The first and last scene had nothing to do with Qin Guan. They were just meant to show the indifference and cruelty of that depopulated area. Lu Chuan wanted to film a real traditional celestial burial, which was something that was about to become extinct in Tibet.
A celestial burial was the traditional funeral of Tibetan and Mongolian people. They believed in the reincarnation and immortality of the spirit, so in their minds, death was only the spirit's departure from a dying body.
They fed the vultures with human bodies as an offer of worship.
The cameras were set up fast. It was very difficult for the cameramen to work on the plateau. Even the strongest men were panting heavily as they carried the cameras.
Qin Guan was no better. He admired the people living on the plateau. They were all thin but capable, with an honest expression in their eyes.
