Nature not only fosters a sense of wonder， but confirms its truth andvalidity.
“I could say much more， but I don’t want to ramble on. Mythoughts will be with you constantly， and I shall be anxious to hear all126 the details of your trip when you return， so keep a journal and keepyour hearts open. The more you give during this experience， the moreyou’ll receive. Bidding Farewell to the Green Camp with Her LifeJuly 25 was the day when the Green Camp was to embark on itsjourney to Yunnan. At 6：40 that morning， a telephone call from thehospital brought us grievous news： Marcia had passed away.
When Tang hurried to the hospital， his beloved had already leftthis world. The four bundles of fresh flowers were still on the windowsill. Tang picked up the most beautiful one and laid it by her pillow.
“Now you may go with us to Yunnan，” he said to her affectionately.
The No. 61 Express Train zipped through to the south. It was agreen train laden with great hopes and expectations. Maybe by the arrangementof God， Marcia’s heart was there in the train， and she wasmarching forward together with her loved ones.
Her eternal departure was an extremely grievous event for the Green Campers. And she has become a shining paragon for those naturelovers.
It has been eleven years since Marcia passed away. But she is stillalive in Tang’s heart. “I have never thought of her in sadness. I alwaystake her as a source of power， a spiritual booster and a philosopher.
She has remolded my outlook of life with the legacy of her thoughtsand deeds. Indeed Marcia has left in me much of her image”。
I， this writer， was lucky enough to join the couple in the editingand translation of their first book Living Treasures. I also took part inMarcia’s seminar on editing and helped her with her lecture manuscripts.
I will never forget her austerity， enthusiasm， kindheartedness，seriousness， and meticulousness when it came to work. Today I， too，present a bundle of flowers in her honor to express my respectfulnessto her. Her family has specially picked out a big bouquet of mountainflowers in full bloom. These brightly colored， graceful flowers of allshapes symbolize her character and morality. I am sure Marcia wouldlove it.
On her tombstone I see this epitaph：“God is the first; others are the second; I am the third. Mother Nature is a book. Life is a book. No matter what situationyou are in， no matter how rough the road is， no matter what the futurewill be， you will certainly benefit from it so long as you open and readit.
“God is the first; others are the second; I am the third.” That isMarcia’s motto. She is just like these mountain flowers， small butgreat.
The green campers have never discontinued their green movementsince their first camp in Baima Snow Mountain in 1996.
Their activities include： protecting virgin forests in southeasternTibet in 1997; protecting the wetland eco-system of the ThreeRiver Plain in Northeast China in 1998; studying the effects ofeco-tourism on Hanasi Lake in north Xinjiang in 1999; exploringthe desert ecology in Takelamakan Desert in south Xinjiang in12 8 2000; participating in TFAW project of Asian elephant protectionin Yunnan’s Simao area in 2001; protecting Saunders’ Gull and theecosystem of tide marshlands in Liaoning Province in 2002; protectingthe wetlands and respecting social traditions in Sichuan’sNuo’ergai region in 2003; treasuring tropical natural resources andpaying attention to the ocean ecosystems in Hainan Island in 2004; exploringthe ancient Silk Road in Gansu Province in 2005; and returningto Baima Snow Mountain in 2006. Every time before they embarkupon a new activity， the green campers go to Marcia’s tomb to “talk with her and “comfort” her soul. Actually， Marcia never leaves them，just as she said， “My thoughts will be with you constantly. Yes， the green movement will never cease， and Marcia will traveltogether with us forever.
By Li Shujuan
Translated by Yang Yaohua
