An unforgettable trip to southern Xinjiang

When I was very young, I knew from books that Xinjiang is a good place. Far, far away, there are mountains and valleys, snow-covered plateaus, Tianshan Mountains, Kunlun, Tarim Basin, and Taklimakan Desert. , the scenery there is picturesque, the fruits are fragrant, there are also ethnic customs, singing and dancing, etc. How can you not be fascinated by it.

I departed from Shanghai on October 10 and flew directly to Urumqi. During the nearly 6 hours of flight time, the temperature in Urumqi was 8 degrees lower than that in Shanghai, and I felt slightly colder. There is a long mound of dirt next to the airport runway, which is very special. I guess it is for wind protection.

There is a subway from the airport to the city. It is also the only subway in Urumqi. The city has a population of only more than 3 million. There are very few people taking the subway. Most of them are Uighur friends. The one sitting opposite me They were two young women, very beautiful, with white skin, tall noses, big eyes, and angular faces. They spoke the Uyghur language very quickly, and they were suddenly in a foreign country. The hotel I booked is near the International Grand Bazaar and is directly accessible by subway.

The International Grand Bazaar has a strong Islamic architectural style, which embodies the rich national characteristics and regional culture of the Western Regions.

There are super large building complexes, the Grand Bazaar Banquet Hall, the Grand Bazaar Food Court, the Grand Bazaar Happy Plaza, the 80-meter No. 1 Sightseeing Tower in Xinjiang, a tourist Islamic mosque, and many tourist craft boutiques.

There are not many tourists now, maybe because of the cold weather. There is a century-old grilled naan shop. I bought a few and prepared lunch for the next few days. Each one is 5 yuan. The original flavor is not very good. The hard kind. After walking around the hotel, there are many Xinjiang restaurants nearby, all of which are luxuriously decorated. But there were not many guests, and later generations learned that the time we arrived was after 5 o'clock. Most people in Xinjiang eat around 9 o'clock, and children get out of school after 7 o'clock. There is a baked bun shop next to the Civil Affairs Bureau in Urumqi. I bought 4 buns for three yuan each. The fillings are made of mutton and beef, not freshly baked, and the taste is average. We went to a snack bar with a lot of people in Xinjiang. It was very clean, the curtains were made of fine white rust flowers, and the overall store looked very elegant. I found that people in Xinjiang pay great attention to their clothing, neatness, solemnity, and meticulous hair. Even Ta County, which is thousands of kilometers away from Urumqi, is the same. But I still feel a little uncomfortable with the taste of the food I eat.

The first day (October 11, 2020), Urumqi - Luobu Village - Korla.

The tour guide and driver came to pick us up early in the morning. It was around 7 o'clock and it was very dark outside. There were four friends traveling with us, and the Buick business car was very comfortable. The driver said that our entire journey was 2,500 kilometers. This is only a small half of southern Xinjiang. No wonder some people say that you don’t know how big China is until you visit Xinjiang. Fortunately, the driver is an experienced tour guide, in his 40s, funny, knowledgeable, and mainly talkative. There was laughter and laughter along the way.

A highway soon left the urban area of ??Urumqi, all the way east, in the direction of Turpan, Tuwu Expressway, 8 lanes in both directions, driving for more than an hour, and then all the way south, it was all desert, in the distance The hazy mountains are the Tianshan Mountains. When it was almost time to reach Bancheng, it was dawn, and Dabancheng in the distance was lined with green trees, but the girl in Dabancheng was nowhere to be seen, and her big braids were gone. There is another scenery along the way, that is, the wind farm. After walking for 2 hours on the highway, they are all large fans, and only one of them costs more than 10 million. Some are rotating and some are not. They are controlled manually and generate electricity on demand. The wind in Xinjiang is so strong that even trains can be blown over.

After arriving at the Xiaocaohu Interchange, instead of taking the Lianhuo Expressway, go directly south and take the Tuhe Expressway, passing through the Tianshan Mountains, passing through Toksun County, and heading west along the southern part of the Tianshan Mountains, passing by Bosten Lake. The scenic spot is actually more than 20 kilometers away from the highway, and there is no shadow of the lake. Along the road, you can see acres and acres of red pepper drying grounds, which is very spectacular.

The driver said that the quality of peppers in Xinjiang is the best in the country. The mountains and plains beside the road are full of dried chili peppers.

At lunch, I ate the famous fragrant pear from Korla. It was very sweet, juicy and so delicious that I ate it with the skin on. Directly place an order of 12 kilograms per box, 85 yuan for free shipping. After lunch, we went to Luopu Village in Yuli County. This is an ancient village that makes a living by fishing. It is next to the Tarim River. The total length of the Tarim River is more than 2,000 kilometers. The fifth largest inland river in the world. The Luopu Village is on the edge of the Taklimakan Desert. The Taklimakan Desert is located in the center of the Tarim Basin. It is about 1,000 kilometers long from east to west and about 400 kilometers wide from north to south. It is the second largest desert in the world after the Sahara Desert in Africa. "Taklimakan" means "can't get out" in Uyghur, also known as the "Sea of ??Death". Standing on the sand mountain, you can see the endless desert. There are many reeds near the Tarim River near the desert. It is very beautiful to take pictures. There are also yellowing Populus euphratica dotted in the lake, which are so beautiful.

There are three old people in the village. They are very tall and working. They are all centenarians and they seem to be in good spirits. We returned to Korla city in the evening. Korla is the seat of the regional government of Bayingolin Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture. It is a city built in the desert. The air was bad. We set off at 8 o'clock the next day. We couldn't see clearly what the city of Korla looked like. .

The next day (October 12, 2020), Korla - Populus euphratica Park - Kuqa

We set off again early in the morning from Korla. The destination is to see the poplar forest. The road along the road is a desert road. It is said to be a desert road, but there are still scattered shrubs and red rosewood on both sides of the road.

The road we are going to take can be said to be the longest road in the world built in a moving desert. It runs through the largest desert in China, the Taklimakan Desert, from north to south. The length of the moving desert is as high as 446 kilometers. In 1995 Completed only this year, it is one of the most difficult roads to build in China. In fact, it is difficult for people to see too much desert scenery when sitting in a car. In order to protect the highway from flowing desert erosion, sand-fixing green belts have been planted on both sides of the highway. They are more than half a person tall. Looking out from the car, you can see them. With such vast expanses of green, it’s hard to imagine that this is the largest desert in China. However, several oil and gas areas were discovered.

In China, 90% of Populus euphratica trees grow in southern Xinjiang. Populus euphratica trees in southern Xinjiang are concentrated around the Tarim River. Populus euphratica trees and Populus euphratica trees are known to have a magical life cycle of "three thousand years". And it will not die for a thousand years, it will not fall for a thousand years if it dies, and it will not die for a thousand years if it falls. The Tarim Populus euphratica National Forest Park in Luntai County covers an area of ??about 100 square kilometers and is located in the middle reaches of the Tarim River on the northeastern edge of the Taklimakan Desert.

Take a shuttle bus through the Populus euphratica forest, and then hike to take photos. Populus euphratica resists the drought climate with its tenacious vitality. Whether it is lush green leaves, cracked trunks, or dry branches, they all symbolize the power of life. Walk and take photos along the way, feeling its unyielding life and tenacious power.

After the visit, today’s destination, Kuqa, is deserted along the road. Kuqa City belongs to the eastern end of Aksu Prefecture. We arrived at the hotel relatively early, so we can have a good time visiting the night market today. Roads are being built everywhere in Kuqa, so we can only walk. There is a kind of fruit we have never eaten before, called figs. It is delicious and can be eaten with the skin. The fruits in Xinjiang are very strange. Pears can also be eaten with the skin. It doesn’t feel bad at all. eat.

The Kuqa Night Market was very successful, and I recommend that friends definitely go there.

There are many kinds of food, and there are also ethnic song and dance performances. Big beef bones, large portions, only 68 yuan a portion, taste super good. The store recommends eating noodles, the sourness is very appetizing .

The third day (October 13, 2020), Kuqa-Mysterious Grand Canyon of Tianshan Mountain-Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves-Aksu.

The Mysterious Grand Canyon of the Tianshan Mountains is located 64 kilometers north of Kuqa County (anciently known as Qiuci) in Xinjiang. Surrounded by the mountains at the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains, the Mysterious Grand Canyon of the Tianshan Mountains combines the wonders of human canyons and the wonders of the Tianshan Mountains. long. The mountains are made of ocher-colored muddy sandstone.

Going to the Mysterious Grand Canyon of the Tianshan Mountains, we walked a short section of the Duku Highway, which is actually a short section of road through the Tianshan Mountains. The characteristics of the Danxia landform were revealed. The canyon was deep, the bare rock mass, the color Different faults are formed, either straight or curved. They were formed after hundreds of millions of years of geological movement. This is the power of nature. When passing through a tunnel, the driver asked us to get off the car and take some pictures of the beautiful scenery. A mountain resembled the Potala Palace, which was extremely magnificent under the reflection of the rising sun. I also climbed a hill and took some masterful photos. Very satisfied.

The Grand Canyon is an arid sandstone mountain on the southern slope of the Tianshan Mountains. The mountains here are especially ocher-red. Under the sunlight, the rock walls seem to be burned red by flames, which is spectacular. The mouth of the canyon is wide, the bottom is flat, the winding paths in the canyon lead to secluded areas, and there is a cave. The cliffs on both sides reach into the sky, and there are thousands of lights and shadows that match the angle of the sun.

Coming out of Tianshan Shenmi Grand Canyon, we returned to the southern foot of Tianshan Mountain along the Duku Highway, took the provincial road west, and headed towards the Kizil Grottoes. The driver told us that we had been traveling on the mountainside of Tianshan Mountain. We just couldn't feel it. It wasn't until we arrived at the Kizil Grottoes that we realized that we had to go down to the river valley to get to the Kizil Grottoes. For lunch, we had an authentic small restaurant run by Xinjiang people. It didn’t even have a signboard. The local villagers patronized it a lot. The hand-picked rice was so delicious.

The Kizil Grottoes, also known as the Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves, are Chinese Buddhist grottoes and are cultural relics of the ancient Qiuci Kingdom. It is 200 years older than Mogao Grottoes. Due to limited reception capacity, the queue alone lasted more than 2 hours. As an important grotto in the history of the spread of Buddhism to the East along the Silk Road, the place was once filled with Sanskrit sounds, but after thousands of years, only the remaining grottoes and mottled murals are left, which makes people sigh. The sculpture of the eminent monk Kumarajiva at the entrance has his eyes slightly Closely watching the footsteps of today's visitors. Climbing the steps leading to the cliff, dozens of grotto ruins are scattered on the cliff, making people feel the power of faith.

The fourth day (October 14, 2020) Aksu-Kashgar Ancient City-Kashgar,

There are no scenic spots in this day's itinerary, but the scenery along the way is beautiful. At 8:30, before dawn, we set off and walked westward along the G3102 Tuhe Expressway. The whole journey was at high speed, and the beautiful Tianshan Mountains were displayed in front of us with another beautiful style. The mountains here are tall and the Yadan landforms stretch for hundreds of kilometers. They are all this kind of landforms. They are extremely magnificent. Various mineral veins in the mountains present different shapes. The colors are superimposed layer by layer, and there are green ore bodies among them. The driver said that they are gold mines that cannot be seen in other places. Compared with the Danxia in Zhangye, Gansu, it is really nothing. We are immersed in it. There is joy in this beautiful scenery.

Suddenly, in the distance, there were three, three, two and two wild camels, walking leisurely in the desert. They were all very strong. The driver said that if there are rings in the ears, there is an owner. Crows, eagles, etc. were also seen from time to time along the road.

This highway takes nearly 6 hours. The road condition is good, but the service area is too small.

Passing by a service area, I accidentally saw a fig tree, which gave me knowledge. As we approached Kashgar, the Tianshan Mountains and Kunshan Mountains slowly connected together. Thinking about it, we came all the way from Urumqi and have been traveling along the Tianshan Mountains for thousands of kilometers. I can’t help but sigh, Xinjiang is so big, and the mountains and rivers of the motherland are so vast and magnificent!

The full name of Kashgar is "Kashgar", which means "the place where jade is concentrated". It has a recorded history of more than 2,000 years. It is surrounded by mountains on three sides and open on one side. It has a population of 4 million. In ancient times, it was called Shule and Kashgar. It is a transportation hub of the ancient Silk Road and an international commercial port where Chinese and foreign merchants gather. It is also the only national historical and cultural city in Xinjiang, embodying the characteristics and essence of Uyghur folk customs, culture and art, architectural style and traditional economy. After settling in the hotel, our group couldn’t wait to visit the ancient city. The streets and alleys in the city are criss-crossed. Most of the residences are made of earth and wood, brick and wood structures, with yellow and gray architectural tones. The brick carvings and wooden doors on the exterior walls have ethnic characteristics. Many traditional residences It has a history of hundreds of years.

The ancient city of Kashgar is very large, with three commercial streets. We came to the snack street, where there is a dazzling array of Xinjiang delicacies, including baked eggs, pigeons, steamed buns, mutton, yogurt seeds, and hand-picked rice. , all kinds of nuts and fruits, the most impressive thing is the roasted pumpkin. Pumpkins of different sizes are filled with various nuts, which are very delicious. There are many children playing in the alleys of the ancient city. The children cooperated with us to take photos, and there are also many elderly people. Taking a walk is very lifelike.

In the morning, you can walk from the hotel through the ancient city of Kashgar to reach the Id Kah Mosque. The main entrance of the Id Kah Mosque is in bright goose yellow, which is very conspicuous in the entire ancient city of Kashgar. The Id Kah Mosque was originally built in the middle of the 15th century AD and has been renovated and expanded many times. It is the largest mosque in Xinjiang and one of the largest mosques in the country.

After entering the main entrance of the mosque, the most attractive thing is this hanging carpet, which was presented to the Id Kah Mosque by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran. It is extremely exquisite. There is a pattern of pomegranate flowers. The meaning of this pattern is "All ethnic groups should hold together tightly like pomegranate seeds. This slogan can be seen everywhere in Xinjiang. In this place where many ethnic groups live together, this sentence is of great significance." .

Gaotai Dwellings is a very unique Uighur settlement in downtown Kashgar. It is built on a loess platform and is said to have a history of more than 600 years. Most of the houses here are made of mud and bricks. The houses are stacked on top of each other, twisting and turning, which are witnesses of the lives of generations of Uyghur compatriots. Looking in from the outside, it feels like you are entering a maze with a rich history. Due to their age, many houses are old. There were cracks and it looked shaky. When we came here, it was being upgraded and we were not allowed to visit, so we walked around and left.

Day 5 (October 15, 2020) Kashgar - Baisha Lake. —Lake Karakul—Ta County

The movie "Visitors from the Iceberg" made the world aware of the Pamir Plateau. Pamir means "Roof of the World" in Tajik. Starting from Kashgar, the flat The China-Pakistan Friendship Highway connects the plateau and passes through Buren Pass, Baisha Lake and Baisha Mountain at Buren Pass. The weather is good today and the wind is strong. We all put on thick down jackets. The fine sand on Baisha Mountain looks like satin. , and the perfect reflection of Baisha Mountain on Baisha Lake is like a beautiful painting.

A Tajik woman baked naan with cow dung on the roadside. Our group ordered two, which was very good. Eat.

Drive further and you will reach the most beautiful snow-capped mountain in southern Xinjiang - Muztag Peak, with an altitude of 7509 meters. The name Muztag is a transliteration of Uyghur, and its original meaning is "iceberg" "Father" means "father". There are more than a dozen glaciers in Muztagh, and the ice thickness on the top of the mountain is about 200 meters. Although Muztagh Peak is over 7,000 meters above sea level, its slope is relatively gentle, which is relatively good among 7,000-meter snow-capped mountains. Climbing was allowed before, and skiing was allowed. However, in the past two years, it has been closed to protect the glacier from further melting. Perhaps overlooking the glacier is the best way for us to appreciate it now.

The Taheman Wetland at the foot of Muztage and Gonggeer Jiubie Peaks is golden in this season, contrasting with the snow-capped mountains. Standing by the lake, you can see the towering snow-capped mountains in the distance. At the calm lake, I sighed, we are so insignificant in front of nature, why can't we slow down our pace, let go of our mood, listen to the voice of nature, revere the power of nature, and awaken the true nature of our hearts Voice.

After passing here, it is not far from Litashkorgan County. The 314 National Highway continues to extend forward on the vast Pamir Plateau. It was an important pass on the Silk Road in ancient times. , the business travelers from the west entered South Asia and West Asia from here, bringing out tea, silk, porcelain and other commodities, while the business travelers from the east also entered the Western Regions and the Central Plains from here, bringing spices, camels, gold and silverware and other items. It is the best testimony of the prosperous Silk Road trade.

It was still early to arrive in Ta County. There are high snow-capped mountains behind the hotel. We took a short rest at the hotel and then visited the county town.

The county is very small. I met a Sichuan lady. She said that she had lived in Ta County for more than 20 years. Her daughter and her husband both worked in Ta County. They said they would return to Sichuan when they retired. Imagine that this place is 6 kilometers away from Kashgar. A few hours' drive from the city, in such a remote place, with such a harsh environment, and working for a lifetime, this requires a lot of sacrifices, and I have great respect for those who work on the frontiers of the motherland.

This is the only original Caucasian ethnic group in China. The county has a population of more than 50,000. They basically do not marry outsiders. Walking on the street, all the faces are European, and the female friends look... So aloof and neatly dressed. There were students who had just finished school along the road, and there were no parents to pick them up. Most of the houses of residents in the county are long 2-story residential buildings, which look very simple in appearance. The song "Why Are Flowers So Red" has made the Tajik nation well known to everyone. They have been guarding the northwest border of the motherland for generations in a harsh environment. They do not live a rich life, but their spirit of protecting their homeland and country is admirable.

Day 6 (October 16, 2020) Ta County - Panlong Ancient Road - Kashgar Ancient City

As the usual route is temporarily closed due to weather conditions, please communicate with the driver Finally, we took another route to the Panlong Ancient Trail. It was this change that allowed us to experience different beautiful scenery and gain a lot.

We set off at 9 o'clock. This route was a little difficult, winding along the Grand Canyon of Kunlun Mountain. The river was clear and not very strong. After passing a large reservoir, the lake water was blue and sparkling. After passing a bridge in the lake, the scenery in front of me changed its style. River valleys were sometimes wide and sometimes narrow. Various small villages with golden vegetation were scattered here. In the river valley, sometimes ethnic minority compatriots ask for a ride on the roadside. The driver will stop and explain that there is no extra space in our car and the people here are very simple. But dress neatly. From time to time, there are wild sea buckthorns on both sides of the road. The sheep eat sea buckthorn leisurely, and some even stick to the trees. You think, can the sheep here not taste delicious?

A series of beautiful pictures are presented before our eyes. There are snow-capped mountains, grasslands, golden woods, streams, herds of cattle, sheep, and compatriots in national costumes. We kept cheering, admiring, and getting out of the car to take pictures, wishing we could take away all the beautiful scenery.

The last stop is the Panlong Ancient Trail. The valley here is very wide. The mountains on both sides are spectacular, covered with snow, and the valley is far away. Standing on the mountainside and looking into the distance, your mind will really become broader, and you will sigh that people are here. How small it is in front of nature. In fact, I have seen many photos on the Internet. I want to say that only if you come there in person can you feel its shock and power.

Returning to Kashgar via the original route, the beautiful scenery once again made our tired eyes pregnant again.

The unforgettable trip to southern Xinjiang has come back successfully. I will definitely come back to Xinjiang.