Reporter: Ran Wenjuan
The Ngari area of Tibet Autonomous Region, with an average altitude of more than 4,500 meters, is called "the roof of the roof of the world."
In this "life restricted zone", immigration management police are stationed along the long border.
In the arduous and monotonous life of guarding the border, they also have a different kind of "wind and snow".
Scenery of Ngari area in Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
Photo by Ran Wenjuan
If you can't hear the wind at night, you can't sleep
"The wind blows the stones, and I wear cotton-padded jackets in all seasons." Located in a low-lying area, 4200 meters above sea level at the Tashigang border police station, the wind can be regarded as a "special product" here.
It is windy for at least 300 days a year. The wind usually "takes the stage" from 3 pm, and is still whizzing "full of fun" in the middle of the night.
The wind is strong, and the temperature difference between day and night is also great.
Even in summer, the night temperature here is often below zero.
When the winter is the coldest, the night temperature can even be as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius.
Suolangquza (first from left), a policeman from the Zhaxigang border police station, and his teammates are patrolling the road.
Photo by Ran Wenjuan
Strong winds and low temperatures are standard features for border police patrols.
Suolangqu, a policeman from the Zhaxigang Border Police Station, has been guarding the border for 13 years. He described the wind in summer as "gentle", and in winter, "the wind hits the face and the bones hurt."
People walking in the strong wind seem to be able to "float" easily.
It's hard to see people on the empty border, or even the chirping of birds.
The sound of the wind is also a kind of company.
Even at night, the border policemen are accustomed to falling asleep with the sound of the wind. "If you can't hear the wind one night, you won't be able to sleep."
Wildflowers accompany me to guard the border
Standing on the border of Ali, looking around, my eyes were so vast that it was difficult to see a tree.
In July and August of each year, the grass on the ground turns green, and unknown wild flowers gradually emerge, becoming a rare poetry on the rough earth.
The border police especially cherish this color.
Wu Jun, a policeman from the Ali Border Management Detachment, kept a lot of photos of wild flowers in his cell phone, including dandelions, irises, Caragana variabilis, and others that were not named.
In his opinion, these brightly colored wildflowers are a kind of silent company, and their open-minded personality is somewhat similar to that of the border guard.
Wild flowers growing along the border of Ngari, Tibet Autonomous Region, China.
Photo by Ran Wenjuan
Outside of work, the border police also plant trees and flowers.
In Ali, in order to let everyone see more green, most border police stations have sunrooms.
The various plants in the room are carefully taken care of by everyone, and they are full of greenery.
"The life on the border is day after day, monotonous and boring. These wild flowers and green plants can soothe the mood, relieve the inner loneliness, and let everyone feel hope and vitality." Wu Jun said.
Face the wind and snow, show your skills in times of crisis
The snow-covered plateau is a high-cold land, snowy days are commonplace, and in some places, the mountains are covered by heavy snow for half a year.
Rescue in the snow is also the daily work of the border police.
Zhang Sizu, an instructor of the Aligar Border Management Brigade, recalled an unforgettable rescue mission to reporters.
That was in 2013, when a blizzard suddenly fell on Tongla Mountain, 5238 meters above sea level, and 67 people in 13 vehicles were trapped on the top of the mountain.
At that time, he was the director of the Menbu border police station in Nyalam County, he rushed to the place where the incident occurred early in the morning.
In June 2021, both sides of the highway from Zanda County, Ngari Prefecture to Chulu Songjie Township were still covered by thick snow.
Photo by Ran Wenjuan
The road has been deeply buried by the blizzard, and the car can only hike up the mountain after driving to the foot of the mountain. About 3 kilometers up the mountain road, the snow slowly passed from the ankle to the thigh.
Zhang Sizu climbed for more than 3 hours to the top of the mountain, took a stick to test in the snow, and started digging when he hit a hard object.
After finding the trapped persons, he tied them one by one with a scarf and belt to send them to a safe place.
When all the trapped people were rescued, the coat Zhang Sizu was wearing had been frozen hard and he could stand up after taking it off, but he "don't know it was cold anymore" at the time.
Lengyue border, home is the softest concern
The moonlit night at the border is often the time when the border people miss home the most.
Zhang Sizu's daughter is four years old this year, and she goes to kindergarten in Shannan City, Tibet.
No matter how busy he is, he tries to spare time every day to video chat with his daughter; once he is free, he will listen to the WeChat voice from his daughter over and over again.
"If I'm by her side, it must be me who will pick her up to and from school every day." There is love and guilt in his tone.
The police from Chulu Songjie Border Police Station are patrolling the road.
Photo by Ran Wenjuan
Wan Panhui, director of the Chulu Songjie border police station, recently received a letter from a child who went to school in Sichuan, and the beginning was repeated "come back" three times.
He hopes that his father will be with him this summer vacation.
With such a usual request, Wan Panhui's heart is mixed.
"As a father, of course I hope to have more time at home to accompany my children, but we must also guard this'home' at the border."