Where is the Magnolia Paddock? Why did the emperor tour north here? What does autumn fox mean? Why should the world position the most beautiful Chinese autumn colors in "Jiuzhaigou in the south and Mulan paddock in the north?" "Autumn and Mulan Paddock encounter, can you really meet a gorgeous autumn that can be equal to Jiuzhaigou autumn? With this heavy doubt, a group of six of us started the "Emperor's Northern Tour, Mulan Autumn Fox" tour.
Located at the junction of Hebei and Inner Mongolia, Mulan Paddock consists of two scenic spots, Saihanba National Forest Park in Chengde Weichang County, Hebei Province, and Ulanbutong Grassland in Kekten Banner, Inner Mongolia.
According to historical records, in the first half of the Qing Dynasty, the emperor had to lead the princes and ministers and the elite soldiers of the Eight Banners to the Mulan Paddock every year to hold shooting and hunting activities, train officers and soldiers, and also lead a parade. In the more than 140 years from the Qing Kangxi to Jiaqing, such activities were held 105 times, known in history as "Mulan Qiuhuo".
In order to hold the "Mulan Autumn Fox", the Qing Dynasty government also specially set up a Mulan paddock with a total area of more than 10,000 square kilometers, which are about 300 miles between east and west and north and south. Here the forest is lush, the water and grass are luxuriant, the mountains are undulating, and the animals are abundant, so it has left the reputation of the Mulan paddock.
Starting from Chengde, all the way to the north, the autumn colors gradually become thicker, intense into a heavy color landscape painting, and the mountains and fields present colorful and colorful beauty, subverting our definition of autumn color forest. Looking out of the car, there is a scenery outside the plug.
The boat arrived at the Magnolia Paddock dam on the grassland in the evening. When hungry, a banquet of the highest specification of the Mongolian court, "Fraudulent Horse Banquet", was unexpectedly encountered. The "Horse Feast" is the highest standard "state banquet" in the grasslands on the dam. "Legend has it that the fourth generation of Mongol khans set up a grand banquet during the Möngke Khan period for the triumphant returning soldiers. The banquet begins. The chief priest still imitates the traditional ceremony, leading the "Princess Wangye" to carry out the fire sacrifice ancestral blessing ceremony, after the ceremony, we have long been tempted by the aroma of beef and mutton, feasting, delicious food, with national songs and dances, beautiful scenery and delicious beauty, so comfortable travel experience.
Continue all the way north, passing a place called Princess Lake to park. Princess Lake left a poignant story, legend has it that the third princess lanqier gege, the favorite of the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, was forced to marry the Mongolian Dzungar chief Ge Erdan, passing through the Ulanbutong grassland, tears flowing into a lake, posterity called princess lake. The lake is not large, hidden between a birch forest, transparent and pure, elegant and quiet, like a princess idyllic and gentle. Princess Lake is petite and exquisite, light red and pale white, a wooden boardwalk extends to the lake, along the wooden boardwalk, we seem to step into the fairy mirror, the sky clouds and the reflection in the lake echo in the distance. People by the lake, like a dream, as if they came to a time and space with the princess.
The car continues on the road that is known as the most beautiful in China, and the scenery along the way is dazzling. Unconsciously, we have crossed the boundary of Hebei and entered Ulanbutong.
Ulanbutong is located at the southernmost tip of the Kashketeng Banner in Inner Mongolia, across the river from SaihanBa in Hebei Province.
In autumn, forests, grasslands, deserts and lakes are colorful and colorful. There are vast grassland scenery and birch forests. Autumn winds are blowing, and the fallen leaves are withering, and the ground is golden. The clear sky is high, and the white yurts and herds of cattle and sheep under the white clouds are filled with a strong Mongolian style.
It is also the filming location of many film and television dramas, and "Huan Zhu Gege", "Ruyi Chuan", "Wolf Totem" and "Mi Yue Biography" have all been filmed here.
The northernmost destination of our trip was the Toad Dam. Just listening to this place name, it is difficult to hook up with beauty, but when we see it, we know that this is the most beautiful scenery of the king bomb on this trip, and it is intoxicatingly beautiful!
Rush to the Toad Dam near sunset, which has long been occupied by professional photographers armed with long guns and short cannons, waiting for the sunset in the sunset. It is said that this is the most beautiful time of day in Toad Dam.
The Toad Dam is on a high gentle slope, looking out from the opposite side of the mountain, the autumn leaves, yellow leaves and birch leaves that spread over the mountain are fused together, colorful, meadows, ravines, villages, clouds and smoke with cooking smoke rising, chickens and dogs barking, herders driving cattle and sheep back to the circle, under the cover of the cold smoke sunset, ethereal like a fairyland, a simple and primitive pastoral scenery comes into view.
Unfortunately, on the day we went, the sky was not beautiful, the sky was low and cloudy, and the expected sunset did not arrive as promised, but despite this, the beauty of the Toad Dam still made people linger.
On the way back, passing through Saihanba National Forest Park, we were shocked by the vast forest sea in front of us.
It is known on television that Saihan Dam was a natural forest farm with abundant water and grass and dense forests fifty-five years ago, and due to man-made excessive logging, the former forest sea has become a vast desert. It is the hard work and selfless dedication of Saihanba people, after three generations of unremitting efforts, in exchange for today's million acres of forest sea, green water and green mountains, and has produced huge ecological benefits, just confirmed the "green water and green mountains, is the golden mountain silver mountain" golden sentence. Passing through this place, people can't help but be in awe of the Saihanba people.
Today's Saihan Dam, golden larch dense mountains, red maple leaves and white birch forests, layered, staggered, traversing the mountains and forests of the ink-colored highway winding rugged, and the forest sea is natural, beautiful, a magnificent three-dimensional picture scroll stands majestically in the vast northern land.
Mulan autumn tour, this trip is not vain, encountered a different brilliant autumn, as if there is some kind of magic, let people fall in love with its beauty, tenderness, the rest of their lives unforgettable, enjoy the quiet years from the beautiful scenery.
Images courtesy of Lin Quanjun, Lai Kunzhi, Kong Yaming