Sand and water coexist, a wonder in the frontier - Fun tour of Mingsha Mountain

The Crescent Moon Spring in Mingsha Mountain is famous for its unique way of "coexistence of sand and spring, and symbiosis of sand and water". Over thousands of years, it has formed a wonderful landscape in the vast sea of ​​sand. It is known as "one of the most unique scenery outside the Great Wall" and is one of the typical symbols of Dunhuang. [One] In the Eastern Han Dynasty, Xin's Sanqin Ji recorded about Crescent Moon Spring: "There is Shajiao Mountain in the west of the river... and there is a spring on the south side of the mountain, which is said to be a sand well, which has lasted for thousands of years and has never been filled with sand." In addition, in the Tang Dynasty's Yuanhe County Records and the New Tang Book·Geographical Records, there are also records about the Mingsha Mountain being able to make sounds. These records provide important information for studying the local history and culture. [Two] Since the Han and Tang Dynasties, local people have had the custom of going to Mingsha Mountain to "slide on the sand and listen to the thunder" and "race dragon boats" at Crescent Moon Lake during the Dragon Boat Festival. After the Qing Dynasty, there were folk activities such as holding the "Medicine King" temple fair on the 28th day of the fourth lunar month and collecting mugwort, boiling water for bathing and the Crescent Moon Lake Peach Banquet on the 6th day of the sixth lunar month. These folk activities have been passed down to this day and have become an important part of the local folk culture. [Three] Story and Legend [Awesome] A bowl of water in front of Leiyin Temple According to legend, Crescent Lake was formed from a bowl of holy water in front of the ancient Leiyin Temple. A long, long time ago, there was a Leiyin Temple where Mingsha Mountain stands now. One day, the monks in the temple found a bowl of water in the open space in front of the door. The water was clear and transparent, emitting a strange light. The monks thought it was holy water and wanted to take it back to the temple to worship it. However, when they went to pick up the bowl of water, they found that the water in the bowl suddenly turned into a clear spring, which became bigger and bigger, and finally formed the Crescent Spring. And that Leiyin Temple also disappeared with the passage of time, leaving only the magical Crescent Lake. [Awesome] The Story of Prince Mingshan and Fairy Yuequan Prince Mingshan and Fairy Yuequan were childhood sweethearts in Dunhuang. When they grew up, Mingshan became a painter at Mogao Grottoes, and Yuequan performed singing and dancing at Dunhuang Art Studio. Yuequan is a man of both talent and ability, and is forcibly taken to the government office by local dignitaries. Mingshan risked his life to rescue Yuequan and fled to the south of the city, where the powerful and influential people pressed him hard. Fortunately, the two were enlightened and rescued by the eminent monks of the Leiyin Temple in Dunhuang. They overcame the hardships and finally got married. They depended on each other and stayed together forever. Eventually, they turned into the Crescent Spring on Mingsha Mountain. The sand and the spring together formed a scenic spot. [Facepalm] Tips to avoid pitfalls 1. The scenic spot is close to the city center and the taxi price is the starting price. 2. Before entering the scenic area, buy anti-sand shoe covers for 10 dollars a pair. They are relatively sturdy and not easy to wear out. 3. It takes 10-15 minutes to walk from the entrance of the scenic area to Crescent Lake. You don’t need to consider the scenic shuttle bus. If you want to experience the desert feeling, you can ride a camel for about 40 minutes at 130 yuan per person. 4. Just remember to bargain for Trip Moments, there are many outside the scenic area. 5. Buy water in advance, the water inside is expensive. 6. Climbing the sand hill is very physically demanding. It is much easier to take the ladder path provided by the scenic area, and you can go sand sliding when you come down. 7. You can enter the park at 5 pm so it won’t be too sunny, as the sun sets very late here.