It took four years to plan to go to Xinjiang, but the decision to go to Xinjiang was only four days ahead of schedule. Of course, because of this impromptu decision, a lot of money (air ticket money) was wasted.
After I went to Tibet in the summer of 2013, my biggest wish was to go to Xinjiang. Because going to Tibet is to experience a strong religious culture, while going to Xinjiang is to appreciate colorful exotic customs. During the period, I went to several places nearer and farther than Xinjiang, but this itinerary has never been realized. The reason is very simple, that is, safety. But after arriving in Xinjiang, I realized that this idea is superfluous. The security here is top-notch.
! Once when I wanted to bring the grilled mutton skewers back to the hotel, the stall owner insisted on leaving the iron sign. I offered to pay, but he said to me in a flat tone, "You can't pass the hotel security check if you bring this."
Back to the topic, let me talk about the general situation of Xinjiang: Xinjiang covers an area of 1.66 million square kilometers, accounting for one-sixth of the country's total. This eight-day trip only covered less than one-third of Xinjiang. The overall terrain of Xinjiang is three mountains and two basins, the northernmost is the Altai Mountains, and the south is the Zhungeer Basin, Tianshan, Tarim Basin, and Kunlun Mountains. Therefore, it is vividly described as an authentic Xinjiang mutton skewer (three thin clip two fertilizers)
. The entire region has mountains, lakes, fields, and pastures, as well as deserts, Gobi, wilderness, and salt flats. The landforms have different styles and the scenery has its own merits.
Xinjiang is a famous hometown of singing and dancing. Walking in this vast land every day, I feel the scenery and songs all the way.
"I once dreamed of going to the end of the world with a sword and seeing the prosperity of the world; the young heart is always a little frivolous, but now you are home everywhere." —— "Once Upon a Time"
Tianshan Tianchi: Tianchi was called "Yaochi" in ancient times. It is located on the mountainside of Geda Peak, the highest peak in the eastern section of Tianshan, with an altitude of nearly 2,000 meters. There are rumors here that the emperor Mu and the Queen Mother of the West had a banquet and sang songs here more than 3,000 years ago, but I admire Liang Yusheng's heroic spirit of the Seven Swords under Tianshan Mountain even more.
"The blue sky is full of white clouds, and the beautiful river is full of clear waves;
The eagle spread its wings and flew over here, leaving behind that touching song. "
--"hometown"
Kanas Lake is located in the Altai Mountains on the Sino-Mongolian border. You can clearly see the snow-covered Friendship Peak from the Yuguan Pavilion by the lake. There are European-style buildings dotted around the lake, and the turquoise lake reflects the grasslands and pine forests, so it has won the reputation of "Oriental Switzerland". Legend has it that 800 years ago, when Genghis Khan passed by Kanas Lake on his western expedition, he was attracted by the beautiful scenery of Kanas Lake and dismounted to drink heavily. Later generations called the water of Kanas Lake "the water of the king".
"I am waiting for the warm spring on the top of the snow mountain, and the lone goose returning after the ice and snow on the plateau melt."
——"Love Song of the West Sea"
Sailimu Lake is called the last tear of the Atlantic Ocean because it is the last place where the warm and humid air flow of the Atlantic Ocean visits. Sailimu Lake was called "Western Jinghai" in ancient times, which means "lake on the ridge" in Mongolian; and "Salimu" means blessing in Kazakh, which shows that various nomadic peoples have been nourished and thrived by the lake. And I prefer to take pictures by the Sailimu Lake in the early morning, where there is the freshness of the forward light and the hazyness of the backlight.
"The beautiful grassland is my home, the wind blows green grass and flowers everywhere;
Colorful butterflies fly and hundreds of birds sing, and a bend of clear water reflects the sunset. "
--"Beautiful grassland my home"
Nalati Grassland: It is said that when Genghis Khan marched westward, the central army led by the eldest son Shuchi marched from the depths of the Tianshan Mountains to Ili. When the team was exhausted and did not want to climb over the mountains, there was a vast grassland with brocades of flowers in front of them. Everyone was very excited. At this time, the clouds opened and the sun was rising. The officers and soldiers shouted "Nalat (sun)", which gradually became Nalati. There are flat river valleys, steep mountains, deep gorges, lush forests, and stretching grasslands. This is also the grassland with the largest Kazakh population in my country.
"The swan goose flies to the south, over the reeds;
The sky is vast, where the geese go, and my heart is my hometown in the north. "
——"Swan Goose"
When mentioning Bayinbulak, people will feel tragic and homesick in their hearts. The grassland is located in the intermountain basin in the middle of the Tianshan Mountains, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. It means "never-drying sweet spring" in Mongolian. During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, the Mongolian tribes such as Torghut and Heshuote, under the leadership of the leader Ubashi, returned from the Volga River Basin in Russia to the east, breaking through many obstacles. After the country, there were only 70,000 people left, and finally, the Bayinbulak Grassland with fertile water and grass became their permanent home.
"We have a good place in Xinjiang, good pastures in the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains.
The Gobi beach becomes fertile fields, and the snow melts to irrigate the farms. "
——"Our Good Place in Xinjiang"
Along the way, there are still many good memories in Xinjiang:
The Urumqi International Grand Bazaar is a market and a place where all ethnic groups gather together.
The Tuva village - Hemu Village, attracts a large number of photography enthusiasts every year, and the flowers in Hemu Village are blooming in summer.
The famous Yadan landform in northern Xinjiang: colorful beach. The Irtysh River flows westward quietly from here, and finally flows into the Arctic Ocean.
Northern Borderlands, Towns with Style: Burqin
Lavender in Yili Prefecture: Yili, Xinjiang is the third largest lavender planting base in the world. During the blooming period twice a year, a large number of tourists come here every day to pursue the romance of purple. Unfortunately, I went to catch up with the harvest season.
Xinjiang has a vast territory, and the time spent on the road when traveling is much longer than the time spent in various scenic spots. In fact, looking out the window, there is no lack of pleasant scenery on the roadside...
Looking back on Xinjiang, there is always a picture that comes to mind:
"Father once described the fragrance of the prairie; let him never forget each other even in the ends of the earth.
My mother always loves to describe the mighty river; my distant hometown running in the vast grassland. "
