In Xinjiang, the Xinjiang section of the Xinzang Highway was taken twice, the first was to investigate the placer gold in the upper reaches of the Karakash River, as far as 509 Daban, 509 kilometers away from Gu Guiyi, and did not enter Tibet; the second time was to go to Xihexiu Township to look for jade. The two times were not deliberately taking the Xinzang Highway and looking for experiences like donkey friends, but because of the needs of work, but there were different discoveries and experiences. Write down these two trips along the Xinzang Highway and feel the different Xinzang Highway.
Xinjiang section of the Xinzang Highway
Xinjiang and Tibet, located in western China, together account for almost one-third of the country's land area. One is in the north and the other is in the south, and its junction length is nearly 1300 kilometers. Xinjiang and Tibet are like two different brothers, although they "live next to each other", they are indeed separated by the Kunlun Mountains and the plateau, forming a cultural and natural landscape that is not tolerated. Although there have been some exchanges and collisions in history, they are also very short. Of course, although Kunlun Mountain is tall and dangerous and the natural environment is harsh, it is not insurmountable. There are still several secret roads crossing the Kunlun Mountains to communicate with Xinzang, one of which is more practical and usable, that is, the current Xinzang Highway, which is National Highway 219.
Xinzang Highway National Highway 219, from The north to Kashgar City in Xinjiang zero kilometers, to the south to The Lazi Township in Xigaze, Tibet, with a total length of 2140 kilometers, also known as the Lazi Highway. Among them, the Xinjiang section refers to the section from Yecheng to Jieshan Daban, with a total length of 705 kilometers. The Road in the Xinjiang section is more dangerous, starting from 1365 meters above yecheng, crossing two Dabansan nearly 5000 meters in the middle, crossing the Kunlun Mountains with a harsh natural environment into the desolate no-man's land of the Northern Tibetan Plateau, and we have to take the Xinjiang section twice.
Xinzang Highway
"Jieshan Dasaka has peed, and the dead have slept in the ditch" The previous phrase was used to describe the boldness of people who took the Xinzang Highway. The Xinjiang section of the Xinzang Highway, crossing the cold and oxygen-deficient Kunlun Mountains, although after the completion of the transformation in 2013, the degree of hardship has been greatly reduced, but the most beautiful scenery is in Lushan, and many roads in Xinjiang and Tibet are landscapes, and the Xinzang Highway is still one of them.
Majestic Kunlun
We took the Xinzang Highway twice, both from Yecheng, Xinjiang. To take the Xinzang Highway, whether you are departing from Tibet or From Xinjiang, you must apply for a permit, because there are checkpoints, and you cannot pass without a permit.
pass
Yecheng is the abbreviation of Yeerqiang, Yecheng is the "hometown of pomegranate song and dance", and it is also the starting point of the Zero Kilometer Xinzang Highway and an important material supply station for Ali. Yecheng is backed by kunlun mountains, and part of Yecheng County is located in the mineralization belt of Kunlun Mountain and Tianyu, so Yecheng also produces Hetian jade, and the hetian jade produced is also known as Yecheng material. There are many shops selling jade in the county, and if you are lucky, you can buy genuine Yecheng materials. Four or five of us, in the process of coming and going through Yecheng, bought no less than 20 bracelets, and at the zero kilometer of Yecheng, there are also many stalls selling jade, but the fish and dragons are mixed, so buy it carefully.
Yecheng County
Zero kilometers
There are many delicacies in Xinjiang, and in addition to enjoying the outdoors, I also like food. There is a very characteristic ethnic restaurant in Yecheng County, the name is not remembered, the pilaf and grilled meat are very good, and the ice cream inside is very distinctive.
Pilaf with eggs
Saffron tea
Dine beauty
Rack meat
ice cream
Starting from Yecheng, after passing through Kekeya Township and Bodhisattva Village, through a section of desert and Gobi, after a hundred kilometers began to cross kudi Daban, this Daban is the first Daban to be turned over by the New Tibet Highway Yecheng, at an altitude of 3250 meters, this altitude, generally will not have a very strong altitude sickness, but from here, counting towards the alpine area, the altitude rises faster.
yak
signpost
Kudi Tasaka in August
Kudi Tasaka in October
When you turn over Kudi Daban and are about to reach the Tizinapu River, there is a road to turn left, which is the road to Xihexiu Township. The second time we came, we turned left from here and went directly to Xihexiu Township, the main purpose of which was to go to Xihexiu Township to find jade. Jade ore is the main mineral resource of Xihexiu Township. Not far from the turn, there is a checkpoint in front of the Tizinapu River Bridge, and entering Xihexiu Township is also necessary to go through formalities or say hello. The Tizinap River, also known as the Harastan River and the Happy River, is a tributary of the Yarkand River. Tizinapu River, the water quality is verdant to the bottom, the river is scattered with sea buckthorn, red sea buckthorn fruits are hung on the branches, and the clear river reflects the desolate and desolate mountains on both sides, and the characteristic scenery in the mountains of Xinjiang.
Tizinapu River
sea buckthorn
The Tizinapu River is a tributary of the Yeerqiang River, Xinjiang can pick up the jade river, the Yeerqiang River is one, the Tizinapu River as its tributary, and in the Hetian jade mineralization area, there should be jade, but the time relationship, did not try luck. Then not far from the Tiznapu River Bridge, many villagers in the riverside villages have jade, mostly mountain materials, and buying jade at the hometown is faster than picking it up by the river, so we chose to buy it. Since we went to look for jade, we brought a hetian jade industry insider, I call him jade old grandson, and now he is still very good Adasi.
Old Sun looked at the jade
Fellow countrymen's jade
Buy back the jade
After buying the jade, I returned to the checkpoint, and at the foot of the roadside mountain, there lived several Uighur fellow villagers. In a fellow countryman's home, I met an 80-year-old Uyghur man, Uncle Kurban, with a face covered with wrinkles of the years, a white beard, a big nose, a strong spirit, and amiable, which impressed me very deeply. We took 300 pieces and bought two pigeon-sized chickens. Listening to the old man, it was stocked on the mountain, so he ate the insects on the mountain and did not feed the grain. Indeed, in the mountains here, the grain is reluctant to give to the chickens. After a simple slaughter, with the water from the Tizinapu River, with some salt boiled, the soup is delicious, the most chicken flavored chicken ever eaten, and of course, the most expensive chicken. Going to remote mountainous areas is actually a pleasure.
Uncle Kurban's house
Uncle Kurban
Native chicken
Stewed
The second time I came, I returned here. The first time I said from this, I went over kudi dasaka and arrived at the kudi checkpoint, where there may be more than a dozen families, because there is a checkpoint, so there are border guards stationed. In Xinjiang, no matter where you go to any checkpoint, you must cooperate well with the inspection. The small ones say, for personal safety, and the big ones say for the sake of frontier stability. There are many checkpoints in Xinjiang, and the inspections are very strict, and people in the interior who have just gone may not be used to it, feel trouble, and get used to it.
Kudi checkpoint
After passing through the Kudi checkpoint, the road follows the Tiznapu River Valley to the second Daban-Mazadaban, which means "grave" in Uyghur, but it is called Mazadaban because there are two tombs in front of it. Mazadaban is the longest on the Xinzang Highway, with an altitude of 4969 meters, but my GPS measurement is nearly 5100 meters. "Mazada Sakasaka tip, steep rise of 5,000 three" is used to describe Mazada saka. Standing at Dabankou to see the front road, turning back to the bend, twisting and turning to the bottom of the valley, although desolate, but also very beautiful, Xinjiang road landscape is also a major feature; looking at the distance, is the Mang mang Kunlun Mountain, you can also see the world's second highest peak Qiao Geli Peak, 8611 meters above sea level, is also the main peak of the Karakoram Mountain, the mountaineering circle is called "Killing Peak". Standing in front of nature, admiring the beauty of nature, you should also be in awe of nature.
Mazadasaka
Turn over Mazadaban and enter the Yarkand Valley, where the road runs along the Yarkand Valley to Black Kadaban. The Yarkand River is a tributary of the Tarim River and an important river in the oasis of southern Xinjiang. There is a fish in the Yarkand River called the Yarkand Plateau Loach, which is called the doghead fish by the locals. The most important feature of this fish is that there is no swim bladder in the belly, which relies entirely on the two drum maws on both sides of the neck to breathe and survive. It is said that this drum maw is one of the characteristics of unevolved paleontological fish species. Large individuals can grow up to 30 cm and taste delicious. Now very few of the big ones have been eaten, as if they are now protected fish. The Yeerqiang River also flows through the jade mineralization belt, and jade can also be picked up in the river, this time it is not to investigate the Yeerqiang River, take a photo and leave.
Yarkand River
Doghead fish
Next turn to the third Dasaka - Black Kadasaka, probably because the soil on the mountain is black. At an altitude of 4994 meters, the road winds up and down the mountain, continuous turns, but not elbow bends, driving cautiously, feeling less dangerous.
Black Cardasaka
After passing the Black Cardasaka, continue to the town of Setula. Setura, which means "martyr," felt tragic. In the past, it was called the 30-mile barracks, of course, referring to the barracks, which belonged to Pishan County. At an altitude of more than 3,600 meters, the town of Setula is a place of food, accommodation and supply for donkeys, drivers and suppliers on the Qinghai-Tibet Line. Setula has been a military stronghold for a long time, guarding the Akchinsai region of northern Tibet, also known as a sharp sword hanging over the head of Akchin. More than an hour away, you can reach the highest border post of the whole army, the Sanctuary Bay Post, which is 5380 meters above sea level. We spent two nights in Setula, setula more than 3600 meters above sea level, two colleagues, high reaction at night, so take the Xinzang Highway, high reaction medicine is a must to bring.
The town of Setura
Not far ahead of Setula on the hillside on the left-hand side, there is a 381 jade mine. The hillside piled up a lot of slag, the so-called slag is the outer rock dug out when opening the jade vein, which will also be mixed with some jade, so where will the locals go to pick up jade, jade old grandson took us to see it, did not pick it up, but in the hotel, I saw that the boss's son picked it up. In some shops in Setula, jade is sold, most of which also comes from nearby jade mines.
Setula continued on to the Consiva Martyrs' Cemetery, which was built to commemorate the martyrs who died and died in and around the Sino-Indian border conflict. When you arrive here, you naturally have to pay homage to the martyrs. The way of worship is also very unique, and there are many cigarettes and wine bottles placed in front of the monument, which may be a special offering of passers-by. Yushi Laosun, a regular visitor to the Xinzang Highway, even brought incense before coming, and almost brought wine. Do as you are told, first incense, then incense.
Worship of martyrs
Consiwa is the place name here, and the Consiva Uyghur word means "land of mines". As you can see from the meaning of the name, this generation is mineral. Located just north of the confluence of the Kunlun Mountains and the Karakoram Mountains, a vast Gobi, in the mineralization belt of lead and zinc ore, we also saw several mining company brands, but the purpose of our trip was not lead and zinc ore, but to investigate the upper reaches of the Karakash River. In fact, Setula goes all the way to Dahongliu Beach, the road is basically along the Karakashgar River, "Kara" is the Uyghur "blue and black" meaning, Karakara Kashgar River is also called Moyu River, is one of the famous jade rivers in Hotan.
We followed the Xinzang Highway all the way to the bend of the Karakash River, then entered the river and went upstream. In the river channel, we took samples and washed the placer gold a few times, and now look at the scenery of the upper reaches of the Karakash River.
Upper reaches of the Karakash River
Sample and wash
Heavy sand
Later, I drove to 509 Dasaka and then returned to Yecheng the next day. It lasted three days. Twice walking the Xinjiang section of the Xinzang Highway, I saw different scenery and felt different Xinzang Highway and the Karakash River.