Guardians of the plateau

Actor Hu Ge, who has volunteered with Green River — an influential environmental NGO — since 2013, was a natural fit for the role, thanks to his years of hands-on involvement in environmental and wildlife protection.

"For more than a decade, we have protected bar-headed geese, picked up trash along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway, and even argued with companions over whether we should carry out our toilet paper after relieving ourselves in the wild. These experiences were never 'material' for a performance — they are life experiences etched into my very being," Hu says, reflecting on his deep connection to the character.

He also reveals that during the filming of Born to Be Alive, he gained a deeper understanding of the relationship between humankind and nature.

"The core of environmental protection is actually not about what you do, but what you choose not to do — not to intervene. Curiosity and lenses, even when motivated by kindness, can be a disturbance to wild creatures. That sense of awe toward nature was the top priority for the crew throughout the six-year production process," says Hu.

Today, the population of Tibetan antelope in Hoh Xil has rebounded to more than 70,000, up from fewer than 20,000 in the early 1990s. Dai Qing, a film and television professor at the Communication University of China, says that the series profoundly reflects China's efforts in exploring the balance between modernization and environmental protection, adding that it will help enhance the country's cultural image overseas.