“The trip has ended, and we’ve returned to familiar surroundings. Busy work, tense daily life — nothing seems much different. But when we look within, we find that our hearts have gained a fresh memory unlike any before — a precious treasure that belongs solely to us and can never be taken away. This time, participating in the Gore ‘Clear Sky Lake’ campaign, whether it was the profound Tibetan culture, the breathtaking scenery of Namtso Lake, the simple smiles of local Tibetans, or the shared experiences of hardship and joy as a team, all added infinite brilliance to my memories.”
—— 2014 Gore-Tex™ Outdoor Dreams Realized “New Explorers' Land of Dreams” — “Clear Sky Lake” Campaign Lucky Participant Yu You Tian
Auditors, oilfield workers, university administrative staff, outdoor company marketing directors, nature photographers, renowned public welfare advocates... In September 2014, a group of people who seemed worlds apart and unconnected were brought together closely by an environmental campaign named after “dreams,” leaving overlapping traces on their long life journeys for seven days. They were the team of the 2014 Gore-Tex™ Outdoor Dreams Realized “New Explorers' Land of Dreams” — “Clear Sky Lake” Campaign, sponsored by the Gore-Tex™ brand and The North Face™ brand. After arriving in Tibet from September 25 to 30 to engage in outdoor activities and public welfare by “Heavenly Lake” Namtso, on November 30, 2014, the original members of the “Clear Sky Lake” Campaign — Zhang Jingwei, Textile Division Marketing Director of China for Gore, Dream Mentor Shiyi Lang, nature photographer Geng Dong, lucky participant consumers, Xu Jian, Director of the Institute of Integrated Survey on Biodiversity, Zhang Li, Deputy General Manager of Beijing Xin Yansha Commercial Co., Ltd., and VIP members of Jinyuan, among others — gathered to review and share the stunning outdoor travel routes in Tibet, outdoor knowledge, and positive, healthy outdoor philosophies. They also released an environmental travel declaration and renewed their public welfare and environmental protection vows. At the event site in Beijing Jinyuan New Yansha Mall, those who had returned from the land of dreams came back from the “dream” to reality and shared with us those unforgettable, dreamlike seven days. Though they went to the same place, each person wrote down different feelings and stories.
Gore Textile Division Marketing Director of China Zhang Jingwei and Beijing Xin Yansha Commercial Co., Ltd. Deputy General Manager Zhang Li stamped their respective company logos onto the “Tree of Environmental Protection,” symbolizing Gore’s collaboration with Jinyuan to jointly advocate for green and environmentally friendly outdoor activities.
Group photo of the 2014 Gore-Tex™ Outdoor Dreams Realized “New Explorers' Land of Dreams” — “Clear Sky Lake” Campaign Team
During this journey, Zhou Huilong, an auditor, was moved by the Tibetans’ deep reverence for their culture. “On the way to ‘Heavenly Lake,’ we encountered a family of three — young parents carrying their child to offer butter lamp oil to the temple (a must for Tibetan worship, keeping the temples’ lamps burning year-round). The child in their arms was very young, probably just one or two years old. Despite getting up early and enduring a bumpy ride, the child didn’t cry at all, as if understanding something. Later I learned that offering lamps has ten merits, also representing wisdom, dispelling ignorance and darkness, and illuminating everything. I couldn’t help but be moved. Before coming to Tibet, I was used to seeing multiple generations of a family treating their children as treasures, buying them all the best things in the world, yet rarely saw parents cultivating faith in their children from a young age. But that’s normal — living in big cities for so long, busy making a living, even adults lack faith, let alone children. So when I saw that scene, something inside me was deeply touched. I think in the future, while satisfying material needs for myself and my family, I must pay more attention to spiritual needs. Spirituality should actually be more important than material things — we’ve had it backwards for too long.” Zhou Huilong said. Traveling is never just about seeing beautiful scenery — the unintentional spiritual cleansing is the greater meaning of the journey.
At the sign-in area, consumers attending the sharing session pressed handprints representing their commitment to environmental protection onto the “Tree of Environmental Protection,” calling on more people to care for the environment.
Like Zhou Huilong, lucky participant Fei Hong was also moved by the power of faith among the Tibetans. Turning mountains, waters, and prayer wheels, one day he went to the Potala Palace to circumambulate. From afar, he saw a dark-skinned little boy prostrating himself step by step. The boy was dressed in tatters, his knees worn raw, yet he didn’t stop for a moment. His resolute gaze deeply shocked and moved Fei Hong. “Actually, I’ve seen such scenes on TV before, but when it really happens right before your eyes, it’s still shocking. Think about it — seeing someone kowtowing step by step, in any other place we might feel uncomfortable or awkward, but in the eyes of that Tibetan that day, all I saw was serenity, kindness, and composure. Clearly, they’re accustomed to this devout prostration from childhood to old age.” Zhou Huilong said.
Gore Outdoor Hero, mountaineer, and public welfare advocate Shiyi Lang shared Tibetan knowledge, outdoor environmental protection knowledge, and environmental concepts with attendees by reviewing the “Clear Sky Lake Action.”
The dreamlike “Heavenly Lake” Namtso
The scenery here makes you feel you can touch the heights of the heavens, and the Buddhism here makes you feel you can touch the ethereal nature of your own soul. The team practiced environmental protection firsthand, cleaning up trash around the Heavenly Lake, and educating local Tibetans about environmental awareness — actions that also led to deeper thoughts on “environmental protection” and “Tibetan culture” for lucky participant Yu You Tian, a university administrator. “When Teacher Geng Dong shared environmental knowledge with us, one sentence left a deep impression on me. He said Tibetans are actually very environmentally conscious — they use natural cow dung for heating, throw bones they’ve finished eating into the wilderness for wild animals to eat, and even practice sky burials, cremating themselves in the end... Compared to the plastic food containers and drink bottles strewn all over so-called big cities, they are truly much more eco-friendly. The reason Tibet’s environment is getting worse nowadays is largely because a large influx of tourists has brought a lot of urban waste. The simple Tibetans, who haven’t seen the outside world, don’t know how to decompose these things. So from my perspective, the Tibetans are actually very innocent. Therefore, besides teaching them about this, it’s even more important to call on every visitor to come with reverence for nature and respect for the Tibetans and their culture, to protect them and also protect our shared home.” Saying this, Yu You Tian became somewhat emotional, then calmed down and continued, “Actually, in previous trips, there were occasionally trash-picking activities, but the significance was much less than this time. Because this activity gave us more to think about and more motivation to act. After participating, I’m willing to become a ‘medium’ myself, actively sharing with and calling on people around me to care for the environment — not just picking up trash once. I think that’s the biggest takeaway from this trip for me.”
That day / I closed my eyes in the incense haze of the prayer hall / And suddenly heard you chanting sutras. That month / I turned all the prayer wheels / Not for salvation but to touch your fingertips. That year / I prostrated myself along the mountain path / Not to pay homage but to feel your warmth. That lifetime / I circled mountains, waters, and stupas / Not for a future life but to meet you along the way. Many fell in love with Tibet because of the love poems of the Sixth Panchen Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso. Many gained thoughts, emotions, and faith because of Tibet. In the 2014 Gore-Tex™ Outdoor Dreams Realized “New Explorers' Land of Dreams” — “Clear Sky Lake” Campaign, people from different fields and of different ages came together, becoming one identity — “Guardians of the Heavenly Lake.” With “love,” “public welfare,” and “environmental protection,” they left behind their unique thoughts and memories in that blue beauty so moving it brings tears to the eyes.