Zhao Li, 51, is known as "the Chinese Fabre" . He is famous for writing the "Chinese version (版本) ofFabre's Book of Insects (《昆虫记》)" and setting up Asia's largest insect museum – the Insect Museum of West China in Sichuan.
Much like the French naturalist (博物学家) Jean Henri Fabre, Zhao's story with insects dates back to his childhood. In his early years, Zhao started making butterfly specimens ( 标本) with the help of his parents. In high school, the butterfly specimens he collected were enough to support his first specimen exhibition.
Zhao's love for butterflies is nearly crazy. During his college years, he went into the forests of western Sichuan every summer. In 1991, the then 19-year-old cycled over 500 kilometers, living in farmhouses, eating dry food, and sometimes even sleeping in temples or on big rocks along the way. Finally, he discovered a new butterfly species – Lethe bipupilla (舜目黛眼蝶). It's reported that this was the first time a new butterfly species (种类) in Sichuan had been discovered by a Chinese person.
The discovery trips can sometimes be dangerous. In 1992, Zhao came across a mudslide (山崩) in Mount Gongga, Sichuan province. Luckily, a tree got in the way of a big rock coming toward him and saved him. However, the dangers didn't stop him from looking for butterflies. To find the nationally protected Teinopalpus aureus (金斑喙凤蝶), Zhao camped for seven days on the highest peak (山峰) in southern Hainan. He became the first person in China to successfully take a detailed photo of this butterfly species,which help people see clearly how beautiful the butterflies are!
Zhao is often called "Prince Butterfly" . But he said, "I am not a prince, just someone who loves insects."
