今天（2024年11月7日）早上我看了竹内亮导演（Takeuchi Ryo）的新作《我住在这 里的理由（第 400 集）：看中国公务员抛家离职远赴非洲 14 年，铁 饭碗不如看狮子?》，标题有点长，但我感觉内容太短了，看得我意犹未尽。他从一个非常独特的视角来讲述我的野保经历，叙事手法很 接地气，立即打动了我，唤起了我对往事的回忆。
Simba praised Takeuchi Ryo’s new documentary, noting that the director’s unique and perceptive approach captured the pulse of his deepest emotions. Though concise, the film uses a genuine and delicate storytelling style to portray Simba’s journey from a secure “iron rice bowl” in China to the vast plains of Africa, offering viewers a glimpse into his relentless pursuit of a dream against all odds.
Simba shared that Takeuchi’s lens took him back to those challenging years—living alongside lions, facing nature’s raw power, bridging cultural divides, and working with local communities to protect the environment. The film captured his sense of duty: wildlife conservation is not only a personal passion but a profound responsibility toward nature. He was especially moved by Takeuchi’s narrative, which framed his journey not merely as a personal choice, but as an exploration and commitment to the meaning of life.
Simba hopes the film will inspire a greater awareness and resonance for African wildlife conservation and looks forward to future collaborations with Takeuchi to tell more stories of human coexistence with nature.
Transcript逐字稿
Machine transcription with names checked by hand. Small errors may remain; the audio is the record.机器转写，人名地名已人工校对，可能仍有少量误差，以音频为准。
0:00Early this morning I watched Takeuchi Ryo's new documentary, "My Reason for Living Here", episode 400. A Chinese civil servant leaves home and a secure job to spend 14 years in Africa, an iron rice bowl or watching lions. Though the title is a bit long, I found the content far too short. The film was so engaging that I was left wanting more. Takuchi's choice of a unique, grounded storytelling perspective brought my conservation journey to life, immediately resonating with me and awakening countless memories from my past. On August 3rd, 2024, at 9.47pm, in the Maasai Mara, Kenya, I received a WeChat message from my friend Sherry, a local Chinese resident, telling me that a Japanese director was interested in filming my life and work in the African wilderness.
0:48To be honest, I hadn't heard of Takeuchi Ryo before, and I was very busy at the time, nearly always in the field conducting wildlife patrols and behavior studies. Coordinating the filming of a documentary seemed challenging, and I wasn't sure if he could accurately capture my story or inspire more people to support our wildlife research and conservation efforts in the Mara. Later that evening, at 11.43pm Kenyan time, producer Pu Yuzhu from Hezhimeng Media reached out to me on WeChat, asking to discuss this project further. I agreed to find some time on August 5th to talk with her, but I plan to give only 30 minutes, as the poor signal in the wilderness makes calls difficult.
1:31Fortunately, the Starlink Internet I installed in July at the Wildlife Academy had solved my internet connection issues there. On August 5th, our call ended up lasting 82 minutes, well beyond my initial limit. I began to appreciate Takuchi's work and learned about his popular documentaries, including The Yangtze River. This film intrigued me since I have fond memories of tales of the Yangtze River, a Chinese documentary from the 1980s, and I hold a deep affection for the Yangtze River. Over the three years of the pandemic, I traveled to many nature reserves along the Yangtze, including Wanglang, Tangjiahe, Laohegu, Shenongjiah, Wulipo, Yin Tiaoling, Swebaoshan, Jinfoshan, Zhulongfeng, Qingliangfeng, Kuangkuoshui, and Zhangjiaji, mainly tracking venomous creatures and apex predators. I hope to share my experiences in Africa with my fellow conservationists in China, offering insights into sustainable development within nature reserves. This call gave me a favorable impression of Takeuchi's work.
2:39Later, during a conversation with Pu Yuzhu, we discussed the romance of the three kingdoms, and she mentioned that Takeuchi was also a fan of the story. I am well aware of its impact in Japan, where its popularity even surpasses that in China. Since university, I have been a fan of the romance of the Three Kingdoms series by Koei, a Japanese game developer, and I still enjoy playing it today. Back when I was studying in Chengdu, I would often spend an entire day alone at the Wu Hu Shrine. Over the years, I've also visited countless historical sites associated with the Three Kingdoms, especially along the ancient road from Chengdu to Xi'an, including Fallen Phoenix Slope, Jiangmen Pass, Yangping Pass, Nianxian Wuhu Shrine, Dingjun Mountain, and Bayoxia Road.
3:27I often joke that I must be a figure from that era, constantly seeking a place to take me back. She also mentioned that Takeuchi is a football fan. Besides conservation and the three kingdoms, football has been one of my greatest passions. I began following it in 1988, and by the 1990 World Cup, I had a football hero, Roberto Baggio. This passion lasted until his retirement in 2004, which coincidentally was the year I took my first steps into Africa, and saw my first wild lion. From that moment, wildlife conservation became my biggest calling. Watching the Japanese animated series Kimber the White Lion, left a lasting impression on me.
4:08Leo, the little white lion, inspired dreams that I could never shake off. Since the age of eight, I've often felt that I was part lion, part human, roaming Africa in my dreams. I still vividly remember my first encounter with a lion at Guiyang Qianling Shan Zoo. It was a young male pacing back and forth in a dark, damp cage. What began as excitement soon gave way to a deep sadness. I felt that he didn't belong there. His home was was the African savannah. I even wanted to find ways to free him and taking him back to Africa, the three kingdoms, football, and my vision for international cooperation that ultimately convinced me to accept Takeuchi's request to come to the Mara and document my life and work. Takeuchi Ryo's film, though brief, captures subtle nuances of my journey, resonating with my core motivations. When I first left China's iron rice bowl, many people saw it as a whimsical impulse, could protecting wildlife and watching lions really be worth it. Family and friends urged me to give up such an unrealistic idea, yet I knew that the seeds of my connection to African lions, the savannah, and conservation had long taken root within me. Some dreams you must pursue to see hope, rather than wait for hope to pursue them.
5:26Taekuchi's camera drew me back to that African land I call home. His artful storytelling transported me to my earliest days in Kenya. I remember those times vividly, stepping into unfamiliar world with a simple backpack and dreams, only to find that the real Africa was far from the romantic untamed wilderness I'd imagined. Encountering prejudice and suspicion as a Chinese person made it hard to gain entry into the conservation community. I also faced economic hardship and many dangers. In these moments the only true peace I felt was in the company of lions and other wildlife. Through Takuchi's lens I saw myself witnessing wild lions the first time, feeling my heart race and joy flooding over me. At that moment, I felt like a pilgrim, finally reaching a sacred destination. Takuchi also captured a glimpse of my work in the Mara, a land deeply meaningful to me. For years I've tried to foster a mutual understanding with the local communities, promoting a model that not only protects wildlife, but also respects local livelihoods. Who would have thought such a vision could be so hard to realize. The threat of poaching on one side, conflicts with local grazing rights on the other, these challenges are part of daily life on the African plains. And I have poured all my energy into addressing them. Though the documentary only provides a brief look, Takeuchi skillfully captured the sense of trust and kinship I've built with the Maasai people and this land, an alliance built on mutual respect and coexistence.
7:04Takyuchi Ryo's film stirred me deeply, evoking not only memories but also a profound sense of destiny intertwined with nature. My journey in Africa is not simply a wild adventure, but a journey of total commitment to life. On these vast African plains, I've realized my long-held vision of three blessings, born free. Growing up in China, I always had an abiding respect and yearning for mountains, rivers and the great outdoors. The first time I set foot on African soil, and saw lions running free on the savannah, it was overwhelming. Their unconstrained vitality, their proud gaze, everything about them spoke of a freedom that's not a mere state of being but a right to life itself. Here, I felt a release that was like coming home, born wild.
7:54Life in Africa has shown me what it means to be wild. This isn't about reckless abandon, but a life driven by instinct, resonating in harmony with nature. On the plains, lions live a wild poetry of survival, hunting and guarding, all pure and direct, without excess or artifice. Through this primal rhythm, I found my own wild, a longing for the unknown, an unwavering will to fight for what I love. This wildness is a primal part of humanity, a return to our original strength, born for nature. Every step I take in Africa feels like answering a calling, to protect nature. This mission isn't just about conserving lions or wildlife habitats, it's about safeguarding a way of life that humanity has largely forgotten, living in harmony with the natural world.
8:47In the Ol Kinyei Conservancy, I work alongside the Maasai people to shape new conservation models, and watch as the planes recover, and wildlife and people find a new balance. This achievement is priceless, and strengthens my belief that we are all part of nature, and protecting nature is protecting ourselves. These three blessings have shaped my understanding of life over the years on the African plains. They are the beacon guiding my journey, an enduring faith that sustains me on the road of conservation. In closing, I want to tell director Takeuchi, that the story of this land is far from over. We welcome you back to the Maasai Mara, Takeuchi-san, to continue telling the story of humankind's journey toward a nature-centered future, one in which Eastern wisdom helps guide the survival of us all.