Exotic Natural Diversity Hidden in the Tianshan Mountains

LOCATED in the far northwestern region of China is the tantalizing Tianshan Mountain range. The region has its own unique natural landscape， numerous glacial streams， gorgeous natural scenery， and indigenous flora and fauna， making it a particularly exemplary representative of large mountainous ecosystems located in temperate arid regions.

The Tianshan Mountain range is one of the seven largest mountain ranges in the world. Located in the hinterland of the Eurasian continent， it spans a length of about 2，500 kilometers crossing parts of China， Kazakhstan， Kyrgyzstan， and Uzbekistan. It is the mountain range that is the furthest from the ocean in the entire world. The portion in China stretches about 1，760 kilometers in length， accounting for two-thirds of the whole mountain range.

The Tianshan Mountains span across Xinjiang， dividing the autonomous region into two parts， with the Tarim Basin in the south and Junggar Basin in the north. This unique feature has also become a geological symbol of Xinjiang.

In June 2013， the four mountain areas of the Tianshan Mountain range in China （otherwise known as the Xinjiang Tianshan Mountains）， namely the Tomar， Kalajun-Kuerdening， Bayanbulak， and Bogda， were included in the list of World Natural Heritages.

Diverse Cultures from the Ancient Silk Road

Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is located in the heart of the Eurasian continent. But because it is difficult for moisture from the ocean to reach this region， it is an area of extreme drought. Despite this fact， the Tianshan Mountains have nearly 10，000 glaciers， which serve as a massive solid reservoir with a large reserve of water resources. More than 370 rivers and lakes draw their life from this area and nourish the region. This combination is one of the unique contrasting elements in the natural scenery of Xinjiang Tianshan. There are snowcapped mountains and glaciers， tranquil forests， and grassy marshlands， and limpid rivers and lakes， all surrounded by sandy deserts. This natural phenomenon creates a spectacular visual contrast from scorching to frigid temperatures， arid to moist weather， desolate to lush lands.

The region surrounding Xinjiang Tianshan is the homeland of various fruits. It once served as an important link on the ancient Silk Road， connecting the Central Plains with the Western Regions. Produce like grapes， clover， flax， melons， peaches， and so on have all been carried from the Western Regions to inland China through this region. Because of the arid climate， longer sunlight hours due to higher latitude， and vast differences in temperatures during the day and night， the sugar content of fruits and melons grown here is quite high.

Breeding Grounds of Prairie Life

The Bayanbulak Grassland is located in the basin of the southern foothills of Tianshan. Being shut in on four sides by snow-covered peaks， this region has typical alpine grasslands， alpine meadows， alpine swamps， and mountain meadow pastures. The terrain is smooth with abundant water and vegetation. This is one of the major husbandry bases in Xinjiang.

In Mongolian， Bayanbulak means “an eternally flowing spring.” Throughout the vast expanse， the grassland is home to more than 1，000 springs， which merge together with the glacier and flow into the basin area， forming the winding Kaidu River. In ancient times， the Kaidu River nourished the grassland and prairie life， forming large and small lakes， swamps， and wetlands.

The expanse of this prairie has a vast undulating terrain. With exceptional natural ecology and due to the lack of human activity in the area， it is home to many kinds of rare plant species， making it the ideal breeding grounds for wild swans as well as other animals.

This grassland is home to the famous Swan Lake. But different from what people imagine， the Swan Lake is actually a large marshland of many interconnected small lakes. Water and grass here are very abundant， the climate is wet and cool， and the scenery is exquisite. This is the first designated swan nature reserve in China， with the largest habitat of wild swans in the country. It also attracts many species of other water birds such as ducks and geese， making it a large breeding ground and summer habitat of birds. Each year with the coming of spring， as ice and snow begin to melt and spring blossoms begin to bud， flocks of birds such as whooper swans， cygnets， and white swans merge on the lake. They come from countries of great distances such as India， Myanmar， Pakistan， and even from as far as the Black Sea and the Mediterranean region. They arrive in droves to mate and breed in the lush grassland. Then as winter begins to ap- proach， the birds gather up their extended family and fly to the south over the Himalayas.

Once every year， the Naadam Festal brings life to the Bayanbulak prairies. Towards the end of July every year， local people hold the traditional Naadam Festival in memory of the Turgut tribes return to the motherland in 1771. During the festival， in addition to horse racing， wrestling， yak racing， ethnic costumes， singing， and dancing performances， a contest for the“Three Treasures of Bayanbulak” will be held， in which visitors can catch a glimpse at the fine Bayanbulak horses， the healthiest Bayanbulak blackhead sheep， and the strongest Bayanbulak half tamed half wild yak. During the bonfire parties and gourmet shows， visitors can also get a deeper understanding of the folk customs of the grassland and try some authentic local delicacies.

Natural Gene Pool of Wild Animals

Located in northern foothills on the western side of Tianshan lie the two grasslands of Kalajun and Kuerdening.

Kalajun is a word in the Kazak language which means “a black wilderness overgrown with grass.” It has an elevation of 2，000-3，000 meters， and has an impressive landscape. The players of this grassland grand masterpiece all spread themselves out before the viewer： there is the vast display of flowers inter-spersed with white Mongolian yurts， the green grass that carpets the land below which is dotted by grazing herds of sheep； in the far distance one can see lush dark green forests that follow the outline of deep canyons and ridge lines of the mountain ranges； on the top are snowcapped peaks and glaciers， and then above the horizon line is the blue sky dotted with white clouds — all these make up the beautiful landscape of Kalaujun.

The grassland of Kalajun， with its unique and well preserved ecosystem， has become the typical example of mountainous coniferous forests and upland meadows and grasslands of the Tianshan Mountains.

Traveling east from the northern foothills of Tianshan， one reaches the Kuerdening Grassland. This route has become a popular hiking trail in Xinjiang. Kuerdening sits in a mountain valley that stretches from south to north. The weather throughout the year is rather comfortable， being warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It has the charming beauty of southern China as well as the broad and rugged scenery of the prairies， making it a paradise for scenery and traveling.

Kuerdening is surrounded by mountains that are set off by rivers. The landscape is a contrast of grasslands interwoven with forests， deep gorges， wide valleys， meadows， and shrubs. Strawberries and mushrooms can be found everywhere. The mountain forest located here is one of the most flourishing forests in the Tianshan Mountains， and is home to the largest spruce forest with the widest variety of spruces. In addition to diverse flora， it is home to a variety of wild animals. Having over 1，000 kinds of higher plants， 146 kinds of terrestrial vertebrates， and 196 insects， including around 30 key state protected animals， it has been designated the Western Tianshan Mountains National Nature Reserve. As a result of its vast array of flora and fauna， it has been recognized as the “natural gene pool” for wildlife species in the hinterland of the Eurasian continent.

Soaring Peaks and Deep Canyons

Tomar is the highest peak of the Tianshan Mountains， reaching an elevation of 7，443 meters. Its main peak and the surrounding area， totaling 1，000 square kilometers， have been listed as a nature reserve to protect alpine glaciers， the forest， biological communities， and ecological environment.

Having hundreds of glaciers， most significantly the Khan Tengli， Tomar is one of the three largest alpine glacier concentrated areas in the world. There are numerous unfathomable frozen lakes and icy crevasses hundreds of meters deep in the glaciers， as well as light-blue ice melting holes， icicles， ice towers， ice cones， ice mushrooms， rivers flowing under the ice， and other glacial wonders.

Located to the south of Tianshan， the Tomar Grand Canyon is composed of three main canyons， 12 larger tributary valleys， and hundreds of minor tributary valleys. The geological and geomorphic richness of this vast canyon is a rare sight in the world， having canyons， wind erosion landforms， fluvial landforms， tectonic landforms， and rock salt landforms. On both sides of the grand canyon lie 48 billion tons of massive salt deposits， enough to feed the world for 200 years.

In addition to spectacular glaciers and canyons， there are many notable hot springs in the Tomar area. The Alxa Hot Spring， on the east side of the north Muzhaerte River valley， is one of them. This area has become a famous sanitarium in Xinjiang. The hot spring contains traces of sulfide， soda， and other minerals， which have certain curative effects on many diseases. Every summer， herdsmen in the more than 100 kilometer radius of the area will make the long journey on horseback in droves just to enjoy bathing and recuperation here.