"The trip is over, and we're back in familiar surroundings. Busy work, tense daily life — nothing seems to have changed much. But when we look inside ourselves, we find a new and fresh memory that has never existed before. It's a precious treasure that belongs solely to us and can't be stolen by anyone. This time, participating in Gore's 'Crystal Clear Lakes' campaign, whether it was the profound culture of the Tibetan region, the breathtaking scenery of Namtso Lake, the simple smiles of the local Tibetans, or the shared experiences of hardship and joy within the team, all added infinite brilliance to my memories."
――2014 Gore-Tex!"Outdoor Dreams Realized" New Explorers' Land of Dreams――"Crystal Clear Lakes" campaign lucky accompanying consumer Yu Youtian
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 had no apparent connection were brought closely together by an environmental protection campaign named after "dreams," leaving seven overlapping days in their otherwise long and separate life journeys. They were the fortunate participants of the Gore-Tex
The dreamlike "Heavenly Lake" Namtso
The scenery here makes you feel as though you can touch the loftiness of the heavens, and the Buddhism here makes you sense the ethereal touch of your own soul. The team took practical actions to protect the environment—cleaning up trash around the Heavenly Lake and educating local Tibetans on environmental awareness—which sparked deeper thoughts about "environmental protection" and "Tibetan culture" in Yu You Tian, a fortunate accompanying consumer and a university academic staff member. "When sharing environmental knowledge with us, one sentence from Teacher Geng Dong left a deep impression on me. He said that 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 consume, and some even choose sky burials, allowing their bodies to return to nature... Compared to the plastic food containers and beverage bottles scattered all over so-called big cities, they are truly far more eco-friendly. The reason the environment in Tibet is deteriorating nowadays is largely due to the influx of large numbers of tourists from outside, who bring along a lot of urban waste. The simple Tibetan people, having never seen the outside world, don’t know how to dispose of these items. So, from my perspective, the Tibetans are actually innocent. Therefore, apart from educating them about this, it's even more important for us to call on every visitor to come here with reverence for nature and respect for the Tibetans and Tibetan culture, to jointly protect them and also our shared home." Speaking of this, Yu You Tian became somewhat emotional. After calming down a bit, he continued, "Actually, on previous trips, we occasionally did some trash picking, but the significance was much less than this time. Because this activity gave us more to think about and motivated us to take action. After participating, I am willing to become a ‘medium’ myself, actively sharing and calling on the people around me to care for the environment—not just picking up trash once, but something more. I think that’s the biggest takeaway from this trip."
That day / I closed my eyes in the incense haze of the scripture hall / and suddenly heard you chanting the sacred words. 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 worship but to feel your warmth. That lifetime / I circled mountains, rivers, and stupas / not for the next life but to meet you along the way. Many people have fallen in love with Tibet because of the love poems of the Sixth Panchen Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso. Many have gained thoughts, emotions, and faith because of Tibet. On the 2014 Gore-Tex “Outdoor Dreams Come True – New Explorers’ Dreamland” event—the “Clear Heavenly Lake” campaign—people of different fields and ages came together, united under one identity—"Guardians of Namtso," leaving behind their unique reflections and memories in that blue so beautiful it brings tears, through "love," "charity," and "environmental protection."