Yunnan pigment worker's viral mountain venture cleared by authorities

A pigment worker's recent adventure into the Ailao Mountains in Xinping county, Yunnan province, which garnered widespread attention online, was in compliance with regulations, local authorities said on Thursday.

Officials with the county government's information office told China Daily that the man entered an undeveloped area of the Ailao Mountains' county-level nature reserve rather than the core area, which is allowed.

However, according to relevant laws, removing any natural resources from the nature reserve is prohibited without prior approval, the officials said.

The pigment worker collected and took away some calamine ore, as recorded in the video showing the mineral-collecting process, which went viral online during the National Day holiday.

The relevant administrative authorities have investigated the man, who is the chief pigment specialist of a Yunnan-based company that sells rare natural pigments, and his company, the officials said. They have also provided him with legal education on the regulations related to entering the nature reserve.

Duan Lian, a teacher at the Southwest Forestry University in Kunming, the provincial capital, said although the man's entry into the reserve was compliant, his behavior was extremely irresponsible and could harm the environment.

"If the video sparks a trend of imitating him to collect minerals in the nature reserve, it could cause serious ecological damage," he said.

In addition, venturing into the deep mountains alone is highly dangerous even for experienced forest surveyors, but the man entered the forest alone without reporting his itinerary, which could mislead the public, Duan said.

Following the viral video, the Ailao Mountains saw a surge in visitors during the weeklong National Day holiday.

The Ailao Mountain scenic area in Xinping welcomed over 50,000 tourists during the holiday, a 15 percent increase compared to the same period last year, according to the county's culture and tourism bureau.

On Saturday, the scenic area issued a safety advisory urging tourists to avoid underdeveloped areas. On Sunday, the Chuxiong management bureau of the Ailao Mountains National Nature Reserve issued notices warning that unauthorized entry into the reserve would result in fines ranging from 100 yuan($14)to 5,000 yuan.