As a travel blogger, I have never been to Xinjiang? !
The itinerary that has been planned many times is always put on hold for various reasons. Finally, in the last few days of 2022, I completed the "Winter Kashgar" plan.
Xinjiang, just listening to the name, is a distant and mysterious existence.
Xinjiang, known as the Western Regions in ancient times. Located in the hinterland of the Eurasian continent, it is an important passage of the ancient Silk Road in history, bordering on Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Mongolia, India, and Afghanistan.
Xinjiang is also the province with the largest land area in China, accounting for about one-sixth of China's total land area.
The topography of Xinjiang, mountains and basins alternate, basins and mountains surrounded, commonly known as "three mountains sandwich two basins". Does it look like the right half of the word "Jiang"? The mountains are horizontal and the basins are fields.
The Tianshan Mountains lie across the middle of Xinjiang, dividing Xinjiang into two halves, the north and the south. It is customary for people to call the south of the Tianshan Mountains the Southern Border, and the north of the Tianshan Mountains the North Border.
It is said that "northern Xinjiang sees the scenery, and southern Xinjiang sees the humanities", so let's go to southern Xinjiang and Kashgar for the first time. See what kind of cultural treasures the ancient Western Regions have left for us?
The Kashgar area is very large, including Kashgar City and 11 counties.
From the "Pamirs" to the "Taklimakan Desert", I finally had the opportunity to measure the place names in the textbooks this time.
【schedule】
Day 1: Urumqi - Ta County - Panlong Ancient Road - Kaneryang Village - Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition
Day 2: Ancient Stone City - Baisha Lake - Yingjisha - Shache
Day 3: Dawakun Desert - Xiangfei Garden
Day 4: Kashgar Ancient City
Day 5: Kashgar Museum - Return
first day
When we arrived in Urumqi the night before, there was light snow in the sky. Unexpectedly, the first snow this winter was encountered in Xinjiang. I got up this morning to catch the plane, and there was already a thick layer of snow outside.
At 7am, it was pitch black outside. The snowflakes are floating loosely under the dim street lights, which is a bit romantic.
Arrive at the airport and get your boarding pass. "The first voyage to Taxian County, a trip to Kashgar in winter" has officially started.
Urumqi-Tashkurgan, 08:35-10:55, I sat on the left side by the window and enjoyed a grand sunrise in the sky. The magnificent snow-capped mountains are at the foot, and the Kashgar in my heart is becoming more and more real.
The plane landed smoothly at Taxkorgan Khunjerab Airport, and we are honored to be the first batch of passengers at this airport located in the westernmost part of the motherland. Today, only our plane is parked at the airport surrounded by mountains, and the huge plane looks much smaller in front of the mountains.
Walking out of the airport, the ceremony to welcome the inaugural flight has already begun. Tajik girls and boys are singing and dancing. Tajik is the only white race in our country and looks quite exotic. The costumes of the Tajik people are also very beautiful, with bright colors and hats. The hats worn by boys are called "Tumak" and those worn by girls are called "Kuleta". This is an important feature that distinguishes them from other ethnic groups.
Ta County, the full name of Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, belongs to the Kashgar region of Xinjiang. It borders Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan.
Ta County is a pure land on the Pamirs. Among the 12 peaks above 8,000 meters in the world, 4 are in Ta County. The stories of "Visitor on the Iceberg" and "Why Are Flowers So Red" all come from here.
The car shuttles through the ravines and mountains, but when you look up, you can always see the Muztag Peak in the distance guiding the direction. The snow-white peaks are magnificent and gentle.
Not far from the airport, there is the famous road sign about Panlong Ancient Road.
"I have gone through all the detours today, and my life will be smooth from now on"
Heroic and inspirational, it fits the temperament of Ta County.
Unfortunately, on the day we came, there was snow on the Panlong Ancient Road, which is not suitable for driving up. Therefore, I only climbed the "Little Panlong" for a short period of time, and experienced the nine bends and eighteen bends on the mountain, which is already very exciting.
The return journey passes through "Kaneryang Village", which is the birthplace of "Why Are Flowers So Red". At an altitude of 3,000 meters, surrounded by mountains on all sides, looking down from a height, it looks like a paradise hidden deep in the mountains. I heard that it is still a resort for watching meteor showers in summer, and the open space is often full of tents.
In the afternoon, I went to see the Tajik intangible cultural heritage display.
The word "Taji" means "crown" in Persian. Tajiks who are good at singing and dancing enjoy the reputation of "residents on the roof of the world", "mountain eagles" and "people on the clouds". For thousands of years, the Tajik people have created splendid and colorful folk culture on this magical and magnificent plateau.
With the mountain as the curtain and the ground as the seat, a red carpet is the most dazzling stage in nature. The melodious Tajik folk songs and the eagle dance representing the Tajik spirit were staged one after another.
On the plateau, the cold-resistant yak is an important messenger of transportation, and riding a horse to pick a sheep has evolved into a yak talking to a sheep. Watching the yaks run panting and colliding with each other, and the owner pushes the yaks forward, it is really an exciting game.
There is also a horseback sport with a long history - Tajik polo. The polo game that flourished during the Tang and Song Dynasties has not been inherited by the Tajik people. It was only watched on TV before. This time, the scene of watching it on the spot is even more intense.
the next day
In Ta County, the hotel we stayed in was very close to [Ancient Stone City]. So, I decided to get up "early" to watch the sunrise there. At 9:30, the genius in Ta County just turned pale.
The ancient stone city was once the royal city of the Puli Kingdom in the ancient "Thirty-Six Kingdoms of the Western Regions", and it was also an important stop on the ancient Silk Road. Stone City already existed during the Jiepantuo period (about the 1st century AD), and although there are only ruins left today, it is still possible to imagine the scene of prosperity and splendor at the time.
Ascend to the former royal palace, just in time to usher in the first ray of sunshine on Muztagh Peak. The morning sun caresses the golden grass beach next to it, and a golden mist evaporates. At this time, at 10:20, the day of Taxkorgan has just begun~~
Leaving the ancient stone city, we drove to the next destination - Baisha Lake.
Baisha Lake, the water and the sky are the same color, extremely pure. White sand dunes surround the lake like a dream.
In summer, the lake will reflect the white sand mountains and the snow mountains in the distance;
In winter, the lake freezes and is covered with a thin layer of snow, echoing the sand dunes, presenting a clean fairy tale world.
So far, the trip to Ta County has come to an end, and the next stop is Yingjisha County.
Yingjisha, Uighur language, means "new city". Speaking of Yingjisha, it is well-known in southern Xinjiang. It is not only a post station on the ancient land Silk Road, but also one of the eight major towns in southern Xinjiang. It is also known as the "Hometown of Small Knives in China", "Hometown of Semaiti Apricots in China", and "Hometown of Dawazi in China".
We did not stay in Yingjisha for a long time, and only went to two places - Tutao Village, which is very western-style, and Yingjisha, which represents Xiaodao Village.
The firing history of clay pottery in Yingjisha County has reached thousands of years. It has to go through more than 10 processes and is purely handmade, which has extremely high ornamental and art collection value.
The buildings in Tutao Village are also beautiful, with various clay pots and jars embedded on the simple loess exterior walls. Here, visitors can not only observe the whole process of making clay pottery, but also experience the making themselves and take away a unique trophy.
The Yingjisha knife is one of the most representative handicrafts in Xinjiang. With a history of four centuries, the blade is extremely sharp, and there is a saying that "cuts iron like mud". The craftsmanship is complicated, the shape is exquisite, and the decoration of the handle has distinct national characteristics.
In the knife village, tourists can also visit and learn about the entire production process of a Yingjisha knife. Finally, you can choose a favorite in the store, and the store can also mail it to your home.
Next, is the last stop of today's itinerary, Shache with a history of more than 3,000 years. Although it was almost dark when we arrived in Shache, the activities were still fully arranged.
Shache is the hometown of "Twelve Muqam". Since arriving in Kashgar, we have been hearing people mention the Twelve Muqam. This is a music form that combines songs, poems, music, dance, singing, and playing. It takes more than 20 hours to complete a set of performances. It is a representative of Uyghur classical music.
In order to better protect and spread this traditional art, everyone can enjoy the performance of Twelve Muqam in many places in Shache. For example, [Shache Intangible Heritage Garden] located in the ancient city of Shache.
This is a palace full of exotic customs, and there are several grand performances in turn every day, including of course the Twelve Muqams (excerpts). There are also many exhibition halls in the Intangible Cultural Heritage Park, where you can learn about the customs of the local ethnic minorities.
If you want to say that Shache must check in, of course it is the Shache Night Market with hot fireworks. Here you can eat the most authentic and complete variety of snacks and fruits in southern Xinjiang.
Baked buns, grilled papaya, kebabs, haggis soup, noodle lungs, and all kinds of novel foods that cannot be named... just looking at it makes me feel dazzled.
The cold winter has not diminished people's desire for delicious food. From the street to the end of the street, people are buzzing all the way.
third day
Xinjiang is really a paradise for night owls. Our departure time is almost after 10 o'clock every day, and breakfast in many hotels is even open until 12 o'clock. Today's first stop, we went to Dahua Kun Desert.
It takes about an hour and a half to drive from the ancient city of Shache to reach Yuepu Lake County. There is a vast desert and a lake lying in the arms of the desert. This is the Dawakun Tourist Scenic Area and the edge of the Taklamakan Desert.
There is also a beautiful legend about Davakun. It is said that at the end of the third century, there was a king named Tielimu, who led his daughter Davakun and son-in-law Sodick to find water for the people, and found a deep pit foaming from the edge of the desert, so he ordered thousands of people to dig for a hundred days. It turned out to be nothing. In the end, Dawakun secretly concealed it from his father and husband, and finally dug out the water one night, and Princess Dawakun also turned into a beautiful lake.
Legend has it that Dawakun is covered with a veil of mystery, but the primitive energy contained in the desert is visible to the naked eye. The "Willow King" that has survived for more than 300 years; the "Puplar King" that has grown for 1,800 years are the vitality of the silent desert. .
Taking a camel into the desert and watching the sunrise and sunset is a mysterious style;
Changing to an off-road vehicle and rushing into the hinterland of the desert is another indulgence.
After getting out of the desert, go to the food area next to it for a full meal. Barbecue, grilled fish, large plate chicken, baked buns... I didn't expect such authentic Xinjiang delicacies to be found in the scenic area, and it is not fooling people at all.
110 kilometers away from Davakun is the final destination of our trip: Kashgar City in the Kashgar area. Many people's understanding of Kashgar starts from here. The ancient city of Kashgar seems to condense all people's imagination of southern Xinjiang. However, we will put the itinerary of the ancient city tomorrow. Today, we will go to the Xiangfei Garden first.
A TV series "Han Zhu Ge Ge" let us know this beautiful woman Xiangfei from the Western Regions. Although the stories about Concubine Xiang are legendary, Concubine Xiang does exist. Her real name is Hezhuo Fatima, and she is the concubine of Emperor Qianlong, and her hometown is Kashgar.
The Fragrant Concubine Garden is located in Haohan Village, 5 kilometers east of Kashgar City. The Fragrant Concubine Garden is a large courtyard with a gatehouse, a small mosque, a large mosque and the main tomb, which are magnificent and beautiful.
The tomb of Xiangfei in the Xiangfei Garden is not the tomb of Xiangfei alone, but a group of tombs of 72 people from five generations of her family, which existed before Xiangfei was born.
This is also the most important building in the Xiangfei Garden. The surrounding walls are covered with dark green glazed bricks from top to bottom, with colorful patterns painted on them. These glazed bricks were fired more than 300 years ago, and the colors are still beautiful today. An arch on the fourth floor is matched with a five-curved crescent moon held high by the iron pillars above. The harmonious shape makes the whole building look extraordinarily solemn.
The Fragrant Concubine Garden Scenic Area will hold a grand "Fragrant Concubine Welcome" entrance ceremony every day. "Emperor Qianlong", "Fragrant Concubine" and "Family of Fragrant Concubine" stepped onto the stage one after another to welcome visitors from all over the world.
In addition, tourists can also participate in a grand Uyghur wedding. The girls and boys were singing and dancing, and it was very lively, and it was very interesting to learn about some special customs of Uighur weddings by the way.
fourth day
Today, we will devote all our time to the ancient city of Kashgar.
There is a slogan in the ancient city of Kashgar: "If you don't go to Kashgar, you don't go to Xinjiang; if you don't go to the ancient city, you don't go to Kashgar."
After coming, you will deeply feel: What you say is true!
In the morning, come to the entrance of the ancient city before 11 o'clock to watch a "opening ceremony";
Then, rent a set of Uighur costumes at the "Fantasy Culture and Creation" on Areya Road;
Dress yourself up and start a day of "Mysterious Western Region Travel Photography Project"...
The ancient city of Kashgar was called "Shule City" in the Western Han Dynasty. As early as 2100 years ago, the Shule City that Zhang Qian saw was already quite large, as if it were an international trade market on the Silk Road.
As time goes by and the years change, the ancient city of Kashgar is still vivid.
The khaki-colored city wall encloses the mystery of the Western Regions, and also locks up 2,000 years of history.
The streets and alleys are winding and deep but extend in all directions, like a maze.
Carpets, musical instruments, oil paintings, earthen pottery, bronzeware... all kinds of handicraft workshops can be seen here, and the artisans have followed the traditional crafts to this day, sticking to the business that has been passed down from generation to generation.
The hundred-year-old teahouse was full of people and melodious music; Master Bayi’s house helped me recall the story of Avanti; the dried fruit stalls on the street were rich in variety, high in quality and low in price; beautiful Uighur children were playing in the street, The innocent appearance also evokes our childlike innocence.
Until night fell, the ancient city of Kashgar made me feel unfinished. If you have plenty of travel time, I especially recommend that you leave more time for the ancient city of Kashgar, and more.
fifth day
It's the last day in Kashgar, and to be precise, it's only half a day, so let's go to the Kashgar Museum. After all, Kashgar has a long history and culture, and our five-day itinerary is just a quick glimpse. Why don't you go to the museum to learn more about it? It's not a waste of time.
The guide in the museum is a beautiful and professional Uighur lady who speaks standard Mandarin.
It turns out that the history of Kashgar can be traced back to the Stone Age. The exhibition hall takes time as the axis. In the first exhibition hall, there are 6,000-year-old microliths and 3,000-year-old bronzes and other cultural relics reflecting the early cultural conditions of the Xinjiang section of the ancient Silk Road.
The second exhibition hall displays Buddhist fragments, fragments of Falu script, fragments of Brahma riddles, various pottery, textiles and other ancient daily necessities unearthed in areas where Buddhist culture prevailed in ancient Xinjiang.
The third exhibition hall exhibits precious cultural relics closely related to Islamic culture that belonged to the Middle Ages in Xinjiang, that is, after the spread of Islam in Kashgar. These include: the treasure of the town hall, the three-eared pottery pot of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the copper kettle dating back 2,800 years ago, and the silk men's robes of the Song Dynasty.
【Conclusion】
In five days, my winter trip to Kashgar came to an end. Next, starting from Kashgar via Urumqi, I have to fly for 6.5 hours to return to Tianjin.
Perhaps, the long distance of the road has blocked the footsteps of many people. But I want to tell you that Kashgar is definitely worth crossing mountains and seas to meet you.
When imagination comes into reality, what kind of report card can he hand over.
Only after I came to Kashgar in person did I know that my dream about the Western Regions was too superficial.
