How beautiful is China's northern border?

Daxinganling

The northernmost part of China

It is a low mountain

There is no towering beauty like the snow-capped mountains in the west

Not as eye-catching as the Five Mountains

But its unique natural and human ecology

But it is often fascinating

(The Greater Khingan Range, which is dyed in autumn colors, always attracts everyone’s attention. Photographer @赵高翔)

▼

Ancient River

(The world of ice and snow in Daxinganling, picture source: Visual China)

▼

Mysterious volcano

("Tianchi" in the Arshan volcano group in Daxing'anling, picture source @Geological Park, photographer @Yang Xiao)

▼

The original forest

(The Daxinganling Forest is the largest and best-preserved virgin forest in China, photographer @水冬青)

▼

Beautiful creatures

(Daxing'anling is the only place in China where reindeer live. The famous novel "The Right Bank of the Ergun River" features the Ewenki people who raise reindeer. Photographer @Lu Wen)

▼

This mountain range stretches thousands of miles

Although there is no peak competition

But it almost carries people's understanding of China's northern border

All imagination

Even if you climb to the top of the mountain

It's hard to feel its majesty

Only in the air

The enormity of the mountains is revealed

(The mist-shrouded Greater Khingan Range is majestic, photographer @刘兆明)

▼

It starts from Chifeng, Inner Mongolia in the south

North to China's "North Pole" Mohe

Total length: more than 1,400 kilometers

Approximately the distance from Beijing to Shanghai

The long mountain range is high in the north and low in the south

The Taoer River flowing through Ulanhot is the boundary

It can be divided into two sections, north and south

(The location and range of Daxinganling; Daxinganling is also the mountain range with the longest latitude in China. Map by @陈志浩/Planetary Research Institute)

▼

The northern section is wide

Countless branches stretch out in all directions

Yilehuli Mountain is the most eye-catching

Total length: 300 km

(Scenery near Xiaobai Mountain, the second highest peak of Yilehuli Mountain; Xiaobai Mountain is only 1,400 meters above sea level, photographer @关卫宏)

▼

The southern section is narrower

The terrain cutting is relatively severe

Huanggangliang is located here

The highest peak in Daxinganling

(The highest peak, Huanggangliang, is only 2,029 meters above sea level, slightly inferior. Photographer: He Ke)

▼

This is also the Greater Khingan Range

The only 2000-meter peak

After millions of years of erosion and weathering

Tens of thousands of peaks in Daxinganling

The altitude is only below 1500 meters

Most of them have no clear outlines

Can be described as unknown

View from a distance

Mountains upon mountains, ridges upon ridges

(Daxinganling Sea of ​​Clouds, Photographer @水冬青)

▼

Rolling

Like waves rising in the sea

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the sea of ​​clouds on the mountains in Daxinganling are all so similar, photographer @刘兆明)

▼

However

Softness is just an appearance

Ancient times

Daxinganling also had a violent side

Hot Lava

It once gushed out along the great fracture between the mountains.

Volcano formation

(After a large eruption, the crater is prone to collapse and become a caldera. The picture below shows a caldera in Daxing'anling. The picture is from @地理公园, the photographer is @杨晓)

▼

The large number of

It forms three famous volcanic groups.

The Nomin River volcanoes in the north

Arxan volcanoes in central

and the Dali volcanic group in the south

(The area of ​​the Arxan volcanic cluster is 3,500 square kilometers; the figure below shows part of the Arxan volcanic cluster, drawn by @杨宁&陈志浩, picture source @BingMap)

▼

at the same time

The ridge of Daxinganling

It is also rising

(The Inner Mongolia Plateau to the west of Daxinganling and the Northeast Plain to the east, photographers @徐树春&朱金华)

▼

It bursts with great power

The bulging body

Like a giant dragon lying prone

As part of China's geographical dividing line

Divided by very different landscapes

(Sketch of the natural boundary of Daxing'anling, drawn by @陈志浩/Planetary Research Institute)

▼

More importantly

This huge watershed

It is also a barrier to the westward movement of warm and humid ocean air currents.

A lot of water vapor gathers in the mountains

The source of life is gushing

In terrain uplift

Under the combined effect of the high pressure cold air mass further north

The abundant water vapor condenses

Formation of precipitation

some

Gathering in the low-lying areas between mountains

A crater lake with various shapes

Blue like a gem

(The crater lake is formed by the water stored in the crater, also known as the "Heavenly Lake". There are many Heavenly Lakes in Daxing'anling. Image source: @地理公园, photographer: @杨晓)

▼

Clear as a mirror

(Please watch in horizontal mode, Tuofengling Tianchi, its water surface is more than 1,200 meters above sea level, and is known as "China's third largest Tianchi", photographer @蒋晨明)

▼

some

Rushing down the valley

Winding

(The Morigele River is known as "the best curved river in the world", photographer @刘兆明)

▼

Winding again

(Please watch in horizontal screen, Yimin River, photographer @陈剑峰)

▼

Daxinganling turns into a water tower

Become China's northern border

The source of the river

(Display of the distribution of water systems and wetlands in Daxing’anling, drawn by @陈志浩/Planetary Research Institute)

▼

Its east side

The windward slope has abundant water

Haihar River, Xilamulun River and other rivers merge into Liaohe River

Nanweng River, Gan River, Nuomin River

Chuoer River, Taoer River, etc.

Merges into the Nen River and the Songhua River

The water supply on the west side is relatively scarce.

Genhe River, Hailar River, Jiliu River, etc.

All into the Ergun River

Except Liaohe River

They eventually converge into

Heilongjiang River, the third longest river in China

Galloping on the Sino-Russian border

Watching the side

(Please watch horizontally, the Golden Ring Island, Arctic Island and Silver Ring Island in the "Longjiang First Bay" scenic area, photographer @关卫宏)

▼

And under the shaping of cold

The rivers have many more appearances

Daxinganling is located in the northeast

It is the highest latitude region in China.

Winter is cold and long

The situation is particularly severe in the northernmost areas such as Mohe.

The lowest temperature ever recorded was -52.3℃

Ice Age Frozen Earth

Large areas still remain beneath the surface

(The average winter temperature in the northern section of Daxing’anling is around -28°C; the picture below is the “Arctic Village” in Mohe, photographer @李贵云)

▼

The permafrost layer is tens of meters thick

Like a water barrier

Precipitation that cannot infiltrate accumulates on the ground

Formed a large area

Wetland Landscape

(Erguna Wetland alternates between water and land, photographer @水冬青)

▼

Vast waters

Increased surface humidity

It is often foggy in the morning and evening.

Like a dream

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the fog in Nanweng River Wetland; Nanweng River Nature Reserve is the largest forest wetland nature reserve in Northeast China, photographer @关卫宏)

▼

Even more amazing is

Volcanic activity underground

Continuously provide heat energy to nearby rivers

Even in the land of ice and snow

There is also steam rising

(The Halaha River will not freeze even at a low temperature of -30℃, picture source: @地理公园, photographer: @杨晓)

▼

Abundant water sources

The mountains give birth to many lives

The arrival of plants and animals

This will make this land even more unique.

There is less precipitation in the southern section of Daxinganling

Mostly alpine meadows

Alternating with deciduous broad-leaved forests

(Daqintala Maple Ecological Scenic Area in Daxinganling, photographer @Qiu Huining)

▼

The northern section with increased precipitation

It is the world of Dahurian larch.

As the most cold-resistant tree species in the North

Growing like crazy here

To get more sunlight, go straight up

Up to 60 meters

Standing Out

They are similar to birch, oak, poplar, etc.

Companion tree species

(The forest of Daxinganling, photographer @水冬青)

▼

Rhododendron, blueberry, Ledum palustris, etc.

Understory shrubs

(Birch forests and Rhododendron dasyphylla are like colorful ribbons on the mountains. Image source: @Geological Park, photographer: @杨晓)

▼

Together they form a rich ecological community

For the four seasons of the mountains

Decorated with different colors

Or the same "green"

(Daxinganling in summer, photographer @刘兆明)

▼

Or colorful

(Genhe Wetland in autumn, photographer @陆雨春)

▼

Or covered in silver

(Please watch it in horizontal mode, the Greater Khingan Range is very beautiful after the snow, photographer @刘兆明)

▼

Vast vegetation

Create a unique secret place

Become many birds and beasts

Paradise to live in

(The sable is a national first-class protected animal. The picture below shows a sable running through the Greater Khingan Range. Photographer: @冯江)

▼

To fight the cold

Animals grow thick fur

Like a hairy weasel

Shrink into a ball

(The weasel is also known as the tiger, 30-45cm long, photographer @刘璐)

▼

Yellow weasel looking around

Cute and playful

(The yellow weasel is commonly known as the "yellow weasel" and is also called the "yellow skin", photographer @刘璐)

▼

There are also gray wolves, wolverines, and reindeer

Lynx, snow hare, roe deer, wild boar, etc.

Running in the jungle

(Roe deer are actually dwarf deer, known as one of the "four great beasts of Northeast China", photographer @徐永春)

▼

Foraging on the snow

(Wild boars in Daxinganling have fierce eyes, photographer @杨诚)

▼

When the cold wind no longer roars

The mild season is coming soon

More and more birds

Playing in the woods

(Black-billed grouse raises its head and shouts, photographer @冯江)

▼

On the lake

Swans are swimming

(Please watch in horizontal mode, flocks of swans in Daxinganling, photographer @刘璐)

▼

For the Northerners

The Greater Khingan Range is rich in resources

It's theirs too.

Ideal place

Legend has it that 10,000 years ago

The ancient ethnic group "Dog Deer" lived here.

1st century AD

The Xianbei people, nomadic people in the jungle, walked out of the mountains

And gradually dominated the Central Plains

Afterwards

Khitans, Mongols, etc.

All originated and grew in the surrounding areas

Today there are still

Oroqen, Ewenki, Daur, etc.

Many ethnic minorities live here

(An Oroqen man leading a horse up the mountain, photographer @水冬青)

▼

In the hearts of these nations

Daxinganling is their sacred mountain

It is the cradle of life

Until the last century

Stockpiled timber in Daxinganling

It has become an important pillar of modernization

People flocked to

Countless high-quality wood in the mountains

As the railway through the forest roars

Shipping to all corners of the world

(The Yalin Line in Daxinganling was once the main artery for timber transportation. Photographer: @王璐)

▼

At that time

This is the land of youth dedication

Through the years

It still carries countless people

The most profound memory in life

Transportation in Daxinganling

Now it is becoming more and more perfect

They are no longer used to transport timber

It is the dream road of people's journey to the north.

Natural, primitive, mysterious

There are too many imaginations here.

(In 2015, logging was completely stopped in the Greater Khingan Range state-owned forest area; the picture below is the Greater Khingan Range Mu-A Highway, photographer @赵高翔)

▼

As the times change

Those fascinating ancient tribes

Gradually settled down at the foot of the mountain

The traditional nomadic and hunting life is gone

In many literary and film works

Become a story of the past

The only place in China that raises reindeer

Ewenki people of the Deer Herding Tribe

Also in the Greater Khingan Range

Migratory and nomadic

A life with reindeer

(The Ewenki people of the Deer Herding Tribe put bells on their reindeers for good luck; the picture below shows the reindeers raised by the Ewenki people of the Deer Herding Tribe, photographer @刘兆明)

▼

1960s

The transformation from mountains to settlements

Separating the tribe's past and present

But their "partners" reindeer

But it is difficult to adapt to the captive life at the foot of the mountain

Some Ewenki people choose to return to the mountains

Continuing the ancient life

Every autumn

The few remaining reindeer will breed in the mountains

To protect them from being harmed by wild animals

The Ewenki people of the Deer Tribe were forced to enter the mountains and forests

Find and protect

Their beloved "partner"

(Maria Suo, the last female chief of the Ewenki people of China, next to her "Culuozi", photographer @刘兆明)

▼

This ancient and unique "deer hunting trip"

In the eyes of many people

It also represents human beings' influence on natural creatures.

Unlimited Love

For the Ewenki people

Reindeer are their family.

It is a bond between a tribe and nature.

After a long time

The mysterious beauty of the volcanic Tianchi Lake

The vastness of the mountains and wilderness

The ancient tribe's heritage

Carrying this land

Immortal story

This is the Greater Khingan Range

This is the charm of China's northern border

(The Oroqen people look into the distance, looking at their "holy mountain", photographer @水冬青)

▼

This article was created by

Written by | Lily

Picture | Qinnan

Map | Chen Zhihao

Design | Yang Ning & Wang Shenwen

Proofreading | Yunwukongcheng & Lou Yancheng & Taishan

Cover photography | Liu Zhaoming

Planetary Research Institute

Deconstruct everything in the world and explore the ultimate world

— The end —