More than 300 years ago, the Torghut tribe, an ancient people, undertook a journey that would lead them back to China, the country they had left more than a century before. Cui Jia and Mao Weihua report from the Beyinguoleng Mongolian autonomous prefecture in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

Standing outside his yurt, holding his horse by the reins, Dilai watched the buses that carried tourists to the rich, vast Bayinbuluke, or "fertile water", grassland in Heijing county.

"They all come here to take photos of the river, which twists and turns nine times as it meanders through the grassland. For us, though, this is home, the place our ancestors fought hard for," said the 47-year-old member of the Torghut, a legendary ancient Mongolian clan that claims royal descent.

Tourists rarely stop at the Tibetan Buddhist temple near the scenic spot surrounded by snowcapped mountains, but for the locals, the site is sacred.

"In there (the temple), we pray for good health and pay our respects to our great ancestors who brought our clan back to China. You wouldn't be talking to me here today if they hadn't risked their lives to do so," Dilai said.

His name, the Mongolian word for "victory", was given to him by his father in memory of Ubashi, a Torghut hero who played a crucial role in the tribe's history more than 300 years ago. Dilai, who was introduced to the story at age 4 and remembers it perfectly, said no people should ever forget its history.

Departure and return

The nomadic Torghut originally lived near what is now Tacheng, a city and prefecture to the northwest of Bayinbuluke. In the early 1600s, the population grew rapidly, resulting in territorial clashes as the Torghut fought for control of the grassland. Eventually, to avoid conflict and discover better pastures, the clan decided to move west to the banks of the Volga River in Russia.

In 1761, 19-year-old Ubashi became the Torghut Khan, or king. It was a time of turmoil: The Russian government was forcing the Torghut to renounce Buddhism and convert to the Orthodox Church and to adopt Russian-style clothing. The young men were press-ganged into service in the Russian army.

Ubashi began planning to lead his people back to China. According to the clan's historical records, Ubashi told the elders, "Our people and children should never be slaves, so let us head back to where the sun rises."

In January 1771, 169,000 Torghut people crossed the frozen river and set out for China. By the time the group arrived eight months later, the number had dwindled to 62,137 - some had set up new settlements along the way, but others were either killed by Russian army units or succumbed to the hostile environment.

Ubashi was treated like a hero by the Emperor Qianlong (1711-99) of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), who allocated different areas of grassland to the dozens of families that made up the clan. Ubashi's extended family was given Bayinbuluke, but he died at age 33. The location of his tomb is unknown.

'Living history book'

"We (the Torghut people) learned about the importance of having a peaceful and strong homeland the hard way," Ouqierala said. He is the clan's "living history book" and records all the family trees so members can trace their lineage back through the centuries.

The 73-year-old historian is saddened that some young Torghut find it difficult to read family trees in Mongolian, and that many are unable to communicate with their grandparents in their native tongue. They attend schools where Mandarin is the main language, and even though special Mongolian classes are provided, few Torghut students learn the language, he said.

"Of course, learning Mandarin is very important because the Torghut people are Chinese too. At the same time, the young people need to be given more Mongolian lessons at school so they don't lose their identities," he said.

More than 40,000 Torghut live in Beyinguoleng - most maintain the nomadic lifestyles of their ancestors - but other groups exist outside of the area.

The descendants of those who stayed in Russia are known as the Kalmyks and inhabit the Republic of Kalmykia, the only region in Europe where the majority of the population practices Tibetan Buddhism.

"I've met Torghut people from Kalmykia who came to Bayinbuluke to try and find long-lost relatives and to see what our lives are like. Some are sponsored by the government. I don't see them as foreigners, but as members of the family," Ouqierala said.

Danbai, 57, is a 13th-generation Torghut. He runs a museum in the county seat of Hejing that relates the story of the Torghuts' return to China. "We always think about our brothers and sisters who were left behind. I've been in contact with some of their descendants," he said.

Unlike his ancestors, who were heavily influenced by Russian culture when they returned to China, Danbai has no idea how to use the knife and fork on display in the museum.

However, he's delighted that one part of the Russian heritage his ancestors brought back is still thriving. "The black-headed sheep we have are unique in Xinjiang because they are actually Russian," he said.

Swan sanctuary

In 1997, Bayinbuluke was designated as a nature reserve for swans. Every April, large numbers of the birds arrive to feed and recuperate on the grassland's rivers, which remain unfrozen even in the depths of winter.

As a child, Dilai grazed sheep on the riverbank. His favorite pastime was to watch the reflection of the setting sun as it gradually appeared in each turn of the river, until nine suns appeared, one after another. Now, grazing is prohibited near the river and Dilai can only view the scenery from a specially built wooden platform, like a tourist.

He doesn't object to the changes, though, because he receives ample compensation and understands that the moves are intended to secure Bayinbuluke's future.

As a part of the Tian Shan Mountain Range, which was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013, the grassland attracts a large number of tourists. As a herder and businessman, Dilai knows he has to seize every opportunity to make money.

Along with 17 other families, he runs a yurt complex that provides visitors with traditional Mongolian delicacies and accommodations. Between May and October, he rents horses on the summer pasture. "We graze tourists and sheep at the same time. It's very efficient," he said, with a big grin.

The complex often receives more than 200 visitors a day, and the locals dress in traditional costume to serve refreshments and explain the differences between Kazak and Mongolian yurts.

The growing number of tourists has also had unpleasant repercussions. "We Mongolians see the grassland as the most precious thing in the world, so we never litter. It really hurts to see tourists throwing rubbish everywhere," Dilai said.

Winter pastures

When winter comes and the tourists have gone, Dilai dismantles the yurts and moves his 800 sheep to the winter pastures, resuming his life as a herder. Before leaving, he scatters a handful of seeds over the large, brown spots on the grassland caused by the yurts to encourage the grass to grow back.

Winter is tough on the grassland, where temperatures can plummet to - 42 C and predators are always near. "In recent winters, we've seen an increase in the number of attacks by wolves and snow leopards. We don't know if it's a good thing or bad thing for the grassland."

Last year, three families near his winter pasture lost a combined 900 sheep to wolves in one night, but they could do nothing about it because both wolves and snow leopards are protected species, he said.

Dilai has two sons, one age 16 and the other 19. The older boy is studying at the Xinjiang Agricultural University in Urumqi, the regional capital. Dilai wants one of the boys to find a good job in a city and the other to stay on the grassland like a traditional Torghut.

All the Torghut families have government-funded settlement houses, and the children and elderly stay in them during the winter while the young men take turns to care for the livestock on the grassland.

"We enjoy the convenience of a city-type life-style on the grassland. I wish our ancestors could see us," Dilai said.

Every evening in summer, the locals perform a show for tourists in a newly built theater shaped like a giant yurt, telling the story of the Torghut people's return to China. Dilai has attended many times because he is proud of the tribe's history.

"I hope the show will help people understand how Xinjiang and Bayinbuluke became our home, and they will see more than just the beautiful scenery," he said.

Contact the writers at cuijia@chinadaily.com.cn and maoweihua@chinadaily.com.cn