Four-time Antarctic expeditioner Cao Jianxi recalls the dangers, thrills, and lifelong bonds he developed in one of the world’s most extreme environments
Antarctica is the only continent on Earth that is not permanently inhabited by humans—but that hasn’t stopped humankind from being fascinated it since ancient Greece. It wasn’t until 1911 that a Norwegian scientific expedition first reach the South Pole, marking the beginning of real human exploration of the icy continent.
Thanks to the efforts of scientists from various countries, we now enjoy unprecedented knowledge of this continent. But the average person's impression of Antarctica stops at glaciers and penguins, while the lives of researchers who temporarily inhabit the South Pole remains shrouded in mystery.
Cao Jianxi, our narrator today, has been on four scientific research expeditions on Antarctica. He is among the world’s chief experts on life on the continent, yet shockingly, he never harbored lifelong dreams of exploring Antarctica while growing up, nor imagined that his fate would be irrevocably tied to this land.
1
Growing Up in a Mountain Village
My name’s Cao Jianxi. I am 42 years old. I've joined four research missions to Antarctica in my former capacity as a member of the Chinese scientific expedition team.
I was born and raised in a particularly remote rural area of China. I had to cross two mountains by foot to reach the closest town from my village, another tiny lost spot in the map. To reach the county seat, I had to hop on a bus.
Back then, I rarely had a chance to get out of the village. What I did have was plenty of idle time to fantasize about the outside world. Kids in my village grew up longing to reach those distant destinations, where we hoped to see and experience as much as possible. And we admired those who managed to do just that.
Story FM: Early on, Cao proved to be an outstanding student, particularly in the sciences. He earned a spot in the county’s middle school, and later admission to Tongji University in Shanghai. That was when he left the remote mountain village of his childhood.
Cao’s life as a university student was uneventful. However, he often felt lost in the metropolis. Even upon graduation, he still couldn’t figure out what was next for him, until he chanced upon an unexpected path.
Founded in 2017 by Kou Aizhe, Story FM is one of the most renowned podcast in China. Each episode focuses on ordinary people’s lives and viewpoints, including the difficulties of marginalized people. Through intimate and private interviews, Story FM digs out first-person experiences and lets listeners immerse themselves in another person’s voice and feelings. You can listen to their podcast in Chinese on Ximalaya, Qingting FM, Apple Podcasts, and the 故事FM mini-app on WeChat.
Translated By
Ana Padilla Fornieles is a Spanish translator, writer and creative currently based in Beijing, where she is part of Spittoon International Arts Collective and a regular contributor to The Beijinger. You can find her prose and poetry featured in The Shanghai Literary Review, Voice & Verse Poetry Magazine, Womanhood, Sledgehammer and more. Her comics and linocut prints have appeared in Shaving in the Dark, F*EMS and Celestite Poetry. Her literary translation work has been published or is forthcoming with a series of publishing houses and magazines, such as Penguin, De Gruyter, Spittoon Magazine and Books from Taiwan.
