Populus euphratica in Ejina Desert: It takes 3,000 years to stand out from the crowd with a beautiful scenery.

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Populus euphratica is one of the oldest poplar varieties in the world and one of the rare tree species in nature. It grows in extremely arid desert areas, is drought-tolerant and waterlogging-tolerant, and its tree age can usually reach more than 200 years, so it is known as a "living fossil tree".

The vast majority of Populus euphratica in the world grows in China, while 90% of Populus euphratica in China is in Xinjiang. So the three most beautiful Populus euphratica forests in the world are all in China: one in Ejina, Inner Mongolia, and the other in Luntai, Xinjiang, both of which are very famous. The other is relatively low-key, in Yiwu, Hami City, Xinjiang.

I already said that. If you can't imagine how beautiful Populus euphratica forest is, you can recall the scene in the movie Hero where two women in red fight for a man in the golden forest. This is the scenery taken in Populus euphratica forest in Ejina Banner. I went to Ejina for the movie Hero.

Speaking of Ejina, it is a flag (equivalent to a county) under the jurisdiction of Alashan League (equivalent to a region) in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, with an area of 6,543,800 square kilometers. But there are many uninhabited desert areas here, the most famous of which is the 390,000 mu Populus euphratica Forest Reserve and the Badain Jaran Desert bordering it. It is precisely because of the Populus euphratica forest that the spread of the desert has been stopped.

Hu Yangshu alive will not die for three thousand years. Even if you die, you can't fall for three thousand years; If it falls, it will last for three thousand years. It is such a tree species that tourists can enjoy it only 2 1 day in a year, and it is concentrated around the National Day.

We went to Ejina before the National Day, which was a little early. Except for the Populus euphratica forests around Qidaoqiao, most of the other Populus euphratica forests are only 40% to 60% yellow. The day I came back was September 28th, and the 2nd1Ejina Golden Autumn Populus euphratica Ecotourism Festival officially opened.

Hu Yangshu has its own wonders: young Populus euphratica leaves are long and narrow, just like a girl's arch eyebrows, and people often mistake them for willows; The leaves of the robust Populus euphratica have become oval or triangular again, just like the birch in Daxinganling; The leaves of Populus euphratica are oval only when they enter old age. What's more, there are several different shapes of leaves growing on the upper and lower layers of the same Populus euphratica crown.

Every autumn, when Ejina Banner first visited first frost, the vast Populus euphratica forest gradually turned from green to yellow. At first glance, the golden leaves in the sun set off the blue sky, and the strong contrast was enough to make any words look pale and powerless.

A trip to Ejina usually involves three places. In addition to the above-mentioned Ejina Populus euphratica scenic spot, there are also two scenic spots: Heishui City, Weak Water Populus euphratica Forest and Juyanhai.

We first went to the weak water Populus euphratica forest scenic spot in Heishui City. It consists of weak water Populus euphratica forest, black water city and strange forest.

Most of the black water city that the tour guide takes you to is a modern building, which is not quite the same as the black water city site. Most people tend to look only at modern buildings and ignore the nearby ruins of Heishui City.

Black Water City (also known as Black City) is located in the northeast of Ejina Banner, and it is named because there is a black river next to it. It was once an important frontier fortress in the western regions during the Xixia period and the main road leading to Lingbei Province in Hexi Corridor. In this magical land, not only the beauty of Populus euphratica forest grows, but also the dazzling history and culture. The site of Black City is the epitome of its long history.

Years have passed, and the black city in front of us is surrounded by long yellow sand. Looking from a distance, an ideal city appeared on the vast horizon. At first glance, the conical spire left only a desolate mound. If you look carefully, you can see the outline of the city clearly. This is the most complete ancient city on the Silk Road.

About the Black Water City, I will say these things here, ignore them first, and save them for later.

Out of the black city, it is not far from the scenic tour bus to the "strange forest".

The strange forest is actually a dead Populus euphratica forest, which is the grave of Populus euphratica. Because of the continuous deterioration of the environment, the Populus euphratica forest in the narrow strip of about 7-8 kilometers north and south of Ejina, about 10 square kilometers, has died. Because Populus euphratica itself has the characteristics of corrosion resistance, their "corpses" still stand there in different shapes, just like the last second before the end of life is frozen forever. It's shocking and spectacular.

I have seen photos of all kinds of strange forests before, but when I really approached them, I was really shocked! Standing, leaning back, lying down, or lying down, all kinds of dead branches and bare branches, some oblique forks, some pointing at the sky, some broken and rotten, some twisted and twisted. From a distance, there always seems to be a ferocious and terrible smell.

Some people say that Populus euphratica chose the desert, which doomed his miserable life. Even though he is dead, he is still mighty and unyielding.

Here, I heard a legend about a strange forest:

There used to be a black general in Black Water City. The enemy attacked the city and the army led by General Black was trapped. After breaking through when the river was cut off, he led the army out of the city and died in this strange forest. So some people say that this strange forest is the place where the immortal souls of General Black and his men are stored.

Recommended tour order: weak water Populus euphratica forest-black water city-strange forest.

There is a sightseeing bus connection between scenic spots, which circulates all day.

Huyanglin Scenic Area in Ejina Banner is 24 kilometers from No.1 Bridge to Badao Bridge. A bridge called Taolailin is the gate of the scenic spot, which can basically be skipped; Wudaoqiao is a folk village (Turhut Manor), which is not very ornamental; Liudao Bridge is not open yet, so it is naturally impossible to enter. The truly valuable ones are Erdaoqiao (reflection forest), Sandaoqiao (Hongliuhai), Sidaoqiao (hero forest), Qidaoqiao (dream forest) and Badao Bridge (Sha Hailin). The scenery of each bridge is very different.

The sunrise at Erdaoqiao is the most beautiful. Here is the only Populus euphratica forest accompanied by water, full of autumn water, flowing with the figure and charm of autumn, walking around the lake, the scenery changes with it, beautiful.

Sidaoqiao Populus euphratica is tall and dense, which is the location of the movie Hero and the best place to shoot Populus euphratica portraits. We went a little early, and the Populus euphratica forest on Bridge 4 was not yellow yet.

Huyanghuang in Qidaoqiao is the earliest place to take scenic photos.

Badao Bridge is located on the northern edge of Badain Jaran Desert, where you can photograph the shadows of winding sand dunes and desert camels.

After a tour, I personally think that the two bridges, the seven bridges and the eight bridges are the most worthwhile ones. Hong Liuhai of the Third Bridge didn't leave me much impression. The fourth bridge of the so-called "Hero Forest" is the most deceptive.

It may be that I saw too many Populus euphratica forests for two consecutive days (the first day was in the scenic spot of Populus euphratica forests in weak water in Black City), which caused aesthetic fatigue. After passing the second bridge, the seventh bridge and the eighth bridge, and then coming back to enter the first bridge, the third bridge and the fourth bridge, we have entered the aesthetic fatigue period.

Just as delicious food cannot have multiple uses, the beauty in this world is no matter how good it is, and the result of repeated viewing is aesthetic fatigue. In Ejina, the endless and continuous Populus euphratica forest sea, similar and deja vu leaves, or the terrain of sand or pond, the atmosphere of self-help tour and self-help tour, without interaction, all affect the mood of tourists.

Recommended tour order: Erdaoqiao-Sidaoqiao-Qidaoqiao-Badaoqiao-Yiqiao.

There is a sightseeing bus connection between the bridges, which runs circularly all day.

D 1: In the afternoon, fly directly from Wuxi Sunan Shuofang Airport to Lanzhou, check in at the hotel, and visit Zhongshan Bridge, the first railway bridge of the Yellow River in the evening;

D2: Arrive in Zhangye by train, visit Zhangye Danxia Geopark, and stay at Zhangye Hotel in the evening;

D3: Take the RV rented by the local travel agency to Ejina, pass through the Space City, arrive in Ejina in the afternoon, visit the Black Water City and the Weak Water Populus euphratica Scenic Area, and stop at the Jinhuyang Camp in Ejina.

D4: Visit Populus euphratica forest in Ejina all day and return to RV camp at night;

D5: Visit Juyanhai Scenic Area in the morning, leave Ejina for Jiayuguan City by RV after lunch, and stay at Jiayuguan Hotel in the evening;

D6: In the morning, visit Jiayuguan Scenic Area, the first pass in the world. In the afternoon, go to Zhangye Airport, fly to Shanghai and return to Wuxi.

Highlight: The trip takes Lanzhou as the entrance and Zhangye as the exit, so you can fully enjoy the natural scenery of the Hexi Corridor section of the Silk Road. The itinerary is full and compact. At the same time, you can go deep into Gobi to see the landform of Ya Dan and the autumn wind of Populus euphratica. Among them, you can stay in the camp of Populus euphratica scenic spot for two days by RV, which is both worry-free and labor-saving. You can not only enjoy the beauty of classics, but also miss the essence of the trip to the northwest.

About Yang Zhuangbo