Ili is located in Xinjiang. It was reclaimed by General Zuo Zongtang, who led his troops with coffins. For us, his descendants, we have a deep affection and respect for Ili. Below is a travel guide to Ili Fruit Valley.
Besides the beautiful Sayram Lake in Ili Fruit Valley, there are our hometown mountain pastures. In three days, we will travel dozens of kilometers and experience the life of the herders in the mountains, and we will share the experience with everyone.
The pasture is a paradise for living things.
Our pasture crosses the Fruit Valley from the mountains by Sayram Lake. Walking along the lakeshore, the snow-white sheep, green grass carpet, azure sky, white clouds, and the deep green lake water reflect a beautiful picture. In this picture, the sky and earth are so vast, and I am so small. It really makes my heart feel at ease.
The laziest ones are the sheep here. In the middle of the road where vehicles are traveling, one or two sheep ignore the existence of others, just lowering their heads and resting on the road, no matter how much the vehicles disturb them – “I stand still!” It is really my territory, I am in charge! This kind of determination is something to learn from, I am envious!
The herder’s horse arrived, carrying tents and necessary supplies, and started heading into the mountains. The pasture is not a flat grassland, but a journey over hills and gullies, with a blue sky, cattle and sheep scattered like stars in the mountains, and sometimes unknown butterflies and birds fly out to startle you. Walking through the green landscape and colorful wildflowers, what kind of joy fills your heart!
The pasture is the herder’s home.
After more than three hours, we arrived at Aigengmu (the name of the pasture varies depending on the area). After a simple lunch, we walked for nearly four hours and set up camp at the home of a herder in Kendiketasi (Belly Button Gully). Usually, herders live by springs, in mountain valleys. There is cool, sweet spring water, fragrant hand-pulled mutton, the warmth of spirits, the sweetness of mare’s milk, and hospitable Kazakh herders. A fire is lit in the tent. The enthusiastic host has a natural good voice, and sings a loud and moving Kazakh folk song to welcome the guests. The song echoes through the green mountains and waters, and I feel a little drunk. The warmth of the pasture touches my heart. At this moment, my fatigue is washed away and my soul is cleansed.
The next morning’s journey is challenging, with some climbing, from Krongshai – White Stone – Kookizhan – Kookchongke.
One of the companions got a cold last night, and was vomiting and having diarrhea. He could only ride a horse, but he was able to hold on. The climb was very hard. I insisted on following the leading herder, walking in front gives me confidence, and a challenge, and ensures that I will not hold everyone back. When we reached the first mountaintop, while enjoying the view, the leading herder told us, as if he knew them all, what each pasture is called and what interesting things there are. Looking at the herder’s proud face, I truly feel that pride of loving the mountains and pastures like home, and I can’t help but feel respect. There are truly breathtaking views here, but the living conditions are still tough. They have settled here, and as they say, where the cattle and sheep are, their hearts are.
This adds vitality and grandeur to the pasture.
Although it was summer, we saw a large area of thick ice mountains, it was truly strange, in the midst of green grass and yellow flowers, the snow and ice remained. A creative comrade specifically saved a watermelon to eat on the ice, I admire that! The afternoon’s campsite was a long way off. We walked past rivers and waterfalls, took a wrong turn and came back, accidentally dropped something in the river, and drank mare’s milk. Each little incident, unexpected gains. Every time we passed a herder’s felt tent, those warm faces, those kind smiles, even though we couldn’t speak the language, we could clearly feel their hospitality and happiness.
The pasture, a gift from nature
Nature’s creations are truly incredible. The herder took us to see a bath tub where fairies bathe, because a natural waterfall has a stone pit below, where water collects, and the shape is truly like a bath tub. Along the way, we saw purple flowers blooming all over the mountain, truly like wild lavender. Is this the legendary place where Ili and Ipalhan met? We stayed on the mountainside that night. The campsite was probably where the herder’s cattle usually slept. One cow was going to sleep by the tent, and we slept across the tent from the cow. Listening to the cow breathing made it hard to sleep. The sky suddenly changed, there was wind and rain. Fortunately, there were many things in the tent, which kept the wind from blowing me away. That experience was truly unforgettable.
On the third day, there were two roads from Kookchongke to Xiaoxigou. The herder said one road was long and easy to walk, the other was short, only ten kilometers, but the road was dangerous, and the elderly and women might not be able to make it. People are born to like challenges, everyone agreed to take the short road, so we began our journey on this dangerous path. I can’t help but admire the wonders of nature, the more dangerous it is, the more beautiful it is. Straight up a steep mountainside, we had to use both hands and feet to get up. As we climbed, we found rocks that looked like coelenterates. We picked a few wild strawberries, went up the mountain, came down the mountain. When we looked back, we couldn’t believe how we got out of there.
Going up the mountain, wading through water, tired but happy, crossing the Fruit Valley, experiencing the beauty of nature. Thinking about these herders, living in such an environment, it is really not easy. Especially in recent years, young herders are unwilling to go up the mountain, so who will be in charge of the pasture life in the future?
The mountains of the pasture, the water of the pasture, the simple herders, we will always remember them. Here, you will understand that nature is the master of all things, respecting all living things is the best practice.
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