走进远安落星村，探寻远古海生爬行动物化石群
Come into Luoxing Village, Yuan'an County, Find out Ancient Clusters of Marine Reptile Fossils
观千岩竞秀 品沧海桑田
Fossils Tell Tales
湖北鳄和扇桨龙的化石Fossils of Hupehsuchus and Eretmorhipis
远安落星村古朴美丽Simple Beauty of Luoxing Village, Yuan'an County
极目新闻记者 刘俊华
通讯员 朱丽君 王磊 张海军
摄影记者 谢阳
翻译 崔羽丰 李怡 单文波
JIMU News
Reporter: Liu Junhua
Correspondent: Zhu Lijun, Wang Lei, Zhang Haijun
Photographer: Xie Yang
Translators: Cui Yufeng, Li Yi, Shan Wenbo
湖北远安县河口乡，有一个名叫“落星”的村庄，初次听到这个村名的人，都会产生一些美好的联想。自古以来，这里也流传着星星陨落于此的传说。
Located in Hekou Town, Yuan'an County, Hubei Province is Luoxing Village. “Luoxing”, which means “fallen star” in Chinese, always evokes pleasant associations when people first hear about the name. Virtually, A Legend has been passed on since ancient times that stars once fell from the sky in the village.
但近年来的地质研究成果却表明，“落星”的传说并不可靠。相反，大约在2.47亿年前，这片曾经的海洋遭受过数轮灭顶之灾。直到今天，人们在这里几乎用肉眼都能看到沧海桑田巨变的痕迹。
However, recent geological research findings have dismissed the folklore as untrue. In fact, this area, once a blue ocean, historically suffered from several disasters about 247 million years ago. To this day, the marks left behind by those great changes are still clearly visible to the naked eye.
“首席挖掘师”善寻带花石头
Chief Excavator Locates Fossils with Patterns
今年56岁的张家木，祖祖辈辈都是落星村的农民。
The 56-year-old Zhang Jiamu was born into a family whose ancestors were all in Luoxing Village.
从他记事起，村里漫山遍野都是灰色的石头。乡亲们建房子，都是直接以木为柱、采石垒屋。世世代代，人们对这些石头早已习以为常，只是偶尔看到被凿开的石板上，会有漂亮的花纹，像是印刻在石头上的龙凤图案。一些讲究的村民，会将这些带花的石板垒在房屋显眼的位置，作为一种装饰。
For as long as he can remember, gray stones could be found all over the hill, out of which the villagers would build their houses, with wood as the pillars. Actually, the stones are all too common to the local people, who may occasionally find beautiful designs on the slates when broken open, like those of dragon and phoenix engraved on a stone. Such slates are collected and prominently placed as a decoration at the homes of some villagers who have a taste for art.
1981年，县里种子站的一名技术员来到村里，向张家木打听哪里有带花的石板，拣那些完整的、大些的买了几块。张家木暗暗留了心，知道这些带花的石板有些价值。
In 1981, a technician from the County's seed bank visited the village and after inquiring about the patterned slates from Zhang Jiamu, he settled on some intact ones for purchase. Zhang Jiamu was so impressed and it was at that moment that he came to know of the value of those slates.
1985年，他家新建一栋房子，又到山上挖了不少石头。在凿分的时候，张家木发现，那些一层一层结构的石块，特别是中间夹有黑线的，凿开后多半会有花纹。那一年，他找到了不少完整的“带花”的石板。后来，村里偶尔有人来收购这些“带花”的石板，有的可以卖到一两百元。村民们也知道这是值钱的东西了，所以路边也不再能随处见到那些“带花”的石头。
In 1985, Zhang Jiamu brought back a lot of stones from the hill for the construction of his new house. When he was chiseling them, Zhang Jiamu realized that the layered stones, especially those with black lines in the middle, would probably bear attractive patterns if cut open. That year, Zhang Jiamu managed to find several intact slates with patterns, which he later sold for 100 to 200 yuan each to occasional buyers. With more villagers' knowledge of the value of such stones, it became impossible to find such patterned stones by the roadside as easy as before.
2005年中国地质调查局武汉地质调查中心（原宜昌地质矿产研究所）科研队第一次雇请张家木等人来到落星村挖掘这些“带花”的石头。2012年以后，湖北省地质局和中国地质调查局武汉地质调查中心先后多次在落星村挖掘这些“带花”的石头。在科研人员的指导下，张家木获得了宝贵经验，成为了“首席挖掘能手”。在科研人员和村民相互配合下，挖掘出了几十块“带花”的石头。专家介绍说这些“花”都是远古时期生活在海洋里的爬行动物形成的化石，距今已有2.47亿年。
In 2005 Wuhan Survey Center of CGS (China Geological Survey) (originally known as Yichang Research Institute of Geological and Mineral Resources) first invited Zhang Jiamu and other villagers to dig for stones with patterns. After 2012, Hubei Geological Bureau and Wuhan Survey Center of CGS started to embark on repeated excavations at Luoxing Village. Dozens of such stones, which are said by experts to be fossilized from marine reptiles dating back to 247 million years ago, were unearthed through the joint work of scientific research personnel and local villagers. With his involvement in the mission, Zhang Jiamu gained a lot of experience in fossil excavation as he was guided by scientific research personnel, earning himself the title of “Chief Excavator”.
资深科学家推演史前灾难
Senior Scientist Deduces Prehistoric Disasters
在落星村里，有一间化石发掘点的原位保护屋，也就是在当时发现化石的原地建个房子，将化石又原状保护起来。
In Luoxing Village, there is a house that has been built at the exact excavation site in order to maintain the fossils intact.
3月8日，极目新闻记者在保护屋里看到，陈列的几块石板上，清晰可见化石的印刻花纹，跟真骨骼无异。屋内的科普图上介绍，这些是湖北鳄、扇桨龙等远古海生爬行动物的化石，是国际科学界非常推崇的史前生命。
On March 8th, a reporter from JIMU News found that the patterns of the fossils were clearly visible on the slates displayed in the house. These patterns looked exactly like real animal skeletons. From the popular science pictures found inside, it can be known that the fossils of Hupehsuchus, Eretmorhipis and other ancient marine reptiles are all prehistoric life highly respected in the international scientific community.
中国地质调查局武汉地质调查中心古生物研究室副主任、古生物与地质环境演化湖北省重点实验室副主任程龙正高级工程师，潜心远安海生爬行动物化石研究多年。他解释称，一般的生物在死亡后都会被自然分解，要形成完整的化石，需要满足死亡后迅速掩埋隔绝氧气的基本条件。
Cheng Long, a senior engineer and deputy director of the paleontology research office of Wuhan Survey Center of CGS and Hubei Key Laboratory of Paleontology and Geological Environment Evolution, has devoted himself to the research of the fossils of marine reptiles for many years. He explained to the reporter that general creatures naturally decompose after death. However, to keep whole fossils, it is basically required that the creatures should be buried immediately after their death in order to seal off oxygen.
程龙介绍称，在湖北省南漳县和远安县交界区近百公里范围内，都能发现这些海生爬行动物化石，见证了一个远古海生爬行动物群落，科学家将它命名为“南漳-远安动物群”。如今这个动物群已享誉国内外古生物学界。落星村正是这个动物群的核心区。这里为什么有这么多的化石呢？程龙分析推理称，距今约2.47亿年前，这个地方突发灾难，例如大规模的火山喷发，导致火山灰遮天蔽日，海洋生物无法生存，出现大面积死亡，然后迅速沉到海底被掩埋，整个过程类似生命突然定格。经过漫长的石化作用，那些死亡的生物慢慢形成化石。
Cheng said the fossils of these marine reptiles can be found within nearly 100 kilometers from the border between Nanzhang County and Yuan'an County of Hubei Province. These fossils witnessed an ancient marine reptile community, which scientists named “Nanzhang-Yuan'an Fauna”.Today this fauna, with Luoxing Village as the center, is well known in the domestic and international paleontological community. But why so many fossils here? Cheng's analysis reveals that about 247 million years ago, the area may have been destroyed by such natural disasters as massive volcanic eruptions whose ash, blotting out the sun, caused widespread die-offs. The dead creatures, quickly sinking to the bottom of the ocean, were buried. Everything stopped abruptly. After a long period of petrification, those dead creatures slowly became fossils.
再后来，由于地壳演变，海洋变成了山地，这些化石得以重见天日……
Due to the following evolution of the earth's crust, the ocean developed into mountains, bringing these fossils to light.
程龙称，从化石分布在不同岩层的情况来看，并非所有古生物化石都形成在同一年代，也就是说，这片海洋的生物，曾不止一次经历灭顶之灾。这个动物群的发现，在研究爬行动物进化和现代海洋生态系统方面，具有极高的科研价值。
Cheng said, judging from the distribution of the fossils at different rock layers, not all paleontological fossils were formed in the same era. That's to say, the creatures of this ocean must have experienced more than one extinction event. The discovery of this fauna is of great scientific value in the study of reptile evolution and modern marine ecosystems.
地质文化村助推乡村振兴
Geological Culture Boosts Revitalization of Luoxing
令村民张家木引以为豪的是，他帮地质科研人员挖出了上百块化石。2017年，他挖出的一块湖北鳄化石长1.97米，几乎刷新了同类化石的纪录，也为科研人员复原这一物种提供了最具体的支撑。但他却认为，最应该感谢科研人员对这里的发掘，为村里带来了可喜的变化。
What Zhang Jiamu is proud of is his assistance in the excavation of hundreds of fossils for the geological research personnel. A 1.97-meter-long Hupehsuchus fossil he dug up in 2017, almost setting a new record for similar previous fossils, has provided the most specific support for researchers to restore this species. However, he thinks that heartfelt thanks should go to the researchers for their work here which has brought welcomed changes to the village.
中国地质调查局武汉地质调查中心实验测试室副主任张海军，现任驻落星村的第一书记。他说，落星村已于去年7月获批全国首批三星级地质文化村，也正是因为这一背景和专业渊源，调查中心主动申请定向帮扶这里。
Zhang Haijun, vice director of Testing Laboratory of Wuhan Survey Center of CGS, general secretary of the Village, said that Luoxing Village was inscribed on the list of the first three-star geological culture villages in China last July. It is because of this cultural background and their profession that the investigation center offered to give the village targeted assistance.
张海军认为，落星村一直以来流传的星星陨落于此的传说，现在并未从地质学上找到证据。但这里的岩溶地貌、化石奇观所呈现的沧海桑田巨变，是极具科普价值的文旅线路。目前，村里正在着力发展科普、民宿、农家乐等项目，带动村民依托独特资源，趟出乡村振兴的新路子。
Zhang believes that so far, the legend of fallen stars about this village has never been proved by any geological evidence. However, the prehistoric karst landscapes and impressive fossils here make for cultural tourism with their great popular science value. At present, the village is leading its people along a new path for rural revitalization with the development of projects like popular science, homestay, agritainment based on its unique resources.
落星村纪检主任江继福介绍，现在村里有5个农家乐，化石的研究工作也给村民们提供了许多劳务机会。随着这项科研不断深入，落星村的名声更是传播到国际古生物和地质研究领域。越来越多的游客到这里来参观，争睹约2.47亿年前的生物奇观，感受自然变化的神奇。
Jiang Jifu, director of discipline inspection of the village, said that the research of fossils, coupled with five farm tourism projects, provides villagers with many employment opportunities. With the in-depth scientific research, Luoxing Village has become well known in the field of international paleontological and geological research. More and more tourists come here to visit the biological wonders dating back to 247 million years ago and feel the magic of natural changes.
如今，在春日的艳阳下走进落星村，石头砌就的房屋古朴厚重，群山环抱下的村庄绿树掩映，好一个繁盛年代的世外桃源。谁又能想到，翻开石头的“书页”，里面竟记载着沧海桑田的巨变呢？
Nowadays, when you walk in on a sunny spring day, the tree-shaded village with the primitive, aged stone houses and hills around constitute a paradise in a prosperous era! Who would have thought that when opening the “book” of fossils, one would be stricken by the huge changes that have taken place over time?