A
Dance
If I hadn't known Ayizguli, my understanding of Xinjiang would probably have stayed at the Hongmeng stage—limited to textbooks and pitiful knowledge.
In the dark, there seems to be providence.
More than ten years ago today, it was also such a beautiful Mayday; I took a flight from Dalian-Urumqi to Ili, boarded a plane in Shijiazhuang, and came to Xinjiang. The time to arrive in Ili is two o'clock in the afternoon.
Xinjiang has a vast territory, and the convenience advantages of aircraft are fully displayed. In the morning, he was thousands of miles away in northern China, and in the afternoon, he appeared in Ili, Xinjiang. This wonderful experience surprised and surprised me. At the carousel to pick up my luggage, I finished picking up my luggage. After a short breath, he searched for what he was looking for and began to leave the station. It was at this time that the mobile phone I had just turned on suddenly rang.
I answered the phone.
It was a woman who spoke on the phone. Speaks a little stiff Mandarin, a little crotch, speaks fast and urgently.
This tone of voice gave me an illusion. My first reaction was: someone else had dialed the wrong phone number and made the wrong call. At that time, I didn't listen to her carefully. Very crisply, turned off the call.
Who knows, after less than two minutes, the mobile phone rang again.
When I saw it, it was still the same number as just now.
I didn't connect right away.
The ringtone of the phone, like the entanglement of a stubborn child, rings over and over again.
According to common sense, this situation should not be a wrong call.
But ------ I don't know many people in Xinjiang. Who will it be?
I pressed the answer.
It was the woman who spoke on the phone. The woman asked anxiously: Hey, hey! Are you an X-worker?
Oh, yes! I was a little curious and asked: Who are you ------?
I am Ayizguli! Project Department's! Today we came to Yili to do business, and Manager Wang of the project department said, you will arrive this afternoon! He asked us to follow you back to the project department!
It turned out to be a colleague from Xinjiang!
I was a little embarrassed and asked: Thank you! Where are you now?
You go out, go straight for more than 70 meters, and then turn right for 200 meters; There is a parking lot in front of the left. Our car is here.
Okay, okay. I'll just pass.
The girls speak Mandarin and are basically fluent. However, with a bit of yangtin's crotch smell.
Around the airport, signs in Chinese and Uighur characters can be seen everywhere. The air was filled with the imperceptible smell of sheep's body. There is already a different atmosphere here than in the mainland - many halal buildings, Uighur signs - are silent reminders. The scenery in front of you is no longer the style characteristic of the mainland. The Western Regions, which we have repeatedly mentioned after tea and dinner, are right in front of us.
B
The Western Regions are protected
Ayizguli is a Uighur girl.
High nose, big eyes, with a nice little braid. On the way, she introduced herself as a new data clerk in the project department. I came to Yili today to accept the drawings urgently needed for engineering construction. I smiled and apologized to her for the disrespect I had just made.
Ayizguli has a self-familiar temper.
X-work! She smiled and asked me: Do you think my Mandarin is not good enough? Too bad? So ------ don't answer my call?
No, it's not! It's me who doesn't care! I smiled and said: At that time, I still thought - strange, I go to Xinjiang, how can foreigners call me? I don't know!
I was afraid that my words would be abrupt, and slowly explained: I didn't expect it to be you.
X-work! I'm a real Chinese! Ayizguli was unceremonious, and said bluntly: It's just that there are more braids than you!
The driver was a cautious middle-aged Kazakh. Now, ridiculed and stimulated by her words, I can no longer bear it, and laugh out loud.
I laughed too.
It's a bit awkward though.
SUVs gallop to our laughter.
Later, we had more contact. I found that Ayizguli was very kind-hearted and a straight-talking girl.
Love to talk and laugh, love to sing and dance.
Ayizguli's Xinjiang dance is very good.
Often, accompanied by the music on her mobile phone, Ayizguli danced at the instigation of everyone. The onlookers beat with their hands, one by one, to the rhythm.
------
The girl of Osaka Castle,
Long braids,
Two beautiful eyes!
-------
Jumping with a red face and fine sweat, Ayizguli has a slim figure. From a distance, it looks like a person in a painting.
C
Naan
During a casual conversation, we started a hot chat. I talked about the vast North China Plain that I was familiar with, and she said that she lived in southern Xinjiang with classmates and friends.
Southern Xinjiang? Where is Southern Xinjiang?
I was very surprised and asked: Is there still a distinction between southern and northern Xinjiang in Xinjiang?
Some!
So where does ------ Ili belong? Is it southern Xinjiang?
No, Ili is northern Xinjiang. Ayizguli smiled and patiently corrected: Ili is a small Jiangnan in Xinjiang.
Where is Korla, Hotan, Kashgar?
I carefully looked for the map of Gaode.
Korla is southern Xinjiang. Where are fragrant pears. Kashi-------
This time, it was my turn to be completely confused - how exactly is this southern and northern Xinjiang divided?
Ayizguli pointed his finger at the digital map and explained it to me.
It turned out that the locals said that southern Xinjiang and northern Xinjiang were areas bounded by the majestic and stretching Tianshan Mountains. The southern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains, called Southern Xinjiang, have poor natural conditions and many deserts. The northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains are northern Xinjiang, with beautiful water, fertilizer and quality. When they talk about southern and northern Xinjiang, it is as natural as we say Hedong and Hexi.
This explanation made me suddenly realize.
At the end of May, Ayizguli brought a bag of fruit, saying that it was white apricots, for everyone to taste.
Luntai white apricot
How does it taste and is it delicious?
Seeing us eating happily, she asked with a smile.
I ate a few.
Apricots are not very large, and there are some differences from the white apricots in North China, and they look a little small. However, the rich apricot aroma and slightly astringent sweetness and sour feeling are incomparable to the water white apricots; I was very impressed.
I nodded yes.
This is the white apricot of the wheel platform, which is very famous! Ayizguli was very happy, she told us: do not throw away the apricot kernels inside, you can also eat them directly. The apricot kernel is very thin and breaks when you bite it!
Wheels, x-workers, have you been there?
The mischievous Ayizguli asked playfully as she turned to me. She knew that my first visit to Xinjiang deliberately teased me with her Yangting-accented Mandarin.
X-work, where is the beautiful poplar forest!
Autumn, October! The most beautiful!
D
After May Day, in Xinjiang, melons and plum peaches began to be listed one after another, and the products became more and more abundant.
Xinjiang melon
There are really a lot of good things in Xinjiang:
The grapes of Turpan and the melons of Yanshi are no worse than cantaloupe--- apples from Aksu, fragrant pears from Korla, white apricots from Luntai; There are also peach and plum that come from nowhere, big and sweet, and the juice is sweet;
As for - snow lotus on the Tianshan Mountain, mutton fat jade and jade in Hetian, poplar forest in Luntai, mysterious Kanas Lake, and lavender on the banks of the Gongnais River, they have long been well-known at home and abroad;
There are also delicacies such as ------ grilled meat, sacs, finger rice, large plate chicken, and pepper chicken;
Grilled skewers------ these holy products for summer, summer escape, and leisure in the mainland - here, it is really too rare and ordinary. Naan grilled meat becomes another flavor: juicy and fleshy thick; It is especially favored by meat-loving diners.
And
Naan grilled meat
On the second Sunday after I arrived at the project department, I made an appointment with the driver and a young man and went to the famous Narathi Grassland Ranch. In this Mongolian grassland - "with the sun", enjoy the generosity of natural sun bathing. During the picnic, a small puppy, pitiful, looked at it from a distance. Curious with the young man, I first barked the dog over and fed it up. Later, we found out that this dog was quite spirited and clever in addition to being dirty. It was decided at the moment to load it into the car and bring it back to the project department.
The beginning of feeding is not fixed.
Everyone feeds whoever has food. Give it leftover steamed buns and gnaw leftover meat bones. Gradually, the dog became acquainted with people. What is unsatisfying is that this dog is unruly, pulling and urinating casually. The dormitory smells great. So I found a co-worker and welded an iron cage in the open space outside. After that, on the top, a piece of iron was covered, and an iron basin for food was made; Shut it in.
This dog is also strange - it grows up every day visible to the naked eye. The more you go to the evening, the more energetic, and, eat a lot, don't know how to be hungry, especially like to eat meat!
I talked to Ayizguli about it.
The things I said in Ayizguli are incredible. She asked: A dog is a dog, there is no such problem! Where did you pick it up?
I'm proud: on the grasslands of Narathi.
Oh my God, x-work! Ayizguli frowned and said, "Animals on the steppe, you also bring them home?!" You brought back wolves, would it?
Wolf?
This unexpected reminder startled us.
We brought the wolf cubs home?
There are wolves in the steppes and pastures! Ayizguli said in a reproachful tone: "Don't bring home the animals outside!" What should I do if wild animals have germs and viruses? Moreover, if it were a wolf cub, the wolf mother would have looked for it! The wolf is shrewd and fierce!
We hurriedly took Ayizguli to the iron cage and asked her to screen her.
This is ------ wolf cub!
Before he came to him, Ayizguli clearly saw and recognized the energetic "dog" who was circling in the iron cage.
Such a big wolf, unripe feed! Don't raise it, release it and let it go back to the steppe! Ayizguli admonished us, saying: If you raise it for a while, it will howl at night, and it will attract the wolf!
We felt very embarrassed and upset.
There is also fear.
What's more, ------- wolf lamb is a state-protected animal. It's okay if it hurts you, it's illegal if you hurt it!
F
Flowers of wheel platforms
The acquaintance of Ayizguli is a warm-hearted - as long as she knows, she will tell you without reservation.
I love to eat. Especially large pieces of beef and lamb and skewers. To this end, I have asked Ayizguli more than once: How do you Uighurs cook mutton? Why is the lamb you make delicious and not glamorous?
What is the special method?
After Ayizguli listened, her laughter rippled.
She looked at me very seriously and said, "There is nothing special about it." We add water to the pot, cut the lamb into chunks, put green onions and ginger, and add salt. Cooked, eat it and go.
So simple?
My eyes widened in disbelief.
Meat and knives
I'm not lying. Ayizguli said positively, and almost made a bet: I don't lie to you. That's what we do.
Don't put spices? Pepper? Grass fruit, cumin?
No, no! Not that much trouble! Didn't I tell you? Put some green onion, ginger and salt; Cooked will do.
I was genuinely surprised.
If it weren't for the presence, her words, killing me, I wouldn't have believed it. At that time, we always felt that they Uighurs had a talent for cooking cattle and sheep. The skill in this should be their hidden kung fu.
Who knows, it's such a simple answer!
I was somewhat disappointed.
I told her: We stew lamb to eat, and we should put a variety of spices. When you eat it, the taste is not good - the meat is woody and greasy; It's not as delicious as the lamb you made! Your lamb here is tender, fragrant, and not glamorous!
That's the quality of lamb is not the same! Ayizguli was unceremonious, saying bluntly: Xinjiang's sheep grow up eating grass. Your sheep grew up on feed. Can it be the same?
I didn't pay attention to the tone of the yangting tone when Ayizguli spoke. Instead, I was deeply immersed in my own thoughts and imaginations. I even think that the supreme law of nature is Jane.
Complexity is often the root cause of spoilage.
Think about that year.
The sky is pale, the wilderness. Windblown grass is low to see cattle and sheep------
What a spectacular sight that would be!
G
Fine-branched snow lotus
After staying for a long time, I found that there are too many interesting things and delicious things in Xinjiang.
Xinjiang's melons and fruits are large and sweet. The environment of temperature difference between day and night has created the characteristic advantages of melons, peaches and plums in Xinjiang. In the streets and alleys, the roasted hot sacs are fragrant and crispy, and the wheat is full of aroma. At night, under the neon lights, the large lamb kebabs in the rotisserie, with a tempting cumin fragrance, seduce the taste buds of hurried walkers.
There is also the jade of Hetian, and the endless Taklamakan Desert.
It's just that jade is too expensive. In particular, mutton fat jade is the same price as gold.
For a while, I became intensely curious about the desert - I looked up the information: the area of the Taklamakan Desert in the Tarim Basin: 330,000 square kilometers.
Oh my God, what is this concept?
An area with a radius of more than 1,000 miles is a desert with rare human tracks?
The melting snow of the Tianshan Mountains is also moisturizing the desert. However, this desert is too vast, and the further you go, the scarcer the water becomes.
------ lonely poplar.
Beautiful, sad poplar.
When the poplar forest and the sunset reflect each other, the vicissitudes of there really make you feel revergent. Time is standing still, and the eyes are full of desolation -
It's sad.
Poplar Forest
H
I once asked Ayizguli: Have you ever been to the desert?
Been there.
What's in the desert? Is it all sand?
It's all sand. Sand. There is also shiny gold in the fine sand. Ayizguli knew the desert like the back of his hand: poplars, red wattle, camel grass------
What can sand in the desert do? I asked: Can I build a house or a building?
Can't be used. The sand of the desert is not the same as ordinary sand. Ayizguli said: Nothing can be done. The desert is not without water. In many places, dig a few meters down to see the water. However, it is bitter and salty. The desert is too big to see. There are also not many mobile phones and Internet signals in the desert. In the desert, telecom companies have the best network signal.
Haven't you been to the desert?
Oh, yes. Been there.
Ayizguli recalled sullenly, slightly helpless: In the desert, there are no roads in many places. I drove myself for more than two hours to cover less than 90 kilometers – just on the edge of the desert, far from the center.
The desert is too big.
Inside the desert, she whispered: If there is no road, you are afraid of trapping a car------ only a desert car is not afraid - and water and oil are precious.
Is Taklamakan big?
The tenth largest desert in the world, Ayizguli replied lightly: thousands of miles around. It is 1,000 kilometers wide from east to west and nearly 400 kilometers from north to south. Big not, you say?
Doesn't Xinjiang have a lot of oil and gas?
It is mainly in this place, as well as Karamay in the north.
I was completely speechless.
I even felt dry mouth.
The world is too small.
And the Taklamakan Desert, somewhat big.
Big mystery.
Taklamakan Desert
J
Before I knew it, three months passed quickly. My work has come to an end and I am going back to the mainland.
I told Ayizguli about my plans to go home. Moreover, I made a small request: I hope she can take time to accompany me to Xinyuan County once and choose a bracelet - coming to Xinjiang, this is not a frequent opportunity - I hope to buy a special product from Xinjiang and give it to my wife as a gift.
Women's minds are delicate.
Ayizguli readily agreed.
What kind of do you want to buy? On the way, she asked.
The mutton fat jade is too expensive, I can't afford to consume it. I honestly say: just buy a good-looking, practical, atmospheric Xinjiang bracelet.
Does Onyx work? Ayizguli said: The price is much lower and it looks good to carry.
Line, line. I smiled and said: I can prove that I have been to Xinjiang, and I have not forgotten my daughter-in-law in my heart. Value is secondary, mainly to keep a memory.
bracelet
At a jade shop in the county seat, Ayizguli enthusiastically helped me choose 2 bracelets. 1 3-color, 1 monochrome. The 3-color bracelet, red like fire, white like snow, and a section is glutinous sugar color, the transition is very natural. The monochrome bracelet is a deep dark red that glitters in the light.
Know that well? Ayizguli asked me.
Monochromatic? Pure naw. I don't think about it.
No, it's this tricolor. Ayizguli instructed, she said: The three-color bracelet is a three-joy bracelet of Fu, Lu and Shou, and it is rare.
Keep it well.