Some say you can never truly grasp the vastness of China until you travel to the Northwest. Once you set foot in this land, you get to experience much of what China has to offer. You wander across grasslands, cross deserts, drive through gobi‑desert and gaze toward snow‑capped mountain peaks. In June, more than twenty colleagues from Chongqing, Chengdu and Ningbo set off from their respective cities and gathered in Qinghai. They traveled at a leisurely pace, with every landscape along the journey nourishing their inner spirit.
The first stop was Xining, capital of Qinghai Province and the largest city on the Qinghai‑Tibet Plateau. It boasts a rich multi‑cultural heritage and abundant delicacies readily available on city streets. Even amid the pandemic, daily life in Xining went on as usual. In the evening, one could see school‑aged children heading home, elderly residents out for strolls and pedestrians walking at ease. Our group blended into local life, gradually adjusting to mild discomforts caused by altitude difference.
The second destination was Qinghai Lake. Qinghai is China’s only province named after a lake, which speaks volumes about how highly Qinghai Lake is regarded by local people. Passing by Riyue Mountain after a four‑hour drive, our group arrived at Qinghai Lake. Upon getting off the vehicle, we were greeted by a stretch of pure blue merging with the boundless sky. A few birds soared overhead from time to time. White yaks stood peacefully by the lakeside, quietly waiting for visitors to take photos. The lakeside wind was crisp, while rape flowers swayed gently, creating a perfect color palette against Qinghai Lake.
After a short rest, we headed for Chaka Salt Lake, known as China’s “Mirror of the Sky”. We had seen countless stunning photos of it online, and it was one of the most‑anticipated spots on this trip. Walking along the shore with white salt grains underfoot, ladies in red dresses wandered in shallow lake water for beautiful snapshots. Every scene looked as if painted on canvas.
During the rest of the trip, we cycled leisurely beside Qinghai Lake, offered sincere prayers under prayer flags, and stood at Dadongshu Mountain Pass at an altitude of 4,210 meters to witness the famous “June snow over Qilian Mountains”. We marveled at the spectacular scene of naked carp spawning migration, where “half the river is clear water and half is fish”. We also climbed Zhuoer Mountain featuring danxia landforms, where crimson rock layers painted the Northwestern terrain like an exquisite natural oil painting.
Soon our five‑day journey drew near its end. We experienced the grandeur and breathtaking beauty of Northwest China. May all colleagues carry the pleasant memories from this trip and draw inspiration from the tenacity of upstream‑migrating naked carp to accomplish new and brilliant achievements.
