Appreciation of the diversity and importance of our environment is on the rise

A Pallas's Sandgrouse stretches its wings. (CAI XIAOCHEN / FOR CHINA DAILY)

We see it every day, but rarely take the time to appreciate it. Even for specialists, in the field, literally, natural wonders can sometimes seem overwhelming.

Illustrator Li Congying is one such person. She is on a journey thanks, in part, to a book. In 2014, she observed a small white four-petaled flower, known as Philadelphus pekinensis Ruprecht, close to where she lived. Although she had taken photographs of it from different angles during her previous visits, she discovered that capturing the intricate details, such as the fuzz on the sepals, proved impossible when she attempted to depict it in her sketches.

She made multiple subsequent trips solely for the purpose of observation. This experience led her to the realization that she had never before observed a flower with such meticulousness and earnestness, which left her astonished.

"During the process of observation and painting, I felt a profound sense of comfort, inner tranquillity, and joy," she recalls. It was in the early summer of 2014 when Li, the deputy curator of the Science and Technology Museum in Huludao, a coastal city in Northeast China's Liaoning province, developed a keen interest in studying plants after delving into the pages of Peking University professor Liu Huajie's book, Living as a Naturalist.

Apart from introducing natural history in China and abroad, by intertwining the study of plants with captivating narratives, the book offers vivid examples of how individuals can actively engage in natural history, enriching their lives in the process.

From that point onward, Li embarked on her journey to become an illustrator that specializes in the realm of natural history.

"The essence of scientific illustration lies in observation," she notes, adding that she realized this over the course of nearly a decade producing hundreds of scientific illustrations. To create informative and aesthetically pleasing illustrations of a flower or an insect, one must possess a scientific perspective, pay attention to color, and have a keen eye for detail. These skills are vastly different from the convenience of capturing photos with a smartphone or professional photography.

A Swinhoe's White-eye lands on a persimmon tree. (CAI XIAOCHEN / FOR CHINA DAILY)

Li's talent as an illustrator has been acknowledged by her predecessors in the field of natural history, including Wang Jinwu and Liu Huajie, to whose books she has contributed her artistic expertise.

She is currently working as one of the illustrators for the magazine Nature History, where she has a column titled Chronicles of Plants and Insects. The magazine is under Chinese National Geography, and designed for younger readers.

Over the years, the team Nature History has responded to countless inquiries in a concise, clear, and witty manner, unraveling the mysteries of, and popularizing a wealth of knowledge about, natural history to internet users.

In addition, Nature History collaborates with educational institutions to provide courses and lectures through livestreaming and experiments, harnessing the benefits of online education to assist children in acquiring comprehensive knowledge of natural history.

Regular offline activities are also organized. For instance, Li frequently takes children on excursions to observe plants, insects and minerals in their natural surroundings. A notable example is when one child, who initially harbored a fear of bugs, gradually developed curiosity and interest in insects after cautiously touching a caterpillar held by Li.

In the past decade, urban parks have witnessed a growing trend of attaching tags to trees, providing information such as names, classifications, and characteristics. Some parks have taken it a step further by incorporating QR codes, enabling visitors to delve deeper into the backgrounds of these trees and plants. Along with other, similar mobile apps designed for identifying flowers, plants and trees, Xingse boasts a substantial user base and is widely utilized by the public. This surge in interest can be attributed to the increasing popularity of natural history books, both within educational institutions and among the general public. Additionally, the rise in courses, lectures and educational trips centered around the observation of nature has further fueled this flourishing trend.

Members of Beijing Feiyu go in search of birds in the suburbs of the capital. (XUE JIAQI / CHINA DAILY)

Wu Yinan from Beijing has been a subscriber to Nature History since the fourth grade of primary school. With the guidance of his parents, he has been actively involved in birdwatching and other natural history courses since childhood. Currently, Wu is a senior majoring in the School of Natural Resources at Beijing Normal University. He was team leader at a local birdwatching organization Beijing Feiyu (feiyu meaning flying birds in Chinese) for a year. Established in 2013, it is primarily composed of college students.

Wu notes a consistent increase in both the quantity and intensity of competition among new applicants to join the team each year, indicating a thriving trend. In 2022, Beijing Feiyu faced the challenge of selecting 36 individuals from a pool of 92 applicants originating from 23 universities. This year, the number of applicants increased to 131, hailing from 32 universities, and the team decided to choose 41 among them. Most of these applicants exhibited either prior experience in, or a profound passion for, birdwatching and bird conservation.

It has been one of the key activities of Beijing Feiyu to organize weekend guided birdwatching walks around some of the best-known hot spots, such as the Summer Palace, Beijing Zoo and the Olympic Forest Park, connecting the public with the natural world and the city's marvelous winged residents and visitors.

When Wu travels, he logs onto the website run by the China Bird Watching Record Center to stay updated on the latest sightings at his intended destination. "It's a delightful experience to go birdwatching with friends," he says.

"Of course, engaging in such an activity doesn't necessarily require a group. However, if you happen to share the same passion for birdwatching, why not do it together?" Wu and his friends also derive great pleasure from observing insects, clouds, and rocks during their birdwatching excursions.

"With just a little attention, we can easily discover that the biodiversity surrounding us exceeds our wildest imaginations," says Liu Huajie, a professor at Peking University who has been a passionate promoter of natural history for nearly 20 years.

Liu emphasizes that China has a profound natural history legacy, which can be observed through diverse sources such as herbal books, the Book of Songs, poetry from the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties, and ancient paintings. However, amid the rapid development of modern society, Chinese education has somewhat overlooked the importance of "natural history", leading to a disconnection between individuals and the natural environment. Therefore, he advocates for the revival of natural history as a critical tool to assess educational systems influenced by modernity, which carry an inherent risk of alienating people from the natural world.

Platycodon grandiflorus drawn by illustrator Li Congying. (LI CONGYING / CHINA DAILY)

According to Liu, the necessary conditions for the revival of natural history are already in place, thanks to the existing infrastructure and a better financial situation for Chinese families. Nature education is gradually gaining attention, while natural history is receiving increased recognition and widespread participation from the public, especially in large cities. Both natural history books and activities are warmly embraced.

Liu prefers to categorize natural history into two levels: primary and secondary. The primary level encompasses the active involvement of the public in observing and documenting nature, as well as the practical application of the knowledge, which holds significant importance. Meanwhile, the secondary level, conducted mainly by scholars, pertains to the examination of how individuals observe nature and the progress of natural history in both China and abroad.

Chinese Journal of Natural History, edited by Liu and published by The Commercial Press, has already released its seventh issue. This series effectively integrates content from both the introductory and advanced levels, serving as a repository of cutting-edge knowledge in the field of natural history and primary level insights. The 6th Natural History Culture Forum, held in August in Sichuan province, was chaired by Liu and has garnered significant attention this summer.

When discussing the role of knowledge, Liu emphasizes that it should be a tool for serving people: "It is not important how much knowledge we possess, but rather how this knowledge can enhance our daily lives."

He encourages people to live as naturalists. He believes that, by observing the world with curiosity, approaching it with an open mind, and maintaining a naturalistic attitude, we can truly connect with our surroundings. "If we strive to live each day in the naturalists' manner, we will discover a deeper relationship with the world and, as a result, our lives will become more meaningful", says Liu.

Huang Lingli contributed to this story.