Kubuqi

Kubuqi

Kubuqi

Within the "Jiuzi Bend" of the Yellow River lies a vast expanse of sand stretching 800 li in length and varying between 100 li in width in some sections to 30–50 li in others — this is the renowned Kubuqi Desert. The Jiuzi Bend of the Yellow River arches like a bow from west to east, while the expansive sand dunes running horizontally resemble the bowstring. In Mongolian, the bowstring is called "Kubuqi," hence the name of this vast sandy area. This sandy stretch is wider in the west and narrower in the east; of the 800 li, 400 li lie within Hangjin Banner of Ordos City, while the remaining 400 li are in Dalad Banner and Jungar Banner. As a native of Kubuqi, I have seen and heard much about this desert and have spent considerable time reflecting on its development and utilization. To help more people understand Kubuqi and enable decision-makers and developers to avoid detours and achieve results sooner, I present this article:

At first glance, there are continuous sand dunes, occasional patches of wetlands, shrubbery and grassy flats, as well as some lakes and seasonal rivers — none of which differ greatly from other deserts. But upon closer inspection, there are many unique features. For example, there are two salt lakes, one soda lake, and three to four nitrate lakes in the desert. From west to east, these include Wulanteken, Chagan Nur, Chaganhujir, Har Mangnai, Dutuo, and Tuguge. Among them, the more famous ones are Har Mangnai, Dutuo, Chagan Nur, and Chaganhujir. Others, due to their smaller scale, are not yet utilized. It is said that beneath the sands deep in the desert, there are salt deposits even larger than the current Salt Lake.

Har Mangnai Salt Lake was historically not only well-known in the Ordos region but also famous south of the Great Wall. Throughout the long course of history, herders from any banner in Ordos would symbolically pay a small tax and transport salt from here to surrounding farming areas or market towns in exchange for grain or daily necessities. The old salt routes extending in all directions from Har Mangnai Salt Lake are ample evidence of this. Additionally, the renowned and world-famous Liangwai Licorice is found almost throughout Kubuqi, making it an inexhaustible and renewable resource in the region. There are also vast natural forests of white saxaul, sheep’s thorn, bitter vetch, reed grass, wild onion, and wild mustard — some with medicinal value, others with economic or ecological benefits, and some even edible. All are treasures. These rare plants are not found in other deserts, and even if they are, they do not have the same quality or abundance.

Even more peculiar is that there are four lakes named Dutuo in this desert, and countless sand dunes also named Dutuo, stretching approximately 2–3 km in width and 100 km in length from Xiangshawan in Dalad Banner to Sharizha. This spectacle is rare even on a global scale. In Mongolian, "Dutuo" means "sounding" or "resonant." Nowadays, Han Chinese refer to Dutuo Elusu as "Xiangsha" (Resounding Sand), so the Dutuo lakes should perhaps be called "Xiangshui" (Resounding Water). If the Dutuo lakes did not resonate in the past, our ancestors would never have named them "Dutuo." Their silence now does not mean they will remain silent forever.

On the southern side of the desert — the sunny side — there are even more unique natural landscapes, though access is limited and few know of them. Viewed from the south, the dunes themselves are spectacular. Additionally, natural landmarks such as Dige Liang, Tieman Hada, Tiemuna Hada, Shugui Hada, and Har Hada also hold high scenic value. Especially Dige Liang, which stands like an isolated island or a massive aircraft carrier in the vast sea of sand, towering impressively. From atop Dige Liang, you can see Zhuozi Mountain in Ejin Banner and Erlang Mountain in Bayannur. Other peculiar rock formations are not far from it. There used to be a temple and some houses there, but they no longer exist. If an observation deck or similar structure were built there, visibility could be even greater. To the east of Dige Liang lies a Chaideng Flatland of about a hundred acres. Adjacent to it is Har Hada, where a few wild apricot trees grow on the strange rocks, and a spring at the foot of the rocks provides water that flows year-round without drying up. Just Dige Liang alone could serve as a tourist attraction for a full day. About ten li southeast of Dige Liang lies the site of a Western Han Dynasty ancient city. Within the entire Kubuqi Desert, there are no fewer than twenty ancient temple ruins, some of which are still quite well-preserved. Temples such as Sharizha and Sharitemotu have been partially restored and have begun to take shape, becoming two important religious sites and tourist attractions in western Ordos. The temples, listed from west to east, include Ganju Temple, Zhanjia Temple, Bacheng Temple, Gengeng Zhao, Dige Dudugang, Xinna Gyar Temple, Sharitemotu Temple, Subergan Temple, Buredun Dudugang, Yashiletu Gang, Tuguge Suberga (this stupa, along with the White Stupa in Beijing's White Stupa Temple and the stupa in Chagan Suberga of Ejin Banner, is said to protect the region), Har Ganatu Temple, Wulan Eregen Temple, Ashiquanlin Zhao, Zhandan Zhao, Shulin Zhao, and Wang’ai Zhao. The establishment of temples depends on three factors: a location with good feng shui, available construction funds, and the presence of eminent monks. All three are essential. The ancient city ruins and numerous temples in Kubuqi allow us to imagine what kind of place Kubuqi once was.

In addition to the over twenty temples mentioned above in the Kubuqi Desert, there are countless large and small ovoos (sacred stone mounds), remnants of Shamanism, which predate the temples by a long time. Among these ovoos, only two are introduced here: one is the Altan Ovoo, and the other is the Marizhai Ovoo. The Altan Ovoo is located in what was formerly Bayan Usu Town of Hangjin Banner, not far from Har Mangnai Salt Lake. According to records, this ovoo was jointly worshipped by all tribes of Ordos, making it relatively large and well-known. In 2006, Hu Riga, then head of the United Front Work Department of Hangjin Banner, secured over 200,000 yuan from higher authorities to expand the Altan Ovoo, making it truly the largest ovoo in the Ordos region. The Marizhai Ovoo is a smaller ovoo located midway between the former Bayan Usu Town and Tuguge Sumu. It is quite distinctive, with many horse hoof prints and traces of teapots and spoons on the stone slabs around the ovoo. Legend has it that these marks were left by a portion of Genghis Khan’s troops during his western campaign when they stopped here for a meal, and the ovoo was built by them. Whether true or not is impossible to verify.

Curiosities of Kubuqi

A Mongolian writer once wrote in an article that the Kubuqi Desert not only has resonant sand (Xiangsha) but also thunderous sand (Bileisha). The resonant sand emits different sounds to different people — to kind-hearted individuals, it sounds as melodious as an Ordos long tune, while to those with ill intentions or who commit evil deeds, it sounds as harsh and grating as metal scraping. The thunderous sand is even more mystical: it remains silent to ordinary people but reveals its power only when bandits or thieves approach. Whether in sunshine or overcast skies, once a bandit or thief comes near, sudden thunder and blinding flashes of light occur, and unless the person quickly kneels and begs for mercy, vowing to mend their ways, escape is nearly impossible. The exact location of this particular sand dune was not clearly described by the author, only that it is not far from Xiangsha Bend.