Chapter 23: Residual Information

Back then, during the Kunming International Tourism Festival, the streets were extraordinarily lively, permeated everywhere with a festive and celebratory atmosphere. Colorful decorations intertwined with the bustling crowds, creating a vibrant and energetic scene. Look, a magnificent, golden dragon danced through the air with awe-inspiring majesty; its vigorous posture and agile movements seemed as if they might pierce the very heavens. Simultaneously, a powerful azure dragon soared from the ground, joining this grand competition with fierce momentum. The two dragons vied for a multi-colored orb, clashing intensely in the sky—now rearing their heads to charge upward as if to reach the clouds, now dipping and weaving in clever maneuvers, as if threading through the mist. They followed one another, head to tail, flipping and turning with fluid grace, galloping through the sky and clouds with an unstoppable, sweeping grandeur.

The enthusiastic parade moved in orderly succession, accompanied by lively drums and stirring rhythms. People were immersed in this ocean of joy, with laughter rising one after another, and every face beamed with happiness. The surrounding spectacle was so overwhelming that the eyes could hardly take it all in, as if one were caught in the midst of a dreamlike, carnivalesque feast.

He Yunfei clearly remembered that accompanying him at the time was an Yi brother from the Institute of Botany at the Southwest Academy of Sciences, Qu Mu Gewu, who was affectionately known as "Mr. Plant."

On a high observation platform, He Yunfei witnessed for the first time in his life the heart-stopping performance of climbing a ladder of blades and walking through a sea of fire. The ladder, extending toward the sky, was made of eighteen rungs of sharp, cold-glinting steel blades, each edge radiating a chilling, daunting light. The Lisu youths, barefoot and without hesitation, stepped onto the sharp blades one by one. Their expressions remained calm and steady, their footing firm, as if they were walking on a flat road rather than razor-sharp edges. Watching them walk upon the blades, the visceral sensation of metal cutting flesh made everyone present tremble, barely daring to breathe.

The scene of walking through the sea of fire was even more thrilling. Lisu men and women fearlessly moved back and forth through scorching charcoal fires capable of turning plowshares red-hot. Their feet seemed impervious to the searing heat, suffering no harm whatsoever. This sight left He Yunfei stunned and deeply moved, filling him with admiration for the courage and resilience of the Lisu people.

He still remembered Qu Mu Gewu’s explanation at the time: "The Lisu people living along the Nujiang Grand Canyon in Yunnan perform these feats of courage and strength every year during the Kuoshi Festival. This unique skill of climbing blade ladders and walking through fire, along with their indomitable spirit, is a precious treasure passed down through generations."

He Yunfei could not help but reflect that in the face of nature’s trials and the myriad difficulties supposedly created by "gods," humanity has time and again persevered through sheer stubborn will and fearless courage—the human spirit is truly great. Although legend claims the "gods" punished humanity severely, they never dared to extinguish it, perhaps because the continuity of the human race allows their stories to be told forever.

Just as he was lost in thought, a commotion rippled through the crowd, and a powerful surge of people swept them and the reporters into the parade. Like waves of the sea, they were carried forward helplessly. Suddenly, a group of girls dressed in gorgeous Dai skirts drifted toward them as lightly as celestial beings descending to earth. The lead girl, beaming with a smile, shouted to them, "Is Yunnan beautiful?"

He Yunfei quickly turned his head and shouted back, "Beautiful! Beautiful! It is truly beautiful!"

Gewu seemed to sense something and hurriedly warned, "Brother Fei, we must leave quickly! If we don't go now, we might get trapped here and be unable to get out!"

However, before they could escape, the graceful Dai girls quickly surrounded them. In an instant, cool, clean droplets of water drifted down like a fine mist. The Dai people were using their traditional method of water-splashing to bestow auspicious and wonderful blessings upon all who came to join the festival.

As the parade reached the fountain pool in the city center, the originally orderly and civilized water-splashing blessings were broken by some mischievous young men.

These energetic youths brought out basins and buckets they had prepared in advance, eagerly splashing the clear pool water onto the lightly dressed Dai girls and the surrounding tourists. In a moment, water sprayed everywhere, and screams and laughter intertwined, bringing the atmosphere to an unprecedented climax.

In the crowd, He Yunfei was infected by the joyous atmosphere, temporarily forgetting the pressures and worries of his research, and fully enjoying this rare moment of happiness. He laughed and dodged along with the people around him, feeling the unique charm of the festival. At that moment, his heart was filled with love for this land and anticipation for his future exploration, as if this encounter had injected new vitality into his scientific journey.

He Yunfei soon realized that this was a meticulously prepared carnival full of joy and passion. He and Gewu were already soaked through, and the Dai girls, drenched in water, looked even more alluring and charming. Their dark, glistening hair clung to their cheeks, making their smiling faces appear even fairer and more delicate, while their form-fitting skirts clung to their graceful figures, every movement seemingly plucking at the restless heartstrings of those watching.

A group of foreign friends, clutching their digital cameras, were caught off guard by the sudden "water war" and looked quite disheveled. But soon, they too were infected by the joyous atmosphere, simply taking off their shirts and cheering as they charged into the crowd to revel to their hearts' content.

He Yunfei also shouted excitedly, "This is what a real carnival is! Minority regions are indeed extraordinary!"

Amidst the chaos and jubilation, Qu Mu Gewu shouted over the noise, "This is our Yunnan festival; there are many other interesting activities like this. For example, the Achang people’s 'Dengwole' dance, the 'Chuan Guniang' courtship, and 'snatching the bride' are all especially interesting. Wait until tonight—you must see our Yi people’s Torch Carnival Night; that scene is truly spectacular..."

Just then, a beautiful elephant from Xishuangbanna walked by with a steady gait. In front of it, gongs and drums cleared the way with a lively rhythm, while behind it followed young men and women of various ethnic groups, dancing happily with radiant smiles on their faces.

The elephant’s head and body were draped in countless exquisite handmade embroideries, every stitch and thread imbued with ethnic wisdom and passion. Combined with its inherent dignified temperament, it appeared luxurious and noble, like an elegant aristocrat. On its back, it carried a large flower basket decorated with multi-colored fresh flowers, upon which sat the winner of this year’s "Sun Girl Beauty Pageant," the beautiful and moving Tibetan girl, Jimei Qingyuan.

The Sun Girl wore a multi-colored floral crown inlaid with precious jewelry, which sparkled enchantingly in the sunlight. She was dressed in the unique and magnificent festive attire of the Tibetans, with every detail highlighting her ethnic heritage. She smiled sweetly, gently scattering flowers to the people on the roadside like a fairy descending from the heavens, bestowing beauty and blessings upon everyone.

At the time, Qu Mu Gewu, tilting his scarred face upward, shouted excitedly, "Wow, this is truly a celestial maiden scattering flowers!"

He Yunfei also marveled inwardly; the beauty of the human world and the rustic simplicity of primitive creatures had fused perfectly to create such a wonderful and harmonious scene. As he mused, the digital camera in his hand had already snapped countless photos he was proud of, wishing to preserve these beautiful moments forever.

Qu Mu Gewu leaned over to He Yunfei and said, "Selecting the Sun Girl used to be an important part of our Yi Torch Festival, but now all ethnic groups participate actively."

As he spoke, a golden rose in the Sun Girl’s hand, as if guided by some mysterious magic, drifted lazily toward He Yunfei.

In the eyes of others, this golden rose symbolized luck and beauty. Just as He Yunfei was full of anticipation for this stroke of luck, a group of "savages" clad in tiger-skin costumes suddenly emerged from nowhere.

Gewu shouted excitedly to He Yunfei, "Brother Fei, look, that is our Chuxiong Yi 'Tiger Dance'."

Dozens of "tigers" elaborately decorated with felt appeared in everyone’s field of vision. Gewu enthusiastically introduced that they were all simple farmers from Shuangbai County, Chuxiong. They cleverly used a piece of felt, tying the two front corners into tiger ears and the back together into a tiger tail, then draped it over their bodies. Their faces were painted with the majestic character for "King" and tiger whiskers, making them appear lifelike. When they danced, they used movements from their farm work in the fields—simple and full of the flavor of daily life. Do not underestimate these "tigers" dressed in felt; their performance is unique and has even been invited to many countries for cultural exchange performances, allowing the world to appreciate the unique charm of Yi culture.

The Yi Tiger Dance before them was brought to life with vivid and adorable detail by the Yi people. Unexpectedly, these performers were all fearless young people. Whether infected by the heated atmosphere or unable to suppress their inner excitement, they began to dance joyfully around the elephant, performing various realistic pouncing and biting motions, instantly pushing the atmosphere to a new climax. The cheers, laughter, and gasps of the people intertwined, and the entire city was immersed in an ocean of joy.

He Yunfei was completely captivated by the lively scene before him. His gaze darted between the crowd, the elephant, the Sun Girl, and the "tigers," while his camera incessantly captured every magnificent moment.