Little Journey to the West
Day 1: Ancient City – Yumen Pass – Han Great Wall – Yardang Landform
Day 2: Mogao Caves – Singing Sand Mountain & Crescent Moon Spring – Dunhuang Grand Ceremony
Dunhuang Ancient City was the seat of Dunhuang Commandery in the Han Dynasty, located in the heart of the oasis in the middle and lower reaches of the Dang River. This replica of an ancient Dunhuang city faithfully presents before us the appearance of the Silk Road beyond the Great Wall from a thousand years ago. It is a film and television shooting base, and visiting here reminded me of 'New Dragon Gate Inn'. This place is very popular among young ladies who enjoy taking photos, and the pictures taken here have a great feel.
On the way from Yang Pass to Yardang, you must pass through this area. Yumen Pass stands there like a checkpoint, and there is no other road to choose. The ticket is about 40 yuan per person. You have to buy tickets for as many people as are in the car; it's basically impossible to fool the eyes of the inspector uncle. In fact, there is not much to do at these two sites, and the scenery is just average. The main point is that these two attractions have high historical value, but in my opinion, they have weathered quite a bit. Heading to the Yumen Pass scenic area, you can enjoy the boundless Gobi landscape and the ethereal mirage; the lifelike natural sleeping Buddha and the desert plants in the Gobi. These scenes, together with the golden desert, green grass, and blue sky, form a vast and magnificent picture. The Gobi is the footprint left by historical giants, a place where the wheels of history rolled.
Then after driving a short distance, we arrived at the Han Great Wall. The Great Wall changes its appearance over the years due to material and function, encapsulating the defensive history of the Western Han Dynasty. Having endured thousands of years of wind and rain erosion, the Han Great Wall still stands tall in the Gobi desert. It is one of the best-preserved sections of the Han Great Wall in China. This unyielding wall testifies to the indomitable spirit of the Chinese nation. Walking along the wall, treading on the broken gravel beneath our feet, gently touching the windblown sand, we wonder if we can feel the emotions from a thousand years ago.
Yardang Devil City is like a fossil standing on the earth's surface. The diverse forms of wind-eroded naked rocks add a touch of mystery and vitality to this barren desert. About one hundred thousand years of wind and water erosion have 'carved' Quaternary sediments into large-scale, imposing Yardang landforms, with ridge-like, wall-like, and tower-like shapes offering a natural classroom for enthusiasts studying Yardang formation. 'Three-tenths scenery, seven-tenths imagination' – let your imagination take flight to envision and feel the wonders of nature!
Thousand-year-old Mogao stands proudly under the clear blue sky, appearing distant and serene. The caves are dim; I bent down and stepped in lightly, afraid to accidentally touch the millennium-old murals. Under the light of the guide's flashlight, the Buddha's face was fully revealed: a smooth and full forehead, slender willow-leaf eyebrows, long and narrow eyes extending to the temples, and a wide, flat smiling mouth. A sense of fluidity runs smoothly from the brow ridge down to the cheeks, meticulously depicting the Buddha's compassionate face. Thus, the Buddhas in Mogao Caves are more outlines drawn with smooth lines, softened at the edges under the incandescent light, casting a soft shadow on the murals behind the Buddha.
The morning drizzle was scattered by the clouds, and the sun emerged, becoming overbearing. Under the scorching sun at noon, we arrived at the world-famous Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring scenic area in Dunhuang. The sand was so hot it burned our feet, but a ride on the sightseeing car brought some coolness. The ride was very short, as if we arrived in an instant. Golden sand dunes, like mountains of gold, sparkled under the sun, as if every grain of sand emitted dazzling light. Crescent Moon Spring is a crescent-shaped clear spring nestled in the sand sea at the foot of Singing Sand Mountain. The spring is about 100 meters long and over 20 meters wide, with a maximum depth of over 5 meters. The water is blue and clear as a mirror; around the spring, water plants grow, green trees surround it, and pavilions stand. Viewed from afar, the blue water and yellow sand complement each other, making Crescent Moon Spring appear even more magical and beautiful.
With the Singing Sand Mountain range as the backdrop, the audience seating can accommodate over a thousand people. The moonlit starry sky becomes part of the regular performance, blending man and nature perfectly to showcase the prosperous grandeur of ancient Dunhuang. The audience seating is a 360-degree rotating and forward-backward moving seat. Watching the 'Dalianhua' (striking molten iron), people feel as if they are inside the caves, experiencing a performance that spans time and space, gaining a deeper understanding of Mogao culture. After watching the Dunhuang Grand Ceremony, I deeply felt the vicissitudes of the vast desert.
