Wear Xinjiang

Author: Ren Chunxiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-03-01
Features: 1 represents a double tripod plus a Shang. Qitai Wucai City is located 43 kilometers away from Jimusar. The northern part of General Gobi's silicified wood fossil area is China's largest silicified wood site. In addition, prehistoric geological wonders such as Wucai Bay and the Devil City are concentrated in this area. The entire Changji region, including Qitai, belongs to the southeastern part of the Junggar Basin. This vast desert area was once an ancient lake basin in geological history, depositing various colorful lacustrine strata, collectively known as Wucai Bay. Located in Qitai, Wucai City is the core scenic area of Wucai Bay. Upon arriving in Qitai, it was nearing dusk. I found a hotel and rested well for the next day's exploration of Wucai Bay and the Devil City. About ten kilometers east of the county seat, I entered Wucai City. Beautiful and fantastical colors could be seen everywhere. The layered, colorful mountains left one spellbound, while the crystal-clear agate stones scattered beneath the colorful hills were called "agate beaches." Fossils of many prehistoric creatures could be observed at random. Under the erosion of wind and rain, the soft shale layers were carved into variously shaped mounds, drawing the eye and inviting imagination.
### Devil City
Leaving the vibrant Wucai City, in the vast Gobi to the southeast, there is a yardang landform known as the "Devil City." It covers an area of over 100 square kilometers, seven times larger than the Devil City in the western Junggar region of Urghut. In geomorphology, "Devil City" is a colloquial term for wind-eroded castles or wind cities, which are grand and spectacular wind-eroded landscapes formed over long periods by wind erosion. For millions of years, due to the erosion of wind and rain, deep and shallow were formed on the ground, and the exposed rock layers were sculpted by the wind into bizarre shapes. This place is right at the wind's mouth, with strong winds all year round. Whenever a strong wind arrives, yellow sand covers the sky, and the wind swirls violently within the city, howling mournfully like ghosts and wolves, making one shiver with fear. Hence, it is named the "Devil City."
According to research, about 100 million years ago during the Cretaceous period, this area was a vast freshwater lake. Along the lake shore, lush vegetation grew, and in the waters, creatures such as the Urghut dragon, snake-necked dragon, dinosaurs, Junggar pterosaurs, and other ancient animals thrived, making it a paradise for aquatic life. Later, after two major tectonic shifts, the lake transformed into a landmass interspersed with sandstone and mudstone, known in geology as the "Gobi Terrace."
After returning to Qitai County, I bought a bus ticket directly to Urumqi. I had to catch a train to Kuerle on time to begin my journey to Southern Xinjiang. There are many buses from Jimusar to Qitai, and you can also take the transport vehicles from nearby farms, with ticket prices generally ranging from 3 to 5 yuan. Accommodation in Qitai is generally decent and not expensive. The Qitai Hotel is located on East Street in the county seat, a foreign-invested tourist hotel with complete facilities. Standard rooms cost 120–160 yuan, and bed prices range from 30–50 yuan. The Qitai County Party Committee Guesthouse is next to the Qitai County Party Committee, very quiet, with public baths, and standard rooms cost 60–80 yuan, with bed prices ranging from 5–15 yuan.
Geologists explain that both the Devil City and Wucai Bay belong to yardang landforms. Yardang is a geographical term, translated as "Yaerding" in Chinese, meaning "steep earth mounds" in Uyghur. It specifically refers to a special landform in arid regions. Initially, a platform-shaped highland made of bedrock existed in the desert, with joints or fissures developed within it. Heavy rains widened and expanded these joints or fissures. Once an opportunity arose, wind erosion began to take effect. Due to continuous wind erosion, wind-eroded gullies and depressions gradually separated into isolated, platform-like small hills. These unique landscapes are both the work of nature and the result of millions of years of relentless struggle between this special stratum and the fierce winds of the Junggar Desert.