AnaerialdronephototakenonFeb.23,2024showstheDranangbridgeinDranangCountyofShannanCity,southwestChina'sXizangAutonomousRegion.(Xinhua/TenzingNimaQadhup)LHASA,March26(Xinhua)--Itwasasereneandsun-drenchedafternoonwhenImetformerferrymanSonamTashialongthemajesticYarlungZangboRiver.CladinatraditionalTibetanrobeandabroad-brimmedfelthat,hewastendingtohisflockofsheepnearhisTibetan-stylevilla.Ourmeetingquicklyevolvedintoacaptivatingjourneythroughhistory.SonamTashi,whoisnow67yearsold,joinedmeinmycar,andwithinminutes,wejourneyedfromthenorthernbankoftheYarlungZangbotoitssoutherncounterpart.Duringourjourney,wecrossedamajorbridgeinDranangCounty,situatedinthecityofShannan,southwestChina'sXizangAutonomousRegion.UponreachingSamyeFerry,mygazefelluponascene--adamagedirongate,anabandonedsweetteahouse,andaflockofsheepcalmlygrazingontheuntamedgrassnearby.Thefadinggraffitiontheteahousewalls,markedwithdates,hintedatitsbustlingpast,whichseemedtohavefadedawayaround2015.Yet,theonce-thrivingferrywascloakedinsilenceanddust.TheabandonedwoodenboatontheshorestoodasasilentwitnesstothetalesofferrymenlikeSonamTashi,whooncenavigatedtheriver'scurrentswithpurposeandpride.SonamTashireminiscedabouttheerabeforethe1980swhenthewindingwaterwaywasthesolelifelineconnectingTsethangSubdistrictandDranangCounty.ThelatterishometothefamedSamyeMonastery."Duringthattime,ferryingwasnotmerelyaprofessionbutawayoflife,"SonamTashirecounted.Hisfather,equippedwithayakskinboat,onceferriedpassengersacrosstheriver,bravingitsunpredictablecurrents.In1985,SonamTashiacquiredhisfirstboat--asmallwoodenvesselconvertedfromanolddieselengine,capableofaccommodatingaround20passengers.Despitetheneedforfrequentrepairs,henavigatedtheshallowandsandyriverbed,ferryingpassengerstwiceaday,undeterredbytheharshweatherconditions."Beingaferrymandemandednotonlyskillfulboatmanshipbutalsoextraordinarycourageandwisdom,"hetoldme.Fromadjustingcoursesbasedonwinddirectionandcurrentspeedtonavigatingtreacheroussandridges,everyjourneywasatestamenttohisskillanddetermination.Threeyearslater,SonamTashiupgradedtoanew,brightlypaintedboat,whichquicklybecamethepreferredmodeoftransportforpassengersandlivestockalike.Manypassengersstillholdfondmemoriesofcrossingtheriverbyboat.SonamTashishowshiscertificateofferryinginDranangCountyofShannanCity,southwestChina'sXizangAutonomousRegion,Feb.23,2024.(Xinhua/TenzingNimaQadhup)PasangTsering,44,thedeputydirectoroftheSurkharcommunity,whereSonamTashiresides,recallshisteenageyearswhenhewouldcrosstherivereverytwoweeksonhiswaybackfromschool.Thefiercewinterwindsmadetheboatswaydangerously,fillinghimwithanxietyandunease."Yet,livelyTibetansongsonSonamTashi'sradioeasedeveryone'snerves,"hetoldme.AtasweetteahouseintheSurkharcommunity,TashiPhuntsok,a78-year-oldresident,recountedhisroutineoftakingaferryfromthenorthbankeverythreedaystoexchangepotatoesandwovengoodsfordailynecessities.Henostalgicallyrecalledtheanticipationofreturninghomeintheafternooniftheferrysetoffearly,ortheinconvenienceofhavingtostaythenightatarelative'shouseifitwaslate.WiththeadventofmodernhighwaysandbridgesinShannan,andthroughoutXizang,thedemandforferryservicesgraduallywaned.Byearly2022,thetotalroadlengthinXizangexceeded121,400km,including1,105kmofhigh-gradehighways.In2001,agravelroadconnectingTsethangandDranangwascompleted,providinganalternativetotheferrycrossing.Nearlyadecadelater,theroadwasupgradedtoablacktopone."Aftertheroadopenedtotraffic,Ialsohelpedtransportmotorcyclesandcarsacrosstheriver,"SonamTashisaid.Theferrybusinessexperiencedadeclineatthattime,leadingtoareductioninthenumberofboats.In2015,theDranangbridge,spanning4,700meters,wasinaugurated,drasticallyreducingthehours-longrivercrossingtoafewminutes'drive.Thissubsequentlymarkedtheendofanerafortheferrymen.Around96,000vehiclespassedthroughthebridgelastyear.SonamTashi'schildrennowpursueendeavorsbeyondthesefamiliarshores,whilehehimselffindsthatamerefiveminutesonamotorcycleareallittakestocrosstheriver.AsIbidfarewelltohim,Icouldn'thelpbutmarvelattheresilienceofthehumanspiritinthefaceofchangingtimes.Whiletherivermaystandassteadfastasever,thetalesofthosewhooncenavigateditscurrentspersist,echoingthroughtheages.ByLiuZhoupengEditor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.