What kind of scenery outside the Great Wall can you enjoy at Mingsha Mountain in Dunhuang?

The preaching is strange, the sand is strange, the coldness is also whining, the power is suspicious of the sky's agitation, the buttocks are like thunder and thunder, the wind is sharpening the edges, and the human navel blade is uneven. ?This vivid poem about the scenery is a Tang Dynasty poet's description of the wonders of Mingsha Mountain in Dunhuang.

Mingsha Mountain has attracted people with its bright and vivid natural wonders since ancient times. In the Western Han Dynasty, there was a record that Mingsha Mountain seemed to be playing bells and drums orchestral music: The mountains have the difference of Mingsha, and the water has the god of hanging springs. "Old Book of Tang Dynasty" records the sound of sand mountain. When the weather is fine, the sound of sand can be heard in the city. "Dunhuang Records" records that the Mingsha Mountains sing themselves in midsummer. People and horses trample on them, and the sound vibrates for dozens of miles. It is a custom during the Dragon Boat Festival that all the children in the city reach the peak and frown together, and the sand roars like thunder.

Dunhuang Mingsha Mountain is named after the sound of moving sand. In ancient times, it was called "Shajiao Mountain" or "Shensha Mountain". Together with Shapotou in Zhongwei City, Ningxia, Xiangshawan in Dalat Banner, Inner Mongolia, and Barkol Mingsha Mountain in Barkol Kazakh Autonomous County, Xinjiang, it is one of the four largest Mingsha Mountains in my country. It is located 5 kilometers south of Dunhuang City, Gansu Province, in the transition zone between the Badain Jaran Desert and the Taklimakan Desert. It starts from the cliff top of Mogao Grottoes in the east and is connected to the Danghe Reservoir in the west. The entire mountain is composed of red, yellow, green, black and white fine lines. It is formed by the accumulation of rice-like sand grains. The five-color sand grains are crystal clear, spotless, soft and round, falling with your feet, and often returning to the same shape after being blown by the wind. The sand peaks rise and fall, and from a distance they look like a winding dragon. It is as bright as gold, as soft as satin, and as demure as a girl. Under the sun, the sand ridges are corrugated, and the yellow waves are rolling, with alternating light and dark, and distinct layers. When people slide down the slope, the sand will make a roaring sound, like drums and thunder, hence the name Mingsha Mountain. No wonder Su Luji, a poet of the Qing Dynasty, said: "The sound of thunder is lingering, and the wind is whispering." ?According to historical records, on a sunny day, even if the wind stops and the sand is quiet, the sound of silk and bamboo strings will be emitted, so this scene is also called "Sand Ridge Eye Ming". "Dunhuang County Chronicles" of the Qing Dynasty listed "Sand Ridge Jingming" as one of the eight scenic spots in Dunhuang.

Mingsha Mountain is formed by the accumulation of quicksand. Although it is not high, it is not easy to climb to the top. There is continuous fine sand, one step forward, half a step back, and I have to use my hands and feet to climb up. When you reach the top of the mountain, the sand peaks are like golden waves in the sea, majestic and surging. Look carefully at the sand waves on the hillside, like light ripples, sometimes rapid, sometimes slow, sometimes lingering in a vortex, it is really ups and downs and full of fun. There is also a clear spring under the sand mountain, which is pleasing to the eye and makes the mood self-evident. Looking far into the distance, the world suddenly opens up, your mind suddenly opens up, and your childlike innocence can't help but sprout! Going down the mountain is the most interesting. Walking down the slope, you can feel the wind blowing on your sides. You can jump ten steps and control the void in the air. It feels like you have transformed into a fairy.

Mingsha Mountain has been formed for more than 3,000 years, and Mingsha has been recorded for a long time. It was first seen in the Eastern Han Dynasty

(Xin Shi San Qin Ji): There is Shajiao Mountain in the west of Hexi. Mingsha Mountain in Dunhuang

It is recorded in "Old Stories of Xihe" in the Wei and Jin Dynasties: Shazhou, when the weather is clear, there is the sound of sand. It is heard that people in the city are visiting the sand mountain, with few couples, or without visiting. Don't dare to move forward if you are afraid. ?

Due to the further integration of ethnic groups in the Tang Dynasty, a large number of written records appeared in the "Shazhou Illustration": "The flow is irregular, and the deep valleys suddenly become mausoleums and high rocks." It is a valley, with dangerous peaks and picturesque peaks. "Yuanhe County Chronicles" records: "Mingsha Mountain is a sacred mountain located seven miles south of the county. Its mountains are covered with sand and the peaks are steep." , beyond the stone mountain, surrounded by sand ridges, with backs like knife blades. When people climb on it, they will scream, and they will fall with their feet. The wind blows after passing by, and the "Dunhuang Records" of the Five Dynasties records: "The ringing sand mountain goes to the state." Ten miles. The mountain is eighty miles from east to west and forty miles from north to south. At a height of 500 feet, the mountain is full of pure sand. The peaks are as if they were cut. Shashan has a long history and profound cultural heritage. Only by experiencing it in person can you gain more understanding. Therefore, it is better to walk thousands of miles out of the city and walk in the sand. During the experience, I felt the peculiarity and charm of Mingsha Mountain.

Due to the underdeveloped science in ancient times, people could not explain the sound of Mingsha Mountain, so they had to use legends to explain it. According to legend, this place was originally an oasis with rich water and grass. A general in the Han Dynasty led an army to the west and was attacked by the enemy at night. When the two armies were fighting, a strong wind blew up and the yellow sand buried all the troops in the sand. , so there is Mingsha Mountain. The sound of sand in Mingsha Mountain also comes from their fighting.

Of course, this explanation is not accurate, but parents can regard it as a child. Telling the story to children will also increase their understanding of the human geography of Mingsha Mountain.

In modern times with advanced science, people have conducted scientific exploration and speculation on the mystery of Mingsha Mountain, so there are three theories. The main explanation is that the sand grains in Mingsha Mountain flow downward under the force of human power or wind, and the sand grains containing quartz crystals rub against each other to produce static electricity. The sound is loud and loud like thunder. Friction makes a sound. When the weather is hot, the sand is particularly dry and the temperature increases. It makes a popping sound when the sound is combined.

The third is ***. The sound is amplified. The valleys formed between the peaks of the sand mountains are natural sound boxes.

The friction sound or discharge sound caused by the falling sand causes the vibration, and the sound of the natural sound box amplifies the volume, forming a huge reverberation sound.

In fact, no matter what the answer is, it does not prevent people from personally experiencing the magic and beauty of "Shaling Qingming". Mingsha Mountain, Crescent Moon Spring, Dunhuang on the Silk Road, everything is full of legend, and underneath the legend there is profound history and culture. When you come here, you can not only enjoy the wonderful scenery of yellow sand and clear springs, but also appreciate the unusual northwest desert culture.

The scenery here is unique

1. Crescent Moon Spring

Crescent Moon Spring is located in Dunhuang City, Gansu Province. It is integrated with the artistic landscape of Mogao Grottoes. The "two wonders" connected in a continuous line in the south of the city have become a tourist attraction that domestic and foreign tourists yearn for. Throughout the ages, it has been famous for its wonderful landscape of mountain springs and sand and water. It is known as one of the most beautiful scenery outside the Great Wall. In 1994, it was designated as a national key scenic spot.

Crescent Moon Spring is surrounded by Mingsha Mountain and is 360 meters long and 30 to 40 meters wide. It is named after its shape that resembles a crescent moon. In ancient times, it was called "Shajing", also known as "Yaoquan". It was once rumored to be "Wawachi", and was renamed "Crescent Spring" in the Qing Dynasty. For thousands of years, the sand mountains have been surrounded by springs without being buried. It is rare that the springs are not turbid or dry up in an arid desert. In the spring, there are star grasses with awns, iron fish and waves, and the mountains and water complement each other, making the scenery very beautiful.

The source of Crescent Moon Spring is the Dang River. Relying on the continuous filling of the river water, surrounded by yellow sand on all sides, the spring water is clear and bright, and it has not dried up for thousands of years, which is amazing. Unfortunately, since the 1990s, the flow between Dang River and Crescent Spring has stopped, and artificial methods can only be used to maintain the current status of the spring water. Since pavilions and pavilions have been built beside Crescent Moon Spring, coupled with the undulating sand mountains, clear spring water, and brilliant sunset, the scenery is not bad.

Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring are twin sisters in the Gobi desert. The mountains sound because of their spirits, and the water is beautiful because of their spirits. ?Visitors here, whether they have a bird's-eye view from the top of the mountain or take a stroll by the spring, will be fascinated and have endless reveries. They really have the feeling of "the pleasant nature of Mingsha Mountain and the heart-cleansing Crescent Moon Spring". Regarding the formation of Crescent Moon Spring and Mingsha Mountain, there is a local story. Once upon a time, there was neither Mingsha Mountain nor Crescent Moon Spring here, but there was a Leiyin Temple. One year on the eighth day of April, the temple held the annual Buddha Bathing Festival. All the faithful men and women burned incense, worshiped the Buddha and worshiped in the temple. When the Buddhist activity reaches the point of "sprinkling holy water", the abbot and abbot brings out a bowl of ancestral holy water from Leiyin Temple and places it in front of the temple. Suddenly, a heretic warlock loudly challenged him to a battle of wits with the abbot and abbot. I saw the sorcerer wielding his sword and performing magic tricks while mumbling words. In an instant, the sky was dark and the earth was dark, the wind was strong, and the yellow sand came overwhelmingly, burying Leiyin Temple under the sand.

The strange thing is that the bowl of holy water in front of the temple is safe and sound, and is still in the same place. The sorcerer used all his magic to fill the bowl with sand, but no matter how powerful his magic was, not a single grain of sand entered the bowl. Until a mountain of sand formed around the bowl, the holy water bowl remained safe and sound. The warlock had no choice but to leave angrily. After walking a few steps, he suddenly heard a roar, half of the bowl of holy water tilted, turning into a clear spring, and the warlock turned into a black stone. It turns out that this bowl of holy water was originally given by Buddha Sakyamuni to the abbot of Leiyin Temple. It has been passed down from generation to generation and is specially used to eliminate diseases and disasters for people, so it is called "holy water". Because the heretic warlocks committed evil and harmed living beings, the Buddha appeared as a punishment and caused the bowl to overflow, forming the Crescent Moon Spring.

Of course, this is just a legend. When it comes to the real reason for the formation of Crescent Moon Spring, it actually mainly depends on three factors: the geological structure of Crescent Moon Spring itself, the terrain conditions of low-lying land and the high regional groundwater level. factors. The Crescent Moon Spring in history not only lasted forever, but also had extremely large water surface and depth. There are documented records that large ships could still be run here during the Qing Dynasty. At the beginning of the 20th century, someone came here to fish. His travel notes said: The water in the pond is extremely deep, the bottom is sand, and the depth is unfathomable. ?In the limited historical records and poems and songs, Crescent Moon Spring has always been characterized by rippling blue waves, fish swimming on the shallow bottom, and luxuriant water and grass, which complement the Mingsha Mountain. Among the local people, there are three things: iron-backed fish, seven-star grass and five-color sand. Bao's statement. Until 1960, there were no major changes in the spring water. However, Crescent Moon Spring is now facing a situation of drying up.

2. Singing Sand

In deserts or dunes, due to the influence of various climatic and geographical factors, fine sand grains mainly composed of quartz are produced. The sand slides down due to wind vibration. Or move with each other, many sand grains rotate in the air flow, and the hollows on the surface cause a "diabolo" effect and produce a buzzing sound. This kind of place is called a ringing sand field. In western China, which is mainly desert, these sand dunes are piled up into mountain shapes, so they are also called Mingsha Mountains. The Mingsha Mountain that people usually refer to is Mingsha Mountain located in Dunhuang, Gansu Province. In addition, Mingsha Mountain in Mulei, Xinjiang and Mingsha Mountain in the 185th Regiment are also famous.

Singing sand is also called ringing sand, sentry sand or musical sand. It is a peculiar but ubiquitous natural phenomenon in the world. Some beaches and deserts in the United States, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Poland, Mongolia, Chile, Saudi Arabia and other places will make strange sounds. It is said that more than 100 similar beaches and deserts have been discovered in the world.

The natural phenomenon of singing sand is not only widely distributed in the world, but the sounds produced by sand are also diverse. For example, the sand on an island in the Hawaiian Islands in the United States makes a sound like a dog barking, so people call it "barking sand".

The sand on a small island in Scotland can make a sharp and loud sound, as if the index finger is playing on a taut silk string. When the Mingsha Mountain in China rolls down, the sand will make a loud rumble, like thunder, as Zhu Kezhen described.

At dusk in summer, the sunset landscape of Mingsha Mountain is very beautiful. This is a scene that cannot be missed when visiting Mingsha Mountain. If you want to enjoy the most beautiful scenery when you go out to play, you must learn to find the best viewing time.

In this way, you can see the most pleasing beauty and use your time more rationally. For first timers, this can be difficult to do. However, it doesn't matter. If you are diligent, you can collect various information in advance and find the relative time. Then, when you get to the local area, be sweeter and ask more local people to find the best viewing time.

In this process, I believe you will gain a lot.