Without a point of reference, people often don't know how big or how small they are. I remember as a child, I would gather several mounds of earth into a maze, then catch two ants, remove their antennae, and let them fend for themselves in my makeshift maze. After half a day, the ants were still circling around, perhaps because of their lack of willpower—just a puddle of urine and a basin of water, much like the scenes we filmed during a flood. At that time, I felt how enormous humans were. This kind of narrow-minded arrogance persisted for who knows how long.
Later, after studying geography and learning about maps, I realized how insignificant humans are, like the tiny ants in that maze. For an individual, for a village, for a town, they are nowhere to be found on a map of China or a world map, and a vast county is at most just a dot. Before graduating from junior high school, my activity range was limited to these few square kilometers, yet I never felt small there; instead, I felt a sense of vastness. In high school, I hiked 30 kilometers of mountain trails; after graduating from university, I spent nearly 30 hours on a train. The difference in my life experiences is self-evident.
As my horizons broadened, maps initially served as shortcuts, but over time, I saw rivers, mountains, and incredibly rich cultural landscapes. Guided by maps, I could have a clear idea of my destination even before setting off. Thus, I took in as many of the natural and cultural sights along the way as possible. Wandering, because of anticipation, made the journey less monotonous. Even places I could never see before became somewhat familiar thanks to maps.
The guiding role of maps, combined with substantial history books, prevented my experience from being limited by my lack of exposure. Penglai Island in Yantai, West Lake in Hangzhou, Tengwang Pavilion in Nanchang, Baiyun Mountain in Lanzhou, the Western Xia Imperial Tombs in Yinchuan, Yangguan Pass in Dunhuang, Liujiaxia Gorge in Yongjing, and Zhenbeitai in Yulin—all were within my grasp. Although I didn't stay in these places for long, the maps allowed me to navigate them with ease. When atlases became navigation tools, and books were replaced by the internet, all this convenience made traveling and pursuing one's interests much more effortless. Many foreign lands became home on your very first journey, because your every move was already meticulously planned before you even took your first step.
When I stood before this map of China again, I suddenly felt a sense of loss. Although my footsteps had long since exceeded those mere few square kilometers, my decades of travels on this map were insignificant, like a drop in the ocean. I know that for ordinary people, making a living is enough to bankrupt their entire lives. Faced with this land of 9.6 million square kilometers, even if one dedicates their entire life, who can guarantee that they can traverse every mountain and river? The allure of the Tanggula Pass, the secluded beauty of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, the majestic Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, the waves of Dongting Lake, the rich cultural heritage of Shaoxing, the alluring charm of the Qinhuai River, the pines of Huangshan, the temples of Songshan, the perilous beauty of Huashan, and the dreamlike Hulunbuir Grassland—all these lie on this land of 9.6 million square kilometers, yet they do not represent the whole.
I do not know if my long-cherished wishes will come true, for they are scattered across this vast land. At least, on a map, I can touch them with familiarity; they represent my every desire. I can even savor their charm and appreciate their graceful beauty through books and the internet. Perhaps I will never be able to leave the country in my lifetime, but this land alone is already breathtaking. How could I dare to harbor any unrealistic thoughts of "wanting to eat what's in the pot while eyeing what's in the bowl"? Of course, while maps help you understand tourism, they also show you transportation routes (the core of maps), as well as the course of the Yellow River and the Yangtze River. As for other knowledge, it depends on your different needs, your thirst for learning, and your research.
Standing before a map, even the arrogant will feel insignificant, and the knowledgeable will become humble. Because there you see no trace of a single person, because you can see everywhere the grandeur of nature and the richness of humanity. This is a broad mind, a sense of abundance, and even more so, a deep-seated sentiment. The height of the mountains, the length of the rivers, the distance of the roads, weave this land together in an orderly fashion, while people are merely busy in the unseen corners…
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