幾十年前，苗族人滾拉旺走出大山穿上軍裝，成為了一名鐵道兵。如今，駐足在“生命樹”下，看著苗寨日新月異的景象，往事縈繞在心頭。

Decades ago, Gun Lawang, a man of the Miao ethnic group, ventured out of the mountains and joined the ranks of railway soldiers. Today, standing beneath his"Tree of Life" and seeing the ever-evolving landscape of his Miao village, memories of the past keep emerging in his mind.

滾拉旺：我出生的時候，我父親給我種了一棵“生命樹”。我6歲，我父親就走（去世）了。然后有個老大爺說，你老爸走了，我帶你去看你老爸給你種的一棵“生命樹”，以后你記住這是你的樹。

Gun Lawang: When I was born, my father planted a "Tree of Life" for me. At the age of six, my father passed away. Then an elderly man said, "Your dad is gone, but let me take you to see the 'Tree of Life' he planted for you. Remember, this is your tree."

岜（bā）沙是一個崇尚自然、以樹為神的村落，每個人一生都有屬于自己的“三棵樹”（字幕：生命樹、消災樹、常青樹）。在孩子成人禮上，種上一棵庇護平安的“消災樹”，也寓意著成年后做人要像樹那樣正直無私、頂天立地。

Basha is a village that venerates nature and regards trees as gods. Every person in the village has their own "Three Divine Trees" (Tree of Life, Tree of Protectionand Treeof Eternity). During the coming-of-age ceremony, a Tree of Protection, symbolizing safety and peace, will be planted. It also signifies the expectation for people to grow up to be upright, selfless, and steadfast like trees.

滾拉旺還是孩童時，一場大火曾將整個寨子付之一炬。一次征兵的機會，讓他得以懷著憧憬投身國家建設。退伍后，他放棄轉業機會，毅然回到岜沙，參與村子治理、旅游開發。

When Gun was still a child, a devastating fire engulfed the entire village. An opportunity to join the military allowed him to play his part in the country's development with aspiration. After his service, he turned down the opportunity forbeing transferred to civilian work and chose to return to Bashato participate in village governance and tourism development.

滾拉旺：群眾就推薦我當村長，我一直干了二十多年。因為我見過世面，我參加政府的工作，帶領群眾搞旅游、搞建設，退休后我就成了寨老。我算是第一個能說漢語、代表岜沙講解我們的文化（的人）。

Gun Lawang: The villagers recommended me to be the village chief, a position that I had been serving in for over twenty years. With my broad experience, I could well handle government work, and had led the villagers to develop tourism and construction projects. After retirement, I became a tribe leader. I am proud to be the first one who can speak Mandarin and represent Basha to introduce our culture.

岜沙村，保留著眾多苗族的原始文化習俗，被譽為苗族文化的“活化石”“博物館”。岜沙漢子歷來“槍不離身、刀不離腰”，被特許持槍的岜沙，也被稱為“中國最后一個槍手部落”。

Basha Miao Village, which preserves many traditional customs and practices, is known as the living fossil and museum of Miao ethnic culture. The men of Basha have always carried powder shotgun and knives, earning them the reputation of China's last gunmen's tribe.

滾拉旺：平時我們這個槍就用給小孩15歲成人禮上，男孩必須授槍。我這一桿槍，就是我成人禮上才授給我，授給我一直帶到現在，已經四十多年了。我們這個永遠改不了，也丟不了，還會往下傳，一代傳一代。

Gun Lawang: In our village, it is customary to present a powder shotgun to boys as part of their coming-of-age ceremony when they turn 15. I received this very shotgun during my own ceremony, and it has been with me for over forty years. This tradition is passed down from one generation to the next, a practice that remains unchanged and cherished.

自從搭上了“文旅快車”，苗族的一些文化習俗得以走向公眾視野。以往女性不能碰槍的禁忌已經破除。游客們還可以身著當地服飾，伴隨著蘆笙陣陣參與聯歡，甚至扮演一位苗族傳統婚禮上的新人。但是“鐮刀剃頭”這個項目，還是讓不少賓客“望而卻步”。

Since seizing the cultural and tourism boom, some of the Miao ethnic group's cultural customs have been gaining visibility among the public. The taboo that women were not allowed to touch shotguns has been abolished. Visitors can now dress in local attire, join in the celebration accompanied by the sounds of traditional musical instrument Lusheng, and even play the role of a bride or groom in a traditional Miao wedding. However, the head-shaving with scythe remains a deterring tradition for many visitors.

滾拉旺：成人禮用鐮刀剃頭，現在我們就傳下來一直到現在，都是我們岜沙的一些故事和歷史。但是女性（成人禮）就簡單了，那些長輩、奶奶、姐妹，都來教她刺繡、織布、染布。

Gun Lawang: In the coming-of-age ceremony, scythesare used to shave the head. It has been a long-standing tradition in Basha, making up part of the stories and history of our tribe. However, the coming-of-age ceremonyfor females is much simpler. The elders, grandmothers, and sisters would come together to teach embroidery, weaving, and dyeing to the young women.

苗寨的一天，也難免柴米油鹽。年過七旬的滾拉旺，還要趕在上午迎賓儀式前，去看下自家的田地。而婦女更是片刻不得休息，演出前的空隙，都用來為家人和自己縫制衣物。

Daily mundane tasksare also common in the Miao village. Gun, in his seventies, would hurry to check on his fields before the morning village welcoming ceremony. The women, on the other hand, have no time to rest. Every spare moment before the welcoming performance is spent sewing clothes for their families and themselves.

隨著日出的到來，晨光與流動的云海交織在一起，蔚為壯觀。尊重自然，敬畏自然，岜沙人換來了一片茂密的山林。

As the sun rises, the morning light intertwines with the flowing sea of clouds, creating a magnificent spectacle. The people of Basha, respecting and revering nature, have been rewarded with lush forests.

在寨子里，還有一塊遍布溝痕的巨石——“祖母石”。“祖母石”所處的平臺被認為是寨中“法庭”，“監督”著村民們遵守村規民約。

In the village, there is a giant stone with grooves all over it, known as the "Grandmother Stone." The platform where the Grandmother Stone is located is considered the "court" of the village, "supervising" the villagers to abide by the village rules and regulations.

滾拉旺：我們寨里面有的人心不好，偷盜的，砍生命樹的，都在祖母石那里舉行（儀式），自己來道歉，（表示）以后不能像我這樣做，為了教訓（育）大家和小孩。現在我們訂的村規民約，處罰“三個120”——120斤肉、120斤酒、120斤米。88年我們做了一次，（到）現在就一直沒發現這些（不好的行為），祖母石主要是這樣的（作用）。

Gun Lawang: For villagers with bad intentions and engaged in theftand illegally cutting down the Trees of Life, they would apologize and pledge not to repeat such actions at a ceremony held at the Grandmother Stone, which seeks to educate both adults and children. We have established village rules and regulations, imposing a punishment of "three 120s" -- 120 kilograms of meat, 120 kilograms of alcohol, and 120 kilograms of rice, for violators. Since 1988, when we implemented this punishment once, we have not discovered any such misconduct. The Grandmother Stonehas played its primary role as a deterrent.

今天，一棵棵高聳挺拔的“生命樹”枝繁葉茂，為勤勞勇敢的苗族人遮風擋雨。而中華民族堅韌不屈的民族精神，讓岜沙苗寨得以“浴火重生”。

Today, the towering Trees of Life stand tall and lush, providing shelter and protection for the hardworking and brave Miao people. The indomitable spirit of the Chinese nation has allowed Basha Miao Village to rise from the ashes and thrive once again.

滾拉旺：當年被火燒的時候，車不通車，電沒有電，晚上還要點火把，多苦多窮。現在政策好了，住的房子也寬了大了，生活條件也好了，有穿、有吃、有住，都好啦。今天的生活那么幸福。

Gun Lawang: When the fire broke out that year, transportation was cut off, there was no electricity, and we had to use torches for lighting at night. It was a difficult and impoverished time. But now, thanks to supportive policies, our living conditions have been greatly improved. Our houses are spacious and comfortable, and we have enough food, clothing, and shelter. We are living a very happy life.