walk all over China

Chapter 15 Xinjiang·The Boundless Vast
Taklimakan Desert
There is a kind of vastness, more magnificent than the sea.The vast desert, golden gravel, undulating sand dunes, and a round of sunset dyed the sky red, seem to be a magical stroke of the atmosphere.The long wind drove straight in, roared past, and carved the sandcastle into a lifelike appearance.The oasis is the eyes of the desert, reflecting the blue sky, the vast sand sea, and the Dombra under the grape trellis.

The sun goes down/Loulan is empty and prosperous/My lover left alone/Leaving me with the eternal darkness/And/The eternal sweetness and sadness——Xi Murong's "The Bride of Loulan"

When the bride's face has turned to ashes, Toba proves that she was once gorgeous. ——Every time I read Xi Murong's "The Bride of Loulan", I always have countless feelings in my heart.Perhaps, in the dust of history, Loulan is a teardrop on the soul of Taklamakan. After thousands of years of glory, the blurred disappearance turned into a wisp of smoke, sealing up the soul forever in the vast Gobi desert. .Listen, on the way to the ancient Western Regions, the sound of camel bells is still tinkling. Countless descendants still come to pay their respects to that salt marsh and wasteland.

Taklimakan contains all the definitions of life and death, all the strangeness of mystery and temptation.This is a restricted area of ​​life.

From the beginning of Dunhuang, walk out of Yumen Pass, and walk westward along the ancient Silk Road. As the road gradually distanced, the glitz of the world gradually receded, and the pious heart in my heart was beating.Today, thousands of years later, the magic of that side can finally be truly met.That side is prosperous, and finally able to truly touch it.The vast Gobi and the boundless desert seem to be a resting place for the soul. Whether it is an ancient village or a ruin, it is an immortal spiritual home.

Finally met the Taklamakan head-on.

Ancient Fortress in the Desert

In the Taklamakan Desert, there are many little-known buildings and histories.Among them, the ancient garrison is one.On the Hongbai Mountain by the Hotan River, the ancient garrison castle built by the Tang Dynasty still stands there.Any traveler who is concerned about the connotation of literati will stay here and travel in it.

According to legend, a long time ago, people eagerly hoped that if the snow water from Tianshan and Kunlun Mountains could be attracted, the dry Tarim Basin would be full of vitality.A kind fairy was deeply moved by the people's sincerity, and he had two extraordinary treasures, one was a golden axe, the other was a golden key.He handed over the golden ax to the hands of the Kazakhs to split the Altai Mountains, so that the cool snow water can irrigate this basin.He also wants to give the Uyghurs the golden key to use to unlock treasures in the Tarim Basin.Unexpectedly, the fairy's youngest daughter, Margesa, lost the key. Since then, the center of the basin has become the Taklimakan Desert today.

Along the way, we walked through the old site of the Silk Road.Once upon a time, there were post roads built under the order of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, and there were endless beacons everywhere they passed.Now, the beacon tower has long been eroded by the wind, and it has become an unrecognizable Yadan.

I finally arrived at Lop Nur, and in front of my eyes was the hometown of the ancient Loulan Kingdom, which was aching in love.The Lop Nur in front of me seems to have turned into a dry lake basin, and the beauty of the past overflows in the imagination, faintly visible.

Today's Lop Nur is lonely and desolate, and there is only a peaceful posture in the sky, which turns into the most magnanimous color in the desert, condensing thoughts into crystals.

Bypassing Lop Nur and following the dry Kongque River all the way up, on the eastern edge of the desert, those scattered ruins like barren mounds are the ancient city of Loulan.

Finally, finally at such a moment, we meet with history.In terms of time, it is just a casual glance, but for us, it is the watch and longing for thousands of years.The ancient Loulan, like a gust of wind, blows up and dissipates, and the sorrow and joy intertwined by the wind are complicated and confusing.People once stopped here on the Silk Road, and then divided into north and south.The prosperity here used to be like the golden light of the sun.Thinking back to the prosperous age of Loulan, thinking back to the past.

Today, the city that has been restored several times still shows a majestic and magnificent posture.Houses, halls, streets, gardens.Arranged neatly like a honeycomb, even today, it still makes people feel a lot of emotion.In a trance, the voices of Loulan people, Anxi people, and Central Plains people, talking and walking back and forth, kneaded into a ball.

In the end, that piece of prosperity chose to be silent.The Han army invaded, King Loulan was captured, and an ancient country disappeared.

A desolate Gobi desert, a hot and boundless desert, how many remnants of history, after several desolation, bloomed a civilized smile.The vast color is like the end of the sky, and countless historians linger in it, as if they are always exploring the ancient wounds of many nations.Some are still full of blood, and some have recovered completely.

Between heaven and earth, time and space are constantly intertwined.Feeling the scorching heat of the desert, the devotion gradually spread in the faint grief.On the way of walking and crossing, it seems that I am an ascetic monk, looking forward to a silent transformation, so that the soul in the dark can find a place of sincerity.

A road that provokes the Central Plains and the Western Regions.The Taklamakan Desert, in Chinese history, is undoubtedly a massive territory, but it always shows a lonely attitude.

Whose volume of poems rolled up countless sandstorms of the prosperous Tang Dynasty, and whose Qiang flute blew out the history of the Han Dynasty?Everything is emptiness, whether it is the wind and sand or the desert, it is all emptiness.Only the spirit is eternal, and only the rhyme of fate is eternal.

Yadan Devil City

Just like a labyrinth created by nature, the ferocious face exudes a few traces of fear that penetrates deep into the bone marrow.In the labyrinth, it is either dignified and dignified, or dragons and tigers, or deep and quiet.After swimming away, as everyone knows, the uncanny accomplishment has already deeply penetrated into the mind, becoming a lingering nightmare.Just like a labyrinth created by nature, the ferocious face exudes a few traces of fear that penetrates deep into the bone marrow.In the maze, there are dignified and dignified, or dragons and tigers, or deep and quiet... After walking through, as everyone knows, the uncanny accomplishments have already deeply penetrated into the mind, becoming a lingering nightmare.

In Xinjiang, such landforms can be seen everywhere.In Uighur, people call it "steep mound", translated into Chinese, it has a nice name——

Yadan.In myths and legends, demons usually have beautiful names.As for Yadan, it fits such a legend.Its grandeur cannot be described deeply unless it is an immersive experience.Karamay Devil City, Kizil Devil City, Urho Devil City.Just listening to the name is already penetrating.

According to legend, around the 20s, people said that someone dug gold nuggets in Devil City.Therefore, whenever the autumn and winter seasons are slack, a large number of people come to Devil City in groups of three or four. The shovel after shovel excavation can imagine the damage to Yadan.The treasure hunting craze lasted for a few years, and then gradually lost its color and was no longer believed by people.

Xinjiang people often use magnificent to describe the Devil City that they touch in their sight. Between the sky and the earth, the reddish-brown Yadan in the Devil City is like a sudden sculpture on the wasteland, with a few strong colors of disillusionment.This is Urho Devil City.Because it has been eroded by wind for a long time, the soil itself is soft, and its body shape is constantly changing in the wind and sand.In the interlacing of light and shadow, the magical power of nature is displayed to the fullest. The mound is no longer a mound. Wherever the line of sight is, it is the fold left by the vertical movement of the earth's crust. Into a hideous devil city.The Devil City is usually located at the mouth of the wind. Whenever there is a strong wind, the thick yellow sand will almost cover the sun, and the violent wind will hover in the sky. The weird sound will come out frequently from the Devil City. The sound like the cry of an evil spirit, The people who heard it were instantly shocked by the rain and shuddered.

Even in places like this, there are still crowds.Titil Village, Kizil Township is the closest residential area to Devil City.If you want to get out of here, you must pass through the Devil City, so many ancient stories of the Devil City start here and gradually flow to the outside world.According to legend, decades ago, every time the villagers of Titil village went to other places, they would pass by here. People were afraid of forgetting the way they came, so they left stones on the roadside mound as a reminder.After a long time, the originally desolate Devil City unexpectedly showed a unique scenery: every once in a while, you will see large and small piles of stones piled up.Although there is a stone pile road, travelers still dare not walk through the Devil City alone at night.Over time, a post station was created.

Yadan's Devil City seems to be accompanied by terror all year round.However, after experiencing it personally, I feel a little different from what it seems on the surface.When people face the vast Gobi Desert, they still unconsciously go to explore. It seems that the novelty and excitement, no matter how terrifying it is, are the achievements of nature's illusion. The beauty of miracles.

White Haba

A quiet and beautiful mountain village, away from the hustle and bustle of the mundane world, the simple and mellow folk customs have always nourished everything here.When the original ecology and the ancient cultural tradition blend together, the style that has been kept for hundreds of years will bloom the most dazzling flowers in today's condensed.The harmonious coexistence of nature and human beings is deduced to the purest here.

Baihaba is located in the southern range of Altai Mountains in Xinjiang, with an altitude of 1200-2600 meters.To the east, the Kanas Reserve is next to it, and to the west, Kazakhstan is separated from it by a water.It is a village. The residents here believe in Lamaism. They are all Mongolian residents. Their names are - Tuva people.It is said that the ancestors of the Tuva people were originally a team left by Genghis Khan passing through Kanas during his westward expedition. They originally stayed here to provide military supplies, but after a long time, they formed a tribe.They rely on grazing and hunting for a living, and have lived in isolation ever since.Here, Kazakhs and Mongolians live together. On the narrow platform between two streams, their residences stand beside mountains and rivers.The residence made of logs looks like a quaint small wooden house, which is quite a bit of a European-style village style. The design of the "human" character on the side of the house is to prevent the invasion of rain and snow.People store food in the ventilated attic between the roof and the roof, just like little squirrels preparing for the winter, maintaining the original and beautiful joy of life.

The villagers here are all artists, and every house is like a handicraft exhibition hall.Look at the tapestry on the kang, the curtains on the wall, and even the stove in the center of the floor are exquisite and beautiful.

The whole family worked on the ranch all summer long.The vacant houses are rented out to outside operators, who either open a small hotel or run a small shop. After the tourist season is over, they return to their homes for the winter.In the northernmost tip of Xinjiang, they lived happily in such a small life.

Every sunset and dusk, accompanied by the curling smoke, the cattle and sheep walk leisurely, and the whole picture is full of the beauty of nature.Some people say that if Kanas Lake is compared to a beautiful paradise, then Baihaba is the most precious fairy tale world in the huge primitive environment.

In the autumn of Baihaba, fiery red birch leaves and golden poplar leaves can be seen everywhere. Looking down on the hills, the maroon of the meadow is lovable, and the light yellow of the larch makes people feel more comfortable.Looking from a distance, the mountains are covered with white snow, and looking up, the blue sky is vast and boundless.There are no antique Chinese buildings here, and there is no majestic column red wall here, but when people face it, people's eyes are like leaping into an exquisite oil painting. It came into being, like a fairy tale world, but more real and credible than the fairy tale world.

The beautiful Altai Mountain has always been known as the "Golden Mountain", perhaps because it is located in the hinterland, or because it is mysterious and bizarre. People who have been here praised it as "painting everywhere", walking in it , The beauty and tranquility infiltrated the heart unconsciously.

Some people say that only harmony and tranquility can provide the best place for living. Only in such a situation can the habitat be called a habitat, and life can truly enter from a state to calm and peaceful.

Indeed, although Baihaba Village is small, it is particularly delicate; although it is small, it is particularly delicate.Walking in it, whether it is the wooden fence randomly dotted at the door, or the birch tree next to the house, it looks so warm.

Open your eyes in the morning light, bathe in the sun, watch the light smoke rising from the small house, and greet the villagers who carry water happily.In this situation, a kind of warmth unique to life is released in this way, blending into the beautiful time of the whole Baihaba.

Kanas Lake

The reflection in the lake is not only the white snow and the mountains, but also the innocence in childhood, which surfaced in the long-lost smile.

Beautiful Xinjiang, beautiful Kanas Lake.Surrounded by clouds and mist, the flowers and plants are looming, and the infinite life is full of fun, showing the beautiful scenery of Kanas.

At the entrance of the lake in the north section of Kanas Lake, the long embankment of dead wood more than one kilometer long has become a unique spectacle of Kanas Lake.Whenever there is a flood season, the long embankment will float up. According to common sense, the dead wood may only float downward, but it will not travel in the opposite direction. However, it is such a long embankment. , it will persistently drift back to its original place.Like a puppy that only recognizes its own den, no matter how far the owner drives it, it will crawl back to its little den.

Legend has it that the "lake monster" has been lurking in Kanas Lake.Because of the magical power of the spray cloud, countless cattle, sheep and horses were swept away by it when they came to the shore to drink water, and such legends have continued to this day in different versions.Even the members of the scientific expedition team claimed that there is a giant "lake monster" in the lake, which has been causing trouble for a long time.

It turned out that the big fish was originally a long-lived fish called "big red fish". It is reported that this kind of big fish can live to be over 200 years old at the longest. , It is even difficult to salvage it.Therefore, every attempt to "catch the lake monster" ended in failure.

"Buddha Light in the Sea of ​​Clouds" is another miracle among the many landscapes of Kanas Lake.In August, the sun will burst out like a huge colorful halo, which is condensed with seven colors of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, blue and purple, bright and dazzling.Against the background of many landscapes, it seems that gods and Buddhas are coming to the world, so people call it "the light of Buddha in the sea of ​​clouds".

Kanas is also a "color-changing lake".Every spring and summer, the lake water will change into different colors. From April and May to October every year, the color of the lake water is like a chameleon, which makes people overjoyed.In May, blue gray; in June, blue; in July, milky white; in August, dark green; in September and October, the lake water also became gorgeous; in frozen December, the lake water turned back to a white mirror...

As the name suggests, Wolong Bay is hidden 10 kilometers away from Kanas.Here, a wooden bridge crosses things.Standing on the bridge, to the north is the calm mirror-like Wolong Bay, while to the south is the roaring Kanas River.

In the canyon, the blue crescent-shaped bay is particularly eye-catching, and people affectionately call it "Moon Bay".The water in Moon Bay changes with the color of Kanas Lake all the time.It is said that in the lake, there are a pair of footprints left by Chang'e when she flew to the moon. Some people also say that those footprints were stepped on by Genghis Khan when he was chasing the enemy. It is a famous landmark scenic spot for future generations to visit.

Ili grassland
The Yili Valley has always been outstanding, and the grasslands in that area must have inherited such excellent qualities, and the thousands of miles of it meanders, which makes people sigh.

Not only facing the snow-capped mountains, but also confronting the desert, this is the grassland of Xinjiang.

Legend has it that when Genghis Khan marched west, one of the Mongolian troops was marching from the depths of the Tianshan Mountains to Ili.Although it was spring, the mountains were full of loud snowstorms. Under the double torment of cold and hunger, the army was already exhausted.However, at the moment when he was about to lose heart, a jumping green came into view.What kind of grassland is that? The criss-crossing flowing water, clear gurgling streams, and the beauty of blooming flowers give the army endless power like a paradise.Just at this time, the clouds cleared and the fog cleared, and a round of fiery red sun was hanging in the sky. When it was shining brightly, people could not help shouting "Nalati". Since then, this place has had such a name, which means "the first to see". to the place of the sun".

The Nalati Grassland is the best of the Yili Grasslands, with tall grass and flowers, and it is even more beautiful in mid-spring.Here, wild flowers are everywhere, blooming all over the hills, red, orange, yellow and green, becoming a strong and gorgeous color in the grassland scenery.

Yili is such a place, on the edge of the vast Gobi, its unique forest has become the most bizarre scenery in northern Xinjiang.An extremely empty gesture confines people's hearts and gallops happily on the grassland.

Some people say that the Bayinbulak Grassland is the paradise of the Mongols, so the Gongnais Grassland is the natural territory of the Kazakhs.

The ancient Kazakh nation, the legendary race on horseback, drank milk tea and rode steeds on the road of pursuing freedom. Such a life seems to include the lofty ideals of all nomadic peoples.

The fiery red jasmine and fiery red Kazakh flowers bloom in competition every June, like clusters of gushing flames, turning into immortal colors in the eyes of the Uighur and Kazakh people.

Zhaosu Grassland is also an alpine grassland, in addition, it is also the hometown of stone people in the grassland.There are galloping horses, majestic mountains, and above 3000 meters above sea level, there are still patches of gorgeous and colorful white flowers, and patches of moving spruce.The posture of Zhaosu Grassland lying on the hillside is even more noble and charming in its grace and elegance.

Sailimu Lake
Sailimu Lake is located in the west of Yining City in western Xinjiang, close to the northern route of the Silk Road, and southwest of Bole City.In the alpine basin in the western section of the 90-kilometer Tianshan Mountains, the Ili Grassland passes along the shore of the lake.The beautiful natural scenery is well-known both at home and abroad.

A complete stone, carved into the figure of a man or a woman, I don’t know when a statue was erected in the Zhaosu Grassland. The one-meter or two-meter statue stood like that in the grass, among the flowers, with an expression Slightly dignified and thoughtful looking into the distance.

No one knows where those stone men came from. After several searches, according to textual research, we got the following result: It turned out that they were relics left by the ancient Turkic people. Their existence seemed to be "gravekeepers", or It is an ancient "suspicious soldier".The exact statement is uncertain.

Thousands of years have passed, and now, the number of stone figures in the grassland has become very few under the knocking of people. Zhaosu County scattered eight stone figures in various grasslands in order to let them see Enjoy the beautiful grassland scenery and enjoy family happiness again in such a beautiful place.

This is the grassland of Ili, with boundless beauty and colorful scenery.There is a kind of warmth in the grassland, which shows a unique connotation in the complicated history, like a kind of beauty after vicissitudes, deep and moving.

The gurgling sound of the water, the crisp and fresh voice, is like the crisp laughter of a Kazakh girl. In the innocence, in the storm, in the cold and quiet, it moves countless rolling mountains.A song "Prairie Night" rang happily under the vast sky. The song seemed to travel through time and space, weaving a net of happiness carefully and sticking to the entire grassland home.

(End of this chapter)