Self-driving Tour of Gansu and Qinghai Grand Loop in Autumn 2020 (Part 3): Two Days in Dunhuang
2020.10.09 (D4), last night we arrived in Dunhuang from Jiayuguan and checked into 'Dunhuang Hotel'. It felt quite cold at night, as the room had neither heating nor air conditioning, and after searching thoroughly, we couldn't find any extra spare quilts. In the morning, I complained to the front desk. The reply was that the hotel uses centralized city heating, which was a few days away from starting. The extra quilt is a standard room item, and its absence was a work oversight; they promised to provide one. Dunhuang Hotel was originally a top hotel in Dunhuang, and displayed photos show that it has hosted many top-level party and government leaders. However, new hotels in Dunhuang have sprung up like mushrooms after rain, and Dunhuang Hotel is no longer the standout. Nevertheless, the hotel's breakfast is still quite abundant, worthy of a four-star rating.
According to our plan, we intended to stay in Dunhuang for two days: one day for Mogao Caves and Crescent Moon Spring (Mingsha Mountain), and one day for Yangguan Pass, Yumen Pass, Dafangpancheng, and the Han Great Wall, which is also the standard itinerary for most tourists. Additionally, most visitors to Yumen Pass also stop at the Devil City (Yadan Geological Park), but since we would later go to Qinghai and pass through many Yadan formations along the way, we skipped that.
Visiting the Mogao Caves requires online reservation. I learned this information back in Zhangye and reminded X.J. in time, but he didn't care, claiming that since we would arrive after the Golden Week, there wouldn't be many tourists. So, he only checked online this morning and was shocked to find that even after Golden Week, the Mogao Caves were still packed. Currently, the Mogao Caves offer two tour routes: Route A allows visiting the cream of the caves, but the earliest available reservation was four days later. Route B was a consolation, available today, but only allows visiting caves from the Qing Dynasty and even the Republic of China period. Since we couldn't wait four days in Dunhuang, we had to choose Route B. Today's morning would be spent at the Mogao Caves (Route B), afternoon at Crescent Moon Spring, and tomorrow we would go to Yangguan Pass and Yumen Pass, then leave Dunhuang early the day after for Mangya, Qinghai.
At 10:00, we set off for the Mogao Caves. I had been to Dunhuang in 2008, when you could take a bus from the city, first along 'Yangguan East Road', then follow the special road Z110 through the desert directly to the Mogao Caves. Taxis and self-driving cars could also drive directly to the caves, and the ticket office was right in front of the caves. However, now the entire Z110 road is occupied as the internal passageway of the scenic area. The ticket office has been moved forward to the intersection of Yangguan East Road and Z110. Self-driving tourists must park their cars in the parking lot next to the ticket office, then buy tickets and take the scenic area shuttle bus to the caves. There is also a 'Dunhuang Mogao Caves Digital Exhibition Center' near the ticket office. It is the first stop for Route A visitors, while Route B visitors go directly to the caves after purchasing tickets. X.J. bought a Route B ticket. I am over 70 and exempt from the entrance fee. We both also bought shuttle bus tickets for Route B, 20 yuan per person. At 11:00, we boarded the shuttle bus and arrived at the Mogao Caves parking lot at 11:14, which is exactly where I got off the bus in 2008, and where the former ticket office was.
The Mogao Caves are located on the west bank of the Daquan River, a desert river. The cave complex is carved into a long north-south cliff face. The most striking building in the scenic area is a nine-story wooden pavilion called the 'Nine-Story Building'. Routes A and B are divided by this tall wooden building. North of the Nine-Story Building is the Route A area, and south is the Route B area. In 2008, there was no distinction between Routes A and B. Visitors were taken to the caves north of the Nine-Story Building, which is now Route A. At that time, the area south of the Nine-Story Building was not open to the public.
From the parking lot, we walked south to a stone bridge over the Daquan River. On the east end of the bridge was a vast desert, with several pagodas standing alone on the sand in the distance, origin unknown. To protect the monuments, visitors are now not allowed to approach. On the west side of the bridge, there was lush greenery, with two stone tablets indicating that the Mogao Caves were among the first batch of 'Key Cultural Relics Protection Units' designated by the State Council in 1961, and a 'World Cultural and Natural Heritage' site designated by the United Nations in 1987.
In addition to the Nine-Story Building, the most famous ground buildings are the Big Archway and the Small Archway. The Big Archway is at the west end of the stone bridge over the Daquan River. Further in, there is a large grove of trees with several flowerbeds underneath. The unknown flowers in the flowerbeds were very colorful. The tall trees and blooming flowers give the impression that, although surrounded by desert, the Mogao Caves area is clearly an oasis, and it seems not short of water.
Further ahead is the Small Archway, which is also the ticket checkpoint for the Mogao Caves. However, the checkpoint belongs to the Route A area. As soon as we entered, we were told not to stop there, but to turn left and go straight ahead, following the Route B signs until we reached the foot of the Nine-Story Building. There, a scenic area staff member gathered Route B visitors and led us into the ground floor of the Nine-Story Building. The Nine-Story Building is the first stop for Route B and the last stop for Route A. Inside is the largest Buddha statue in the Mogao Caves. Route A visitors come from the north side, and after seeing the Buddha, it's game over; they turn back north and exit through the Small Archway. For Route B visitors, the tour is just beginning. From here, they continue south, visiting several caves that are not shown to Route A visitors.
In general, Route A caves were all excavated by the government, while Route B caves were built by private individuals, essentially the 'family temples' of wealthy Dunhuang families throughout history. Thus, compared to Route A, Route B caves are generally smaller, more crude, and less interesting. The guide arrangement also differs significantly. Route A visitors are divided into small groups, each with a dedicated guide who leads them into each cave for explanation. Route B has no dedicated guide. Instead, there is a commentator at the entrance of each open Route B cave, giving explanations about every 10 minutes. If visitors want to hear the explanation, they wait at the entrance; but most visitors just go in without waiting.
Following the broadcast instructions, we walked south from the Nine-Story Building, visiting about 10 caves, most of which were small. The statues inside were mostly from the Qing Dynasty or even the Republic of China period. However, one cave displaying Sakyamuni's Nirvana was worth seeing. It was quite large, originally excavated in the Tang Dynasty, and renovated by Qing Dynasty people. The guide said the murals around were original Tang works, but the Buddha statues were all Qing Dynasty. We entered this cave at 12:16. Since the staff only stood outside and no one was inside, visitors took out their phones. As long as flash was not used, taking photos wouldn't harm the artifacts.
Overall, compared to what I saw of the Mogao Caves north zone in 2008 (basically today's Route A), Route B (south zone) was incomparable. Today, the Mogao Caves prioritize cultural relic protection over tourism development, strictly controlling daily visitor numbers. Only those who reserve early can see Route A caves. Those without reservations but who have already arrived in Dunhuang can only take Route B for consolation, at least not leaving Dunhuang empty-handed. I had seen the cream of the Mogao Caves in 2008, so not taking Route A this time didn't matter. Instead, seeing the south zone (Route B), which was not open to the public before, was a pleasant surprise. Combining both trips, I have now visited both the north and south zones. X.J. was not very interested in Buddhist artifacts anyway, and received multiple phone calls during the visit. His company was having trouble with an important project. Today was the first working day after Golden Week, and colleagues kept calling, making him anxious and distracted.
The south zone also has Cave 130, excavated during the Kaiyuan and Tianbao periods of the Tang Dynasty. Although also privately built, it is magnificent. It houses a 26-meter-tall Tang Dynasty Buddha, the second largest in the Mogao Caves, commonly called the 'Southern Great Buddha'. However, the entrance was locked, and visitors could only view pictures and text descriptions outside, without being able to enter.
At 12:38, we exited the scenic area at the southernmost exit of the cave complex, where there was a food court. It was lunchtime, so we sat down for a 'Donkey Meat Huang Noodles' set meal. My son paid, probably around 30+ yuan per person. 'Donkey Meat Huang Noodles' is a local specialty only available in Dunhuang. I had it in 2008. 'Huang Noodles' are made from a yellow millet dough, hand-pulled into noodles, boiled, then topped with a gravy made from diced donkey meat, garlic sprouts, green beans, etc. It has a rich flavor and is very chewy. The braised donkey meat is sliced and dipped in special seasonings, also very tasty.
After lunch, we headed north back to the Small Archway area. Passing the 'History Exhibition Hall' of the Dunhuang Research Academy, we took a look inside. It was presumably the original site of the academy, where famous artists like Zhang Daqian and Xu Beihong once stayed. Leaving the exhibition hall, we passed the Nine-Story Building square again, lingered, and took photos.
Then we reached the Big Archway, crossed the bridge to the east bank of the Daquan River, where X.J. flew a drone. High-altitude images showed that the Mogao Caves area is indeed a small oasis in the desert, surrounded by yellow sand. The top of the cliff where the caves are located is actually part of the vast desert. Historically, the Mogao Caves were buried by drifting sand. After the Ming Dynasty overthrew the Yuan, the Silk Road was completely abandoned, and the Mogao Caves gradually declined. Particularly in the third year of Jiajing (1524), Ming troops, pressured by Turpan forces, abandoned Guazhou and Shazhou (Dunhuang) and relocated all residents east into Jiayuguan. The Mogao Caves were gradually buried by wind and sand for over 200 years, until Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty led a western expedition, reestablished Shazhou Guard in the Dunhuang area, and brought immigrants to reclaim land and settle, reviving the Mogao Caves.
On the east bank of the Daquan River is a 'Exhibition Center' of the scenic area, displaying replicas of some Route A caves. It is worth a visit for Route B visitors. Exiting the Exhibition Center leads to the shuttle bus parking lot. We took the shuttle bus and returned to the intersection parking lot (Yangguan East Road/Z110) at 14:32, where we found our car.
Next, we headed to Mingsha Mountain (Crescent Moon Spring). Nearby is the 'Mingsha Mountain Landscape Avenue' leading directly to Mingsha Mountain. We arrived at the north gate of Mingsha Mountain at 14:51. Just after buying tickets, X.J. got another work call that lasted about 40 minutes. After handling business, he suggested riding camels, but unfortunately, they did not accept visitors over 65. Once again, my age disappointed my son. The last time was in Zhangye Pingshan Lake, where I was refused the adventure vehicle ticket due to my age.
Helpless, we had to walk into the desert. At 16:09, we reached the start of a desert boardwalk, which is also the drop-off point for camel riders; it wasn't far. In 2008, I had noticed that Crescent Moon Spring was artificially replenished with water from a nearby pool. I asked a resting camel handler about the pool's current status. He first suspiciously asked, 'What pool?', then said that Crescent Moon Spring no longer needs replenishment and that pool had been decommissioned.
Beside the boardwalk grew a large patch of reeds. In golden autumn, the reeds turned yellow, contrasting with the tall sand mountain behind, creating a beautiful scene. However, I believe these reeds were planted artificially because they weren't there in 2008. We walked along the boardwalk, and the buildings of Crescent Moon Spring gradually appeared behind the reeds, showing beautiful roofs.
After finishing the boardwalk, we crossed a sand ridge, and the full view of Crescent Moon Spring appeared. It is named for its crescent-moon shape. Surrounded by tall sand mountains, the quicksand is only tens of meters from the spring water. The amazing thing is that sand and spring can coexist for ages, with the sand never filling the spring. This is said to be due to the special terrain around Crescent Moon Spring: strong winds blow sand upward from the foot of the mountain, so the sand doesn't fall into the spring. On a small hill by the spring, there is lush greenery and antique pavilions, providing a beautiful view.
At 16:40, we arrived at the foot of the small hill beside Crescent Moon Spring. Dense reeds grew by the water. On the hill, there was a wooden pavilion called 'Yuequan Pavilion'. A plaque at the base indicated that the 'Crescent Moon Spring buildings were built in the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, with over 130 rooms. However, the original ancient buildings no longer exist; the current ones were rebuilt from 1991 to 1999 on the original site.' Yuequan Pavilion is four stories and hexagonal, with curved eaves and brackets. X.J. climbed the pavilion, and I took his photo from below. Behind the pavilion, the tall sand mountain is Mingsha Mountain, named for the humming sound made when sand slides down. From the pavilion, we could see many people queuing to climb the mountain, even the ridges were full.
Historically, Crescent Moon Spring was 'extremely deep, with a sandy bottom, its depth unfathomable'. Until the 1960s, the spring's deepest point reached 9 meters, covering an area of 22.5 mu. However, due to a drop in the groundwater level, the spring's size greatly shrank. Most of the ancient trees around the spring died, and the trees seen now were planted later. Today, there is still a lone old willow tree in the desert southwest of the spring. According to the text in front of it, it is the only remaining ancient tree in the scenic area, over 120 years old. It originally grew by the spring, only 0.5 meters above the water. As the spring level dropped, it is now 26 meters from the shore and 7.3 meters above the water. The tree is now hollow inside but still alive on the outside. With measures such as pressure pipe water supply and a protective wall, it remains lush, serving as the only living witness to the century-long changes of Crescent Moon Spring.
X.J. wanted to climb the sand mountain. I initially did not want to, planning to wait for him at the bottom. But when I looked through binoculars and saw him climbing without stopping, determined to reach the top, I suddenly felt an impulse to 'challenge myself' and stood up to catch up with him. The scenic area had set up climbing boardwalks on the slope, shaped like long wooden ladders placed flat. Using the rungs, I found it not as hard as I had imagined. At 17:39, I reached halfway up. From the binoculars, I saw X.J. preparing to descend, so I decided not to go higher. I called him to tell him I was halfway, near where three girls in red were sitting, and asked him to come find me. But for excitement, he took off his shoes and ran down, unable to stop when passing my spot, running all the way down. So I followed suit, taking off my shoes and running down. It turned out not to be dangerous, and quite enjoyable. The sand was fine, and even a fall would be harmless.
I didn't take off my shoes, so they got filled with sand. But the sand here is clean, just sand grains, no dirt. I took off my shoes briefly to empty them. X.J. shared photos he took from the top of Mingsha Mountain. In the photos, I saw that the reservoir I saw in 2008 (built to replenish Crescent Moon Spring) had been filled in. But the large area of reeds I saw this time was regularly shaped, clearly planted. I suspected there must be a drip irrigation system under the reeds, replacing the old reservoir to supply water to Crescent Moon Spring.
On the way back, we passed the sand-sliding area. Visitors must climb the mountain themselves after buying a ticket, then ride a single-person sled down from the top. Used sleds are carried back up by staff on their backs. We returned to Dunhuang Hotel at 18:47. This hotel is probably the most imposing in Dunhuang, spanning both sides of the main road 'Yangguan Road', with a 'Dunhuang Hotel' archway standing in the middle of the road.
We asked the front desk lady where to have dinner. She recommended 'Dunhuang Night Market', nearby and within walking distance. So, following Baidu Maps, we exited the hotel, walked south along Wenchang South Road, then turned right onto Xiyi West Road westbound, arriving at the barbecue area of Dunhuang Night Market at the south gate on Qinzhouhu Street at 19:40. We ordered scallion lamb, braised lamb with pancake, and yogurt. Overall, we were not satisfied; the dishes were poorly cooked, expensive, and low quality. After dinner, we walked north along Qinzhouhu Street, passing through 'Craft Boutique Area' and 'Local Specialty Area', then exited the night market through the north gate and returned to Dunhuang Hotel via Yangguan Middle Road.
2020.10.10 (D5), today's plan was to visit Yangguan Pass and Yumen Pass. At 9:13, we left Dunhuang Hotel, drove along Yangguan Road, passed the 'Flying Apsaras Playing Pipa' statue, crossed the 'West Bridge' over the Dang River. At 9:30, we saw the Qinghai Oilfield Dunhuang Base of PetroChina. I guessed it was the residential area for oil workers' families; the workers go to Qinghai to work, and their families stay in Dunhuang, similar to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, where the launch site is in Inner Mongolia and the residential area is in Jiuquan, Gansu.
After leaving the city, we continued west on National Highway G215 (Hongge Line). At 9:35, we passed the 'Dunhuang Service Area' on G215. At 9:50, we passed the intersection to 'West Thousand Buddha Caves'. At 9:52, we turned right onto Road Z305 heading northwest. This intersection is about 60 km from Yumen Pass. According to China's road numbering, 'Z' stands for 'special road'. Z305 is the special road to Yumen Pass scenic area. We drove fast through the vast, monotonous Gobi desert; the road seemed to stretch to the horizon, and the landscape hardly changed.
At 10:14, we passed the intersection of Z305 and S303. Z305 ended here. The left and right branches ahead were both Provincial Road S303. The left lead to Yangguan, but we continued straight to the right toward Yumen Pass. At 10:24, we arrived at 'Yumen Pass Scenic Area Ticket Office', but it was unmanned, so we continued.
After about 10 km, we reached the parking lot of 'Yumen Pass Visitor Center'. There was a 'Guide Map of Yumen Pass Ruins' showing the scenic area from west to east: Han Great Wall, Xiaofangpancheng, and Dafangpancheng. Xiaofangpancheng is commonly known as Yumen Pass, located directly in front of the visitor center. The Han Great Wall is about 5 km west, and Dafangpancheng about 10 km east. Visitors must park their cars at the visitor center parking lot and take the scenic area shuttle bus. There was a ticket office next to the parking lot. X.J. bought a ticket; I was exempt due to age (over 70). We both bought shuttle bus tickets.
After buying tickets, we crossed the visitor center to board the shuttle. The visitor center was large with various tourism facilities. We entered from the south gate and exited from the north gate, where the shuttle bus parking lot was.
The parking lot was very spacious. Xiaofangpancheng (Yumen Pass) stood on the Gobi not far ahead. A platform staff member told us that the shuttle bus goes back and forth between Dafangpancheng, Xiaofangpancheng, and the Han Great Wall. It stops for 30 minutes at Dafangpancheng, 20 minutes at the Han Great Wall, and only brief stops at Xiaofangpancheng for boarding and alighting. Following his advice, we decided to take the bus to visit Dafangpancheng and the Han Great Wall first, then visit Xiaofangpancheng on our own. There were also tour guide services at the station; visitors could hire a guide in colorful Hanfu to lead the tour.
The bus to Dafangpancheng arrived at 11:06. We boarded and departed. It first passed through a withered grassy area, then crossed the vast Gobi. About 10 minutes later, we reached 'Hecangcheng' (Granary City) site. This site includes Dafangpancheng, Xiquandun, and Cangtingsui. However, the 30-minute allowance was only enough to walk around Dafangpancheng; Xiquandun and Cangtingsui could only be glimpsed from afar. Several fellow passengers had hired guides, and we also eavesdropped: Dafangpancheng, originally named 'Changan Granary', was built in the Western Han Dynasty as an important supply base for border troops. To the north is the Shule River, which in Han times had abundant water, flowing westward to feed the vast ancient Lop Nur. There was originally a waterway connecting the granary to the Shule River. The Han government shipped military supplies via the Shule River to this granary for storage and distribution to surrounding troops.
Dafangpancheng is entirely made of rammed earth, 132 meters long east-west, 17 meters wide north-south, with the highest remaining wall at 6.7 meters. There are two north-south walls inside dividing the castle into three equal parallel warehouses. The north wall has two rows of alternating triangular holes, presumably for ventilation. The outer east, west, and north sides have two layers of walls. The first layer has remnants, with corner towers; the second layer only has traces of the north corner. Such a large castle would be considered a huge warehouse even today. It is remarkable that a rammed earth building can stand for over 2,000 years. To the north of Dafangpancheng is a vast grassland now; in Han times it was a large body of water. The Shule River channel runs further north at the foot of the mountains; two thousand years ago it was a large river. Today, it is unknown if it still has water.
A stone tablet in front of the site indicates that Dafangpancheng is a national key cultural relic protection unit. I had visited Yumen Pass in 2008, but only saw Xiaofangpancheng and the Han Great Wall, not Dafangpancheng, because it was not developed for tourism then, isolated in the desert without roads.
At 11:50, we left Dafangpancheng. The bus returned to the north gate of the visitor center. The driver announced that those who had already been to the Han Great Wall could get off; those who hadn't should stay. Several passengers got off; we continued. At 12:16, we arrived at the Han Great Wall site. When I was here in 2008, the Han Great Wall was just a wild beach with no management. The only protection was a fence around the site, low enough to step over, but with a sign saying 'Do not cross'. Now, the Han Great Wall has been incorporated into the Yumen Pass scenic area management, with dedicated staff, added restrooms, and more stone tablets for photos. However, compared to 2008, the wall itself has not changed significantly, and the preservation is quite good.
To resist the Xiongnu, the Han Dynasty built a continuous wall from present-day Yongdeng County, through Zhangye, Ejin Banner, Jinta, Jiayuguan, Yumen, Anxi, to Dunhuang. Then they extended 'ting' (beacon towers) and 'zhang' (larger fortresses and signal towers) further west to Loulan (Lop Nur). This is the famous Han Dynasty Great Wall. The Han Great Wall in the Dunhuang area totals about 136 km, running east-west from Dongjiandun in Guazhou County along the south bank of the Shule River to Yushuquan Basin in Dunhuang. The section we saw is called 'Danggusui Section Han Great Wall', named after a nearby large Han beacon tower called 'Danggusui'.
The Danggusui Section is about 300 meters long. The highest remaining wall is 2.95 meters, with a base width of 3 meters and a top width of about 1 meter. It is the best-preserved section of the Han Great Wall in China. The wall was built by alternating layers of adobe and reeds, with intervals of about 0.2 meters. The Han Dynasty reed stems are still clearly visible.
The shuttle bus stayed at the Han Great Wall for 20 minutes. We only walked around the wall, as time was not enough to go to Danggusui itself; we just took photos from afar. After the visit, we took the same bus back. At 12:45, we returned to the visitor center parking lot. The driver again reminded those who hadn't been to Dafangpancheng to stay. We got off. Next, we headed to Xiaofangpancheng, which is the Han Dynasty 'Yumen Pass' from over 2,000 years ago, named because jade from the Western Regions entered the Central Plains through this pass. 'Xiaofangpancheng' (Small Square Pan City) is a local nickname relative to Dafangpancheng (Big Square Pan City). In front of the pass is a stone tablet with 'Yumen Pass Ruins', and below two lines: 'World Geopark' and 'World Cultural Heritage'.
Xiaofangpancheng is 24 meters east-west, 26.4 meters north-south, with remaining walls 9.7 meters high, covering 633 square meters, all made of rammed loess. After over 2,000 years, the structure is still basically intact. There are openings on the west and north walls, presumably the original gates. Chinese ancient architecture preferred wood and earth, which do not withstand time well. Few ancient buildings from over 2,000 years ago survive today (excluding underground tombs). If this castle had not been built in the dry, remote Gobi, it would have been lost to history. I was here in 2008, when the ancient castle was surrounded by iron railings taller than a person, preventing close approach. Now, a wooden boardwalk allows visitors to walk directly inside the castle.
At 12:50, we entered through the west gate. Inside, there is a wooden platform with railings, completely separating visitors from the walls. Visitors can only move on the platform, a protective measure. The inside area is small, nothing much to see. We stayed 2-3 minutes, took photos, then exited through the north gate via the boardwalk.
Outside the north gate, a boardwalk leads to a high slope on the wilderness. I had also climbed this slope in 2008, when there was nothing on top. Now, a wooden viewing platform has been built. Climbing the platform, we saw a large area of withered reeds, with occasional patches of water visible among them, which was quite unusual for such an arid wilderness. The ancient Shule River flowed here. Due to the low-lying terrain, water accumulated, forming a large lake called 'Hala Nur', once the largest freshwater lake in Dunhuang's history. However, due to climate change and overdevelopment, the lower reaches of the Shule River gradually dried up, and Hala Nur slowly dried up, becoming a reed wetland. I was here in late spring 2008, when the area still had lush greenery and fairly wide water, with gentle waves and rustling reeds, even waterbirds. But now it was late autumn, bleak and yellow.
Around 13:00, we left the viewing platform, passed through 'Yumen Pass' again, and returned to the visitor center. X.J. was stopped by several tourists in front of the 'Yumen Pass Ruins' stele and asked to take a 'been-here' photo for them. Lunch was at the visitor center restaurant. I had beef noodles; X.J. had a rice set. It was quite good, though I don't know the cost as X.J. paid. After lunch, we set off again, turning onto provincial road S303 to return towards Yangguan.
At 13:51, we passed the unmanned 'Yumen Pass Ticket Office' again. At 14:02, we reached the 'Yangguan' intersection. Going straight was the special road Z305, which we had taken in the morning from Dunhuang. Now we turned right to continue on S303 to Yangguan, 33 km away. The car sped along a straight, flat road that seemed to vanish into the horizon. The view was endless Gobi, desolate and lifeless. Occasionally, a green line in the distance indicated an oasis. At 14:28, we neared the Yangguan scenic area. In the distance, we saw the famous 'Yangguan Beacon Tower' high on Dundun Mountain, the landmark of Yangguan. Below Dundun Mountain was an oasis called Longle Village. The Yangguan scenic area is near this village. The area is low-lying with snow-capped mountains nearby, and springs emerge in many places. With ample sunlight, wherever springs appear, there are fertile oases.
During the drive, X.J. received more phone calls, distracting him. He accepted my suggestion to drive into Longle Village to find a place to handle work. While he dealt with business in the car, I walked around on my own. Suddenly, the vast Gobi was replaced by a different world: lush trees blocking the sun, and a small stream babbling. 'Yangguan grapes' are a local specialty, thriving in the strong sunlight and abundant irrigation. There was a 'Yangguan Grape Appreciation and Picking Garden', presumably for tourism, but the season was past; only vines remained.
X.J. finished his work, and at 14:55 we set off again. The Yangguan scenic area is just outside the village. As we exited the village, the scenery immediately changed from lush green to yellow-brown. There were several mud-brick structures that looked like beehives; from my trip to Turpan years ago, I knew they were drying rooms for raisins. Further on, a large group of Han-style buildings appeared, the main complex of the 'Yangguan Scenic Area'. Yangguan was one of the 'two passes' established by Emperor Wu of Han after defeating the Xiongnu. From Han to Tang, it was a necessary pass on the southern Silk Road. However, the ancient Yangguan no longer exists. The majestic pass in front was built recently, officially called the 'Yangguan Museum'.
The scenic area entrance fee was 50 yuan/person. X.J. bought a full ticket; I was exempt due to age. But both of us had to buy shuttle bus tickets (10 yuan/person). According to the text at the ticket office, the 'Yangguan Scenic Area' is a national 4A-level scenic area, including the ancient Yangguan site, Yangguan beacon tower, ancient Yangguan road, Han Longle county site, Han Great Wall wall site, Han Wowachi site, Xitugou site, as well as Han tombs, Han pottery kilns, etc. However, I had been here in 2008, and based on that experience, there were only two real attractions: the Yangguan Museum and the Yangguan Beacon Tower. The others are either just sites with no visible remains, or too remote for tourists to reach. Next to the ticket office, there were guide maps and a Silk Road diagram, also informative.
In 2008, I visited Yangguan with a tour group led by a very dedicated young guide who gave excellent explanations. This time, we didn't hire a guide, but eavesdropped on a female guide about 30 years old hired by others. Her introduction to Zhang Qian impressed me: Emperor Wu of Han sent Zhang Qian west to the Yuezhi to discuss a joint fight against the Xiongnu, but he was captured by the Xiongnu near Wuwei and imprisoned for years. After being released, instead of fleeing back to Central Plains, he continued west to the Yuezhi to complete his mission. The guide was quite eloquent. I suspected she might be the same young girl from 2008, now grown up. The museum also has a bronze statue of Zhang Qian, a Han-style archway, Bagua platform, and Merit Pavilion for photos. The cosmos flowers in the flowerbeds were also in full bloom. This flower seems only suitable for plateau regions; it doesn't grow well in Xiamen.
The Yangguan scenic area consists of two parts: the 'Yangguan Museum' area and the 'Yangguan Ruins' area, separated by about 1 km of Gobi. The shuttle bus runs between them. The museum is knowledge-oriented, which X.J. liked. We stayed about half an hour. Behind the museum was the electric cart stop. We took the cart across the Gobi to the ruins area. Halfway, we passed Dundun Mountain, a barren hill topped by a remnant beacon tower. It is the hallmark site of Yangguan: the 'Yangguan Beacon Tower', the only genuine ancient building relic in the scenic area. The female guide earlier said that in ancient times there were over a dozen beacon towers around Yangguan, with remains still existing, but most are deep in the Gobi and, as World Cultural Heritage sites, are used only for research, not open to tourism.
The electric cart stopped at the foot of Dundun Mountain. Looking up, the scene was the same as in 2008: the 'Yangguan Beacon Tower' on the summit was still surrounded by high railings, visible only from a distance. X.J. headed straight for the summit. I had been here before, so I lacked the 'adventure' impulse and didn't want to climb. I split from him and went to a small pavilion on the hillside to rest, asking him to join me there after seeing the tower.
The pavilion faces the vast Gobi, with the Yangguan Beacon Tower behind. Not far from the pavilion was a stone tablet inscribed 'Yangguan Ancient Site'. I had rested in this same pavilion in 2008. The young guide then told me that the dry riverbed at the foot of the hill was the ancient Silk Road west of Yangguan, commonly known as 'Yangguan Avenue'. Beyond the riverbed, across a 4-5 km wide yellow sand beach dotted with sparse desert plants, far in the distance, a slightly dim flat depression at the foot of distant mountains was the true location of ancient Yangguan. Many Han relics such as bronze arrowheads, ancient coins, millstones, and pottery cups were unearthed there, earning the name 'Antiques Beach'. In 2008, there were horses near the pavilion; visitors could pay to ride to Antiques Beach, a round trip of about 3 hours. But now, there were no horses. A staff member said that due to the World Cultural Heritage status, protection takes priority over development, and the project to visit Antiques Beach has been suspended. A fence at the foot of the hill marks the boundary between the tourism area and the cultural relic protection area; visitors are not allowed past. However, as compensation, the scenic area built a rectangular wooden boardwalk protruding beyond the fence, allowing visitors to walk down to the dry riverbed for a close-up experience of the ancient Silk Road.
After viewing the beacon tower, X.J. joined me. We walked together along the boardwalk to Yangguan Avenue, which is actually the bed of a seasonal river, mostly dry all year, only occasionally flowing. In ancient times, camel caravans traveled along this flat riverbed west out of Yangguan, carrying Chinese silk to the West. Along the boardwalk, there were two large stones inscribed 'Yangguan Avenue' and 'Ancient Silk Road', with signs reminding to protect the relics and not to cross.
At 16:58, we left the boardwalk and headed back to catch the shuttle. We passed the Yangguan Beacon Tower again, which has been called 'the eyes and ears of Yangguan' since ancient times, standing alone on Dundun Mountain peak, guarding Yangguan for over two thousand years. At the foot of the tower was a stone tablet inscribed 'Yangguan Beacon Tower'. The light was just right, so I took a 'been-here' photo. At 17:06, we boarded the electric cart and returned to the Yangguan Museum, found our car, and drove directly back to Dunhuang.
We re-entered Longle Village and then exited, heading east along Y445 (Yangguan Road). At 17:46, we saw a rammed earth platform on the right side of the road: 'Shanshuigou Dadun Beacon Tower', another ancient signal tower, first built in Han/Tang, rebuilt in Qing, now a Dunhuang city-level cultural relic. We didn't stop and continued. The road crossed a desolate Gobi plain, straight and endless. At 17:55, at the Y445/G215 intersection, we turned left onto National Road G215, continuing toward Dunhuang.
At 18:00, we arrived at the intersection for West Thousand Buddha Caves. I had been there in 2008. The caves are small but located in the Dang River Gorge with nice scenery. Since it was still early, we decided to take a look. However, the parking lot was empty and the entrance was locked, likely closed for the day. We had to give up. X.J. said we would pass here again tomorrow morning on the way to Qinghai, so we could come then. The area around is all Gobi, but the valley of the West Thousand Buddha Caves was lush with trees. The autumn leaves under the setting sun against the sand mountain created a picturesque scene, so I took a landscape photo.
Back on G215 heading to Dunhuang, at 18:33 we passed the intersection with 'Mingsha Mountain Landscape Avenue'. In the distance to the right, a pagoda and a stone archway were under construction; I wondered what attraction was being built. At 18:36, we passed 'Dunhuang Ancient City', which is actually a film studio on the Gobi. Before entering the city, we refueled for 180 yuan, then crossed the Dang River, passed the 'Flying Apsaras Playing Pipa' roundabout, and returned to Dunhuang Hotel at 19:15. For dinner, we chose a noodle shop near the hotel. I had Lanzhou beef noodles, X.J. had Dunhuang yellow noodles. This restaurant mainly serves local residents, and the meal felt much more affordable than last night's Dunhuang Night Market.
