D1-10.11: Shanghai-Dunhuang, taste Dunhuang delicacies
D2-10.12: Dunhuang Ancient City Costume Photography, Tour Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring, Enjoy Dunhuang Performance
D3-10.13: Worship the Mogao Grottoes and visit the Dunhuang Museum
D4-10.14: Dunhuang-Jiayuguan (train), experience the most magnificent pass in the world outside the pass city
D5-10.15: Self-driving Jiayuguan-Ejina Banner, walk into Ruoshui Populus euphratica forest, Heicheng ruins, and wait for the strange forest sunset
D6-10.16: From Yiyiqiao to Badaoqiao, into the embrace of Populus euphratica forest in Ejina Banner
D7-10.17: Juyanhai waiting for sunrise, self-driving Ejina Banner-Alxa Left Banner
D8-10.18: Self-drive Alxa Left Banner-Yinchuan, visit the royal tombs of Ningxia, visit the western cinema of Beibao Town, and find the night view of Tuanjie Road
D9-10.19: Self-driving Yinchuan-Qingtongxia-Zhongwei, Qingtongxia 108 tower ring tower, explore the Internet celebrity highway No. 66 in North Long Beach
D10-10.20: Have fun in Shapotou, experience "Flying Huang Tengda", self-driving in Zhongwei-Lanzhou
D11-10.21: Take the Yellow River Iron Bridge, climb Baitashan Park, eat Lanzhou Ramen, return to Lanzhou-Shanghai
If you don't go to the northwest, you don't know the vastness of the world; if you don't go to Dunhuang, you don't know the splendor of the Western Regions. Dunhuang, a county-level city under the administration of Jiuquan City, Gansu Province, has always been an important town on the Silk Road. Except for the oasis of 1400 square kilometers, 95% of it is desert and Gobi desert. There is no beautiful landscape here, but it carries a thousand years of cultural heritage. Mixing the simplicity of the Northwest and the mystery of the Western Regions, there is a vigorous and vigorous force everywhere. Ejina Banner is a place full of legends. The mysterious ruins of Xixia Black City, majestic and majestic strange forests, and the magnificent Populus euphratica forest that has been waiting for three thousand years make it a paradise for photographers and a holy place for travelers. Ejina Banner's yearning, in the most beautiful golden autumn of October, we set off again to the northwest to continue the unfinished journey.
October 11
Make full use of the Spring Airlines "fly if you want" package, stop in Lanzhou and fly directly to Dunhuang. After arriving in Dunhuang in the afternoon, the hotel will have a free airport pick-up. We have settled in the hotel before dinner, and we still have time to go to the nearby Danghe. Walk. Unexpectedly, in the extremely arid Dunhuang, there is such a beautiful waterfront sightseeing belt, with white clouds floating in the distance, sand mountains looming, the river is clear and clean, and two rows of tall and straight poplar trees on the bank stretch straight into the sky. The oasis is also so charming!
As night fell, it was very convenient to call a taxi in Dunhuang. We found the delicious lamb meat at Jingyuan Galiu next to Shazhou Paradise. It was full of friends and guests. It is famous for its hand-caught white strips and Huyang stewed cakes. The store also warmly presented apricot skin water. Hand-grasped white strips are soft and tender without any smell, dipped in chili noodles, it is very fragrant, and the scallion scrambled eggs are very refreshing. Apricot skin water is Dunhuang's signature drink. It uses the local fruit Li Guangxing as raw material and boils it with apricot skin. It has a sweet and sour taste after being chilled.
Stewed pancakes are a typical representative of the development of Dunhuang’s food culture, and they are the most important dish for entertaining guests in Dunhuang. It is a local custom that if you are looking for a girl from Dunhuang, and it is the first time that your old father-in-law treats you to eat “steamed pancakes”, then the two of you are basically fine. When the dish was served, we were puzzled why there were no pancakes and only noodles. The store quickly came over and explained that the local people call this kind of wide noodles pancakes. The wide noodles have fully absorbed the delicious sauce of the lamb and are extremely tasty.
October 12
The first stop today is to go to the ancient city of Dunhuang to fulfill a dream of a heroine. The ancient city of Dunhuang (ticket 35 yuan/person), also known as Dunhuang Film and Television City, is 20 kilometers away from the downtown area of Dunhuang. The Song Dynasty "Surfing the River During the Qingming Festival" was the model, and it was designed and built after the ancient city of Shazhou. In fact, it is a semi-abandoned film and television city, full of yellow sand and depression. From a distance, you can see cold weapons placed under the city wall, hitting the city gate. I used logs and some catapults. There are very few tourists in the ancient city, which is suitable for shooting. In the ancient costume experience hall "Han and Tang Charm" change clothes (60 yuan/person), one person and one horse (20 yuan), one fan, one sword and one jug, the sky is full of yellow sand, the soil The walls are gray and tiles, and the scenes in the movie are restored one by one. This is my martial arts dream. I can roam around the world wantonly. When I wake up, I find that there is no car in the ancient city to go back to the city. Fortunately, the shop owner helped us and drove us. Going to Mingsha Mountain solved our predicament.
After finishing the shooting in the morning, the sun was already in the sky. We found a bustling restaurant Xu Ji on the food street at the entrance of Mingsha Mountain Scenic Area to try donkey meat yellow noodles. This is also a famous food in Dunhuang. The sauced donkey meat is mellow and thick, the yellow noodles are full of strength, and the mushroom marinade is fragrant and delicious, but it is not amazing. But the meat clip Mo has an unexpected surprise, spicy and crispy. Can't stop eating.
Walking into Mingsha Mountain (ticket 110 yuan/person), the spectacular camel team is breathtaking. The camels are cute, but I am not interested in joining the riding army. , continue on foot to the Crescent Lake.
The sand along the way is soft, and the mountain shapes are graceful and varied. From a distance, it looks like a dragon crouching. When the wind blows, it will make a sound. The wind in Saibei has been blowing for thousands of years. Not only has the charm of Dunhuang not been blown away, but it is like old wine. , In the accumulation of years, it exudes more and more charming taste. Standing under the scorching sun and looking up at Mingsha Mountain, you will feel that the sand dunes, sand beams, and sand peaks here are all alive, and the golden light is shining across your eyes. The pure yellow, soft lines, and clear outlines are so amazing, and the reeds are long. The sun shines on the reeds, the breeze fluctuates, and the wishing cards on the porch also sway gently.
The famous No. 1 spring in the world has been nestled in the embrace of Mingsha Mountain for thousands of years. Mountain springs coexist, sand and water coexist, but they are not covered by quicksand. They are always rippling and crystal clear, embedded in the golden sand dunes like emeralds. It is known as one of the most beautiful scenery outside the Great Wall. A clear spring, crystal clear, resembles a crescent moon and a tear of a fairy, especially when the golden sand mountain is reflected in the lake. The spring water is even more like a dream.
The attic carved beams and painted buildings beside the Crescent Spring are majestic and majestic. Although they are old, they are still magnificent and set off with the Crescent Spring. The surrounding ancient willows have been through wind and rain for a hundred years. The trunks are dry and alive, and they still persistently witness the mountain spring Dependence, this scene is touching, even the wild white fox has heard the sound recently, always standing on the top of the sandy mountain silently watching everything in front of you, could it be that Bai Qian is also moved by the love of life after life?
To see the most beautiful Crescent Moon Lake, you have to climb up to a high place. Climbing the desert and climbing the mountain are two different things. The quicksand is very soft. If you step on it, you may reach your calf. Take a step and slide half a step. Fortunately, there are wooden ladders to help you. Only then can I finally stand on the towering sand slope and feel the desolation and vastness of the northwest desert. The untouched sand surface in the distance looks like fish scales under the slanting light. I don’t know what small animal left behind. The thin footprints on the desert, the end of the soft yellow sand, is the back of the camel team, saying goodbye to the sunset that is about to end...
Recently, after reminiscing about Dunhuang, I became obsessed with the "Debut in Dunhuang" program, in which the figures of beautiful women flying into the sky in the sunset of Mingsha Mountain amazed everyone. This is the most perfect interpretation of Dunhuang culture! (picture borrowed from the Internet)
At night, the star of Dunhuang is "Seeing Dunhuang Again" (298 yuan/person, including pick-up). On the outskirts of Dunhuang, there is a sunken building with a unique shape. The building is just like a drop of water in the desert. This is the performance theater of "Encounter Dunhuang". The "Impression" series and "Encounter" series jointly created by chief director Wang Chaoge and Zhang Yimou have already been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. It is said that "Encounter Dunhuang" Since its opening in September 2016, the show has been almost full, with the highest record reaching 11 consecutive performances in one day, and tourists have praised this show, which shows its high popularity.
Many people would suggest that you do your homework before visiting Mogao Grottoes, so you might as well watch "Encounter Dunhuang" first. It takes Dunhuang culture as the theme and vividly reproduces the millennium glory of Mogao Grottoes and the Silk Road. It adopts the world's original "immersion" situational theater performance technology. Under the unpredictable lighting and the superb performance of the actors, the audience is gradually taken to the distant past in the visual impact of the scenes. During the 90-minute performance, the audience is no longer the audience, but has become a historical witness to the past, as if they have personally experienced the thousand-year history of Dunhuang and witnessed the profound Dunhuang art, which is very shocking, just as this sentence says: "When you bend down and pick up a handful of yellow sand, the story will be in your palm. When you push away the dust and sand, you can see Dunhuang again."
October 13
There are four major grottoes in China, Datong Grottoes in Shanxi, Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, Maijishan Grottoes in Tianshui and Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. , has a history of more than 1,650 years, and has been built by ten dynasties. There are 735 caves, 45,000 square meters of murals, and 2,415 clay colored sculptures. It is a large-scale grotto integrating painting, sculpture and architectural art. It is densely covered on the cliff face about 2 kilometers long from north to south. It is the largest and richest Buddhist art site in the world. It is known internationally as "the museum on the wall" and "the longest gallery in the world". Known as the Louvre in China.
Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes is the first scenic spot in my country that requires real-name reservations, and reservations must be made one month in advance (normally choose a class A ticket of 238 yuan/person, including two movies and eight caves), because scientific demonstrations receive 6,000 people per day It is the most reasonable range, so this way of visiting is the best care for this vicissitudes of Mogao Grottoes. Don’t rush into the scenic area, let’s first understand the background and history of Dunhuang through the documentary "Millennium Dunhuang". The realistic picture with ultra-high-degree viewing angle and omni-directional stereo sound effect make the audience feel like they are in the beautiful Buddhist world.
After watching the movie, take the bus, arrive at the core scenic spot of Mogao Grottoes in about 15 minutes, line up and group, the scenic spot is planned according to the number of tourists on the day, and the temperature and humidity of the cave are used for reasonable diversion and viewing. Each group arranges a guide , Randomly lead everyone to visit eight caves. They are equipped with keys. After the visit, you need to lock the cave before you can leave. The Mogao Grottoes have suffered from collapse, wind erosion, water seepage, degradation and man-made damage for thousands of years. They used to be desolate and dilapidated. Due to the protection of cultural relics, only a small number of grottoes are open to the public in turn. These are only a few of the Mogao Grottoes. , does not really represent the artistic attainments of the Mogao Grottoes, but even the eight caves are quite ceremonial to visit. With the flashlight in your hand, you can point to where you are, see where you are, and due to the time limit for visiting, you can only stop and watch one or two of each cave like a horse on a horse, and you can't take pictures.
Entering the cave, it seems as if you are traveling through the scene, and the history, culture, art, and secular life scenes of various dynasties come to your face. It is not only a Buddhist holy place, but also the epitome of Chinese history and culture for thousands of years. Art and beauty The hall is an important part of Chinese culture. Whether it is a colorful mural or a vivid Buddha statue, there is a legendary story behind each piece. It has accumulated more than a thousand years of wind and sand, and it has supported the weight of more than a thousand years. The exquisite flying fairies in the world are displayed in front of us in different postures, which makes us shocked by the profoundness and splendor of ancient Chinese culture.
Excluding the eight caves (Cave 25/Song, Cave 29/Late Tang, Cave 331/Early Tang, 292/Sui, the remaining four caves will be introduced later), we then enjoyed two more caves with the visitors of category B tickets. Caves (138 Caves/Late Tang Dynasty, 148 Caves will be introduced later). (Some pictures borrowed from the Internet)
Cave 323
One of the representative caves excavated in the early Tang Dynasty. The statues in the niches have been repainted in the Qing Dynasty and have lost their original appearance in the Tang Dynasty. The painting "Zhang Qian's Mission to the Western Regions" on the north wall is a precious material for studying the history of the Silk Road and the history of cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries. , there is a blank space in the center of the south wall, which is the trace left after the mural was glued away by the Americans with chemical tape in 1924.
Caves 16-17
Built in the late Tang Dynasty, the discovery of this cave is the starting point for the world-famous Mogao Grottoes. Cave 16 is one of the existing large caves. There is a rectangular Zen bed on the ground near the north wall. Sitting on the Zen bed is Hong Bian. This statue is one of the representative works of Dunhuang painted sculptures. Buddhist affairs in the region have important influence. The three-story building outside Cave 16 was presided over by Taoist Wang Yuanlu in 1906. The world-famous Dunhuang "Cave for Tibetan Scriptures" - Cave 17 of Mogao Grottoes was discovered here.
At the beginning of the 11th century AD, due to unknown reasons such as changing times or wars, a large number of Buddhist scriptures, Buddhist paintings, ritual instruments, and other religious and social documents and other cultural relics, more than 50,000 pieces, were hidden in this cave. Decorated with murals, the Buddhist scripture cave was sealed in the desert for more than 900 years. In 1900 AD, this secret room was accidentally discovered by Wang Daoist while cleaning the sand accumulated in the Mogao Grottoes. The Dunhuang posthumous writings, together with the oracle bones from the Yin Ruins, the archives of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and the Juyan bamboo slips, were praised by scholars as the four major discoveries in the history of Chinese archaeology at the end of the 19th century. What is distressing is that from 1905 to 1915, foreigners flocked to buy nearly 40,000 documents, scriptures and other cultural relics from Taoist Wang at low prices. The high-quality goods are lost overseas.
Cave 61
Built in the Five Dynasties period, it was excavated by Cao Yuanzhong. It is mainly dedicated to Manjusri Bodhisattva. It is also Cao’s family cave. It is the largest cave in Dunhuang. However, Cave 61 is not famous because of Manjusri Bodhisattva, but because of the "Wutai Mountain Picture" on the west wall of the cave. ", this is the largest landscape and figure map in Dunhuang murals, and it is also the largest panoramic historical map. It is the largest mural with a unified theme in Mogao Grottoes. This picture is drawn according to the real geographical location and real life of Wutai Mountain in Tang Dynasty. The whole picture is 13.4 meters long, with a grand scale and majestic momentum. It is the largest Buddhist historical site painting in Mogao Grottoes. Zhenzhou, Hebei has a 250-kilometer geographical situation, mountains and rivers, and customs. The formation of Manjusri belief in Mount Wutai is a typical representative of the Sinicization of Buddhism. The Sinicized Buddhism represented by Manjusri belief has influenced the Dunhuang area, and through Dunhuang, it has influenced the process of Buddhism in the Western Regions.
Cave 96
Built in the early Tang Dynasty, the red wooden eaves outside the cave are as high as 45 meters. It is built on the cliff and is magnificent. It is a magnificent nine-story pavilion, commonly known as the nine-story building. It is the largest building in Mogao Grottoes. It is also the landmark building of Mogao Grottoes. Inside the grotto is a huge "future Buddha" Maitreya Buddha statue, the "successor" of Sakyamuni Buddha, which is 35.5 meters high and is the largest statue in the Dunhuang Grottoes. The height is second only to Sichuan's Leshan Giant Buddha (62 meters high) and Rongxian Giant Buddha (36.67 meters), and the indoor clay sculpture Giant Buddha is the highest in the country. The construction and completion of this cave is a great pioneering work in the history of Mogao Grottoes, and it is also a symbol of national prosperity, social stability and economic prosperity in the early Tang Dynasty.
Cave 148
Built in the prosperous Tang Dynasty, it is one of the large-scale caves in Mogao Grottoes. There is a statue of Sakyamuni Nirvana on the Buddhist altar in the center of the cave. The highest state of purity, this Nirvana statue has its head south and feet north, facing east, with its right side resting on its hands, lying on its back with tired feet, full face, eyes slightly closed, and soft clothes, which change with the ups and downs of the body, in a state of peaceful sleep , with a length of 14.40 meters, is the second largest Nirvana statue in Mogao Grottoes in terms of volume. Behind the Nirvana statue are many bodhisattvas, monks, gods, etc., all of which have been rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty. Cave 158 of the special cave is similar to it, slightly smaller in size, but it belongs to the original work of the Tang Dynasty. It is the most exquisite reclining Buddha in the grottoes.
Time has given the greatest gift to the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. A statue, a mural, and a volume of literature and history gather here. Visiting the Mogao Grottoes is like traveling through time and space again and again, bringing us cultural baptism time after time . Walk out of the cave area and cross the "Mogao Grottoes Cultural Relics Protection Exhibition Research Center" on the other side of the bridge. There are several replica caves that are also worth seeing, especially Cave 285.
Cave 285
Built in the Datong period of the Western Wei Dynasty, it is the earliest grotto in Dunhuang with an exact date of excavation. The main room is a dome-shaped cave with a square plane. The upper wall is painted with 11 jiyue flying apsaras holding musical instruments, and the middle wall is painted " There are four small Zen rooms in the lower part of the story painting of "Five Hundred Robbers", and the walls of the Zen rooms are painted from east to west with story paintings such as "San Mi's precepts and suicide fate". Using classic composition methods, vivid characters, and condensing complex Buddhist story paintings into simple visual images, it is recognized as the cave with the richest content in the early Mogao Grottoes.
Back in the urban area, we continued to go to the Dunhuang Museum (free of charge), where more than a thousand pieces of exhibited cultural relics exude their own unique temperament in an ingenious panoramic layout, each of which is a "business card" of Dunhuang. It is a treasure of Dunhuang, an exquisite key to open the gate of Dunhuang, let people walk into Dunhuang, understand Dunhuang, and fall in love with Dunhuang, especially the imitation cave of Cave 45. Although it is not a real cave, there are reflections of lights in the imitation cave. The details are clearly visible against the background, and it looks radiant and resplendent. It is definitely the most attractive place to stop in the Dunhuang Museum. The most commendable thing is that this imitation cave can also be photographed at will without worrying about damage to the cultural relics.
Cave 45
One of the representative caves of Mogao Grottoes in the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, there is a flat-topped open niche on the front wall, in which the main statue of Buddha, disciple Ananda Kasyapa, Bodhisattva Bodhisattva on the left and right, the Southern Zengtian King, and the northern Duowen Heavenly King group of seven bodies The colorful statues, which have both form and spirit, are lifelike and finely portrayed in various figures in the murals, vividly depicting the different identities and inner characters of the Buddha and his disciples, the solemnity of the Buddha, the humility of the disciples, the tenderness of the Bodhisattva, The majesty of the king of heaven has been properly displayed.
In the museum, we are also honored to enjoy the exhibition of works by Fan Yanyan, a Dunhuang art silk designer. She takes Dunhuang culture as the source, presents the perfect landing of art works on daily objects, and there are more than 100 pieces of silk scarves, bags, dresses, and umbrellas. The display of series of works makes the cultural treasures along the Silk Road "live", and makes the "aesthetics" frozen in the museum breathe on the carrier of daily objects and circulate in fresh life.
If the Mogao Grottoes are the soul of Dunhuang, then the Dunhuang Night Market must be the most pyrotechnic place in this small town. Walking in front of the statue of the rebounding pipa, we arrived at the street of the Night Market. We spent two nights in a row in Shazhou, where the night market is very popular recently. Shiyi is looking for various snacks, among which there is always a long queue of beef patties with scallions. I heard that the food is refreshing and full of umami. We really don’t have the patience to wait for a long time in the cold night, so we don’t know its true charm .
October 14
Take the bullet train from Dunhuang directly to Jiayuguan City. This is a typical steel industry city, and there are shadows of Jiugang everywhere. We are waiting for our old friend here - Guo Ge from Xining, who drove from Xining to meet us, and headed to Ejina tomorrow. Qi, I have no time to take a bus to go around Guancheng in the afternoon. The city walls on both sides of Jiayuguan Chengguan cross the desert Gobi, connecting the Great Wall of Heishan in the north and the first pier in the south. It is the westernmost pass of the Ming Great Wall. It was once called the throat of Hexi in history. Known as the most majestic pass in the world and the key to the frontier, it is the transportation fortress of the ancient "Silk Road". picture).
At the foot of the city wall of Jiayuguan, there is a building imitating the Great Wall pass——Jiayuguan Great Wall Museum (free of charge). It is dignified, solemn, simple and elegant. The thematic museum displaying the Great Wall culture is known as the textbook of the Great Wall culture. The oil painting "Great Wall Thousand Miles Map" in the collection condenses the main landscape of the Great Wall of China into the scroll, and the oil painting area is the largest in Northwest China.
Tickets for Jiayuguan are quite tricky. They sell combined tickets, which bundle Jiayuguan Guancheng, the Cantilever Great Wall and the First Pier in the World. These three scenic spots are far apart. The most strange thing is that the scenic spot does not provide shuttle buses, so I can’t complain I don't intend to enter Guancheng either, I just circle around the Jiuyanquan Lake under the city. Hundreds of years ago, Jiuyanquan was rippling with blue waves, but now the lake of hundreds of square meters is only tens of square meters, and a large area is exposed. The bottom of the lake has been severely salinized. Large reeds are swaying in the autumn wind. The suspension bridge between the lake shore and the pavilion in the middle of the lake has become rusty due to long-term idleness. The weeds under the bridge are even with the bridge deck, and the low The city wall seems to be able to jump over, and some doubts can such a low city wall resist foreign enemies? !
October 15
From Jiayuguan to Ejina Banner, first take the high speed and then turn to the national highway, pass the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Base, and you can see the towers and launchers on the Gobi Desert from a distance through the car window. The Gobi Desert is under the strong sunlight, and the ground feels faint You can see the water surface of the lake, which is sparkling. In fact, this is an illusion. The mirage known as the Gobi Desert has neither sea nor buildings. It is an illusion brought about by the refraction of light. From time to time in the depths of the Gobi Some hidden military facilities are extremely mysterious (pictures borrowed from the Internet).
The Populus euphratica forest in Ejina Banner is one of the only three remaining natural river Populus euphratica forests in the world today, and it is an important barrier to prevent the Badain Jaran Desert from spreading northward. Populus euphratica is resistant to cold, drought, salt and alkali, and wind and sand. It is a portrayal of the tenacious life that fights against the desert. It sprouts seedlings from its roots, takes root in the ground to seek water, and even changes its body shape to resist wind and sand. Facing the harsh environment of the desert, Populus euphratica is still growing along with the trend, and it is its existence that adds a touch of bright yellow to the dull and monotonous desert.
In the afternoon we finally arrived at Heicheng Ruoshui Populus euphratica Scenic Area (200 yuan/person), which consists of Ruoshui Populus euphratica Forest, Heishui Ancient City and Strange Forest, making full use of the natural advantages of Ruoshui's banks, which are 10 kilometers long and 800 meters wide , derived the natural beauty of "five forests, two islands and seven bridges". The autumn is dyed with golden leaves, and the Populus euphratica forest and Ruoshui River scenery are closely combined to form the "drunken and beautiful Populus euphratica forest" in Ejina Banner. The love theme of "a scoop" was given the eternal tenderness of "Pulphus euphratica Bai Meisheng, trapped in weak water".
Five Forests: Riverside Colorful Forest, God Tree Prayer Forest, Desert Magic Forest, Life Oil Painting Forest, Desert Camel Shadow Forest
Two islands: Ruoshui Sands Island and Love Island
Seven Bridges: Ruoshui No.1 Bridge (Yingbin Bridge), Ruoshui No.2 Bridge (Lock Love Bridge/Rainbow Bridge), Ruoshui No.3 Bridge (Reflection Bridge), Ruoshui No.4 Bridge (Love Trestle Bridge), Ruoshui Fifth Bridge (Marriage Fate) Bridge), Ruoshui Sixth Bridge (Sunrise and Sunset Bridge), Ruoshui Seventh Bridge (Manshui Bridge)
Different woods in Ruoshui Populus euphratica forest show different styles of Populus euphratica, which is suitable for slow poetic walking. It is worth leaving enough time for this. If you have enough energy, it is recommended to give up the sightseeing car and choose to walk all the way. There are tourists everywhere along the bank of Ruoshui. Several wooden bridges of different styles span the two sides. Crossing the Rainbow Bridge, the first thing that catches the eye is "Ruoshui Jinsha Island". The Ruoshui River shimmers in the sun. The golden Populus euphratica nestles beside the weak water in various postures, like a natural art palace, with intertwined roots and various poses, some are vigorous, some are beautiful, some are tall and straight, and some are charming and colorful.
Floating sand in the water, floating islands on the sand, trees growing on the islands, trees and sand forests, it is a magnificent sight, walking to the depths of the sand sea where there are few tourists, between the sky and the earth, within the sand sea, the clouds float thousands of miles away, and the forest dyes gradually golden. Populus euphratica, keeled branches, phantom clusters, new buds on the twigs, new branches on broken arms, like a phoenix reborn from nirvana, compared with Populus euphratica by the water, it is a little less bright and a little more desolate.
Passing by the ancestral chagan tree, it is revered as a "sacred tree". It is more than 1,270 years old. There are many red and blue ribbons tied to the tree. It is said that many local herdsmen will come here to pray for their families during traditional festivals. Every time someone prays, The leaves on the tree will rustle in response, strengthening people's yearning for beauty.
Passing through the Achnatherum splendens grassland, we walked to the depths of the Populus euphratica forest. From time to time, a piece of blue water surface appeared. The reflection of the handsome Populus euphratica by the lake in the quiet lake is like a group of ladies shyly posing in front of the fitting mirror. With Populus euphratica forest as the background and water as the mirror, everyone who looks down at the water will see the most important person in their hearts.
Going straight along the plank road, there is no one on the plank road, and the Populus euphratica forest hidden in the depths is so beautiful. The large areas of Populus euphratica forest on both sides of the plank road are dazzling golden yellow, and the blue sky, Together, we drew a beautiful and magical autumn oil painting, which is extraordinarily dazzling and brilliant, and it is so beautiful that it is not real. There are large pictures in the lens, and no filters are needed. It can be called the "finishing touch" of the entire scenic spot. This is " "Life Oil Painting Forest", walking in it, as if stepping into the oil painting-like color world, unwilling to leave for a long time.
Walk out of the oil painting forest and come to Love Island, a small island resembling a heart shape, quietly embedded in the blue lake, the lake is clear, and there are many poplars on the shore, with luxuriant branches and leaves, brilliant and golden... People who come here are willing to Here I leave my footprints that symbolize love, take photos to express my love for each other, and let this lake witness my love.
Leaving Love Island, you will see Heishui Ancient City in front of you. This is a man-made scenic spot rebuilt in different places according to the 1:1 ratio of the Heicheng ruins and the principle of "repairing the old as the old", but it does not have any historic atmosphere. What’s more, there are snacks sold everywhere in the city. It’s so noisy that people don’t want to stay for a long time. Only the few pagodas on the city wall in the northwest corner can let me stop for a while. The tallest pagoda is 12 meters high. unique logo. The bowl-covered pagoda, also known as the Lama pagoda, is a unique architectural form of Tibetan Buddhism. Each layer of the pagoda expresses a religious significance. Moon Orb. Heishui City was an important frontier fortress in the northwest of the Xixia Dynasty in the past, and it was also an important post station for the entire Hexi Corridor. In the past, Heishui City was full of lush water and grass, and was full of rivers and lakes. However, around the Sui Dynasty, it was gradually surrounded by wind and sand. Submerged under the boundless yellow sand, only the most complete and largest ancient city ruins on the northern line of the ancient Silk Road are left, accompanied by the fine quicksand under our feet... Before the sunset, we still take a speed trip Drive to the strange woods!
"You will live for a thousand years without dying, after you die you will not fall for a thousand years, and after you fall you will not die for a thousand years." The large tracts of dead branches and rotten trees in the strange forest lie down or fall down or still stand on the vast desert, with strange faces and expressions. Or tall and straight, or the blue dragon soaring, changing various postures and singing the tragic song of the Holy Land. According to legend, this is where the immortal souls of the black generals and the guards in the black city were, and the beliefs of the heroic souls were condensed at the last moment before death. Some of these Populus euphratica are not even dead. Although the branches and trunks look lifeless, there are still leaves emerging from the branches. They have experienced the baptism of countless sand and dust, but their life continues. In this place where the annual precipitation is less than 40 mm Blooming life is the willpower of the true meaning of "Three Thousand Years of Populus euphratica Spirit". Long smoke in the desert, the standing remains of Populus euphratica, or shaped like a rooster, or shaped like a milk elephant, or like the frozen moment of a hero dying on the thousand-year-old battlefield. In recent years, due to the improvement of the ecological environment, some dead Populus euphratica branches have even grown new branches. The miracle of "reincarnation of life and death, rebirth of Nirvana" is happening... Life and death depend on each other, and people will never leave. The branches of the trees have beautiful names, giving full play to their imagination and entrusting them with strong emotions!
The sky is getting darker, the angle of the sun is getting lower and lower, but the shadows of the trees are getting longer and longer, and the interweaving of light and shadow is more frequent. It is strange that the most beautiful moment of the day for the forest is coming. Looking along the light, it is light blue with purple red. The sky has become the best drawing board for Populus euphratica, and they can show the most beautiful and peculiar postures by changing the angle slightly, and stay on this picture scroll.
The sky is no longer a pure blue sky. Starting from the west end, the golden color gradually spreads across the sky. The photography drama is officially staged. The dead Populus euphratica seems to be a monster with teeth and claws in the sky in the backlight. The bleak visual impact, until it was almost dark in front of us, we walked towards the exit with some reluctance, and there was a shuttle bus at the exit to take us back to the parking lot.
October 16
If the "hero" directed by Zhang Yimou hadn't been filmed here, Ejina's stunningness might only exist in the photographer's film. Nowadays, Populus euphratica has become the most distinctive brand of Ejina, and even Ejina has become synonymous with golden autumn, around the National Day Golden Week In just 20 days, a large number of tourists poured in, which directly made it difficult to find a house in this small town with a permanent population of only 25,000. The price was ridiculously high, and the reception conditions were very mediocre. After thousands of choices, I found a good homestay not far from the Populus euphratica Forest Scenic Area. The conditions are not very good, but it is warm and clean. There are hot dishes and sweet and greasy cantaloupe every day.
We spent the whole day in this scenic spot, our top priority - Ejina Populus euphratica Forest (150 yuan per person for tickets, and another charge for Badaoqiao), but we were a little disappointed by the terrible flow of people and the super bad management. Yesterday's weak water Populus euphratica forest was even inferior. On the Ejina River formed by the confluence of the Heishui River and the Baishui River, there is a bridge every two or three kilometers. There are eight bridges in total. middle.
From Yidaoqiao to Sidaoqiao, we insisted on walking. The plank road was full of people, especially groups of aunts and mothers, wearing uniform red dresses and long skirts and wearing the same scarves. The difficult action really makes me feel ashamed. If you don’t point the camera at the sky, it’s really hard to capture the pure Populus euphratica scenery. You can only go deep into the corner where there are no people, and maybe you can occasionally find one or two good positions. The golden leaves dance against the blue sky in the wind. The strong contrast and bright colors are enough to make any language look pale. Pick up a handful of scattered leaves and sprinkle them into the air, and enjoy the golden leaves in slow motion how to surround you.
The Populus euphratica forests of Yidao Bridge and Erdaoqiao are not as thick and strong as Sidaoqiao, but because of the water, there will be a different kind of softness, and the golden reflections are reflected in the clear and clear autumn water. On the road, there is a large area of low red willows, which is quite spectacular when stretched together.
Flying snow and Kisaragi dressed in red, fighting in the air accompanied by golden Populus euphratica leaves flying all over the sky, such a beautiful scene of the movie "Heroes" was filmed in Sidaoqiao, hence the name Heroes Forest (picture borrowed from the Internet).
Most tourists take a sightseeing bus to reach the core area of Sidaoqiao. Only people like us who hike through can encounter the truly quiet and magnificent Populus euphratica forest. The Populus euphratica forest here has thick trunks, luxuriant and powerful branches, uncanny shapes, majestic spirit, and patches of Populus euphratica set off boundless golden waves, which are dazzlingly bright. You can sit on any tree trunk and enjoy it for a long time without wanting to leave. From time to time, you can capture cute little donkeys and silly camels at close range. The sun shines through the gaps in the forest and falls on the ground. There are dots of stars. When the autumn wind blows, the golden leaves of Populus euphratica fall to the ground. ...
Qidaoqiao is the place where the Populus euphratica forest turns yellow first, and it is the beginning of the bright life blooming in the golden autumn. After the sightseeing car arrives at the entrance, you need to walk 2.5 kilometers one way. Small, not so tall and strong, and the water surface is not so clear, it is already the end of golden autumn, some leaves have all fallen, and it looks a little bleak.
Badaoqiao is the closest scenic spot to the Badain Jaran Desert, the third largest desert in the world. It is also the site where the sightseeing car has to detour and change cars. We only enjoy it in the car, and we can see the clear water on the edge of the desert from a distance. The reeds swaying in the breeze, and the countless tourists who are still crowded!
October 17
Sleepy-eyed, we rushed to Juyanhai (80 yuan/person) in the dark, just to chase the bright sunrise. The car lights along the way had strung together a long line, and when we arrived at the scenic spot, there were dark crowds everywhere. Abandoning the sightseeing car, you can walk to the plank road by the water in 15 minutes, and quickly occupy a treasured place, shivering, we quietly wait for the sunrise.
Juyanhai is the tail lake of the Heihe River, the second largest inland river in my country. It originates from the depths of the Qilian Mountains and flows into two Gobi depressions in the northwest of the Badain Jaran Desert, forming the East-West Juyanhai. It is also a strange wandering lake. The location fluctuates from east to west, and the lake's surface varies from hour to hour. Historically, Juyanhai was a nomadic paradise with lush water and grass, cattle and sheep everywhere. Since it dried up in 1961, it has become one of the birthplaces of dust. Juyanhai is connected to Zhongnanhai, and the ecological crisis of Ejina has attracted great attention from the state. In 2002, the Heihe River achieved inter-provincial division of water for the first time, and Juyanhai regained its vitality. The current water area is maintained at about 40 square kilometers all year round. life legend. If you don't see it with your own eyes, it's hard to believe that in the endless desert, on the vast Gobi Desert, there is such a flourishing oasis: the blue waves are rippling in the vast desert, the birds are flying in the sky, and the fish are in the water. You, here is the world of reeds, and here is the paradise of red-billed gulls.
The sky became brighter and brighter. With the shouts of the crowd, the sun revealed a golden light, and soon showed people her delicate figure. The sky, which was originally red, orange and purple, was instantly dyed by the sun's rays. The golden yellow and dark blue lake surface also becomes sparkling, the sun is dragged out by the lake surface with a long tail, the reeds by the lake look extraordinarily charming under the light of sunrise, a breeze blows by, it is even more beautiful, large groups of The red-billed gulls soar on the lake, and the flying silhouettes reflected add infinite charm to the picture.
After the sun rises, they also become more active, and their crisp chirping sounds can be heard from the depths of the dense reeds. They are like elves in the sky. Whispering, some gently patted the water surface waiting for the fish to emerge, some interacted with the crowd and chased the food in the hands of tourists...
If Route 66 in the United States is a pilgrimage for brave self-drivers, then China’s G7 Beijing-Xinjiang Expressway is enough to make the world tremble. Along the way, you can not only see the most desolate desert and Gobi in the northwest, but also a 500-kilometer-long uninhabited land. I have to say that this is really a great project. Of course, we only ran for a while. It is recommended to ensure sufficient fuel , When I saw the gas station, I filled it up. Fortunately, the rest areas on the way are well-equipped.
From Ejina Banner to Alxa Left Banner, a total of 600 kilometers, from morning to sunset, after entering the boundary of Alxa Left Banner, there are many ant forest planting areas on both sides of the national road, Haloxylon trees are growing vigorously, Haloxylon tree, resistant to cold and wind and sand, is the most suitable shrub for desert areas. When it grows up, it can cover the ground and prevent the sand from flying. It is said that the ant forest is divided into different forest areas, and 1 million trees have been planted so far. Haloxylon tree, with such data and what I have seen with my own eyes today, I estimate that my enthusiasm for planting trees in Ant Forest will increase day by day (picture borrowed from the Internet).
October 18
After a long journey to Alxa Left Banner, we rested overnight and did not stop too much. We started to cross Helan Mountain and headed towards Yinchuan. We didn’t need to go to the city. Mausoleum, although there are only earthen-style tombs left in the entire scenic area, the mysterious Xixia Dynasty still arouses my infinite interest.
Xixia Royal Mausoleum (ticket 95 yuan/person) is located at the eastern foot of Helan Mountain. It is the royal mausoleum of the Xixia Dynasty. The grassland with a radius of 53 square kilometers is flat and open, high in the west and low in the east, overlooking the entire Yinchuan Plain. , 253 burial tombs, with a grand scale, strict layout, solemn and solemn, comparable in size to the Ming Tombs, is one of the largest existing imperial cemeteries in my country and the most complete ground site, and is praised by the world as "mysterious miracle", "" The Pyramids of the East". The Xixia Dynasty is a local ethnic regime established by the Dangxiang family with Ningxia as the core to govern the western part of my country. It was founded by Li Yuanhao and had 12 generations of emperors. It has a short history of 190 years and was later exterminated by Mongolia.
Compared with the Mogao Grottoes, the films shown in the Xixia Museum are worth watching, but the museum is more worth spending time to understand, especially the Xixia script that has become a "book from heaven". The most dazzling pearl among this cluster of exotic flowers, in order to enhance national consciousness, Li Yuanhao ordered his minister Yeli Renrong to imitate the Chinese language and presided over the creation and promotion of the use of Xixia characters. It was completed in three years, with a total of more than 5,000 characters. The structure imitates Chinese characters, but also has its own characteristics. Although the Dangxiang tribe has long since ceased to exist, the Xixia script created by it has been handed down along with the inscriptions. Although the Xixia script has long been unreadable, this ancient script that embodies the wisdom of the Dangxiang nation has become an important part of interpreting the history of Xixia. tool. Everyone may wish to guess the meaning of the Xixia characters on the male and female dolls of the Dangxiang tribe? Male - brave; female - beautiful.
Coming out of the museum, we took a sightseeing car and drove to the core No. 3 Mausoleum. Along the way, the surroundings have a wide field of vision, and you can’t see the end. There are broken walls, yellow walls and earth tiles everywhere, and mausoleums like steamed buns are scattered around. The past prosperity of the Xixia Dynasty can only be found in the dilapidated historical traces. up. Mausoleum No. 3 is the largest mausoleum among the entire Xixia royal mausoleum, and it is also the one with the largest area and the best protection. Archaeological experts believe that it is the "Tai Mausoleum" of the founding emperor Li Yuanhao. The mausoleum faces south and combines Han culture and Buddhism. Culture and Dangxiang culture. About 20 buildings of various types are combined into an independent building complex in a vertical rectangle. The rammed earth accounts for about 65%. The exterior is decorated with wooden structures and brick and tile building components. There are various glazed and gray pottery decorations, but now the mausoleum is only rammed earth standing tall, with broken bricks and tiles easily picked up, rammed earth city walls intermittently connected, and the layout of the cemetery is clearly discernible.
Tracing back to the ancient Xixia dynasty, a dynasty that once dominated Chinese history, a dynasty that disappeared mysteriously, only left the incomprehensible Xixia script to future generations, and only loess pyramids remained silently standing at the foot of Helan Mountain In the wind and rain, although the ancient tombs in the wilderness that have gone through thousands of years of vicissitudes have lost their former glory, their bitter backs still quietly tell the rise and fall of a generation of dynasties to future generations.
Zhenbeibao Film and Television City (ticket 80 yuan/person) was originally a frontier fortress in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It was rebuilt into a film and television city by the famous writer Zhang Xianliang in 1993. It is one of the three major film and television cities in China and the only famous film and television city in western China. , known as "Oriental Hollywood", consists of three parts: Qingcheng, Mingcheng, and Old Yinchuan Street. Among them, Old Yinchuan Street copied the most prosperous Liuxiang Street in Yinchuan before liberation. Entering the scenic area, the most conspicuous thing is still the majestic rammed-earth city wall that has gone through vicissitudes and is riddled with holes. The five-color flags on it are flying in the wind. Opposite the city wall is a wooden film and television corridor. It is understood that more than 160 film and television dramas have been filmed here so far.
Qingcheng has the signature scenic spot of the entire scenic spot - the filming location of Journey to the West. "There used to be a sincere love in front of me..." The familiar lines and the familiar scene, just at the gate of Qingcheng, take you back to the classic movie scene where Zhizunbao and Fairy Zixia are talking. I think this is a movie made 25 years ago, it's a pity that time flies. The scenic spot deliberately placed the still photos of Zhou Xingchi and Zhu Yin on the tower of this filming location at that time, which made people feel more picturesque, and also made this place where the most people stop. The theme of the whole Qingcheng is actually Journey to the West Scenes in various movies, Back Garden, Niu Mansion, Pansi Cave... You can find clues here, and even meet countless "Zixia Fairies". costume shooting effect.
Mingcheng is also the location of many classic movies. The most popular one is of course Zhang Yimou's "Red Sorghum". The Moon Gate, which is familiar at dusk, has attracted countless tourists. …For film and television fans, Zhenbei Fort is really a place where you can see dozens of classic scenes in movies at one time, with yellow sand and thick soil, mud brick walls and tiles, and the unique desolation, roughness, simplicity, and simplicity of the west. Thickness, vividly reflected in the whole film and television city, a trip to the western film and television city is more like a time travel of a movie feast.
Back in the urban area, we deliberately didn’t enter the old city, but turned around and lived in the Yuehai New District, because there is Dilanshan Park, the most beautiful Internet celebrity check-in for watching the sunset, and we can pretend that we are in the European-style ancient Roman arena; here There is Dayue City Ningxia Sightseeing Night Market, the most pyrotechnic existence under the night; here is the landscape axis of Tuanjie Road, and the night scene light show is super shocking.
The landscape axis of Tuanjie Road is located in the CBD of Yuehai Bay, with a total length of 2 kilometers. It gradually transitions from traditional Chinese-style pavilion buildings to exotic Arabian buildings. "Building", the auspicious red Chinese knot... really bright, the rich Arabic style "Islamic Hall" pavilion is magnificent, various buildings have both Islamic style and modern edges and corners, geometric interlacing, and music dancing Fountains, lights with changing colors, and mist sprayed in hidden places can take large pictures everywhere, and the China-Arab Friendship Monument is just the center of the scroll. In the new historical period, a new chapter of China-Arab friendship will be written.
October 19
From Yinchuan to Shapotou in Zhongwei, Qingtongxia is a must. If you have time, you might as well stop and take a walk. There is Dujiangyan in the south and Qingtongxia in the north. The Qingtongxia Water Conservancy Project is the earliest established in the upper reaches of the Yellow River in my country. A pier-type hydropower station, its completion ended the history of water diversion without dams in Ningxia for more than 2,000 years, and achieved the reputation of "the Yellow River in the world enriches Ningxia, and the south of the Yangtze River is filled with Ningxia River". The kindly mother river, Buddha's 100 pagoda forest, Qingtongxia 108 pagodas (ticket 30 yuan/person) are located on the west bank of the reservoir. They were built in Xixia and are the third largest ancient pagoda group in my country. Built with ups and downs, the pagoda is built from top to bottom according to the mountain situation. It is composed of 108 Lama pagodas on twelve floors. The odd numbers of the towers are arranged in a tower array. The first floor is a cave-style Lama pagoda, and the second to twelfth floors are all solid Lama pagodas. The towers and bases are different. 108 is a number commonly used by Buddhists. The dawn bell needs to be struck 108 times, the scriptures must be recited 108 times, and the rosary must be dialed 108 times. Therefore, Buddhism believes that there are 108 kinds of troubles in life. The 108 Pagoda is to eliminate these troubles and disasters. Built to pray for peace and happiness.
We first learned about the history, types and geographical distribution of the ancient pagodas in the Tallinn Museum before we came to the towers. We saw the neatly arranged towers standing under the blue sky and white clouds. They have been facing the Yellow River for hundreds of years, like training. The well-trained soldiers are waiting for people's review. The scale is grand, majestic, majestic, and very shocking. Go up the pagoda piously until you reach the top. Turning around three times is said to bring auspiciousness and good luck. From the top of the pagoda, you can overlook the ten-mile long gorge with beautiful mountains and rivers, cliffs on both sides, and beautiful scenery.
There is a world-renowned Route 66 in the United States. The straight road extends into the distance, and there is no end in sight. Driving on such a road has become a dream of many people. Now there is no need to go abroad to visit the Northwest. In Ningxia There is also such a highway in Zhongwei, whose scenery and beauty are not inferior to those in the United States. It is called "Zhongwei Highway 66".
Follow the navigation from Shapotou to enter a small road, and it didn't take long to reach the road dug in the Gobi. The road leads to the ancient village of North Changtan, with a total length of 30 kilometers. There are Yellow River, Gobi, grassland, barren mountains, hills and other landforms along the way. , is desolate to the extreme, as if one second was still walking in the world, and the next second came to a mysterious planet, even the mobile phone has no signal, the road passes through the mountains, and we are in the Gobi and yellow land, with ups and downs on one side The uncertain Gobi, on the other side is the magnificent Yellow River, driving on the road, far away from the hustle and bustle, without the prosperity of the world, it seems to have traveled back to that ancient and silent age. The road sometimes bends, sometimes goes straight, sometimes goes uphill, and sometimes goes downhill. The dark red mountains on both sides of the road are like the texture and pulse of the earth. The U-shaped uphill and downhill make the road surface very visually impactful, making people intoxicated by the country road The solitude and roughness of the aerial photography seem even more shocking, just in time for a beautiful sunset, everyone was reluctant to leave for a long time, so that there was no way to get to North Long Beach before dark, so they had to turn back halfway.
The hotel we stayed in is just opposite the Gaomiao. When we come for a walk at night, we go to the park where the Gaomiao is located. The promenade connects the pavilions and pavilions in series, with small bridges and flowing water in the middle. Citizens gather in the park to kick shuttlecocks. The technology is very good. Superb, with a variety of tricks, we applaud when we see it, it is really "there are masters among the people"! Looking back at the Gaomiao, the appearance is indeed very different from the temple in our impression. The Gaomiao was not in the plan. I will come to visit you tomorrow morning!
October 20
Before I came to Ningxia, I knew very little about the city of Zhongwei. Apart from hearing about Shapotou, the rest was almost a blank sheet of paper. Now that I have come to Zhongwei, let us learn about Gaomiao (free )let's start!
Gaomiao is a temple that combines Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. It was built in the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty and has a history of 600 years. It is almost the same age as the Forbidden City in Beijing. , with clear layers, the main buildings are all on a central axis, low at the front and high at the rear, stacked up in layers, shaped like a phoenix spreading its wings, magnificent and unique in style, showing the exquisite artistic style of Ningxia ancient architecture everywhere. On the right side of the Gaomiao is the Hall of Five Hundred Arhats. The three-dimensional reliefs of colorful sculptures and auspicious clouds are vivid and exquisitely carved. On the right side is the Gaomiao Hell, one of the four ghost towns in China. It is like a maze-like giant underground palace. The effect, simulating the 18 levels of hell, combined with the various states of the world, shows the process of being judged in the underworld after death, and embodies the Buddhist concept of cause and effect that "good will be rewarded with good, and evil will be rewarded with evil".
Self-driving Shapotou, do not stop at the conspicuous tourist service center, be sure to drive the car to the scenic parking lot by the Yellow River, Shapotou (ticket 80 yuan/person) is divided into the desert area and the Yellow River area, if you are in the desert There is not much interest in the recreational items in the area, and there is no need to buy sightseeing tickets. You only need tickets to enter the Yellow River area on foot. As soon as I entered the gate, I saw a round sheepskin raft. For thousands of years, the Yellow River has nine bends and eighteen bends. There are sheepskin rafts in each bay. It used to be the most important ferry tool on the Yellow River, and now it represents the same as the Yellow River waterwheel. The culture of the Yellow River is for people to experience. The tracker paddled the sheepskin raft, shouted the melodious chant, and floated on the Yellow River along the current.
Shapotou integrates the desert, the Yellow River, high mountains and oasis. It has both the majestic scenery of the northwest and the beautiful scenery of the south of the Yangtze River. We took the high desert ladder to reach the top of the sand slope at a height of 70-80 meters. Looking around, everything is in front of your eyes. The unruly Yellow River makes a perfect turn here. This big roundabout, out of the momentum of the Yellow River, plunges into the depths of Ningxia. The S-shaped Qumei arc is very similar to the Yin and Yang of China. The Tai Chi picture, leaning on the sand dunes and accompanied by the oasis and mountains, is a fine brushwork painting of nature. Wang Wei's "Lonely smoke in the desert, the sun setting in the Yellow River" is the most vivid description of this artistic conception, and the ethereal atmosphere of the desert and the Yellow River. Loneliness and mutual cuddling are vividly portrayed. The simple and straightforward Northwesterners are here as a statue of Wang Wei. Thanks to the great poet's magical pen, I can see the Poet Buddha with his left hand stroking his beard and his right hand holding a pen. The footwells on the slope are deep, and the sand in Shapotou is very fine, with a single and pure color, which is very bright under the light. If you hold a handful in your hand, let it slip from your fingers and be blown in all directions by the wind.
Among the many recreational projects, the "First Cable in the World on the Yellow River" (120 yuan/person) across the Yellow River is what I want to experience the most. A kind of good wish, every word is better than good intentions, who doesn't want to be able to make a fortune? The flying cableway crosses the Yellow River, one end is close to the sand mountain, and the other end is a tower nearly 200 meters high on the other side of the Yellow River. Fly back to Shapotou on the other side. It is said that this is the only place where you really fly over the Yellow River among the nine bends and eighteen bends of the Yellow River. With a distance of more than 800 meters, when I jumped over the Yellow River, I looked at the mother river running under my feet, and I was traveling at a high speed under the zipline. I had the pleasure of conquering quickly, and at the same time felt that I was as small as a grain of sand in the desert. Today, the wind is very strong, and the drop at the front of the zipline slides towards the opposite bank. When it fails to reach the other bank, it stops due to wind resistance.
When we were about to leave Zhongwei for Lanzhou after lunch, there was a sudden wind and sandstorm, and the good weather along the way was instantly covered by sandstorms. We had to drive forward cautiously. Thanks to the high speed, we arrived in Lanzhou smoothly in the dark.
Speaking of Lanzhou noodles in front of Lanzhou people, they all reacted in the same way. They seemed to have four big characters of pain and sorrow written on their faces, sighing again and again. Lanzhou people stubbornly only call it beef noodles, not Lanzhou noodles. Even for laymen, there is a new catchphrase called "Niu Da", the full name is "Big Beef Noodle Bowl", and it is very proud to say it.
Everyone has a taste that is fixed in their minds, and what belongs to Lanzhou people is the mellow aroma of a bowl of beef noodles. Lanzhou people like noodles, but it is difficult to find suitable words to describe how much they like them. The deliciousness comes from the depths of the alley. Yangou time-honored beef noodles is one of the most famous and delicious ones. The original beef soup made in a century-old pot has a mellow soup base and perfect ramen skills. With the addition of fragrant beef, a bowl of beef is full of spicy and beef flavors. The noodles are placed in front of you like this. The spicy peppers slowly spread out and blend perfectly with the noodles, coriander, and garlic leaves. It’s not enough to eat a big beef. Buy some beef and vacuum pack it on the spot. Airlift it home and taste it .
Milk and egg fermented glutinous rice is also my favorite. One of the most distinctive delicacies in Zhengning Road Night Market. The bearded man who is an Internet celebrity is imitated by everyone. It turns out that all the old grandpas at the milk and egg fermented glutinous rice stalls have grown beards. Listen Said Ma Ye shaved off his beard in a fit of anger. The faint milky aroma, sweet and sour fermented glutinous rice, the final product is yellow and white, the aroma is intoxicating, all kinds of dried and fresh fruits are dotted on it, it is really an attractive snack with full color and fragrance, and you will never get tired of eating it. I also tried it when I got home. Although it is not as authentic as that made by the Huimin grandfather in Lanzhou, it can be regarded as satisfying.
October 21
I specially chose the return flight in the evening, so that I still have time to go around Lanzhou during the day. The Yellow River Iron Bridge, Baitashan Park, Yellow River Waterwheel, and the Yellow River Mother Statue are basically within walking distance around the iron bridge. The Yellow River Iron Bridge, also known as Zhongshan Bridge, before the iron bridge was built, there was a pontoon bridge across the Yellow River, called Zhenyuan Bridge, and the iron pillars used to build the bridge still exist today. The first successful cooperation, the construction materials were transported thousands of miles from Germany to Lanzhou under the extremely backward transportation conditions in China at that time, even including a rivet, an iron bar and even the paint for the iron bridge after it was completed. It was completed in one fell swoop. It ended the history of no permanent bridge passing through the upper reaches of the Yellow River for thousands of years. It is the first real bridge on the Yellow River, so it is called "the first bridge on the Yellow River in the world".
Every major festival, the iron bridge will be newly decorated, and the bright lights on both sides of the Yellow River and the neon lights of the iron bridge complement each other, making this ancient iron bridge still maintain a young vitality (picture borrowed from the Internet).
Walking across the iron bridge of the Yellow River is the Baitashan Park. The mountain is majestic and undulating. It is named after the white pagoda of the Yuan Dynasty on the top of the mountain. It is divided into three building groups, built close to the mountain. The cloisters are connected and extend in all directions. After years of unremitting irrigation and greening, the trees are tall and dense, and the winding paths are secluded, forming a sharp contrast with the surrounding soil slopes and barren mountains.
Ascending to the palaces and pavilions, you can lean on the railings and overlook the modern cityscape of Lanzhou. The mother river with nine twists and turns passes through the city. Lanzhou City, Baita Mountain and the Iron Bridge of the Yellow River together create the most beautiful picture scroll in Lanzhou. As one of the symbols, it is no wonder that there is a poem that says: "The north and upper rings are majestic, the tower shadow is majestic on the top slope, the ground is scattered with gold and famous temples, and the sky is a pillar overlooking the Yellow River."
The waterwheel has a long history and originated in the Ming Dynasty. It is the oldest irrigation tool along the ancient Yellow River in Lanzhou. In 1952, there were 252 waterwheels in Lanzhou. There are many waterwheels on both sides of the Yellow River. It is known as the "City of Waterwheels" in Syria. Mashi is 8 times larger than the waterwheel, and has become the real "waterwheel capital" in the world. During the long evolution of the waterwheel, Lanzhou people's unique "waterwheel complex" and "waterwheel culture" have been formed, just like the "waterwheel capital". "Beef noodle complex" is rooted in the hearts of every Lanzhou person.
The large granite statue of the Mother of the Yellow River has become a landmark sculpture in Lanzhou. The overall shape is an elegant mother lying on the bank of the Yellow River, watching over a swimming child in her arms. The mother's hair is fluttering, with a kind expression, smiling slightly, raising her head and slightly bending her right arm. She is tall and well-proportioned, with graceful curves, lying on her back on the waves; on the right side is a naked baby boy, looking slightly to the left, raising his head and smiling, playful and cute ; The water ripples and fish patterns on the base are derived from the original patterns of ancient painted pottery in Gansu, reflecting the long history and culture of Gansu.
Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport can be said to be the farthest airport from the urban area in the provincial capital city. Fortunately, the intercity railway was built to connect the urban area and the airport. You can take a direct ride from Lanzhou West Railway Station to Zhongchuan Airport. It takes 35 minutes, otherwise it would be a long road , It is estimated that the time to go to the airport is almost catching up with the flight time.
Walking through Dunhuang, I witnessed the vastness and infinity of the desert, and experienced the thousands of years of Dunhuang; I walked through Ejina Banner, witnessed the unlucky spirit of Populus euphratica for thousands of years, and appreciated the golden autumn scenery of Ejina Banner; I walked through Ningxia, and witnessed the Xixia Dynasty The mysterious civilization of Lanzhou, and the emptiness and loneliness of the Yellow River in Shapotou...Of course, there are countless authentic Northwest delicacies in Lanzhou! Great Northwest, there is a kind of magical power here, it will lock your heart tightly, you don’t want to go back after you come, and you want to come back after you go back, there are always unknown beauty and mysterious culture calling us! Believe me, I will come again, the next stop is...
