Jiangning valley job fair

This should be the most special country in China.

There is the highest port in the world: Hongqilafu Port is more than 4,700 meters above sea level; There is the highest gate in Xinjiang, and the gate of Hongqilafu is nearly 5000 meters above sea level.

In the midsummer of August, the melons and fruits are not ripe, and down jackets are started during the day, and it is MINUS ten degrees at night. In other words, there is no summer in this place. However, the winter here is very famous, and it is called the "Valley of Death".

Every year in June 65438+ 10, it will also be autumn here: the roads are closed by heavy snow, birds are resting, the ice in the canyon is so thick that they can't find their way by pushing the door open ... I really don't know how the sentries stationed here survive the long night.

Therefore, experiencing this road to the border port has become the happiest thing in the trip to Kashgar Highway in Xinjiang.

What this article wants to share is the travel notes to Lapmen, Hongqi, Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County, and the scenery along the way. Let's say from the beginning:

Set out (? ω? )

Tashkurgan is located in the alpine mountainous area of the frontier. The scenery here is generally divided into four layers: strata, mountains, clouds and sky. Once people hide in a landscape, they will immediately blend in with it. There are many undeveloped "treasures" here, and every wetland is a natural wild park. Due to the frequent crustal movement, hot springs can also be seen everywhere.

Tashkurgan, with a total area of 25,000 square kilometers, is the only Tajik autonomous county in China, with only tens of thousands of permanent residents mostly concentrated in the area less than 5 square kilometers in the center of the main city.

The land on the Pamirs is not conducive to the growth of most animals, plants and crops. According to Xuanzang's description in the Western Regions of Datang, this place was once a barren land of "ridges, crops and crops" for thousands of years. Different from today's Tashkurgan, the roads here are wide and straight into the sky, and the trees on both sides of the road are obviously planted artificially. This is due to the brand-new infrastructure structure in Ta County in recent decades and the unremitting efforts of people rooted in this land.

This is the westernmost edge of Tarim Basin and the westernmost part of China territory. The oxygen content here is only about 60% of that in plain areas. The desert and gravel extend to the foot of the snow-capped mountain and cross a mountain at will, next to Pakistan or Afghanistan.

About ten kilometers after we drove out, the terrain in front of us suddenly widened, the snow-capped mountains seemed farther away than before, and the grass-colored layers were enriched, and a stream was faintly visible.

Tajik driver Ge said that this is a "plateau wildlife reserve" and a rare and precious oasis on the Pamirs. In addition, he pointed to a small mud house by the stream and said, "That's the house where Tang Priest lived."

The house where Tang Priest lived (? ω? )

We stopped here specially to have a look at the hut.

In its present (brand-new) state, this house will definitely not be the house where Xuanzang lived, but should be rebuilt on the original site.

1300 years ago, when Master Sanzang passed by here, Tashkurgan was already an important town of the ancient Silk Road, and the 10,000-person "fast horse" caravan of the Sogdians who traveled in Eurasia traveled frequently on this road. Within hundreds of miles of Fiona Fang, Fiona Fang, with Kashgar as the center, mule shops or post stations set up across the road have become a special landscape in the Silk Road Style.

Tajik driver Xiao Ge also said that this house is made of camel milk and mud, which is very strong, immortal for thousands of years, and the foundation outline is clearly visible, which originated from the ancient wisdom in the late Paleolithic period. According to archaeological research, this is an ancient cultural site about 10,000 years ago.

Unfortunately, the house has metal doors and iron locks. Although there is no textual research, from the external shape, I personally think it is a bit like the shape of the Mongolian yurt where Tajiks live, which may be the primary version of the classic folk houses of grassland nomads.

The "Greeting Station for Tourists at the Ruins of Jirigale Ancient Station" here is a bus stop under the Kashgar Regional Transportation Administration, which is used by tourists and nearby residents-although there are not many residents living nearby.

In fact, such a passenger greeting station is set every other section of National Highway 3 14, but the number of flights is very small. We only saw a minibus on the way back and forth, which was very slow. We have been driving on the mountain road of 125km for 3 hours. I guess this bus ... can't stop and drive for half a day.

Deserts and wetlands (? ω? )

Moving on, the green seems to disappear in an instant. At this time, we also roughly summed up the law: where there is water, there is grass, and the banks of Mingtiegai River are gregarious. But ... does not mean that we can "live in peace";

Taxian county is located in the earthquake zone, with frequent geological disasters and fierce mudslides. There are mountains all around here. Although glaciers are regularly distributed, there is no time for snow to melt, and no one has discussed it. Therefore, the small-scale villages and towns that appear every few kilometers along the 3 14 national highway are mostly gathered around the relatively stable water and soil with shallow grass and low mountains.

Although desolate, it is not broken. Not only water and electricity, but also the internet. As long as there are no flash floods and earthquakes, the quality of life can be completely guaranteed. It's just that express transportation is not very convenient, so plateau people don't have the habit of online shopping, and usually go to Bazaar to go to the market.

Dabdar (? ω? )

There are still 70 kilometers from the finish line, and we pass by Dabdar Township. The scenery here is simple and light, and the snow-capped mountains are close at hand. The book says that it used to be a Kirgiz gathering area, but the Tajik driver said that the permanent population is mainly Tajik. It seems that since the 20th century, the regional structure of Ta County has been adjusted a lot.

What's more, the map shows that there are many Tajik "farmhouses" here, which infers that this town should have (or is gradually) developed tourism. There must be something interesting in the village, but we don't have time to go this time.

Next to Yecheng County, modern transportation facilities are arranged in perfect order. Judging from the scale of villages exposed on the national highway, there should be a large supermarket to buy materials when turning into the village head-a small strategy.

There are five villages in Dabdar Township, where there are three or four thousand residents. Occasionally, Tajik villagers nearby walk on the road, giving people a relaxed and quiet feeling of "Banqiao people celebrate spring and chickens crow on the eaves at noon".

After that, the villages and towns were densely populated, and the number of pedestrians driving cars and motorcycles gradually increased. There are many houses with red roofs and yellow walls by the roadside. They are all new houses built in recent years. They are all single-story houses with two rooms and three halls, with a big yard.

Karaqigu &; Mazar (? ω? )

Green once again disappeared from sight, replaced by bare mountains. A familiar name appeared on the road sign ahead: Karaqigu. This is the place where the Jurassic fossil "Aiding Kulebei" was unearthed, the intersection of ancient China and ancient Indian civilizations, and the location of the mysterious "Wakhan Corridor" on the ancient Qinling Road.

As one of the most important trade routes on the Pamirs, the Wakhan Corridor has attracted much attention since the ancient Silk Road. After Xuanzang "cut corners" from here and returned to China, Tang Xuanzong sent troops to this place. For a thousand years, things have changed, and only the duties of border guards and soldiers have not changed. They've always been here. Today, this canyon "path" is still steep and snowy in winter and summer, and no one has been there except herders, soldiers and horses.

Brother Tajik driver will be our tour guide all the time. Every time he passes a place worth marking, he will casually explain: "Look, from this road, it is Afghanistan." Looking in the direction of his finger, it is still a vast snowy mountain, but the road is obviously different: one side is straight, flat and brand-new, while the other side has been left out for a long time.

Different from the ancient pass of Harqin, Mazha village is located in a pasture, where the grassland is famous, but it is covered with snow all the year round. According to legend, the horns of local cattle and sheep are long and thick, and the performance skills of grabbing sheep are the intangible cultural heritage of Xinjiang.

Suddenly, we found that we know too little about this piece of land 1/6 of China. There are too many scenic spots worth exploring in Xinjiang. The scenery here is different from year to year because:

Judging from the exposed area and distribution of those pebbles, it is probably common that the meltwater of the snow mountain is temporarily diverted 100 km. Some rivers still have water today, and they may change places tomorrow; Some flat places, today is home, tomorrow may become a quagmire.

Therefore, although the Pamirs are vast, most of them can't build houses, but can only make pastures; Although the per capita area of Ta County is beyond the reach of many counties in the mainland, most of the land here is actually not suitable for human habitation.

Braque Geller (? ω? )

At this time, Tajik driver brother said that we were still a few kilometers away from the countryside, and we were excited.

The nearest place to the countryside is a community: Brakkaerle Ranch. Mules wandering by the roadside are very worthy of the word "pasture", fat and strong.

Brother Tajik driver added: This place is not only a pasture, but also an intangible treasure, because it is rich in various minerals, which are "very precious". However, it may be because of the special geographical location that we can't break ground casually, but relying on animal husbandry and planting, the villagers' lives are not bad.

We met two Tajik children here. Their home is in the village closest to the border. They are relatives of Tajik driver Xiao Ge. Don't underestimate the children of herders. They get along well with the sentinels in Hongqilafu and are good friends.

Near the border, I saw many wonderful things. For example, the van here has a lot of spare tires. Suddenly, I remembered that we didn't see any garage or even a gas station along the way.

Since then, we have never seen anything in this village. The world is desolate, only the snow-capped mountains are clearly visible. Roll down the window a little to take a picture, and the cold air immediately poured in, and the temperature dropped at least 10 degrees. In the cold shiver, we smelled a trace of "Death Valley": this is a lonely place, and it is even less like a place where people stay.

"There is a sharp turn ahead," said the driver. Turn around and you'll come to the door of Hongqilapu.

After passing the Hongqilafu post and the border checkpoint in turn, we waited for an hour in a short distance of one or two hundred meters.

This is a very critical section of the road, which determines whether people who come here can go abroad next moment. Many tourists are "blocked" in this place for various reasons and have to turn around and go back. There is no room for discussion.

We finally reached the country [heart].

Backed by the Karakorum Mountain at an altitude of 6000 meters, the five-star red flag of Hongqilafu is extremely bright. Our car can only park here and can't go any further. Walking forward with a surging mood, my hand for taking pictures can't help shaking.

Only by standing at the door of the country can we deeply feel the heaviness of the word "country". If there is only one feeling in this world that is related to dignity, it is to protect the national image and the enthusiasm of the Chinese nation from the heart.

This is a solemn gate, with the second highest mountain in the world at the gate and brotherly Pakistan opposite. There is snow all year round here, which botanists define as the cold zone. Armed patrol sentries walked on the middle line, and we consciously stepped aside. After that, the group never walked in the middle again, and even when taking pictures, everyone consciously leaned to the side. In front of the word "country", "individual" is so small.

I read in a book that the word "Hongqilapu" means "Valley of Blood" in Tajik: during the ancient Silk Road, business travelers released part of the blood of these animals to prevent their horses from being overwhelmed by the plateau, so as to help them relieve the pressure at high altitude. So at that time, many Europeans and West Asians passing by here often saw "traces of blood everywhere" and recorded them in their travel notes. In retrospect, this story is quite legendary.

The word "Karakorum" means "black rock" in Uighur. When we look at this mountain from a close distance across the country, our mood is just like when we learn that the road under our feet is the karakoram highway built by 30,000 China and Pakistanis in 20 years. The air is filled with grandeur, and the mountains are as famous as their names.

In fact, the Pakistani brothers across the street probably feel the same way. Only one pole apart, opposite is the tourist bus of Batie. There is also a road map of karakoram highway and a guide map of Hongqilafu Valley in the tourist parking area. The people across the street are also taking pictures to echo us.

Under the guidance of their tour guides, Pakistani brothers in Mizi, Sarric, would shout "Long live China" and "China-Pakistan friendship lasts forever" from time to time and shake hands with us through the iron fence.

I really wanted to know what the opposite boundary pillar looked like, so I handed over my mobile phone, and my eldest brother said he would be happy to take it for me.

On the other side of the boundary pillar, the pattern of Pakistan's national emblem is complex and clear at a glance: cotton, tea, wheat and jute, which are evenly distributed in the middle, are the food for the survival of the Pakistani people, and the jasmine flowers on both sides are Pakistan's national flowers, with the stars and the moon above and the people below. The general idea is: faith, unity and discipline.

It was past nine o'clock at night when I left the country of Hongqilafu. The afterglow of the sunset sprinkled on the hillside on both sides. Cattle and horses are still pacing leisurely, and five-star red flags are flying everywhere. For local residents, this is an ordinary day all year round. For us, this is a trip that cannot be repeated, and we will never forget it.

I'm Sister Dahong, the anchor of the audio radio travel channel, a professional traveler, focusing on minority games and sharing unpopular destinations. Travel is not an attitude, but life itself.