Things to do in Changji Prefecture

Tianchi Lake in the Tianshan Mountains truly lives up to its legendary reputation as a fairyland on earth! However, getting to the scenic area is highly dependent on the weather. The shuttle bus takes you up the mountain, and upon arriving at the lakeside, you're instantly awestruck. The crystal-clear lake rests serenely amidst the mountains, with the majestic Bogda Peak standing tall in the distance, surrounded by a vast forest of spruce trees. The snow-capped mountains, the lake, and the blue sky frame each other—a breathtaking panorama that needs no filter. Strolling along the lakeside boardwalk, the air is fresh and invigorating. You can also take a boat trip on the lake for a closer look at the scenery. The scenic area is clearly marked and well-equipped, combining natural beauty with the mythical significance of the Queen Mother of the West. The mountain breeze soothes all travel fatigue, making it a must-visit destination when in Xinjiang.

I visited this place last July, and it was lush and green. This October, the wheat harvest was complete, and some late-season wheat remained; the scenery was beautiful in its own way. Ascending the winding mountain road, towering spruce trees pierced the sky, their deep green layers creating a magnificent landscape unique to Xinjiang. The mountains, snow-capped peaks, wheat fields, and grasslands displayed varying shades of green and yellow, interspersed with touches of red—a breathtaking sight. Reaching a high vantage point, gazing at the winding mountain road, the towering spruce trees, the majestic snow-capped mountains, the vast wheat fields and grasslands, dotted with clusters of white Mongolian yurts and scattered flocks of sheep, a sense of grandeur welled up within me. The beauty nourished my soul. Even the harvested Jiangbulak was breathtaking.

天山之行，最真实的感受是渺小。车行至山脚，天山便以沉默的姿态压来。山体并非图画中的青翠，而是铁灰色的岩脊嶙峋突起，积雪在其间如冷冽的刀光。人站在下面，仰首不见其顶，只觉自己是一粒被偶然吹至此处的尘埃。攀登时，呼吸逐渐被稀薄的空气稀释成白雾，脚步沉重如缚石。四顾皆是无言的山石与远处盘旋的鹰，它不关心我的到来或离去。在这里，人类社会的喧嚣、自负与功名，被山风刮得一丝不剩。我只是在移动，遵循着最古老的生存本能：向上，向前。及至山腰，忽见一线融雪汇成细流，沿石缝潺潺而下。这水必将汇入绿洲，滋养葡萄与麦田，养育歌舞与爱情。此刻我方顿悟：天山的宏大并非为了斥责我的微小，而是以其亘古的庄严，将渺小纳入一种更辽阔的秩序之中。我之渺小，如同那雪水，虽只一滴，却也是宏大叙事的一部分。下山回首，天山依旧沉默。它不记得我，我却带走了它赐予的真实——承认渺小，而后方能看见天地壮阔。

It was amazing seeing musical performances blended with Xingjiang culture with visional and sound affects and beautiful costumes.

The Gurbantünggüt Desert, located in the central Junggar Basin of Xinjiang (east of the Manas River and south of the Ulungur River), is China's second largest desert and its largest fixed and semi-fixed desert, covering an area of ​​approximately 48,800 square kilometers. The desert features a dendritic sand dune landscape, with dunes accounting for over 50% of its area, creating a unique morphology. Unlike common shifting sand deserts, the Gurbantünggüt Desert's dunes are relatively fixed, with high vegetation cover. After the spring snowmelt, numerous short-lived plants sprout on the desert surface, presenting a vibrant scene of interwoven green and yellow foliage. The desert also contains rich underground oil resources and features typical Yardang landforms such as the Urho Ghost City, making it an important natural and cultural landscape in northern Xinjiang.

The most beautiful time of Baili Danxia is from the end of June to the beginning of July. The grass is green and the scenery is the best at this time. The S101 highway is free throughout. From Urumqi Yaxin, the end of the road is the junction of Duku Highway. It takes 10 hours to walk and take photos.

[The Dinghai Magic Needle] is a well-known beautiful legend in the Tianchi Scenic Area of ​​Tianshan Mountain in Xinjiang. It is said that one year, the Queen Mother of the West held a Peach Festival in the Yaochi Lake where she lived. All the gods came as promised, but they forgot to invite the Yaochi Water Monster. During the banquet, the water monster made a storm, and dark clouds rolled, strong winds blew, huge waves surged, and the sky was cold. The Queen Mother of the West was furious, so she pulled out a jade hairpin from her hair and threw it into the water to lock the water monster. Suddenly, the weather was fine, the waves were calm, the fairyland was auspicious, and the feast was still going on. The green hairpin thrown by the Queen Mother of the West took root and turned into an ancient elm. For thousands of years, this ancient elm has stood proudly on the north bank of Tianchi Lake at an altitude of 1,915 meters. It is a unique tree with luxuriant branches and leaves, measuring the depth of water, protecting living beings, and is praised by people as the "Dinghai Magic Needle".

The staff was very welcoming and patiently answered our questions. Their service was top-notch! The resort is well-managed, clean, and has excellent safety measures, making it a very safe and secure place to visit.

The scenery in Qianlongyuan is quite good. The entire Tianshan Tianchi scenic area is quite large. It is not just a Tianchi, other places are also very interesting. It is very fun to come here.

Maya Mountain is located in the Tianshan Tianchi Scenic Area in Fukang City, Changji Prefecture. Maya Mountain has steep cliffs and numerous stone peaks. From a distance, it looks like a row of horse teeth, with rocks competing for beauty and overlapping rocks competing for beauty, which is dazzling. The landscape of Maya Mountain is caused by rock weathering. Bogda Peak can be seen from the top of Maya Mountain.