Editor's note: The Sichuan-Tibet Plateau, a beautiful region that reaches toward the heavens, is a place showered with blue skies, covered in white clouds, and dotted with snow-covered mountains, but recently, something truly remarkable has been materializing among the households that call this place home. A groundbreaking historic change has been reshaping the land and its people. From today on, we will publish a series of stories to tell you those changes. 

It is now August, and rain has been falling for several days. The prairie has been completely drenched, and the grassland has turned a deep green.

"Aren't you ready yet? Come on! Our support group is almost here!" On August 5th, the clouds have finally parted, and the rain has come to an end. The water-supply project in Jiangdong Village has been sponsored by the Deyang City government, and at the water's source, a group of local herders and farmers dressed in self-made Tibetan robes voluntarily gather at the roadside 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) away from the downtown area of the county seat, hands full of Hada (white religious scarves) and butter tea to welcome the arriving friends.

"After we got safe water from the project, the amazing taste instantly warmed the hearts of our farmers and herders, but in the end, we had nothing to say 'thank you' with! We Tibetans, though, will never be able to forget the true 'source' of our happiness, and that is why there is such a large gathering here today. We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to those who helped us and who came all the way from the Deyang City government!" 38-year-old Tenzhen said cheerfully the moment he grasped the hand of one of the members of the support team.

Editor: Ana Wu