The name "Xinjiang " has always synonymous with the vast Gobi and boundless desert. Besides, there is also the Wuerhe basin, known as the "emerald" in the western desert with its colorful flowers, green trees, and beautiful scenery.

A chain of dark mountains in the west -- the Genghis Khan Mountain Range - emerges a short drive from Kelamayi, the petroleum city, along the western edge of the Zhungeer basin. It is right in the vast space at the foot of these mountains that Genghis Khan commanded his hundreds of thousands of troops before their expedition to the west.

Another two-hour drive will lead to a wide expanse of flat land where the desert once occupied. In the cool, delicious breeze, people can feel relaxed and at peace by the scene in front of their eyes: a small oasis with a zigzagging river, a shimmering lake, bushy woods, and an orchard full of fruits all shining like clear emeralds -- this is the legendary Wuerhe.

The Wuerhe basin stretches for 20 kilometers from east to west, but only 10 kilometers from north to south. In the past, swamps, weeds, and wild animals flourished here, so much so that poor Mongolians came here with traps to catch wild game for food. People soon began to call the place Wuerhe, which means "a place to set traps." When viewed from above, Wuerhe seems like a gorgeous picture mounted in a giant and peculiar "frame" -- the magnificent, rugged mountains around the basin; the charming Wind Devil Castle in Wuerhe.

Author: Lin Yunfan and Xie Liang

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