The scientific expedition team sets off towards the summit of the Qilian Mountains. [Photo/Gansu Daily]

Stretching along the Hexi Corridor, the Qilian Mountains are crowned with snow and ice year-round. Each year, during the warmer months, this frozen reserve melts, feeding rivers that sustain the entire Hexi region. It is these glaciers and rivers that have nurtured the corridor's oasis agriculture and upheld the Silk Road's millennia-old legacy throughout the corridor.

Yet, this same region has long struggled with drought. In the 1950s, to secure water resources, China launched its first systematic scientific investigation of the Qilian Mountains' glaciers. This initiative led to the establishment of the country's first glacier research institute and observation station, laying the foundation for glaciological research in China.

The members of the scientific expedition begin their work after reaching the glacier. [Photo/Gansu Daily]

Despite harsh conditions and limited equipment, these pioneering scientists laid the groundwork for glacier science in China and planted the seeds for protecting the Hexi Corridor's water sources.

However, with rising global temperatures, the reality of glacial retreat has become unavoidable. 

The glaciers in the Qilian Mountains are now clearly receding. Although precipitation in the region has increased slightly, it is still far from sufficient to offset the accelerated melting caused by rising temperatures.

This glacial loss directly threatens water security in the Hexi Corridor. If glaciers continue to shrink, river flows will decline, endangering oasis agriculture and regional ecosystems.

Today, researchers are intensifying their monitoring and study of glaciers to provide a scientific basis for managing water resources. Meanwhile, the public can also contribute by adopting low-carbon lifestyles and supporting environmental protection. Ultimately, protecting glaciers means safeguarding our shared future.