During midsummer July, a shining star rised from the Origin of Three Rivers area in western China and an ever-large scale expedition kicked off on the snow covered plateau to trace the origin of nature and civilization of China. On July 8, 2009, the Origin of Three Rivers Expedition presented by Mercedes-Benz SUV Family set off in Xining city, the capital of Qinghai province. Jointly held by Mercedes-Benz and National Geographic, the 8-day Expedition covered more than 4,500 kilometers in the region of the Origin of Three Rivers in Qinghai.

Eight of the most talented photographers awarded the Origin of Three Rivers Special Award presented by Mercedes-Benz made the core members of this expedition team. They are Bu Ensa, Chen Feng, Chen Shaohua, Liang Qing, Lu Kaiyu, Yang Xiaowu, Zhou Chengwei and Zuo Xiaoming. Among them, there are members from photographers association, press-photographers of well-known media and amateur photographers. Drawn by the natural beauty of the Origin of Three Rivers area, the eight photographers, escorted by Mercedes-Benz SUV fleet, set out for the expedition and trace the "fountain of life" through the camera lens.

This expedition started on July 8 in Xining. Escorted by Mercedes-Benz SUV family fleet, including G 55 AMG, GL-Class, ML-Class, and GLK-Class, the eight photographers headed into the snow-covered plateau of more than 4,000 meters high above the sea level. They cut across the Origin of Three Rivers area, visited the Ta'er temple and Qinghai Lake, explored the heart of the Origin of Three Rivers area, crossed the mouth of Kunlun Mountain, paid respects to the environmentalist Mr. Suonandajie, and finally pondered on the relationship between eco-environment and human beings from the perspectives of art and lives.

Björn Hauber, General Manager of Marketing & Sales, Mercedes - Benz (China) Ltd., kicked off the expedition
As the leading luxury automobile brand in the world, Mercedes-Benz is not only known for creating the most fascinating "art of mobility", but it is also known for dedicating itself to maintaining a harmonious balance among people, car and nature. Mr. Björn Hauber, General Manager of Marketing & Sales at Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd., said, "Our special partnership with 2009 National Geographic International Photography Contest is just another testimony to our dedication to the sustainable development of eco-friendliness and cultural heritage."

During the tense but meaningful adventure, which went on for 8 straight days and covered more than a thousand miles a day, the photographers took photos along the way and successfully created many volumes of wonderful pictures capturing the region’s unique culture and natural sceneries. The vigorous landscape captured in the wide-angle lens, the realistic pictures of the herders on the horse with Hada in hands, the front of garment flying in the wind, and the special architectural beauty of the Tibetan religion of the Origin of Three Rivers, were all perfectly grasped by the creative vantage points of the photographers. The photos they took not only show the incomparable beauty of the Origin of Three Rivers, but also reflect the crisis that is currently plaguing the environmentally fragile region and the rapid change in local cultures. These works will be submitted and competed for the photo contest. In mid August, the most outstanding photography works will enter global contest for top awards in three categories, namely nature, people and region.

Mercedes-Benz specially invited Mr. Tashi-Dorjie Hashi (Zha Duo), the Executive Director of The Snowland Great Rivers Environmental Protection Association, to join in the expedition as tour guide. Mr. Zha Duo is not only the close friend of Mr. Suonandajie, the leading figure of the movie "Hoh Xil" from real life. He also founded the first local non-government environmental protection organization. For years, he has devoted his life to advocating ecologically and environmentally sound practices to protect the Tibetan ecological environment, especially in the area of the Origin of Three Rivers. With his generous support, the expedition achieved great success. The story of Mr. Zha Duo and his life pursuit and spirit were also captured by the photographers, which will live on forever in the photography works.

Beginning from May this year, "Fountain of Life" - the Origin of Three Rivers Special Award Presented by Mercedes-Benz has generated a great deal of positive public attention. 20 million page views have been achieved on the contest website and over 3,000 photography lovers have submitted their photography works. Subsequently, eight of the most talented photographers were honored with the special Award presented by Mercedes-Benz, and embarked on an once-in-a-lifetime adventure with the Mercedes-Benz SUV family fleet. Throughout the Expedition, they have shared their photography works and personal feelings on the expedition in their blogs, aiming to show a real and multi-faceted Origin of Three Rivers to the public.

In eyes of the photographers, the Mercedes-Benz SUV family fleet not only provided the best protection for the expedition, but also best interprets nature and civilization, demonstrating the long pursuit of Mercedes-Benz. As Mercedes-Benz created world’s first car, it aims to create harmony amongst people, car and nature. The dramatic natural beauty of the Origin of Three Rivers, the true nature of life, all became tangible through the camera lens.

"Fountain of Life"– the Origin of Three Rivers Expedition Presented by Mercedes-Benz SUV Family has successfully ended. The eight photographers' select photography works for the final contest are readily accessible on the Mercedes-Benz Online Community (www.mymb.com.cn). Anyone who is interested can visit the website and vote for their favorite photographs!