Tang observed the golden snub-nosed monkeys with his father and great-uncle, who worked in the reserve when he was a child. He believes that, much like humans, the monkeys experience various emotions, to which he is deeply attuned.

He thinks that their calls indicate at least seven emotions: "Pupu" signals laughter; "Jiajia" indicates alarm; "Aiai" is a greeting; "Guga" shows fear; "Wawa" is flirtatious; "Wuwu" suggests happiness; and "Wowo" is the monkey version of shouting.

"Your photos haven't captured the monkeys' beauty. Look how stunning they are," Tang told me, when I visited.

During our conversation, his every word and every gesture reflected his love of the monkeys, as well as his desire for more people to understand and protect them.