A China Travel

I am traveling to the Silk Road, I am visiting Dunhuang, which is my dream. The ancient Silk Road used to be the main artery of communication and cultural exchange between China and the western countries. However, as the development and evolvement of history, the function and resplendence of the “Silk Road” in those years have gone. What will the “Silk Road” leave us after it suffered from baptism? In hope of discovering the suspense in our heart and recalling the refulgent cultural river of history, we eight people started our plan of “travel to the West”, re-walking the “Silk Road” following the Ancients’ footmarks.

In the morning of September 20th, 2002, at 8:00, holding the mood of exploring the mysterious “Silk Road”, we took flight 3995 to our first destination to the western region, Urumqi, Xinjiang. We were transferred to Xi’an. And after about 5 hours of flight, we safely landed in Urumqi (the interborough capital of Xinjiang) airport. Through the arrangement of the Chinese travel agency , Xinjiang branch, we fixed on the route of our trip to the western region. In the evening, we had a wash and started visiting the city, tasting the orthodox snacks in Xinjiang-- rinse mutton and roasted muttony string. The transportation in the city is also convenient, which charges only 6RMB for renting a car.

Returned to the guest house, we took a rest for a night. On the morning of September 21th, at 8:00, we got on the microbus arranged by the travel agency, started to the northern Xingjiang. We planned to started from Urumqi, towards the northeast, and through Fukang, Fuyun, Aletai, to our destination--Bu’erjing, the whole route is more than 900 kilometers long.

We arrived at Tianchi Lake—our first destination at 10:00 am. Locating on the mountainside, and 120 kilometers away from Urumqi, it is an outstanding beauty spot characterized by high snow-capped mountains, lakes, and firs. Lacking of time, we chose to get onto mountain by autobus instead of walking. Tianchi Lake scenery, well known as Tianchi eight scenic spots, is concentrated with Tianchi Lake, surrounded by group of mountains, and densely covered by spruce. It was cool in the valley when we walked close to Tianchi Lake, it feels much greater if you take a yacht to touch the air on the lake. From the Calcinations Mountain on the altiplano Gobi to the cool fairyland all of a sudden, we were all on the scoop. Half an hour later, we were reluctant to leave and then took cable car to go down from the mountain, stepping onto another route.

After leaving Tianchi Lake, presented us was a big straight asphalt road stretches towards horizon. There were limitless plateaus Gobi desert on the both sides of the road. The vehicle was running and the road was extending. We sang and joked all the way, appreciating the outside beauty of motherland’s northwest scene. We got through the fiery-red and beautiful flaming mountain, serene pastoral spot—Shiren slope. The car chased after the sun, turning toward north and then west. Gobi desert, dust, hot and dry surrounded us. Our former curiosity was exhausted in desolation of the boundless Gobi desert. After making a long hard journey, we felt exhausted and drowsy, and finally arrived in our destination—Bu’er Jin.

We rested for a whole night, at 9:00am, September 22th, we got the license of Hanasi and set out again, today’s destination is Hanasi lake-- the most north, national AAAA-level scenic area in Xinjiang.

It is a journey of more than 300 kilometers, the herd of cattle, flock of sheep passed steep mountains, curling up a burst of boundless yellow sand, which mixed up with neigh and the jingling of camel. Moreover, it is well worth mentioning that the Aletai big tail sheep is the best material to cook grasping meat, hand--grasp rice and roasts. In the mid-afternoon, a feeling of weightlessness occurred when the car speeded up in a sudden; we were at the Hanasi lake scenery. Having a short-time rest, leaded by the guide we arrived at the Hanasi Lake front, facing the peace lake, we let ourselves go and had a cool and sweet drink. In order to save our time, we went by car to leave the Hanasi Lake at 5:00pm and lodged in Bu’er Jin again at 11:00pm.

We set out from Bu’er Jin at 9:00 on the morning of September 23th, went by car for more than 4 hours, we arrived in devil city. At 3:30pm, the interlaced artesian well station besides the road showed us we were in Kelamayi. Looking at a busy artesian well workplace, my ear resounded with a song “the song of Kelamayi”, “no grass, no water, and birds don’t fly”, nowadays the Gobi desert has become the famous petroleum city, what a big change!

Entering downtown, we settled down in the Kelamayi guesthouse, after bathing, we came to the people's square, which located in the city center. A feeling of hunger aroused, we walked to a shtick small store, and ate 40 strings of mutton.

Next morning, we got on bus at 8:00 and continued to move toward south. At 3:00pm, a mist-covered water took a refreshing cool to us, it is the highest elevation and biggest alpine lake—Sailimu lake. Having seated for about 7 hours, facing this beautiful landscape, we eagerly need an intimacy contact with the lake. We all strived to be the first to get to the lake, a fresh and cool wind, which seemed carrying an untamed nature flavor surrounded us immediately.

Passing the Sailimu Lake and the Guozi ditch, we arrived at the terminal station—Yining at 11:00pm, settled down in the guest house named Yaxiya.

Stating at the west spot of motherland, Yining,at about 7:00am, we got up with dimly drowsiness. After breakfast, we set out for our destination—Shaosu steppe. As the sun rised gradually, Yining was just like an awkward and shy young girl lifting her mysterious veil slowly. At 1:00pm, jolted out the hilly country, we drove into a wide expanse of flat land, arrived at Shaosu steppe. There were scattered snow-white flock of sheep, speed-coursing courser and simple and honest cow on the steppe. The beyond herding people stirring horses, passionately invited us to ride a horse; we became suddenly enlightened. Under the help of a herder, I drove on a horse gingerly and loafed on the steppe.

On September 26th,2002, with excellent preparation, we started for another new trip , a 900 kilometers trip from Yining directly back to Urumqi. We arrived in Wushi city at 11:00pm, although it was very late through a long hard journey, we were still tail up and visited the night view of “5.1 squares”. The night bazaar of “5.1 squares” is pretty big and special, neon flickers during the whole night, starriness irradiates in every corner of the city. The booths on the both sides were full of jollification. Our eyes were full of beautiful accouterments. Fresh and tender roast reeked fragrance. There were many special floret hat of Uigur minority. And the voice of peddlers reverberated in the air through the fume and smoke, canvassing tourists from all over the world.

September 27th, 2002. We had busy trip today，which includes visiting the flaming mountain in Turpan, Ancient city Gaochang, grape growing valley, and Karez Well. We needed to take train K890 back to Wushi city.

As time going, it became hotter and hotter in the car. We saw the flaming mountain in front of us, which is just the flaming mountain portrayed in the famous work”Journey to the West”. When the sun irradiates shiningly in mid-afternoon, the red rocks on the crisscross gullies and ravines reflect and the heat is intense as if the hillsides were engulfed by tongues of fire, hence the name.

Picking grape is much more interesting than eating it. We entered the grape growing valley, only paid 3 Yuan for one person and ate freely. Moreover, we could take one kilogram of grape out. It was 47C that day, we had heavy breath. I just picked a little bit under the airproof grapevine, reached the channel and had a wash. I felt sweet into my heart when I ate the cool grape which I put into the water.

……

There are too many beautiful things in the Tian Mountain pearl—Turpan. It turned to 5:00pm in an instant. We posted off Wushi city by car till 8:00pm. After dinner, we rushed to the train station of Xinjing and headed for Gansu province.

It was on September 27th, 2002, with rumble of the roadway, the train drove in Gansu province carrying full of our dream. We got aware of reaching Liuyuan town when we waked up at 10 in the morning. Then we were arranged to transfer by a microbus, heading for Dunhuang County which is more than 200 kilometers away from here.
Today's highlight was a visit to the remarkable Mogao Grottoes, also named Thousand Buddha Cave, locates on the eastern slope of Ratting Sand Mountain (Mingshashan). It was built up in 366 A.D, but still with the best protection. Due to the 492 frescoes as well as the 2415 painted clay figures in existence with 45,000 square meters inside the grottoes, Mogao Grottoes is not only one of the three noted grottoes in China, but also the richest treasure house of Buddhist art in the world.
Dunhuang is the west end of Hexi Corridor, the famous part on the Silk Road. It eventually formed a 1680-meter long south-north complex. The complex has two areas, the south and north. The 492 caves in the south were for a worshipping purpose. The 243 caves in the north were for monks to live, for a religious practice and a tomb yard. There are no color sculptures and frescoes.

Dancing images in Dunhuang frescoes are a brilliant gem for all human beings. There is a reversed pipa-playing status in the city center of Dunhuang, which is the symbol of Dunhuang. This reversed pipa-playing pose stimulated the idea for Silk Road and Flying Deities; it is a dance drama highly successful in and outside China.

We were reluctant to leave Mogao Grottoes. We set out from Dunhuang at 8:00am next day. After a journey of several hours we reached the Jiayu Pass city. It is located in the middle of the narrowest part of Hexi Corridor, and also the western end of the Great Wall, hence the name. “Jiayu” means “admirable valley”. The Jiayu Pass is not only the western end of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), but also the vital passage of the famous Silk Road.

The impregnable pass in the world-the Jiayu Pass is composed with three defense lines - -inner city, outer city and city moat. The inner city is a main part, layer upon layer, and forms the military defense systems of one mound every 5 Li, one fort every 30 Li and one city every 100 Li. The outer wall was built with mud except for the western section, which was made of bricks. The double walls indicate the important strategic statu of this pass.
We walked down to the city Cape, and found a couple of pits being knocked. The guide told us at that time, people all kept a sorrow in mind when they had to beg for a life. Every time when they walked out of the Pass, they took a scree to knock the city Cape and it chittered as the swallow were crying. It sounds like calling the people far away from home “return, return, return”. This is also a negative reflect to the hard life of the poor people.
We ended today’s trip at 7:00pm, and had dinner in a restaurant.

On September 30th, 2002, we were waked up with drowsiness at the wee hour of 4:00am. We took the train to Gansu province with heavy baggage on our shoulders.

We reached the last destination of our trip to the west—Xi’an at the wee hour of 2:00am next day. After walked out of the station, we got rid of the ravelment and settled down in a three-star hotel near the train station.

Xi’an is a world famed start of the “silk road”. It is noted for historical importance. With 6,000 life-size terra-cotta warriors and horses, the world-famous Terra-cotta Warriors and Horse of Xi’an unearthed from the tomb of the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty were acclaimed as the "eighth wonder" of the world and it is the greatest archeological found of this century. The other landmark like Big Wild Goose Pagoda mirrors China’s long history.

We ended this long journey at 2:00pm. On the train, we freely enjoyed the aftertaste of the significative and colorful travel of exploration. With the well-prepared arrangement, we really had a great time. Through this trip we had a further study of our splendid history and a holy baptism in our heart. We believe that life is fascinating and worthy while our hard working.

Beijing Shanghai Xi'an Tibet Lijiang Yunnan Guilin Yangshuo Anshun Yangtze river cruises

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