Dabanshan

　　Have you heard the saying, "To go to Menyuan, pass through Dabanshan"? In the past, Dabanshan was the only route to Menyuan. At that time, the mountain was high and the roads treacherous—drivers used to say, "Dabanshan, the gates of hell, where cars drive on ice, eagles circle beneath the wheels, thick fog blinds the view, and one wrong move could send you tumbling down, taking half a year to hit the bottom." To solve this problem, construction of the Dabanshan Tunnel officially began on August 18, 1995, with a total investment of 156 million yuan. After three years and three months of arduous work, the tunnel was triumphantly completed on November 28, 1998. Located along National Highway 227 (Xining to Zhangye), between kilometers 104 and 109 in the mountainous section of Dabanshan, the tunnel bypasses the heavily snow-covered summit area, shortening the journey by 5.2 kilometers. What was once a formidable natural barrier has now become an accessible road, ensuring all-season traffic on the Ningzhang Highway. Today, crossing Dabanshan is not only much easier but also an enjoyable and scenic experience.

　　To see far, you must climb high, and the most spectacular view of the sprawling clouds over the Qilian Mountains is from the top of Dabanshan. Standing atop the mountain, gazing into the distance, your heart will feel open and unbounded. Below, the Menyuan valley spreads out like a golden velvet carpet, shimmering brilliantly across tens of square kilometers—a breathtaking sea of rapeseed flowers. Anyone who sees it will be filled with enthusiasm, eager to transform into an eagle and soar straight down toward that ocean of blooms.