A sweeping portrait of China's vast northwest
A newly released book guides readers through the dramatic landscapes and natural resources of Xinjiang, underpinning its splendor and modern development, Fang Aiqing and Mao Weihua report in Urumqi.
Although mountains cover only 42.7 percent of Xinjiang's land, they receive more than 80 percent of its annual snow and rainfall. This creates dynamic vertical landscapes, featuring nearly half of the nation's glaciers and a wealth of precious sapphire-blue lakes nestled among peaks and basins. These include the well-known Sayram Lake in the Bortala Mongolian autonomous prefecture, and Kanas Lake in the Altay prefecture.
In some areas of Xinjiang, cattle and sheep roam freely over lush grasslands with abundant water sources, whereas in more arid zones, forests of desert poplar and species, such as the Tarim red deer, Yarkand hare and wild camels, exemplify life's strength and resilience.
In remote, high-altitude regions, the snow lotus quietly blooms. Occasionally, Parnassian butterflies can be seen fluttering gracefully among the rocks. There are fewer than 60 species of butterflies worldwide in the Parnassius genus, and nearly half make their home on the mountaintops or along the snow lines of Xinjiang. This is a land teeming with life.
The region is also home to a wide variety of domestic produce. Fruits such as apples, pomegranates, jujubes, sea buckthorn, grapes, pears, figs and Hami melons — particularly known for their sweetness — thrive, along with nuts including almonds and walnuts.
