胜地（1998）

我们生活在太阳系中最多样化的行星上
We live on the most diverse planet
in the solar system.
当我们探索世界景观的多样性时，它的丰富多彩
Its vast richness is revealed when
we explore the variety
就显露出来了
of our world’s landscapes.
这是一次探索之旅
This is an adventure of discovery
探索地球上7个最引人注目的景观
to seven of the planet’s most
dramatic landscapes
和自然奇观
and natural wonders.
也许这些是最壮观的地方
Perhaps these are the greatest places.
【 胜 地 】
大约50亿年前，我们的太阳系形成了
Some five billion years ago,
our solar system took form.
超过2亿年前
More than 200 million years ago
地球的超级大♥陆♥盘♥古♥大♥陆♥开始分♥裂♥
Earth’s supercontinent, Pangaea,
began to separate.
新的海岸线、大♥陆♥、岛屿和山脉
New coastlines, continents,
islands and mountain ranges
都是在巨大的裂变中形成的
were formed in massive upheaval.
最壮观的地方开始成形
The greatest places began to take shape.
格陵兰岛成为世界上最大的岛屿
Greenland became
the largest island in the world.
非洲变成了一个独♥立♥的大♥陆♥
Africa became a separate continent.
奥卡万戈三角洲和纳米布沙漠地区形成
The Okavango Delta and the Namib
Desert Regions were formed.
从非洲脱离出来后，南美洲
Severed from Africa,
South America was carved in part
又被亚马逊河和伊瓜苏河分割
by the rivers Amazon and Iguazu.
印度与亚洲碰撞
India collided with Asia
使西♥藏♥高原隆起
uplifting the great plateau of Tibet.
马达加斯加与非洲分离
Madagascar separated from Africa
成为一个岛屿 –
and became an island –
最壮观的地方之一
one of the greatest places.
在地质力量的推动下
Set adrift by the forces of geology
马达加斯加变成了一个时间胶囊
Madagascar became a time capsule
在那里，生命在4000万年中与世隔绝地进化
where, for 40 million years,
life evolved in isolation.
这个岛屿方舟承载着其它地方找不到的生命…
This island ark carries life
found nowhere else…
是时间与地点鲜活的
Living treasures of place
珍藏
and time.
这是狐猴的王国
This is the kingdom of the lemur.
马达加斯加是地球上唯一发现狐猴的地方
Madagascar is the only place
on earth where lemurs are found.
在大♥陆♥，狐猴的祖先在竞争中败给了
On the mainland, the lemur’s
ancestors were out-competed
较晚进化的猴子
by later-evolving monkeys.
但在独处的马达加斯加岛上，
这些古老的灵长类动物却繁衍生息
But left alone on Madagascar,
these ancient primates thrived.
这里生长着一种倒立的树 –
Here grow the most species
of the upside-down tree-
看起来它的根好像悬在空中 –
Looking like its roots are in the air-
猴面包树
the baobab.
这只巨型变色龙在岛上生活了1000年
This giant lives for a thousand years
世界上近三分之二的
on the island where nearly two-thirds
变色龙都在岛上追踪它们的猎物
of the world’s species
of chameleons stalk their prey.
在世界上所有岛屿中
Of all the world’s islands
马达加斯加拥有最多的本土物种
Madagascar has the most native species.
在这里，仙人掌可以长到树那么高
Here, where a cactus may grow as tall as a tree
环尾狐猴已经从以森林树叶为食变成了
the ring-tailed lemur has
adapted from forest leaf eater
仙人掌的行家
to connoisseur of cactus.
数百万年的风吹雨打
Millions of years of rain and wind
使石灰岩尖峰显露出来
have exposed limestone pinnacles-
无声地提醒着塑造马达加斯加的力量
silent reminders of the forces
that shaped Madagascar
从它被从非洲的基岩上被撕裂时就形成了
from the time it was torn
from the bedrock of Africa.
马达加斯加的与世隔绝
Madagascar’s isolation
使狐猴得以繁荣地繁衍和多样化
allowed the lemurs to flourish and to diversify.
许多物种都存在，包括黑狐猴
Numerous species exist,
including the black lemur
它的雄性是深黑色的
whose males are jet black.
这个物种的雌性是锈棕色的
But the females of the species are rusty brown.
环尾狐猴是最具社会性的
And the ring-tailed lemur, the most social.
而“思法卡”，被称为森林的幽灵
And the shifaka, called the ghost of the forest.
它是为数不多的
It’s one of the few lemurs
有时会从树上下来的狐猴之一
that sometimes comes down from the trees.
变色龙用和身体一样长的舌头捕食
With a tongue as long as its
body, the chameleon dines.
马达加斯加方舟岛 –
The island ark of Madagascar-
是最壮观的地方之一
one of the greatest places.
在印度和亚洲碰撞的地方
Where India and Asia collided
世界上最高的山峰，喜马拉雅山
the world’s tallest mountains, the Himalayas
与世界上最高的高原西♥藏♥一起隆起
were uplifted with the highest
plateau in the world, Tibet.
西♥藏♥高原与西欧一样大
As large as Western Europe
比落基山脉的最高山峰
the plateau is higher than the tallest peaks
还要高
of the Rocky Mountains.
然而，人们在这里生活了几千年
Yet people have lived
for thousands of years here
他们称之为“昌都”的地方
in the place they call the Chong-Tong
孤寂之地
the Lonely Place.
西♥藏♥的佛教♥徒♥相信人与自然世界之间
The Buddhists of Tibet
believe in the sacred connection
具有神圣的联♥系♥
between people and the world of nature.
祈祷被写在旗帜上
Prayers are written on flags
山风将旗子带走
to be carried by the mountain wind.
作为游牧民族，人们为了保护土地
Living as nomads, people conserve the land
不断地迁徙，喂养他们的牦牛、绵羊和山羊
by constantly moving to feed their yaks,
sheep and goats.
他们的生存与他们的动物息息相关
Their very survival is closely bound
to their animals.
人们买♥♥卖♥♥大麦
People trade for barley
但他们的生活靠牦牛维持
but their lives are sustained by the yak.
牦牛驮着他们所有的财产
The yak carries all their belongings
提供牛奶、黄油和肉类 –
and gives milk, butter and meat-
几乎是他们生存所需的
almost everything they need
一切
to survive.
在气温一天可以下降
In the land where temperatures can drop
80华氏度的土地上
80 degrees Fahrenheit in one day
牦牛皮甚至可以提供毛织物和庇护所
yak hides even provide wool and shelter.
对于一个濒危的民族来说
For an endangered people
他们是最后的游牧民族
who are among the last of the nomads
他们的庇护所意味着生存和家园
their shelter means survival and home.
他们的祷告被写在祈祷轮里
Their prayers are written inside prayer wheels
旋转到天堂
to spin to the heavens.
作为他们与土地和宗教联♥系♥的一部分
As part of their connection
to the land and their religion
朝圣者要徒步数百英里
pilgrims travel hundreds of miles
在步行冥想中前往寺院和圣地
in walking meditation
to monasteries and holy sites.
西♥藏♥的一些湖泊被认为是神圣的
Some lakes in Tibet are considered holy
是亚洲河流的源头，这些河流灌溉着土地
and are headwaters to
Asian rivers that irrigate land
养活了四分之一的人类
to feed a quarter of humanity.
许多朝圣之旅在大喇♥嘛♥寺结束 –
Many pilgrimages end at great monasteries-
喇♥嘛♥寺是学习的中心
monasteries that serve as centers of learning.
作为一种虔诚的行为
As an act of devotion
西♥藏♥人在圣地周围虔诚地行走
Tibetans walk around holy sites as faithfully
就像地球绕着太阳转一样
as the earth moves around the sun.
所有人都通过他们的文化与他们生活的地方
All people are linked to the place they live
联♥系♥在一起
through their culture
但是对于我们每个地方的人来说
but for all of us everywhere,
the natural landscape
自然景观是维系生命之舞的力量
is what sustains the dance of life.
西♥藏♥，世界上最高的高原
Tibet, the world’s highest plaeau.
横贯世界的
Across the world
地球上最强大的地貌特征之一
flows one of the Earth’s most powerful features-
河流 –
the river-
而最壮观的河流是亚马逊河
and the greatest river of all is the Amazon.
它跨越了南美洲大♥陆♥三分之二以上的地区
It crosses more than two-thirds
of the South American continent
并与其它一千多条河流汇合
and is joined by a thousand other rivers
为这条河的人♥民♥带来了一种生活方式