Panda Census Taker

On December 6, 2000, during China's Third National Giant Panda Survey, the shocking "Qianjin Smash-and-Grab" poaching case took place in the Foping National Nature Reserve in Shaanxi, leaving one panda surveyor dead and another injured. Qin Sanwa, a villager from Daguping, witnessed it all. From then on, he called himself a "panda surveyor" and vowed to protect giant pandas as a volunteer. However, his career as a "panda surveyor" would face one challenge after another. The secret investigation into the 2001 poaching case and public education on the law; the catastrophic flood that struck the reserve in 2002 and the subsequent reconstruction; the 2003 review of forest rights and the development of green industries in the village... Each ordeal wore away at Qin Sanwa's enthusiasm and tested his patience. Would he rise to the challenges and become a panda expert, or cast off his burdens and take life easy? Join us as we witness the growth and strength of a guardian of the Qinling Mountains! Set against major turning points in the reserve's development, this novel takes the perspective of an ordinary striver to explore the work and lives of those who protect wild giant pandas, offering a sweeping portrait of the arduous yet inspiring history of the Foping National Nature Reserve in Shaanxi!