On the northern border of China, stands an unknown city, Khorgos. The sun here is blazing, and the earth is intoxicated by the pale yellow sand, full of mystery and depth. Standing in the streets and alleys of this small frontier city, it seems that you can hear the low bell of history rippling, passing through eternity and passing through thousands of years. The vicissitudes and regrets of history echo softly like an elegy dedicated to the years.
Back then, Khorgos carried the galloping business travelers of thousands of horses and witnessed the prosperity of trade. It was once the gateway to Turpan on the Silk Road, a link between East Asian civilizations and a source of life for this remote city, where countless merchants gathered and goods piled up. At that time, Khorgos was a place of wealth, and countless gold and silver were transported to the Central Plains from here. However, the pace of the times has passed in a hurry, and the prosperity cannot resist the passage of time, and the once bustling neighborhoods are now silent, only the ancient city walls and dilapidated streets bear witness to that magnificent historical time.
Everything in the world has a meaning to exist, and so does the market. The beauty of Khorgos lies in its unique geographical location and diverse ethnic culture. It is located in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on the northwest border of the mainland, at the intersection of China, Kazakhstan and Russia, and its special geographical location makes it an important bridge connecting Central Asia and East Asia, and connecting Eastern and Western civilizations. Such unique geographical conditions have endowed Khorgos with endless business opportunities and a strong exotic cultural atmosphere. Here, you can not only feel the piety of Islam, but also appreciate the mystery of Tibetan Buddhism, where you can not only feel the boldness and enthusiasm of the Kazakh people, but also the gentleness and grace of the Uyghur people...... The multicultural blend and the display of their own style are like walking in the meantime, as if you are in a wonderful cultural picture.
However, the prosperity of Khorgos did not last long, like a short-lived meteor, and after a short period of beauty, it left endless regrets. It failed to become a giant city on the ancient Silk Road like Dunhuang and Kashgar, and its geographical location was relatively isolated and marginal in the ancient transportation network. Despite its dazzling brilliance, it cannot compete with those cities that hold the choke points and control traffic, and prosperity is still difficult to escape the tricks of fate after all. Why is this happening? Instead of helping prosperity and development as expected, such a peculiar geographical location has caused a lot of inconvenience?
In the face of this question, I seem to be able to hear the answer of history, which is a lonely sigh. For hundreds of years, Khorgos not only played an important role on the Silk Road, but also played an important role in defending the frontier. It is both a hub for business and a guarantee of safety. Such a role positioning makes her spread too big, not only to open up territory, but also to settle inside and outside, and she is unable to do it. At the same time, politically, because of the identity of Khorgos, it is difficult for all forces to reach a consensus, and it is inevitable to fall into disputes, laying the foundation for the withering of all industries. More importantly, the difficulties of climate, water and resources are all stubborn diseases rooted in the depths. These problems put Khorgos in a predicament, and the prosperity is no longer there, leaving only endless regret and helplessness.
Looking up at the starry sky in this cyberspace, history is making a voice to future generations, and the death of Khorgos has gradually dissipated, but for our descendants, the lessons of this history are unforgettable. Today, standing in the streets and alleys of Khorgos, we can more deeply understand the heaviness and changes of history, as well as the endless regret and helplessness. Perhaps, the decline of Khorgos has sounded a wake-up call for us to cherish our hard-won prosperity and development even more. #文章首发挑战赛#