The Joy of Xique Liang

July 6, 2013. Everyone arrived at the meeting point early in high spirits. The travel group of more than ten people set off as planned on the journey to Xique Liang. [attach]1850298[/attach] [attach]1850431[/attach] [attach]1850302[/attach]

Along the way, the group visited the renowned Shenghai Temple on Haituo Mountain and also encountered remnants of the Tang Dynasty Great Wall that run alongside the road. The undulating mountains, rugged gullies, ancient fortress ruins, serene reservoirs, and romantic mountain wildflowers along the route sparked great interest. Everyone stopped to admire the views, take photos, and capture the beautiful scenery and unexpected encounters. [attach]1850315[/attach] Yellow Flower [attach]1850310[/attach] Wild Lily (Lilium lancifolium) [attach]1850314[/attach] [attach]1850388[/attach] [attach]1850381[/attach] [attach]1850383[/attach] [attach]1850581[/attach] Shenghai Temple [attach]1850584[/attach] Ancient Fortress Along the Road [attach]1850585[/attach] Northern Frontier Watchtower [attach]1850586[/attach] [attach]1850587[/attach] Reservoir Viewed Along the Way The breathtaking scenery flashing past the windows ignited extreme excitement among the group. Their joy was not only evident on their faces but also burst forth from their voices. The cheerful songs and laughter over the walkie-talkies swept away all travel fatigue. In the afternoon, the convoy arrived at the predetermined destination, Xique Liang. Endless mountain meadows stretched out as far as the eye could see, covered with lush flowers and grass. A variety of wildflowers swayed in the wind, competing in beauty and brilliance. The forest belts dotting the slopes were like jade and emerald inlays on a green carpet. Were you not there in person, you would hardly believe that summer at Xique Liang resembles enchanting European countryside, as if stepping into a wonderful fairy tale world. [attach]1850439[/attach] [attach]1850414[/attach] [attach]1850417[/attach] [attach]1850435[/attach] [attach]1850434[/attach] [attach]1850378[/attach] [attach]1850591[/attach] The afternoon sun was shining brightly. Everyone drove their cars into the woods, sat on the ground, and began a delightful feast. Instantly, a culinary gathering emerged, with everyone’s signature dishes spread out on the ground. There were also chilled beers and beverages. Everyone ate and drank heartily, gathering together in joy.

Subsequently, activities on the grassland made everyone even happier, dancing with joy. The beautiful scenery and bright smiles prompted non-stop clicking of cameras... [attach]1850915[/attach] [attach]1850324[/attach] [attach]1850327[/attach] [attach]1850907[/attach] [attach]1850917[/attach] [attach]1850905[/attach] Picking Golden Lotus Flowers [attach]1850923[/attach] [attach]1850389[/attach]

The vehicles continued climbing along the rugged mountain road. By evening, they reached the foot of the Yan-Zhao Great Wall at an altitude of nearly 2,000 meters. The “border wall” winding through the northern frontier land stands as a witness to a history of vicissitudes. The howling wind seemed to tell stories of ancient times to later generations. [attach]1850395[/attach] Yan-Zhao Great Wall [attach]1850448[/attach] [attach]1850309[/attach] Love China, Restore Our Great Wall [attach]1850311[/attach] [attach]1850312[/attach]

The camping activity began. It was truly a godsend. The group chose an excellent campsite—sheltered from the wind and rain, safe, and convenient. Just as preparations were completed, dark clouds gathered overhead, strong winds blew fiercely, and a sudden downpour arrived. In an instant, the sky turned dark, thunder roared, lightning flashed, and the fierce wind seemed to sweep everything off the ground. Everyone truly experienced the powerful winds of the northern frontier and seemed to understand why the endless wind turbines atop the mountains forming a wind farm are so necessary and resilient. [attach]1850391[/attach] Thunderstorm [attach]1850364[/attach] [attach]1850373

After the thunderstorm passed, everyone set up their tents and began dinner. As dusk fell again after the rain, the temperature dropped sharply. Those who had come prepared wrapped themselves in down jackets and military coats. The flames from the gas stove and the cooked instant noodles brought warmth. When a bottle of century-aged liquor was opened, the aroma of alcohol instantly filled the air. Several skilled individuals got busy, and a variety of delicious dishes soon appeared, including a large cold salad made on the spot with cucumbers, lettuce, and tomatoes—refreshing and crisp. After another hearty meal, a few energetic people even played cards for a while. That day, despite the fatigue of the journey, everyone drifted off to sleep. Had anyone been on night watch, they would surely have seen smiles on every face—sweet echoes of dreams and expressions of joy in their hearts...

Before the sun had even shown its face, the diligent members of our group stepped out of their tents. As the eastern sky gradually turned red, a red sun peeked out over the mountain peaks, its glow flickering in and out of the thin mist like a bride waiting to be wed, reluctant to lift the veil from her head or the mask from her face.

With the clouds and fog gone, a sumptuous breakfast was served at the table. Several aunts and sisters-in-law not only had excellent cooking skills but also paid meticulous attention to detail. The bread they baked themselves, blended with milk powder, eggs, honey, and raisins, came in both sugared and unsugared versions. Both the nutrition and taste were truly remarkable. Paired with steaming soy milk and coffee, along with the various foods they had brought, the spread was so dazzling that it was hard to decide what to eat.

The activity for the second day was to visit another planned mountaintop meadow, where wildflowers still bloomed everywhere and the air remained fresh. Everyone agreed to go flower-viewing, sightseeing, digging for wild vegetables, picking mushrooms, and climbing the Yan-Zhao Great Wall. A dirt road leading to the mountaintop had been completely washed out by last night’s heavy rain. A few people hiked ahead to scout the path and found that only the entrance was particularly difficult, while the road further up the mountain was slightly better. After discussing, the group decided to hike through the rough part of the road on foot before driving up. This would avoid carrying heavy loads, reduce physical exertion, and allow them to have lunch at the mountaintop. Five vehicles struggled up the rugged mountain road, pushing hard and finally reaching the planned destination smoothly. Looking around, the view suddenly opened up—patches of pine forests and the winding Great Wall adorned the lush green meadow, making it an even more beautiful and enchanting fairyland.

After taking a group photo, everyone dispersed to seek their own satisfaction. Some rushed ahead to climb the Great Wall, some searched for wild vegetables and mushrooms, some put on bright clothes to take photos, some sang loudly to the mountains, and some even picked up stones to show reverence and offer protection to the ancient Great Wall weathered by wind and rain. Everyone’s enthusiasm for the trip surged to new heights...

When it was time to eat, everyone returned to the parking spot with their respective finds—bags of mushrooms, handfuls of wild vegetables, bunches of flowers, and smiling faces, all of which were delightful and intoxicating. Lunch on the grass began, and the abundance of food that couldn’t be finished added even more joy to the already pleasant trip. No wonder someone sighed on the way back: “It feels like these past two days have just been about eating—we barely did anything before it was time for the next meal.” It reflected how much fun we had and how carefree we were, with no constraints, making time fly by.

    Xique Liang has good vegetation coverage and is rich in scenic and edible treasures such as wildflowers, wild grass, wild vegetables, and mushrooms. The average summer temperature here is only20degrees, making it like a natural air conditioner—an ideal place for summer retreat and leisure. However, with the increasing number of people coming here for vacation, environmental damage has also emerged. Litter is visible everywhere, and patches of bare land are the result of uncivilized tourists. Fortunately, our group has a strong environmental awareness. We collected the garbage from camping and dining and even picked up some of the litter left around to take down the mountain for proper disposal. Just imagine, if we don’t protect Xique Liang’s natural scenery today, will its beauty last tomorrow?

With a feeling of reluctance, we bid farewell to this land. On the way back, we stopped by the foot of Da Hai Tuo Mountain, took a short rest at the Songshan parking lot, and enjoyed another delicious meal.

Although the unforgettable trip to Xique Liang has come to an end, the journey of our team travels is just beginning. We believe that our next trip will be even more wonderful, and good spirits will accompany us all the way as we hit the road.

So happy ! Looking forward to the next team trip !