Zhuangzi's Butterfly Dream: A Journey along the Qing-Gansu Grand Loop
By Weiwei Anran
Ever since a friend told me about the beauty of the Northwest Grand Loop, the lakes of Qinghai and the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang became deeply cherished places in my heart.
In early September, I finished up my tasks and planned to find travel companions. Since it was still during the pandemic, my friends hesitated, and in the end only one person was willing to take the leap with me.
After confirming my travel partner, I began planning the route and itinerary. Due to my partner's work schedule, we could only piece together seven days of vacation, so the route was a bit tight.
1. September 20: Depart from Quanzhou, fly to Lanzhou, then take a train to Xining.
2. September 21: Xining – Qinghai Lake – Chaka Salt Lake – Delingha.
3. September 22: Delingha – 315 Most Beautiful Highway – Water Yadan – Dongtai Jiner Lake – Nanbaxian – Dachaidan.
4. September 23: Dachaidan – Emerald Lake – Oil Town – Yangguan Pass – Desert Bonfire Party – Dunhuang.
5. September 24: Dunhuang – Mogao Caves – Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring – Shazhou Night Market.
6. September 25: Fly to Lanzhou – Gansu Provincial Museum – Yellow River Bridge – Dazhong Alley – Baita Mountain – Zhengning Road Night Market.
7. September 26: Fly back to Quanzhou.
Tour group or chartered car, carpool, self-drive?
Most people traveling the Grand Northwest Loop choose chartered cars, carpooling, or self-driving. For an unrestrained trip, independent travel is a must. But self-driving is too tiring; considering my poor sense of direction and tendency to fall asleep as soon as I get in a car, I decisively gave up on that. Chartering a car for two people was too expensive, so we finally settled on carpooling. There are many ways to carpool: you can arrange it through a travel agency or shout out on a platform and find fellow travelers. I found a travel agency online for consultation and registration, and they arranged a very reliable driver-cum-guide for us, and a handsome one at that. (Though I think one morning I saw another traveler who I thought was even better-looking, but my carpool mates unanimously disagreed.) It's rare; I've traveled to many places and never seen a good-looking guide. With great service and good looks, we had a wonderful time throughout the trip.
1. Sun protection: Hat, shawl, scarf, sunglasses, mask, sunscreen.
2. Medical supplies: Band-aids, stomach medicine, cold medicine, Huoxiang Zhengqi liquid (if afraid of altitude sickness, bring Rhodiola oral liquid; I don't know if it works, I've never taken it).
3. Skincare: Moisturizing toner, serum, cream, body lotion, hand cream, lip balm, face masks – these are a must; the climate is very dry.
4. Clothing and accessories: (1) All kinds of beautiful dresses (suggest avoiding red dresses – too many people wear them at various scenic spots, it's awkward even if the style is nice. You'll see groups of aunties in red dresses fluttering around every day and immediately want to change). White, blue, and black can also be beautiful. (2) Versatile sneakers or martin boots, slippers. You can walk in the desert with slippers; when climbing, barefoot is fine if the terrain is difficult. Don't wear shoes in the desert – fine sand is hard to clean; shoe covers don't look good in photos. (3) Luggage too heavy to find things easily; every day we drive five to six hours and can't eat on time. Recommend bringing a travel bag specifically for the day's photo gear and snacks.
Expenses (per person 4500 RMB)
1. Air and train tickets: 1500 RMB
2. Carpool: 200 RMB per person per day
3. Tickets: Qinghai Lake 10 RMB, Chaka Salt Lake 180 RMB (including mini train and shoe covers), Water Yadan 115 RMB, Oil Town 45 RMB (including carriage fee), Yangguan Pass 60 RMB (including round-trip electric cart), Mogao Caves 238 RMB, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring 110 RMB, Bonfire party 228 RMB.
4. Meals: Only two meals a day – breakfast and dinner; lunch mostly snacks on the highway or instant noodles at scenic spots. Dinner can be good or bad; our group ate lamb almost every day.
5. Accommodation: Standard hotel room 150 RMB per night.
Departing from Quanzhou, it's a three-hour flight to Lanzhou, and the flight doesn't provide meals. Arriving in Lanzhou already ravenous, we hastily wolfed down a bowl of dumplings for lunch around 5 PM, God knows what they tasted like. After eating, we took the intercity rail to Lanzhou Railway Station and then transferred to a train to Xining. Worried about flight delays, we only booked the intercity and train tickets after confirming flight time that day, so the transfer was very tight. My partner and I were in different cars – she in car 14 and I in car 3. The station regulations during the pandemic didn't allow direct transfer; we had to exit and re-enter the station, and to make matters worse, we faced a long staircase after entering. Luckily, humans can ignite incredible potential in emergencies; we both exerted unprecedented strength, each carrying 30-40 pounds of luggage as we charged ahead.
Wow, we finally saw the train – car 13. She was luckier, boarding after just one car. I ran wildly for a long time, looked up – car 10. Ran again, looked – car 8. I felt I couldn't run anymore, and the train's departure bell rang. So I begged and pleaded with the ticket inspector at car 8, and finally just as the train was about to leave, I boarded car 8, then tragically dragged my luggage from car 8 to car 3, sweating profusely, as expected.
On the hard sleeper middle berth where I couldn't sit up straight, I deeply reflected. Although I always adhered to the principle of frugal travel and took pride in it, was it worth exhausting myself like this just to save a few hundred yuan on airfare? I must correct this in the future.
We arrived in Xining at around 9 PM, went to the hotel to drop off luggage, then headed to Mo Jia Street to find food.
When we ate lamb offal soup, egg-milk wine, yogurt, and sweet fermented barley, the fatigue instantly vanished, and we felt that the day's hard work was worth it.
Early in the morning, the guide came to the hotel to pick us up. After getting in the car, we officially met our carpool mates – two young couples, Xiao Zhou and Lao Xie from Chengdu, and Xiao Ge and Tony from Jiangsu.
At first, during self-introductions, everyone was modest, reserved, and dignified. When we arrived at the first scenic spot, Qinghai Lake, the ladies bonded quickly during photo-taking, striking various poses with grace and confidence. The guys were also lovely, with jokes and banter. We all jumped and played joyfully. But the weather was uncooperative, with a light drizzle. Qinghai Lake wasn't as beautiful as online; it couldn't even compare to the sea views near home. However, the late-blooming rapeseed flowers swaying in the wind had a certain charm.
Walking out of the scenic area on muddy dirt paths, the guide took us for a simple lunch. In the afternoon, the sun cautiously peeked out, then arrogantly retreated behind clouds, repeating this pattern. When we reached Chaka Salt Lake, it was still cloudy.
The guide said the scenery here depends on the weather; if the weather is bad, the sights lose their luster. Indeed, when we took the mini train into the core area, we were already shivering with runny noses and headaches from the wind. The reflection of the "Sky Mirror" showed only a gray sky and the red dresses of fearless young ladies. The entire salt lake was a vast expanse of white. I wanted to leave after 10 minutes, but thinking of the 180 RMB ticket, I gritted my teeth and let the wind blow for another half hour.
In the evening, we headed to Delingha for dinner. The guide, who had been quiet during the day, suddenly became lively and treated us to drinks. Our disappointed spirits gradually lifted in the warm atmosphere.
After breakfast, we set out for the Most Beautiful Highway G315. Along the way, we kept an eye on the weather. Although it was sunny, the sky was still gray. They said there had been a sandstorm a few days earlier, and dust still hung in the air. I thought we'd be disappointed again, but the photos turned out unexpectedly great – the loess hills and dusty sky perfectly blended, giving a feel of an American Western blockbuster.
Now we were all excited. We took off jackets, rolled up sleeves, climbed a few dirt slopes, and had a blast. Let me emphasize: we were courteous tourists, only posing on the slopes or roadside edges, never going to the middle of the road. I also advise all tourists: safety first.
After lunch on the bus (instant noodles and snacks), we queued to enter Water Yadan. The sky gradually cleared, even revealing some blue. Under the sunlight, Water Yadan sparkled with emerald waves, incredibly beautiful. My friends and I struck various poses and took many photos.
After Water Yadan, we drove to Dongtai Jiner Lake. When the so-called Chinese Maldives appeared before us, we were all stunned – not because it was beautiful, but because it was small. It was really tiny, like a stream, though the water was crystal clear and almost transparent.
We left feeling disappointed, thinking the day was over, but a surprise awaited. The guide took us to Nanbaxian Yadan landform. The car sped along the highway, with endless desert as far as the eye could see – not a single plant or patch of green.
When we climbed a dirt slope and stood amid this ancient city-like landscape, we truly felt how high the sky was, how vast the land, and how tiny we were. This magical land, Yadan and the devil, both mysterious and alluring.
It was so beautiful – desolately beautiful, grandly beautiful, magnificently beautiful, stunningly beautiful.
Back in Dachaidan that night, we sampled local lamb pot (kaiguo yangrou), highland barley cakes, and yogurt. Our group is a bunch of foodies; we're always in the best mood when eating, chatting and joking endlessly.
The disappointment with Qinghai Lake and Chaka Salt Lake over the previous two days made me have no expectations for Emerald Lake. Only one carmate stubbornly wore a long dress; the rest of us bundled up. But when we arrived at Emerald Lake, we were completely won over.
The lake shimmered with emerald waves, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds. A gentle breeze caressed our faces – it was refreshing and pleasant.
It was like a piece of jade left by God on earth, with pure white, crystal clear blue, and an emerald green that captivates at first sight. Truly beautiful – cleanly beautiful, intoxicatingly beautiful.
We watched helplessly as the friend in the dress, wearing a straw hat, gracefully boarded a glass boat and drifted on Emerald Lake, smiling up at the drone. We were envious.
After discussing, we decisively returned to the car, pulled the curtains, and did an impromptu costume change, vowing to take stunning photos.
On our last day in Qinghai, the beauty of Emerald Lake made us forget the disappointing lakes of the previous two days. Maybe that was the tour agency's clever arrangement – to leave visitors with only the beautiful memory of Qinghai.
Leaving Emerald Lake, we continued speeding along, passing Oil Town – the filming location of "The Ghouls."
This is an internet-famous spot and a photography paradise; even ruins can produce great photos. The downside? Too many tourists. The bus stuck upside down, road signs, and other Instagram-worthy spots always had long queues. My friends and I scattered once we entered, each finding our own spots. Since we had spent some time at Emerald Lake, we didn't linger in this abandoned town.
In the afternoon, we arrived at Yangguan Pass, marveling at how blue the sky was. There were green trees and vineyards, and none of the sorrowful parting sentiment of "west of Yangguan, no old friends."
This was a key passage on the ancient land Silk Road, a vital pass for foreign trade. Though its past bustling prosperity is gone, and the clashing of Han Dynasty weapons has vanished, standing under the beacon tower overlooking the vast desert gave me a sense of traveling through a thousand years.
We also had fun taking an "exam" to pass through Yangguan.
In the evening, we signed up for a bonfire party. Upon reaching the desert, professional desert motorcycle riders gave us a thrilling ride – it felt like a roller coaster, super exciting.
At the party, professional singers and dancers performed energetically on stage, while tourists from all over sat at tables around a fire.
With music, hot pot, and beer, the atmosphere was great. The tourists at the next table got so excited they climbed onto tables, twisting and dancing, making us look very reserved. Maybe it was because we were older, but the music felt too noisy, or perhaps it was because I had worn a dress in the morning at Emerald Lake and caught a chill. At that point, I only felt a headache and wanted to go back to the hotel. My travel companions also started feeling drowsy and were not interested in the upcoming bonfire. So we unanimously decided to call the guide.
The guide couldn't understand why we wanted to leave after only an hour and a half out of the three-hour event. But when he learned about our headaches, he fished out two bottles of local "Zhengqi Shui" from his car, which he said was a rare medicine for wind-cold colds. Back at the hotel, we took the medicine and went straight to sleep.
I slept until I naturally woke up the next morning; the headache was gone, but possibly due to side effects, I was extremely sleepy. But the day's itinerary included the Mogao Caves, which I had longed to see for years – no matter how sleepy, I had to get up.
The Mogao Caves were originally called "Mo Gao Ku" (meaning "caves on high desert"), later changed to "Mo Gao Ku" with the character for "nothingness." It has 735 caves, 45,000 square meters of murals, and 2,415 painted clay sculptures. It is the world's largest and richest repository of Buddhist art, listed as a World Cultural Heritage site.
We had Class A tickets that allowed entry to eight caves. When our religious faith appeared before us in art form, we were once again awed by the wisdom and perseverance of ancient people. Only one word came to mind: stunning.
But we also saw the traces of looting during the early 20th century when the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded. Americans used chemical tape to take away 12 murals, now displayed at the Harvard University Museum. "Backwardness invites aggression" – this eternal lesson must be remembered.
At 3 PM, we arrived at Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring.
Mingsha (Singing Sand) is said to produce sounds when stepped on. I didn't hear any sounds, but the sand was scorching under the blazing sun.
At the foot of the mountain, there was a long line for camel rides. I personally felt it was a bit silly to ride a camel slowly for 40 minutes in the scorching sun, so I decisively ignored it, though the camels were adorable.
Along the way, we saw the paragliding and helicopter area deserted, so we went to inquire. A helicopter can carry three people at 500 RMB each. I was more interested in paragliding, but the operator said it wasn't time yet to open that activity.
We chatted near Crescent Spring for a while, and when the UV seemed to weaken a bit, we climbed up the ladder mountain to wait for sunset.
Standing on the mountain, overlooking Crescent Spring – that crescent-shaped oasis nestled in the arms of Mingsha Mountain added a touch of tenderness to the rugged desert – a perfect match.
On the mountain, there was a desert buggy experience and, everywhere, young ladies in red dresses fluttering in the wind.
We sat at the top, waiting for sunset. As the sun set, the tourists sitting in rows gradually quieted down. At that moment, there was peace and tranquility.
In the evening, we took a car to Shazhou Night Market and went into foodie mode.
It had all of Dunhuang's snacks: donkey meat yellow noodles, saozi noodles, lamb skewers, roasted lamb chops, lamb offal, liangpi, egg-milk wine, apricot peel water, beef pies, etc.
Among them, the stalls for egg-milk wine and beef pies had very long lines. After eating and drinking our fill, we stubbornly queued up.
Special thanks to Tony, who held his ground and finally bought the delicious wine.
After wandering Shazhou Night Market, it was time to part ways. Though we had only spent four days together, we had formed deep bonds over photos and meals. Saying goodbye felt a bit sad.
All good things must come to an end. We made plans to meet in Quanzhou, Chengdu, and Jiangsu. Hoping one day we can reunite with the original group.
After breakfast and packing, my partner and I headed to Dunhuang Airport to fly to Lanzhou, excited for the final day's itinerary. Unfortunately, flights to Lanzhou were all delayed, and we didn't arrive at Lanzhou Airport until 7 PM. It takes two hours to get from the airport to the city by taxi, and four hours round trip – too late, and we had to catch an 8 AM flight the next morning. After weighing the options, we abandoned the original plan and found a restaurant near the airport. The hand-grabbed lamb was unexpectedly delicious.
This was the final note of our Northwest trip. Though there were some regrets, looking back, I still remember only the happy moments and fun stories.
The day after returning home, I woke up and looked around the room, a bit dazed – as if I had dreamed of going to the Northwest and making new friends. In the dream, I forgot the hardships and messiness of life. I had such a good time that I couldn't tell if it was a dream or reality.
I seemed to experience the state of mind of Zhuangzi dreaming of a butterfly.
So this is a beautiful confusion.
Perhaps this confusion is healing our wounded hearts from life, giving us more confidence and courage to face life's challenges. It makes me believe that if we live passionately, we will encounter beauty.
