The nature reserve in Dafeng is not the only place in China where Pere David's deer can develop in a natural environment. The Shishou Milu Nature Reserve in Hubei Province also had a similar experience. In 1998 when the Yangtze River was flooding, domesticated Pere David's deer were washed away to the Eastern Dongting Lake area. In the next 10 years, they migrated, reproduced in a natural environment and reverted to their original state.

In September 2008, the Luanhe National Nature Reserve in Hebei Province cooperated with Beijing Nanhaizi Milu Park to return 10 deer to their original site—Mulan Meadow. In June this year, six deer were returned to nature tagged by a satellite positioning cellphone transmission tracking system, so as to enable the transmission of up to date information about them to researchers.

Going home

China has the greatest number of species of the deer family, more than half of the total in the world. Pere David's deer is the scarcest of them and had previously been facing a miserable fate. Nonetheless, in the past 1,000 years, because of excessive hunting and killing, Pere David's deer faced extinction several times. About 100 years ago, wild Pere David's deer had almost vanished in China. Fewer than 300 of them, which were domesticated in the Nanhaizi imperial hunting park in Beijing, were the only representatives of this species on the planet.

When the Eight-power Allied Forces invaded Beijing in 1900, most of the deer in the imperial park were slaughtered and the survivors were taken to different countries around the world. England's Duke of Bedford bought the last 18 in the world at high prices and gathered them at the Woburn Abbey Manor in northern London. Those 18 were the progenitors of the world's present entire Pere David's deer population. In 1985 and 1986, Britain returned 61 deer to China.

In the past 20 years, Pere David's deer from abroad have gradually become used to the environment of their ancestors in Nanhaizi. In the first three years, 10 deer were born and now the number has increased to several hundred.

In April last year the first Pere David's deer created from artificial insemination was born in Nanhaizi.

Scientists also looked for a suitable "new home" for the deer. They investigated the coastal region of east China where the Pere David's deer used to live. Eventually, they came across the bottom land of the Yellow Sea, in Dafeng, Jiangsu Province, wherein is the largest wetland of the west coast of the Pacific Ocean. In the more than 10,000-hectare wetland, various kinds of animals live in a semi-primeval environment. Pere David's deer's fossils have been unearthed there several times. In August 1986, the first and largest Pere David's deer reserve in the world was constructed there.

Researchers observe the deer 24 hours a day and record the behavior and living habits of each one. They even record their emotional states such as anger, sorrow, and joy. These deer brought back to their home area have restored their population quickly.

Exhibition: Ancient Printing

By YU LINTAO

An exhibition of indigo printing and dyeing craftwork was held in Beijing on August 12, 2010. Jointly hosted by the National Center for the Performing Arts and the Academy Press, the exhibition will run until September 6 this year.

Many precious collections are on display at the exhibition, together with various first-hand materials and information, including traditional operas, folklores and folk customs, on this traditional printing and dyeing method, obtained through in-depth research in the mountainous area of southern Zhejiang Province. Visitors will learn about the history, development, techniques and patterns of indigo printing.

As one of China's ancient printing and dyeing methods, the indigo printing originates in east China's Zhejiang Province. Its history traces back thousands of years. It was in full flower in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), since when the techniques of the handicraft and its design and patterns have been gradually dying out. During the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911), it was only popular and preserved in Wenzhou and surrounding areas in Zhejiang.

In recent years, with the unremitting efforts of scholars and collectors, this printing art is once again coming to people's notice. In 2010, indigo printing was inscribed on the national intangible cultural heritage list of China.

Indigo printing, with wood engraving and indigo dyeing as its major techniques, is still popular in the remote mountainous areas in southern Zhejiang until the 1970s or 1980s. The cloth dyed in this way is restricted to two colors—dark blue and white, which symbolizes peace and tranquility. Therefore, this kind of cloth was used for wedding gifts and decoration in bridal chambers. The designs on the cloth were always taken from traditional Chinese opera figures or stories instead of the auspicious patterns widely used in other regions.

All the items on display were provided by Zhang Qin, author of China Indigo Print. During the exhibition, a documentary is presented to show the whole process of making indigo print cloth.