taurants and shops, causing great environmental damage, and it's not unusual for turf
wars to erupt between local communities and outside speculators. The economic boom
in Tibet and China has caused yartsa gunbufever to spread over the Himalayas, with the
Himalayan gold rush revolutionising local economies as far away as Bhutan, Dolpo and
Ladakh.
The Struggle for Life
The vast differences in altitude in Tibet give rise to a spread of ecosystems from alpine to
subtropical, but generally speaking life on the Tibetan Plateau is a harsh one and travellers
are unlikely to encounter too much in the way of wildlife. Nevertheless, for those that have
the time to get off the beaten track - particularly in western Tibet - or to go trekking in
more remote areas, there are some unusual and understandably hardened species out there.
In the arid climate of much of Tibet, water takes on a special significance. The
lu
(water
spirits) guard the wellbeing of the community and are thought to be very dangerous if
angered.
