kumtag desert

kumtag desert

Kumutag desert is located at the junction of western Gansu Province and southeastern Xinjiang (referred to as Ganxin Kumutag desert). It is roughly located in the front line of Aqike Valley Dunhuang Yadan National Geopark in the north, Altyn mountain in the south, big ear in Lop Nur in the west, Mingsha mountain in Dunhuang and nananba National Nature Reserve in the East. The desert area is about 22000 square kilometers. It is one of the eight deserts in China.

geographical position

Kumtag Desert in Ganxin

Historical records

According to records, this place is "eight hundred li long, called Shahe in ancient times, with no birds in sight, no animals under it, and no water and grass again". The natural environment is extremely harsh. Here, Xuanzang encountered the most dangerous test on his journey to the west, and only with his faith and perseverance did he cross the place.

The biography of master Sanzang of dacien temple in the Tang Dynasty (Zhonghua Book Company, 2000, P. 17) says: "in the night, the demons raise fire and are as bright as stars; in the day, the bad wind embraces the sand and scattered as rain."

Mohe Yanqi, in the southeast of Yizhou (now Hami, Xinjiang), is a Changqi outside Yumen pass.

Moheyanqi, also known as 800 Li Hanhai, is the famous gashun Gobi between Hami and Anxi. It is the most concentrated and complex place of Gobi distribution on the connecting belt between the east of Xinjiang and the west end of Hexi corridor.

The climate in this area is extremely arid, with annual precipitation less than 30mm. It is the most dry and denuded plateau area, and almost all the ground is barren.

Also because of the proximity to Anxi, affected by the strong wind in Anxi, there are strong winds all the year round. In addition, kumtagshalong and Yadan are widely distributed, adding a variety of flavor.

"Four nights five days without a drop (water) stained throat, mouth dry coke, almost will die.". The 800 Li moheyan drift sand between Yiwu and Guazhou is a nightmare for anyone to recall.

After passing through this dangerous quicksand River, Tang Xuanzang still had a lingering fear when he thought about Mohe Yanqi: "Mohe Yanqi is 800 Li long, which was called Shahe in ancient times. (journey to the west turns it into a turbulent river of flowing sand, where monk Sha is waiting for the story of Xuanzang.) There are no birds above, no animals below, no water and grass below. Four nights and five days, my stomach will be dry and scorched. When you look around at a loss, at night, the demons will raise fire, bright as stars, at day, the wind will rush to embrace the sand, scattered as rain. "

Coincidentally, the famous explorer and cultural robber of the 19th century, pulgewalski's passing moheyanqi was also startled, which verified Xuanzang's feelings.

One day in 1879, he wrote in his diary: "Daqi is 110 kilometers in diameter and 1600 meters above sea level. It is a wavy plain with high platforms everywhere. It is like a tower of loess cliffs. The soil is covered with pebbles mixed with gravel. There are no plants, animals, even lizards and insects in the Gobi. During the day, the ground is hot and covered with a layer of turbid air like smog, The bones of mules, horses and camels can be seen everywhere along the way, presenting a very terrible phenomenon. "

This is the true portrayal of moheyanqi, a desolate world without life.

Mohe Yanqi is mainly wind erosion Gobi landform with desolation anomaly. Mohe Yanqi was a paradise for adventurers long before the Jade Road and silk road.

Apart from the well-known North Road and Beixin Road on the Silk Road, there is only one convenient and risky Road, namely, the Mohe Yanqi, which connects Loulan road to Loulan, Dahai road to Gaochang and Wuchuan road to Hami.

Mohe Yanqi is like the fire of a sword. After this pass, it will become a real sharp blade.

In a sense, after the baptism of moheyanqi, Xuanzang has been reborn. He has completed the sublimation of fearlessness for all hardships and hardships, which has played a key role in his final success in climbing the Congling mountain to reach the bodhi tree of ancient India.

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