This remote border town, desolate and isolated, yet beautiful for a thousand years

Director Zhang Yimou's new film 'One Second' has finally been released. It tells a story about film projection in a special era, stirring emotions in many moviegoers. With a simple plot spanning three days and two nights, and simple relationships between strangers, Zhang Yi brings to life a father who is a labor-reform prisoner longing for his daughter for years, while Fan Wei vividly portrays a projectionist with a certain technical culture in that specific era. Whether it's the previously celebrated 'Mou Girls' like Gong Li, Ni Ni, and Zhou Dongyu, or the new one Liu Haocun, director Zhang has a unique eye. Many scenes in 'One Second' were shot in the endless desert, conveying a sense of desolation that deeply interprets Zhang's cinematic language. In northwestern China, there are many deserts, some unknown to us, but this time Zhang chose a familiar location: the yellow sand lands of Gansu—Dunhuang. Speaking of Dunhuang, it is truly stunning; amid the rolling yellow sands, all life appears so small. Dunhuang is grand, mysterious, boundless, and profound. Walking into the endless desert requires great courage. Whether it's the murals of the Mogao Caves, the sunset in the desert, a crescent-shaped spring, a sand dune, or the poplar forests by the roadside, everything is awe-inspiring. Only then do you realize how magnificent the desert can be. Crescent Moon Spring is like a shining business card of Dunhuang. In the endless desert, a crescent-shaped spring ripples with clear water, nourishing a lush oasis. It is said to have been a tourist destination since the Han Dynasty, where sand never fills the spring and the spring never dries up—a truly wondrous sight. During the day, the desert is scorching hot, and the spring water shimmers in a blur. To visit Crescent Moon Spring, it's best to go at sunset, watching the ancient flowing spring under the sunset glow, sparkling silver, more serene than the desert itself. Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring are like twin sisters in the vast desert. Here, the earth writes poetry with yellow sand, and the sky performs with stars. Day and night, Dunhuang is so moving. Only those who have truly walked on Singing Sand Mountain have truly been to the Dunhuang desert. Leading a camel, you are the most beautiful traveler among the yellow sands. The sound of camel bells, the weight of time—Singing Sand Mountain in Dunhuang witnesses the aging and cycles of time. If you have the mind to stay in the desert until night, the starry sky here will not disappoint. The Yadan landform, known as the Ghost City, is rare but not unique to the northwest. It presents a desolate and magnificent scene, stunning at first glance. Golden Lion Welcoming Guests, Peacock Standing, Sphinx, West Sea Fleet—various landforms tell stories of this place. They exist alone on this desolate Gobi, enduring constant wind erosion, standing tenaciously in this barren desert. Camping in the desert is a rare travel experience. The starry sky of Dunhuang is beautiful, so desert camping is increasingly popular. You can rent a tent, light a bonfire, watch the sky change as evening falls, feel the tenderness of the desert like a dream, and enjoy uniquely flavored roast lamb—an unforgettable and wonderful journey. Encounter the echoes of history: along the long plank paths, large and small grottoes are connected in twists and turns. The walls of the caves are filled with Buddhist murals and painted sculptures—solemn Buddha images, dancing celestial beings... majestic and mysterious, breathtaking. It is the largest and most content-rich Buddhist art site in the world. It was built during the Former Qin period of the Sixteen Kingdoms and later expanded through successive dynasties. Since its discovery, archaeologists have yet to uncover its full extent. After visiting the Mogao Caves, if you still can't forget the beauty of Dunhuang, you can also visit the Dunhuang Museum. There, the history of Dunhuang unfolds, with stunning artifacts one after another, allowing you to deeply experience the grandeur of Dunhuang through the ages. The Dunhuang Museum is a miniature Mogao Caves; many artifacts from the Mogao Caves are stored and well-preserved there. Compared to the weathered grottoes, the explanations are more detailed and the view clearer. A poem by Wang Zhihuan from the Tang Dynasty, 'Liangzhou Ci,' evokes longing for the ancient and legendary Yumen Pass. It was once a necessary pass on the Silk Road, a gateway and post road between the Central Plains and Western Regions. After thousands of years of weathering, a small square castle stands on a gravel hill in the narrow strip of Gobi, firmly rooted in the flying yellow sand. Amid the desolation, history seems touchable. Facing Yumen Pass from afar is another important historical pass—Yang Pass. One in the south, one in the north, famous at home and abroad, connecting past and present. Beyond these two passes lies the vast Gobi desert. 'West of Yang Pass, no old friends' is a poignant guess about this place; the contrast between 'Yang Pass Road' and 'single-plank bridge' describes its former glory. Amid the swirling yellow sand, this place has witnessed too many partings and reunions. Only then can you truly say you've been to Dunhuang. As for the living atmosphere of Dunhuang, you can't fully experience it without a hearty meal. In the evening, visit the Shazhou Night Market in the city, full of dazzling goods and numerous snacks. Try apricot peel water and buy luminous wine glasses. Here gathers the grandest festive atmosphere of Dunhuang night. Stroll from one end to the other, eating and drinking; the desolation of the northwest during the day is swept away, leaving both heart and stomach full. A topping of diced donkey meat, tofu, and mushrooms is poured over repeatedly stretched yellow noodles. Whether morning or night, Dunhuang locals love this sauce noodles. Pot meat is essentially a small version of clear stewed lamb soup, boiled with salt without additives, to preserve the original flavor of the lamb broth. Everywhere in Gansu, people love to eat liangpi (cold noodles), and due to the elongated geography, liangpi has evolved into different flavors across Gansu. The unique feature of Dunhuang liangpi is the addition of mustard, making it fragrant, spicy, and refreshing. Hu Yang Stewed Pancake is a unique delicacy of Dunhuang. Although called 'pancake,' it resembles more like wide noodles. Braised lamb, tender and falling apart, is placed on top of the noodles, then steamed with lamb broth until flavors meld. Lamb stew with bits is like Dunhuang's version of lamb paomo. It uses lamb broth as a base, adding lamb, meatballs, vermicelli, etc., and then soaks baked flatbread. It's best to break the bread into small pieces for maximum flavor! Dunhuang people make all sorts of treats with apricots, even inventing 'apricot peel water,' a unique northern herbal tea. Almost every household in Dunhuang drinks apricot peel water. The rugged Gobi can also produce 'little fresh' things, like sand scallions, which are fragrant without being spicy. They are made into beef patties with beef, refreshing and full of umami. The large temperature difference between day and night and the gift of sandy soil make the fruits here sweet as honey. The incredibly low prices excite fruit lovers, who buy without hesitation. Zhang Yimou's new film brings Dunhuang back into our sight. It is a city that is both majestic and embracing heaven and earth, and small, cute, and mild. If you have a chance, gather a few friends and come to Dunhuang to find poetry and distant places.