時間：1997年7月
地點：帕米爾高原金草灘
故事：恰藝
　　再上帕米爾。海拔4200米，偶爾有鷹掠過天際。
　　一路風塵滲入鼻息，氣味更添荒涼與原始之氣。在一家普通氈房的門外，一位七八歲的漂亮小女孩與我不期而遇。
　　簡直就是活脫脫在高原T台裏走秀一般，在我照相機的無言邀約下，小女孩不停地擺著各種「甫士」，自然可愛，渾然天成。
　　我好喜悅，在那一刻。
　　翌年盛夏，拿著小女孩的照片尋遍高原，不見她的蹤跡。原來，塔吉克人在高原遊牧，寒暑交替，每年僅輾轉於夏季牧場與冬季營地之間，行蹤難定。此後年年上山，年年尋找，我仍與小女孩無緣。心，仍是牽掛著。
　第四年，臨近七月，正在死趕參加全國美展的一幅大畫，時間異常緊迫，累極，本沒有時間上山了，但是，那股奇特的高原情愫卻如海潮般在我體內波濤暗湧，我無法和自己的心講和，沒有情緒拿起畫筆。
　　簡單收拾行李，出發。說來奇怪，火車朝著高原的方向行駛時，我的心驀地達到了前所未有的寧靜與祥和。
　　我想念那個不知名的小女孩。這次上山，她又會帶給我幾多驚喜呢？
　　舉著小女孩的彩色大照片四處打聽，女孩子的容顏渺不可尋。終於有一天，在一間氈房外撞見了兩個嬉鬧的小女孩。我趕緊掏出照片，比劃著問，這個女孩——見過——沒？
　　兩個孩子瞪大雙目，脫口而出，——恰藝？
　　我喜出望外，再指照片問，她是——什麼？
　　 ——恰藝。
　　我一把拽著其中一個說，你——帶——我—去—找——恰藝？
　　 她點點頭，拉著我在草原上瘋跑，邊跑邊喊——恰藝，——恰藝。遠遠地，前方相距三四十米左右，一個氈房孤獨而立。
　　高原的孩子能跑，而我只能慢挪苦隨，未幾，已是上氣不接下氣。我和兩個小女孩一同喊恰藝的名字，高原也和我們一起喊，回音蕩漾，遠處氈房裏卻靜寂無聲。
　及至房前，挑簾入內。氈房簡陋，潮濕的地上略顯肮髒。暗色而破舊的毛毯上，小恰藝躺在媽媽的懷裏，蒼白消瘦，已病入膏肓。她抬眼看了看我，大眼睛裏飽含話語。
　　我心一沈，淚雨不期而落。幾年前恰藝擺「甫士」的模樣歷歷在目，竟恍若隔世。我拿出照片，伸至她的眼前。恰藝眼瞪照片，嘴巴大張，接照片的手不停地抖。也許，這個女孩子從未見過自己的全身影像吧？！她的目光有些吃驚，又有些羞澀。旋即，她將大照片緊緊地貼於胸前。
　　我坐在恰藝跟前，和她說話，明明知道她一句也不懂，我還是選擇了傾訴。「你知道嗎？阿姨找你找得好苦。每年上山我都在找你。我特別想你，我知道，你也很想阿姨，是嗎？」
　　恰藝點頭，眼神柔和，眼波清澈明亮。
　　「恰藝每年到了七八月份就開始念叨說，那個阿姨一定會來的。恰藝年年都在等你。」恰藝的母親略懂漢語，眼含淚光地解釋道。
　　「小恰藝，阿姨真的來了，阿姨不知道你在哪里！阿姨年年都在找你啊，可是——」
 我哽咽著，空氣沈默一陣。我慶幸，終於尋到了恰藝。如果今年沒有上山，我相信我會犯下今生最大的一個錯誤，我將永不會饒恕自己。
　　氈房外即是空曠的藍天和遠處的皚皚雪山，微風吹來，雲朵流逝。
　　我陪了恰藝三天，和她媽媽一起照顧她。恰藝只是患了感冒，但高原上的感冒容易誘發肺氣腫，加上原本缺醫少藥，小小的感冒也會死人。
　　我和恰藝語言不通，眼神和手勢就行。恰藝在我的關心下一天天好起來。第三天，她就能站立行走。
　　回到北京後，我爲恰藝設計了一個畫稿，恰藝和仙鶴相依，她笑臉純真，裙裾翩飛。我期望這個美麗的女孩從此順利、健康、快樂。

Date :  1993
Location :  A Patch of Golden Grasslands in the Pamirs
Story :  Shi Yi
　　I visited the Pamirs again in 1993.  The elevation was 4,200 metres, and sometimes one could see a hawk gliding across the boundless, azure sky.
　　On my way to the mountains, I could smell the primitiveness and desolation in the air.  In front of a Tajike house, I met a beautiful little girl who was seven or eight years old.  
　　The little girl posed in different postures before my camera, she was natural and lovely.
　　It was a moment of pure joy.
　　In mid-summer of the following year, I took the photo of the little girl with me and searched all over the mountain ranges, yet I was unable to find any of her footprints.  Later, I discovered that each year the Tajike clansmen would travel between summer ranges and winter camp, and therefore it was difficult to trace them.  Since then, I went up to the mountains every year to look for the little girl but in vain.  I missed her profoundly.
　　It was July in the fourth year, I was hurrying to complete a large painting as I intended to participate in a national art exhibition.  There was little time left and I was completely worn-out due to overwork.  I would not be able to find time to visit the Pamirs.  However, there was a strange feeling of nostalgia, like waves surging in my body.  I yearned to return to the mountains and had no intention and mood to pick up the paintbrush.
　　I had a strange feeling.  I took only a few simple belongings with me and embarked on my journey.  When the train headed towards the direction of the Pamirs, deep down in my heart, calmness and tranquility set in.
　　I missed the little girl whose name I did not know.  I wondered how much more surprises she would give me in this journey.
　　I showed the big colour photo of the little girl to almost everyone I came across, it was difficult to find her with only a photograph.  Finally, I met two little girls playing outside a Tajike house.  I immediately showed them the photo, making gestures and asked, “Have you seen this girl?”
　　The two little girls looked at me with large eyes and said, “Shi Yi?”
　　I was overjoyed after hearing that.  I pointed to the photo and asked, “Who is she?”
　　“Shi Yi”, they repeated.
　　I grabbed one of the little girls by her hand and said, “You––take––me––to––Shi Yi?”
She nodded, then held my hand and we ran madly in the mountain ranges.  The little girl ran and shouted, “Shi Yi!”  At a distance of some thirty or forty metres away, there stood a house.
　　Children from the highlands are all good runners, but I could only drag my feet.  I was totally exhausted after walking only a short distance.  The little girl and I shouted Shi Yi’s name and the whole mountain echoed.  Far away, there was complete silence in the house. 
　　When I arrived at the door, I drew the curtains and went inside.  The house was simple and crude, and the floor appeared dirty and wet.  I saw little Shi Yi, wrapped with an old and shabby wool blanket, cuddled up to her mother.  She looked pale and thin, and was seriously ill.  She tilted her head and looked at me, and her eyes seemed to be hiding a thousand messages.
　　I was overcome with sadness all of a sudden and tears streamed down my face.  My memory was full of Shi Yi’s beautiful posing a few years ago, which all seemed very remote.  I took out Shi Yi’s photo and showed it to her.  She looked at the photo, with her eyes and mouth wide opened, and her hands were trembling with delight.  Perhaps Shi Yi had never seen her full image, she looked a bit startled and was shy.  She held the photo firmly and close to her chest. 
　　I sat in front of Shi Yi and started chatting with her.  I knew fairly well that she could not understand what I said, but I still wanted to share my feelings with her.  “Do you know that ‘ah yi’ has been trying hard to look for you?  Every year, I came back to the mountains just to look for you.  I missed you dearly, and I know that you missed me too?”  Shi Yi nodded, and her eyes were so clear and bright, with a touch of gentleness in them. 
　　“Every year when July and August was drawing near, Shi Yi would mumble, ‘Ah yi will come again’.  Shi Yi has been waiting for you every year”.  Shi Yi’s mother could speak a little Han, and she talked with tears.
　　“Little Shi Yi, ‘ah yi’ has finally returned, I don’t know where you were, and I was looking for you each year.”  I sobbed, silence reigned.
　　I was glad that I finally found Shi Yi.  If I had not come back to the mountains this year, this would have been the biggest mistake in my life, and I would never forgive myself.
　　Outside the house, there was a vast, navy blue sky and gleaming snow-capped mountains far away.  A gentle breeze was rearranging the clouds.
　　I accompanied Shi Yi for three days and was looking after her with her mother.  Shi Yi was suffering from an influenza, but this could easily induce pulmonary emphysema.  Due to the lack of medical supplies on the mountains, even a minor illness could lead to death.
Shi Yi and I could not understand each other verbally; however, we could communicate well through eye contact and body language.  Under my care, Shi Yi had a speedy recovery.  On the third day, she was able to stand up and walk.
　　When I returned to Beijing, I had designed a sketch for Shi Yi, with her embracing a crane lovingly.  She has a pure and an innocent smiling face, and her skirts were dancing in the wind, full of imagination.  I sincerely wish this beautiful little girl success, good health and happiness!