Crescent Moon Spring is the mirror of the sky and the eye of the desert. Have you been there? Is it really about to dry up?

Dunhuang's Crescent Moon Spring is world-renowned for its wonder of "mountain and spring coexisting, sand and water living together." The camel caravans, Mingyue Pavilion, and sand dunes there are all truly captivating.

In China, the camel caravans that best reproduce the "glory" of the ancient Silk Road can be found at Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring. During holidays, camels crowd shoulder to shoulder, head to head, lining up in several columns across the sand dunes—a spectacular sight that truly feels like a journey back to the glorious days of the ancient Silk Road.

Since the Han Dynasty, camel caravans have been the symbol of the ancient Silk Road. The long-lasting sound of camel bells has rung clearly and melodiously for a thousand years. Today, the camel caravans at Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring are undoubtedly the most beautiful sight.

Let's take a look at the Mingsha Mountain beneath the camel caravans. It is called "Singing Sand Mountain" because the sand here "sings." This is due to the towering dunes, complex terrain, and perennial groundwater, which create phenomena such as the "valley resonance box," "steam resonance box," and "dry-wet sand layer resonance box." Thus, when the sand is rubbed, it "sings."

Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring are closely interdependent. The wonder of Mingsha Mountain lies in the fact that even when the wind blows sand, the grains do not slide down; instead, they miraculously move against the wind. This is why Crescent Moon Spring has always existed.

At the same time, Mingsha Mountain also features a "noble among sands"—the pyramid-shaped dune. Right beside Crescent Moon Spring is one such pyramid-shaped dune, truly a "chosen land." These conditions together create the wonder of "mountain and spring coexisting, sand and water living together."

Pyramid-shaped dunes are generally distributed in the piedmont area. They are more stable and less mobile than crescent-shaped dunes, which is why Crescent Moon Spring has never been buried by sand. The pyramid-shaped dune is one of many complex reasons.

According to historical records, Crescent Moon Spring was a tourist attraction as early as the Han Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, there were boats on the spring and temples by its shore. Today, the Yuequan Pavilion is the tallest structure in the Mingyue Pavilion complex. Standing on the pavilion, you can see the clear, emerald-green Crescent Moon Spring—like a crescent moon—up close, and the golden, graceful Mingsha Mountain in the distance.

Every time we stand on Yuequan Pavilion and look down at Crescent Moon Spring, we feel that one glance spans a thousand years. As the saying goes, "The wind and sand fly like wild horses all around, and the shadow of the pool transforms into a swimming dragon."

Since ancient times, the brutal sandstorms have always kept their distance from Crescent Moon Spring, always finding ways to bypass it. For thousands of years, the dunes and the spring have never encroached upon each other. It was only in recent years that rumors emerged: Crescent Moon Spring relies on artificial water replenishment to survive. In this vast desert where "even birds don't fly in the barren wasteland, and dreams remain lazy amid thousands of gravel hills," such rumors inevitably cause concern.

Anyone who has visited Crescent Moon Spring and Mingsha Mountain will feel that "Mingsha Mountain soothes the soul, and Crescent Moon Spring cleanses the heart." People all hope that this beautiful, millennia-old natural wonder can last forever.

"Far, far beyond the sky, there is a beautiful Crescent Moon Spring. It is the mirror of the sky, the eye of the desert, and the paradise where stars bathe." This song "Crescent Moon Spring" is melodious and plaintive. We truly hope that Crescent Moon Spring will never disappear.

I have driven to Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring several times myself. Every time I leave, I miss it deeply. At this moment, I send my heartfelt wishes, hoping that Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring will remain beautiful forever. Will you go see them again one day?