Xinjiang Turphan Flaming Mountain, China

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Turphan Flaming Mountain, Xinjiang

The Flaming Mountain is located in north Turphan Basin of Xinjiang Province. It is a small mountain running across the basin. The mountain is combination of red sand and rocks that makes the mountain looks like a red dragon sleeping on the area basin.

In the best-known Chinese novel "Journey to the West", the Flaming Mountain in the novel is the mountain fill with different evil characters who fight with the high monk Tang and his three disciples.

There are many old legendary stories make this mountain unique, attractive and with lots of room for wild imagination.

Looking over the mountain from a distance, under the sunlight, the heat wave and the floating clouds will make you have the illusion that the mountain is on fire. Every summer when the sun shines, the mountain could reach 70°C in temperature.

Walking in the hottest place on earth, people will need to have a pair of thick bottom fire resistant boots. People from Xin Jiang Province said, "You can fry eggs in the sand and bake the bread in the wilderness". The Flaming Mountain is one of the hottest places in the world in the summer.

In winter, when the snow falls, the mountain will remain its appearance without any snow or ice on it. If you are climbing the mountain, you will get the feeling that the heat wave rising from the earth and going through your body. What a marvelous mountain! No wonder, that Wu Chengeng, a writer in Ming Dynasty (1386 ~ 1644A.D.), introduced it into his great novel "Journey to the West".

Actually, the Flaming Mountain is not a death hill, with nothing but sand and rocks; it is a charming scenic spot, especially the views in its valley. Because of the short daylight time, the deep valley block the hot sunlight, the valley is a cool green place. Many clear spring water flow out of the ground, and went on irrigates the whole valley.

People live in the area depend on those springs, they also use it to farm lands and grow crops like grapes, peach, melon etc. This green valley are rich with waters, villages and sweet tasting fruits, the valley is likes a green precious stone lying in the gate of the red flaming hills, the views are magnificent. So, if you are traveling in the Flaming Mountain, do not miss this green valley.