50 stunning scenery photos to take you through the Hexi Corridor!

Not to the Northwest

I don't know the vastness of the world

Not to the Hexi Corridor

Not aware of China’s diversity

Here

Nature and human power

Together they created 1,000 kilometers of

Snow Mountain Corridor

(Please watch in horizontal mode, looking at the Qilian Mountains in the distance in Sunan Yugur Autonomous County, Gansu Province, photographer @李春)

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1000 km

Beacon Corridor

(Please watch in horizontal screen, Jiayuguan and Qilian Mountains, photographer @林北岸)

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1000 km

Art Gallery

(Please watch in horizontal mode, Ma Ti Temple Grottoes in Linsong Mountain, Zhangye, photographer @赵高翔)

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Countless magnificent scenes are presented here

Countless national epics are performed here

Countless civilizations have merged here.

Can be called

China's Greatest Corridor

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the scope of the Hexi Corridor and its main attractions are shown here. Map by @吴昕恬/Planet Research Institute)

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01

The birth of the corridor

initial

There's no corridor here.

65 million years ago

The Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate collide

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau continues to rise

Makes it harder for water vapor to enter

The Northwest, which is already deep inland

This causes widespread drought

The Hexi Corridor

In the midst of drought

Its fate is controlled by drought

The body is engulfed by the wind and sand

(Display of the Hexi Corridor and the Gobi Desert in Northwest China, drawn by @吴昕恬/Planet Research Institute)

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Its west

The yellow sand of the Kumtag Desert moves eastward with the wind

The continuous Mingsha Mountain

(Mingsha Mountain in Dunhuang, photographer @Gu Lumin)

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Strong winds also eroded

Yadan landform like a devil's castle

(A Yadan landform in the Dunhuang Yadan National Geopark known as the "West Sea Fleet", picture source: @Visual China)

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Its northern part

Tengger Desert, Badain Jaran Desert

The troops were divided into two groups and continued to invade the south

(Badain Jaran Desert in Linze County, Gansu Province, photographer @吴玮)

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The corridor north mountain with an altitude of 2,000 to 3,000 meters

Also severely eroded

Forming a large area of ​​Gobi

Gravel everywhere, sparse vegetation

(Mazong Mountain Gobi in the northwest of the Hexi Corridor. Mazong Mountain is one of the three mountains in the northern part of the corridor. Photographer @陈剑峰)

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Further south

Danxia composed of red rock formations

Standing in between

(Binggou Danxia in Zhangye World Geopark, photographer @朱金华)

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Colorful hills

Continuous undulations

Both due to lack of vegetation cover

The rock layers are exposed

In the desolation

More eye-catching colors

(Colorful hills in Zhangye World Geopark, photographer @郑菲元)

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Hexi Corridor

This has no chance of vitality

But fortunately

A force that can fight drought has emerged

The 800-kilometer-long Qilian Mountains

With an average altitude of over 4,000 meters

Standing in the southern part of the corridor

Unity Peak

It is as high as 5,800 meters

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the extremely long Qilian Mountains and its highest peak, Tuanjie Peak, photographer @Qiu Jianjun)

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The tall and continuous mountains trap the water vapor

Snowfall at high altitudes

(Snowy sea of ​​clouds under the pearl chain, one of the main peaks of Qilian Mountain, photographer @李春)

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Snow accumulates and compacts year by year

Eventually, 2,683 glaciers were formed.

The total area is about 1,600 square kilometers

The ice reserve is larger than the water storage capacity of Qinghai Lake, China's largest lake

(Glacier on the Gangshika Snow Peak in Qilian Mountains, photographer @吴亦丹)

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in

The largest valley glacier in the Qilian Mountains

Transparent Mengke Glacier

Formed by the confluence of two glaciers

From the top of the mountain, flowing like a river of ice

(Please watch in horizontal mode, Transparent Mengke Glacier, photographer @陈剑峰)

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Glacial meltwater plus atmospheric precipitation

Together they form a river

Spectacular alluvial fans are formed in front of the mountains.

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the flood alluvial fan in front of Yema Mountain, a branch of Qilian Mountain, and Daxue Mountain, photographer @傅鼎)

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final

Shiyang River , Shule River

and the Heihe River , China's second largest inland river.

These three major water systems plunge into the desert Gobi

Kill several "waterways"

Let the miracle happen

(Please watch in horizontal mode, Black River in the desert, photographer @吴玮)

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The water also seeps into the ground

Forming a hidden underground water system

And in the form of desert springs

Suddenly flowing out from a hole in the ground

This is the famous Crescent Moon Lake.

(Please watch in horizontal mode, Crescent Lake in Dunhuang, Gansu, formed by groundwater from the Dang River, photographer @赵高翔)

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then

Qilian Mountains

Dense forest

(Scenery of Qilian Mountains in Sunan, Zhangye, picture source: @Visual China)

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Green grassland

(Shandan Military Horse Farm, image source: Visual China)

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Qilian Mountains

River valley wetlands, lush water plants

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the scenery of Heihe River near National Highway 312 in Ganzhou District, Zhangye City, Gansu Province in late autumn, photographer @钟晓亮)

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From now on, this place is no longer controlled by the desert Gobi

And became a

A passage for all things to grow and for humans to walk through

Hexi Corridor

Formal Formation

But the Hexi Corridor, which emerged from the drought

This is no ordinary corridor.

But connecting to wider mountains and rivers

The key to the peace of the country

02

The greatest connection

In general perception

The Hexi Corridor connects the Central Plains and the Western Regions

Silk, tea, porcelain, jewelry, seeds

Traveling east and west through this corridor

Silk Road

Formed

(Camel bells in the desert on the Hexi Corridor, photographer @林北岸)

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But from a broader perspective

The Hexi Corridor not only connects the east and the west

It connects the Mongolian Plateau in the north and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the south.

The four directions of the Western Regions and the Central Plains in the east

crossroads

Four major sections that have had a profound impact on Chinese history

Through the Hexi Corridor

Connected

(Please watch in horizontal mode, Silk Road Schematic Map, drawn by @吴昕恬/Planet Research Institute)

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Han Dynasty

Huo Qubing defeated the Huns here

The four counties of Hexi, including Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiuquan and Dunhuang

This has been established

(Wuwei South Gate, with Wuwei engraved in the middle of the city wall, hence the name "Liangzhou". During the Sixteen Kingdoms period of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the Former Liang, Later Liang, Northern Liang, Southern Liang, and the Great Liang in the early Tang Dynasty all set Wuwei as their capital. Photographer: @郭广星)

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Sui Dynasty

Emperor Yang of Sui visits the Hexi Corridor

He also invited all the countries in the Western Regions to hold the "World Expo"

To demonstrate national power

(Yonggu Town, Biandukou, Qilian Mountains. Emperor Yang of Sui entered the Hexi Corridor from Biandukou. Photographer: @吴亦丹)

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On the eve of the establishment of the Yuan Dynasty

Mongolian and Tibetan leaders held talks here

It is called "Liangzhou League" in history.

Afterwards

Tibet officially came under the jurisdiction of the central government

(Wuwei Baita Temple, the Liangzhou League took place in this area, photographer @郭广星)

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Late Qing Dynasty

Zuo Zongtang recovered Xinjiang via the Hexi Corridor

Maintaining China's territorial integrity

then

Countless border fortresses sprang up

The Great Wall, passes, cities, beacon towers

Or standing in the desert

(The ruins of Shibao City in the wilderness, photographer @佐蚁)

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Or hanging on the top of the mountain

(The Jiayuguan Cantilever Great Wall, photographer @张扬小强)

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Or stay by the river

(Tuerdun Beacon Tower on the bank of Heihe River, photographer @吴玮)

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Or watch the wheat fields

(Wheat fields in Maobula Village, Yongchang, Gansu, where the Great Wall is located, photographer @刘忠文)

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Or look at the towering snow-capped mountains

(Jiayuguan and Qilian Mountains, photographer @李文博)

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Or look up at the lonely starry sky

(Zhangye Heishui Kingdom ruins under the night sky, photographer @吴玮)

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The Hexi Corridor thus became

One of the most densely populated areas of war-torn border towns in China

(Schematic diagram of the defense system of the Great Wall in the Hexi Corridor, including the Great Wall, passes, forts, and beacon towers. To ensure the display effect, the number of forts and beacon towers is not fully marked. Map by @吴昕恬&杨宁/Planet Research Institute)

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That is

"The wind blows for tens of thousands of miles, passing through Yumen Pass"

(Jiuquan Yumenguan Ruins, Xiaofangpan City, Photographer @赵高翔)

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That is

"The Yellow River flows far away among the white clouds, and there is a lonely city on the top of the ten thousand feet mountain"

(The Black Water is far away between the mountains, and the small Tuerdun Beacon Tower is on the lower right. Photographer: @吴玮)

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That is

"Where can I go for thousands of miles? I will build a Great Wall across the desert"

(The tiny Jiayuguan Pass amidst the snow-capped mountains and the Gobi Desert, photographer @陈肖)

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That is

"There are no cities in the vast wild clouds, and the rain and snow cover the desert"

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the Ming Dynasty Great Wall in Yongchang County, Gansu Province after the snow, photographer @刘忠文)

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But many political powers, many interests

The Hexi Corridor is often in conflict.

War

The tragic song of countless ethnic groups

Frequently performed here

Such a turbulent corridor

Is there still a chance to change your own destiny?

Answer

Right above the oasis of the Hexi Corridor

03

The greatest creation

The Shiyang River system originates from the Qilian Mountains

Nourishing the Wuwei Oasis

Heihe River System

Nourishing the Zhangye Oasis and Jiuquan Oasis

Shule River system

It nourishes the Dunhuang Oasis and so on.

(Sketch of the water system and oasis in the Hexi Corridor, drawn by @吴昕恬/Planet Research Institute)

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Since the Han Dynasty

Here began the immigration and farming

Forming a developed oasis agriculture

Today

The Hexi Corridor accounts for 19% of Gansu's arable land.

Produced 32.3% of the province's grain

and supplied 43% of the commercial oil

97% sugar beets and 98% cotton

(Please watch in horizontal mode, Zhangye Oasis Agriculture, photographer @赵高翔)

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The oasis has strong productivity

For greater creation

Laying the foundation

Bronze galloping horse unearthed from the Leitai Han Tomb

With the stunning shape of "Horse Stepping on Flying Swallow"

Shows us the Hexi Corridor thousands of years ago

Superb bronze craftsmanship

(Bronze Galloping Horse, now in the collection of Gansu Provincial Museum, photographer @石耀臣)

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at the same time

The Hexi Corridor is a key hub connecting the four directions.

Civilizations from the Western Regions, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Mongolian Plateau, and the Central Plains

Meet here

Eventually, the Hexi Corridor became a

Corridor of Faith

Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism Culture

Here we coexist

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the plaque of Wuwei Confucian Temple, photographer @郭广星)

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Visit almost every period of Buddhist caves

It runs through the entire Hexi Corridor.

(Distribution diagram of the caves in the Hexi Corridor, drawn by @吴昕恬/Planet Research Institute)

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Or backed by the red cliff

(Please watch in horizontal screen, the third cave of Zhangye Mati Temple, the Thirty-three Days Grottoes, which is carved on the cliff of the mountain. This mountain belongs to Danxia landform. Photographer @吴玮)

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Or hidden in the canyon

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the Yulin Caves are located on both sides of the Yulin River Canyon. Photographer @佐卯)

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The fusion of multiple civilization elements

It also made the Hexi Corridor a

Art Corridor

Sculptures, painted sculptures, murals, etc.

Shining here

As in the Tianti Mountain Grottoes

Sitting by the water

The 28-meter-high Buddha

(Tianti Mountain Grottoes, next to the Huangyang River Reservoir, picture source @Visual China)

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Another example is the Xixia Great Buddha Temple in Zhangye.

The reclining Buddha is 34.5 meters long and 7.5 meters wide at the shoulders.

It is also the largest indoor wooden clay reclining Buddha in China.

(Please watch in horizontal mode, Reclining Buddha in Zhangye Dafo Temple, photographer @吴玮)

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The most exciting thing is

Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes

(Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Gansu and the endless desert behind it, photographer @王警)

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It consists of many political regimes and ethnic groups active in the Hexi Corridor.

Co-created

It was dug successively from the Former Qin Dynasty to the Yuan Dynasty

It formed today

The world's largest existing

The most rich Buddhist art sanctuary

(Cave 217 of Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, the "Amitābha Sutra" from the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, photographer @孙志军)

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The fusion of multiple civilization elements

It also makes the Hexi Corridor a

Corridor of Nations

Tibetans in Tianzhu and Yugurs in Sunan

Mongolians in Subei and Kazakhs in Aksai

As well as Han, Hui, and Dongxiang

They all live and work here in their own way.

Create a unique culture

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the yurts in Zhuaxixiulong grassland in Tianzhu, photographer @郭广星)

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end

Hexi Corridor

When we gaze upon its body again

What we see

It is the magnificent mountains and rivers of the Northwest

It is a diverse and inclusive blend of civilizations

It is the peace of the country and the city.

We will also see

There are countless

In adversity, in suffering, in frustration

In pain, in loneliness

A diligent pioneer and creator

They are here

Cultivation

(Fields at the foot of the Qilian Mountains, photographer @开心建)

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Here

guard

(Please watch in horizontal screen, Suoyang City Ruins, photographer @勾炳宸)

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Here

create

(In early 2020, Crescent Moon Lake was covered with snow, photographer @张鑫)

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Build Here

Thousands of lights

(Please watch in horizontal screen, the snow scene of Qilian Mountain and the urban residential area of ​​Jiayuguan, photographer @黄茹萌)

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Everything

In order for the Hexi Corridor to connect the four directions

More peace for the country

They are in the Hexi Corridor

With the spirit of continuous exploration and progress

Building homes and seeking development

This sentence is in line with

“As Heaven moves with vigor, a gentleman should constantly strive to improve himself.”

Today, the Hexi Corridor

Still China's greatest corridor

It connects the vast

(G30 Lianhuo Expressway Gansu section, photographer @陈小羊)

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Connectivity

(Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-Speed ​​Railway Hexi Corridor Section, Photographer @王璐)

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connect

Past and Future

(Jiayuguan Pass, photographer @Qiu Jianjun)

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Let's go to the Hexi Corridor

To feel the loneliness of everything

To feel the weight of heaven and earth

Go experience China's greatest corridor

This article was created by

Written by | GHJ & Wang Logic

Photo | Zhou Xuguang

Design | Yang Ning

Map | Wu Xintian

Proofreading | Shanyuelou & Xiangbuxiang & Chen Jingyi

Cover Photographers | Jiang Hong & Gao Xingjian

Shanhe Pian video cover photographer | Yan Su

Planetary Research Institute

Focus on exploring the extreme world from a geographical perspective

···THE END···