Preface
In Xinjiang on the mainland, there is such a beautiful place - the Ili River Valley.
In the long history of the mainland, the Ili River Valley has gone through many anti-Japanese wars, and finally regained the territory of the mainland
or missing part.
So how important is Xinjiang's Ili River Valley?
1. Long history and historical land
Ili, an ancient land that has been the meeting place of various civilizations since ancient times, has also been the focus of competition for many political regimes in history. It has witnessed the rise and fall of countless dynasties, and also carries the long history and culture of the Chinese nation.
In the pre-Qin period, the Ili region was a pasture for the Cypriots. It was not until 60 BC that the Han Dynasty established the Western Regions Protectorate here, marking the official establishment of Ili as part of the Chinese territory. The establishment of the Western Regions Protectorate not only consolidated the Han Dynasty's control over the Western Regions, but also laid the most solid strategic foundation for the great prosperity of the Silk Road.
In the Sui and Tang dynasties, the Ili region experienced many ethnic migrations and integrations. It was the territory of the Western Turks and Uighurs, and later became a fief of the Mongol kings. At the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, Ili became a nomadic land of the Dzungar tribe, witnessing the activity of the Mongols in this area.
During the Qing Dynasty, the status of Ili became more and more obvious. In 1762, the Qing government established General Ili here, who was in charge of the northern and southern Tianshan Mountains, Lake Balkhash and the Pamirs, establishing Ili's position as the core of China's western frontier. However, seeing that the Qing Dynasty was going downhill step by step, Tsarist Russia on the side had the idea of encroaching on the mainland territory, and in 1864 forced the Qing Dynasty to sign the "Sino-Russian Treaty on the Survey and Demarcation of the Northwest Boundary", which suddenly occupied 440,000 square kilometers of territory, including the Ili River.
In the face of the crisis of the country's gradual decline, the famous patriotic general Zuo Zongtang resolutely shouldered the heavy task of recovering the lost land of the motherland. In 1875, Zuo Zongtang, who was already 63 years old, resolutely carried the coffin and went out on the expedition, vowing to desperately recapture Xinjiang. After a year of hard fighting, he succeeded in recovering the entire territory of Xinjiang except for the Ili River. However, the cunning Tsarist Russia refused to return the Ili River Valley, attempting to permanently occupy and annex this treasured land.
But Zuo Zongtang did not give up, and in 1880 he went north to Ili again, preparing to start a life-and-death battle with Tsarist Russia. Eventually, under strong pressure from the Qing army, Tsarist Russia gave up its ambitions and compromised. In 1881, the two sides signed the Sino-Russian Revision Treaty, which allowed China to recover part of the territory of the Ili River Valley.
After Zuo Zongtang's recovery of Xinjiang, Xinjiang Province was established in 1884, and the imperial court sent Liu Jintang as the first governor of Xinjiang in Gansu Province, stationed in Dihua (now Rumqi). Since then, Ili has transformed from the center of Xinjiang to the front line of border defense, shouldering an important mission.
Second, the abundant treasure of Ili
The Ili River Basin, a treasure trove in the northwest corner of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, has been important since the beginning of history due to its unique geographical location and abundant natural resources. It is located between the majestic northern branch of the Tianshan Mountains, the Koguqin Mountain-Borokonu Mountain, and the Central Branch of the Hark Mountain-Nalati Mountain, which is the most abundant mountain section of the Tianshan Mountains on the mainland.
As the most runoff basin in Xinjiang, the Ili River is home to vast tidal flats and freshwater swamps covering up to 200,000 hectares. With an annual runoff of 22.8 billion cubic meters, the land is nourished.
Because of its dense river channels, the Ili River basin has become a natural geographical hub, connecting Xinjiang with Central Asia. This geography allows people to follow the Tianshan Mountains through the Balikun Lake or the Luntai Mountain Road into Yumen Pass or southern Xinjiang, or avoid the precipitous Pamir Plateau and go south through the "two river basins" (Ili River and Chu River) to the core region of Central Asia.
The Ili River Valley is also blessed with a unique natural environment. Although deep inland, the westward open terrain allows the moist westerly winds from the North Atlantic to penetrate deeply, forming topographic rain on the windward slopes of the mountains, making the Ili River Valley like a "wet island" in the arid region of the northwest, becoming a treasure trove of water resources for animals and plants, and providing solid natural support for the development of animal husbandry in Xinjiang.
3. It is now an important strategic place of the Republic
The Ili River Valley, located in the middle of the Eurasian plate, is a strategically important region. Its geographical location is particularly critical for northern and southern China, not least because it serves as a bridge between the two places.
If the accession gets out of control, Xinjiang could be torn apart by the geographical barriers of the Tien Shan Mountains and the Gobi Desert. Fortunately, today, the G219 National Highway and the Duku Highway run through the Ili River Valley, which greatly promote economic exchanges and cooperation between the north and the south.
In particular, the Duku Highway, which took ten years and tens of thousands of builders to complete, has become a real scenic avenue, but it is only open from June to October every year because of the natural conditions such as snow and ice in the winter of the Tianshan Mountains.
The Ili River Valley itself is a treasure trove of natural resources and a beautiful environment. It is surrounded by mountains on three sides, and the surrounding peaks guard the land like guardian spirits. The Ili Valley's inland location, far from the coastline, made it difficult for the maritime powers to do anything about it. Historically, the Ming and Qing governments have recognized the important strategic value of this place, and set up eight satellite cities here during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, which the president called "Ili Nine Cities".
In addition to the beautiful scenery, there are also abundant animal and plant resources, and the Ili River Valley also has the reputation of "Wet Bird in the Western Regions" and "Plugging the South of the Yangtze River".
From June to October of the year, the most pleasant climate season is ushered in, and it is also the golden period for tourism. At this time, the lavender blooms, forming a sea of purple, and a grand lavender festival is held every year. The Ili River Valley has a humid climate and is the wettest region in Xinjiang, with nearly 80 million acres of grassland, forests and cultivated land, providing unique natural conditions for the development of local agriculture. Locally produced Xinjiang Aksu, grapes, cantaloupe, lavender and other agricultural products are deeply loved by consumers at home and abroad.
With the improvement of living standards, more and more people choose to travel by car to visit the Ili River Valley, and the beautiful scenery along the way is unforgettable. Although the density of remote gas stations in the area is not large, this does not affect people's love and yearning for this fairyland on earth. The Ili River Valley in summer is like a dream, as if it is the back garden of the gods, which makes people intoxicated and reluctant to leave.
The history of the Ili Valley is equally fascinating, as exemplified by the Shatthart Trail on the Ancient Silk Road. Huocheng, Zhaosu, Kukesu Grand Canyon, Karajun, Bayinbrook and other places, each of which is full of charming colors, satisfies all people's imagination of fairyland. With the development of domestic tourism, more and more people have begun to realize that China has a vast land and natural resources, and its beautiful scenery is in no way inferior to that of any other country.
The author thinks
From Zhang Qian's mission to the Western Regions during the Han Dynasty, from the expansion of China's territory during the reign of Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, to the loss of control of the Western Regions due to the decline of national strength during the reign of Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, to the successful recovery of lost territory by Li Jiqian during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, from the frequent intrusions of the Mongol and Junggar tribes during the Ming and Qing dynasties, to the bloody battles fought by generals such as Kang'an and Zhang Guangsi during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty to quell the war, from the covetousness of the great powers to the unity of the people to defend sovereignty during the Republic of China, until Zeng Jize fought with Tsarist Russia and finally recovered the Ili River Valley. These historical events not only bear witness to the strategic importance of the Ili River Basin, but also reflect the indomitable and courageous patriotic feelings of the Chinese nation.
Today, the Ili River Basin is still one of the country's top tourist attractions. With the explosion of domestic tourism, the great rivers and mountains of the motherland do not have to be inferior to foreign attractions, and I hope that readers in front of the screen can have the opportunity to visit the beautiful Xinjiang.