The Loess-Plateau, which lies around Northwestern China, is used to have green scenery two thousand years ago. But there, as a result of exhaustive cultivation, is little green, we hardly see trees, it's just a yellow land.
In spring, after melting snow, the million of peasants start to cultivate all over the area at the same time. Strong wind also occurs in that season, it blows up the soil from the cultivated fields. Finally it assumes to be KOSA(Asian Dust).

The Loess Plateau, on the other hand, is thought that is an origin place of culture of Han people. Also it is a "holy place" for Chinese Communist Revolution. And a long communication history between Han and Mongolian nurtured a unique culture there. For example, a fantastic cave house named "Yaodong", a healthy vegetable foods whose vegetables are made by themselves under severe local climate, and a traditional music like Mingge, Yaogu and Suona, all of them are important cultural resources for their life. We can see them anywhere in the valley in the Loess Plateau.

We are imaging for the future life in the Loess Plateau with local people based on our knowledge and experiences of our long term field research. Finally it is expected to recover both of the ecological environment and the local culture in the Loess Plateau.

About CREC

Overview

CREC (The Centre for the Recovery of Ecology and Culture in the Loess-Plateau) is a centre aims 1.)to research the ecological environment and the traditional culture and 2.)to practice for its preservation and recovery in the Loess Plateau. CREC is based in Yulin College, Yulin Shaanxi (located in the north of Shaanxi(Shanbei)).

CREC was set up at Yulin College in August 2003 under the understandings of traditional culture by Yoko Fukao, a Visiting Professor of Yulin College from Osaka University of Foreign Studies ( now Osaka University). She has engaged in her field research from early 90's and has built the local human network in Yulin.
Then CREC became a Sino-Japanese Partnership Program signed between International Office of Yulin College and Interdisciplinary Information Studies, The University of Tokyo in March 2004.

At present, CREC is managed by Chinese and Japanese researchers and they are drawing the future of the Loess Plateau through their projects.

A sketch for our project (Japanese)