Crescent Spring

The very mini Crescent Spring and the wooden loft next to it are surrounded by sand dunes.

Today the spring water has a green gradient color. I saw some pictures where it was blue.

The wooden attics are connected by corridors, forming a small courtyard.

The exquisite Crescent Lake and the small courtyard add a touch of softness to the rugged desert. It's great! Perfectly blended into the vast yellow sand, perfect...

After 5pm every day, the number of tourists visiting Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake will gradually increase, and there will be a long queue of cars entering the scenic area. After the traffic jam at Chaka Salt Lake, I was still worried about the long queue, so I parked the car at the parking lot of the nearby Leiyin Temple and walked there. Climbing the sand mountain still requires a certain amount of physical strength and endurance. The tiny sand particles make climbers "take one step forward and half a step back". The actual distance to the top of the mountain is much longer than what you see with your naked eyes, and the scorching sun also consumes the energy of every tourist, so you must wait until the sun is about to set before climbing the sand mountain. Sitting on the sand mountain and quietly waiting for dark, the sunset gradually dyed the entire sky red, overlooking the clear spring, feeling the shock and charm brought to us by nature.

Night fell, but the number of tourists did not decrease. Everyone lit up their flashlights, and countless lights dotted the Mingsha Mountain at night. I don’t know who started it, but the tourists in the entire scenic area started to make noises, "Ah——" "Ah————", everyone was shouting from the bottom of their hearts. In an instant, I was moved by the noise. Although we were all far away from each other and had never met before, cherishing this brief encounter was the most important thing. This was the most beautiful sound I heard along the way.

The desert in the distance at dusk is better than countless scenery in the world! After going up, I rested for half a day before I recovered from my blushing and panting. I could take pictures. Lele said that when he was sitting on the top waiting for us, there was a wilderness desert behind him and a dome of spring water in front of him. I really felt the feeling described in Mr. Yu Qiuyu's article "Hidden Springs in the Desert". As the saying goes, reading thousands of books and traveling thousands of miles complement each other!

Crescent Lake under the setting sun, I am short of words, I cannot describe its beauty. It brings me a shock to my soul, I hope this paradise on earth will never disappear.

Let me borrow a passage from Mr. Yu Qiuyu!

The vast desert and the surging water are nothing special in the world. Only a bay like this in the desert, a quietness like this in the wind and sand, a scene like this in the desolation, and a drop like this after a high slope can fully understand the rhythm of heaven and earth, the ingenuity of nature, and make people intoxicated and excited. By analogy, life, the world, and history are all like this. It brings tranquility to the hustle and bustle, clarity to the impatience, simplicity to the loftiness, and brightness to the roughness. Only in this way can life be lively, the world be exquisite, and history be charming.

It is always better to go down the mountain than to go up. After going down the mountain, I took a walk around Crescent Lake. Some small gifts and souvenirs from Dunhuang Cultural and Creative Industry are quite cute.

Bid farewell to Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake in the twilight.

I went there three years ago on a business trip to the Mongolia-Ningxia-Gansu loop. Since I completed the task ahead of schedule, the rest of the trip became a public-funded tour. It was this trip that made me fall in love with traveling, and I have been unstoppable ever since. I hope that one day I can change the beautiful land of my motherland!

In general, Dunhuang is highly recommended. I traveled all over Mongolia (only visited a dozen cities) and it was the place with the deepest impression and the best experience. But it is said that Dunhuang is slowly becoming crowded now. Alas...

There are two ways to see Crescent Lake: one is to look at it from a close distance, and the other is to climb up Mingsha Mountain and overlook the panoramic view.

This unique landform where sand and springs coexist, and springs and sand coexist, is known as a wonder of the world. It is the best among the many scenic spots in Dunhuang and has been famous for its desert wonders throughout the ages!

From a close distance, Crescent Lake is just a pool of water. The magic is that it has not dried up for thousands of years and is not buried by sand.

You can save some energy by climbing up the cork ladder provided in the scenic area. You have to climb the remaining 10 meters by yourself, which will allow you to experience the feeling of taking one step forward and three steps back.

Night fell at around 7 o'clock. At this time, all the viewing lights of the Crescent Lake Scenic Area were on. I found an open space to sit down and enjoy its most beautiful moment. I heard Tian Zhen singing Crescent Lake, which was very appropriate.

I recommend this place to my friends to visit once in their lifetime

The spring is surrounded by Mingsha Mountain, but it is not covered by quicksand. It is always clear and transparent. It never overflows even in rainy days or dries up even in droughts. The magic of the spring is that quicksand can never fill up the spring (in fact, the water is not very clear).

A corner tower with the first spring is built along the Crescent Moon Lake. There is a long covered bridge. Under the scorching sun and in the desert, it suddenly feels like the Dragon Gate Inn! This corner tower now sells some small souvenirs, and you can also write wish cards and hang them next to the winding stairs. It is also a nice little scene.

I have only seen this "unique scenery outside the Great Wall" on the Internet, and I was still amazed when I saw it with my own eyes.

This Crescent Spring, which is only 100 meters long, is surrounded by quicksand, but it can withstand strong winds for thousands of years without being covered by it. It is said that medicinal plants and fish grow in the spring, so it is commonly known as the "Medicinal Spring".

In 2000, the city of Dunhuang launched a major rescue effort for Crescent Lake, which is why we can still see this beautiful sight today.

Anyway, the wonders of "the spring reflects the moon without any dust" and "the spring has never been filled with sand and has never dried up" are still worth watching.

Next to Crescent Moon Lake is a Tang-style attic courtyard that was rebuilt during the Republic of China period. The tallest octagonal building is the Crescent Moon Pavilion, with the inscription "First Spring" on the plaque. Well! If this Crescent Moon Lake is to be ranked second, there is no other place that can be ranked first!

Crescent Lake is not big, but it will take some time to see the details of these buildings. There are Buddha statues in the courtyard that you can worship, but don't take pictures!

Looking back, the Crescent Moon Lake in the sunlight, with pavilions and towers built around the lake. "The mountains are so spiritual that they make sounds, and the water is so beautiful that it makes spirits more beautiful", just like the song in the song "Crescent Moon Lake" that came to my ears, "Just beyond the sky, far away, there is the beautiful Crescent Moon Lake, which is the mirror of the sky and the eye of the desert."

After field investigation, geologists believe that Crescent Lake is actually a section of the ancient Dang River. Tens of thousands of years ago, the ancient Dang River changed its course and flowed westward from the southern foot of Mingsha Mountain. Crescent Lake, as a section of the remnant river, was fortunately preserved. Because the underground undercurrent is still there and the spring is still there, the spring water is still gushing out. Crescent Lake is a wonder of the desert, a stroke of genius by nature.

Because of the terrain, when the wind blows, the sand does not flow down the mountain, but flows from the bottom of the mountain to the top, so Crescent Lake will never be buried by sand, and is known as a wonder of the desert. "Clear springs do not enter quicksand, quicksand avoids clear springs", nature always likes to create miracles in this unexpected way.

The ticket price for the Mingsha Mountain Crescent Lake scenic area is 110 yuan per person. Admission stops at 18:30. There is no time limit for exiting after entering, and you can stay as long as you want. There is a facial recognition system next to the exit of Crescent Lake. As long as you register on the facial recognition system before leaving the park for the first time, you can enter and exit the scenic area multiple times within 3 days from the day you buy the ticket.

At dusk, the wind at Mingsha Mountain is not as strong as that at Badaoqiao in Ejin Banner. The sand will not blind your eyes. If you are afraid of sand getting into your shoes, you can walk on the plank road, but the plank road is more circuitous. After dark, the lights will light up by the Crescent Moon Lake, and the blue light is also a special sight.

There is a hollow wooden ladder leading to the top of the mountain in the crowded area. You can play sand sliding halfway up the mountain. We resolutely went to the left, which is steeper but less populated at the foot of the mountain. The darkening sky could not stop the enthusiasm of tourists to climb the mountain. Avoiding the crowds has increased the difficulty of photography, and the absence of sunlight makes it even more difficult. The sand mountain is not easy to climb. In order to catch the last ray of sunlight, we sank deeper and deeper.

The sand hills here are much more beautiful than those in Shapotou, Zhongwei. The scenery is beautiful, but the Crescent Moon Lake has been fenced off and visitors are not allowed to view it from close up. However, the sand sliding is still the same as when I came here many years ago. People sit on bamboo boards under a simple wooden frame and can slide down the sand hill quickly. The most friendly thing is that there is no age limit for sand sliding. As long as you are brave enough and do not have high blood pressure, heart disease or other diseases, everyone can try it. The price is only 30 yuan, and you can enjoy the high-speed and exciting sand sliding experience from a sand hill more than 50 meters high.

Crescent Lake is known as the "First Spring in the Desert" and has been one of the "Eight Scenic Spots of Dunhuang" since the Han Dynasty.

Crescent Moon Lake is home to Potamogeton and Chara plants, with dense reeds on the south bank. It is surrounded by quicksand, and even in strong winds, the spring is not covered by sand. It is a wonder because "the spring reflects the moon without dust" and "the spring has never been filled with sand and has never dried up". Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Lake are twin sisters in the desert Gobi. "The mountain sings because of its spirit, and the water is beautiful because of its spirit". There is a feeling that "Mingsha Mountain soothes the mind, and Crescent Moon Lake cleanses the heart".

There are buses in the city, and the ticket is 2 yuan. Walk 700 meters from the town to the gate ticket office of Crescent Lake Mingsha Mountain Scenic Area, and buy an electronic ticket, which is 10 yuan cheaper than on-site.

Camel riding is something I didn't try, but taking photos with camels is still okay. Crescent Lake is clearer than I thought. I wonder why Crescent Lake remains pure all year round. It is said that the cyclone here will blow the deposited sand back onto the sand slope at night, so the green spring water is very beautiful in the yellow sand slope. There are fences nearby and it is impossible to get close. I guess it is because man-made destruction is more terrible than the power of nature.

Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Lake are a pair of twin sisters in the desert Gobi. "The mountain sings because of its spirit, and the water is beautiful because of its spirit." There is a feeling of "Mingsha Mountain soothes the mind, and Crescent Moon Lake cleanses the heart."

Crescent Lake is nearly 100 meters long from north to south and about 25 meters wide from east to west. It is curved like a crescent moon, hence its name. Since the Han Dynasty, it has been one of the "Eight Scenic Spots of Dunhuang". It is surrounded by quicksand on all sides. Even in strong winds, the spring is not covered by sand. It has become a wonder because "the spring reflects the moon without dust" and "the sand has never filled the spring and the spring has never dried up". Crescent Lake is the best among the many natural landscapes in Dunhuang. It has been known as the "desert wonder" since ancient times and is praised as "one of the most unique scenery outside the Great Wall". Crescent Lake, Mogao Grottoes Nine-story Building and Mogao Grottoes Art Landscape are integrated into one, which is the "three wonders" connected in the south of Dunhuang City, and has become a tourist destination longed for by people in China and even the world.

"Far, far away on the other side of the sky, there is the beautiful Crescent Lake. It is the mirror of the sky, the eye of the desert, and the paradise for the stars to bathe in... This song "Crescent Lake" echoed in my ears for a long time.

Here, there is a desert wonder where "sand cannot cover springs and springs never dry up". Through the window lattices of Mingyue Pavilion, a group of Tang Dynasty-style temples, you can get a glimpse of the splendor hidden in the wind and sand and the years.

The Mingyue Pavilion complex is located at the foot of Mingsha Mountain and the south bank of Crescent Moon Lake. Yuequan Pavilion is the tallest building. Standing on the attic, you can see the clear and green Crescent Moon Lake that looks like a bright moon, and the golden and graceful Mingsha Mountain in the distance.

The best angle to photograph Crescent Lake is to climb to the top of Mingsha Mountain. Almost every tourist who climbs to the top of the mountain will be out of breath, but when they see the scenery in front of them and listen to the song "Crescent Lake" sung by Tian Zhen, "Just beyond the sky, far away, there is the beautiful Crescent Lake..." All the hard work is worth it.

Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake are like a pair of twin sisters in the desert Gobi. "The mountain sings because of its spirit, and the water is beautiful because of its spirit."

There is indeed a feeling that "Mingsha Mountain soothes the mind, and Crescent Moon Spring cleanses the heart."

Perhaps Crescent Lake is the eye of the desert. The tears in its eyes ripple with the tenderness of the ruthless desert. This tenderness gives the desert

How many lost souls and hopes of life.

Crescent Spring is nearly 100 meters long from north to south and about 25 meters wide from east to west. The water is deep in the east and shallow in the west. The deepest point is about 5 meters. It is curved like a crescent moon, hence the name, and is known as the "First Spring in the Desert."

Crescent Moon Lake has been one of the "Eight Scenic Spots of Dunhuang" since the Han Dynasty. It is named "Yuequan Xiaoche", and was called Shajing in ancient times, commonly known as Yaoquan. It is located at the northern foot of Mingsha Mountain, 5 kilometers southwest of Dunhuang City, Gansu Province. Therefore, Crescent Moon Lake and Mingsha Mountain are in the same scenic spot. Mingsha Mountain, which is known as "Sand Ridge Mingming", is also one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Dunhuang. Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Moon Lake are a pair of twin sisters in the desert Gobi. "The mountain sings because of its spirit, and the water is beautiful because of its spirit." There is a feeling of "Mingsha Mountain soothes the nature, and Crescent Moon Lake cleanses the heart."

Crescent Moon Lake has been a tourist attraction as early as the Han Dynasty. There are several rumors about this spring: The shape of the crescent moon remains unchanged throughout the ages, which means that the spring has been in the shape of the crescent moon since it was discovered. It is not caused by human factors, but formed naturally. The clear stream in the bad environment forms a spring, which means that the surrounding environment is very bad and there is no water source, but there is a clear stream here and a spring is formed. The sand hills are not covered by sand. After tens of millions of years of yellow sand accumulation, many sand hills have been formed around Crescent Moon Lake. They can completely fill up the lake, but they have always maintained a balance without offending each other. Therefore, Crescent Moon Lake itself is a miracle and deserves the title of "the first spring in the desert".

Crescent Lake and Mingsha Mountain are one tourist attraction. In fact, that large area of desert is Mingsha Mountain, but the area near Crescent Lake has been developed.

It is also very convenient to scan the code to buy tickets and swipe the ID card to enter. On the right hand side of the entrance is the camel riding queue. We arrived late and did not ride camels. Heading all the way to Crescent Lake, there are flower beds and patches of reeds next to it. The wind blowing the reeds and the desert behind it feel like a martial arts movie. Crescent Lake in the desert is indeed very different, but the strong wind and sand that day affected visibility, and the photos will be a bit gray.

You must take the ladder to climb Mingsha Mountain, otherwise it is really difficult to climb up. It is very fun to come down, just like "space walking", three slides in one step, and you will reach the bottom very quickly.

It is best to go to Mingsha Mountain at 5 or 6 o'clock. The desert is particularly sunny in the afternoon, and you can see the sunset at this time. The ticket is 110 yuan per person. It is best to rent a pair of shoe covers to avoid difficulty in climbing the desert. One pair costs 30 yuan. Mingsha Mountain is indeed more commercialized. It is like a desert park. It provides various recreational facilities, including camel riding, paragliding, desert motorcycles, etc. It is also very good to play as a park. If you really want to see the desert scenery, I personally think that the "wild" desert we saw yesterday is better. Crescent Lake is nearly 100 meters long from north to south and about 25 meters wide from east to west. It is known as the "first spring in the desert". There are many green plants around Crescent Lake. It is surrounded by quicksand on all sides, which is also a spectacle. To watch the sunset, you have to climb up the desert in advance. There are wooden ladders in the desert, and people can step on them to go up. However, if there are many people, you have to queue up, so it is best to go early and occupy a good position. When we climbed to the top, the sun had already set. The sky was dyed pink and the fiery red sun slowly began to dim its light, slowly being obscured by the desert like a ball.

A few years ago, I heard that Crescent Lake was shrinking and might not be seen soon. Fortunately, the tour guide told us that the protection has been strengthened and the area of Crescent Lake has become larger. It is really hard to imagine that there is such a clean spring in the yellow sand.

Standing on the sand dunes and looking at Crescent Lake from afar, it is another scene. Maybe there are too many tourists, plus the city is not far away, so the Crescent Lake I saw with my own eyes is not as mysterious and beautiful as I imagined. If this spring is hidden deep in the desert, it will definitely give people a different feeling.

Crescent Lake, a masterpiece of nature!

The first time I knew about Crescent Lake was on a geography test paper in high school. The question was "Why did you go to Crescent Lake?" Since then, I have been excited about this clear spring in the desert and I have to go there to see it in person.

Today, my dream finally came true. Standing here, I once again realized that Crescent Lake is truly a divine existence.

You can rent shoe covers in the scenic area. Friends who want to climb Mingsha Mountain to see the panoramic view of Crescent Lake are advised to rent shoe covers. If you don’t go up the mountain and just walk around at the bottom, your shoes generally won’t get close to the sand without renting shoe covers.

Also, you can enter your personal information at the exit and use the ticket for the scenic spot several times. If you don’t see enough in one day, you can come back tomorrow.

With the last bit of sunset light, we started to climb the sand hill. Although there was a rope ladder on the sand hill to avoid pits, the strong wind at night should not be underestimated. You will feel like you are going to fall over at any moment. When we climbed to the middle, we could see the crescent shape of Crescent Lake.

Finally reaching the top, the Crescent Lake can now be seen in its complete shape. The yellow road on both sides of the plank road looks like a star belt from a distance, guiding people to the palace on the moon.

Walking into the gate of the scenic area, there are several continuous sand dunes in front of you, and then there is a straight cement road. Walking along the road, there are still sand dunes all around, and no trace of Crescent Lake. At the end of the road, it suddenly turns right. Through the bustling crowd, I see a pool of crescent-shaped clear spring in the distance, and a few reeds growing on the shore. I guess this should be Crescent Lake. Thinking of Yu Qiuyu's article "Hidden Springs in the Sand Plain", it really lives up to its name.

One of the eight scenic spots in Dunhuang, it is named Yuequan Xiaoche. The spring is deep in the east and shallow in the west, with the deepest point being about 5 meters. It is curved like a crescent, hence the name, and is known as the "No. 1 Spring in the Desert". Crescent Spring has four wonders: the shape of the crescent remains the same throughout the ages, the clear stream forms a spring in a bad place, the sand hill is not submerged in the sand, and the old fish in the ancient pool never get old after eating it.

Crescent Lake is not a very large scenic spot. But as a shining pearl in the desert, it is a must-visit place. Camel riding and sand sliding are fun activities in the scenic spot.

Located 5 kilometers south of Dunhuang City, Gansu Province, Crescent Moon Lake is surrounded by Mingsha Mountain. Throughout history, it has been known for its wonderful landscape of "mountain springs coexisting, sand and water coexisting", and is known as "one of the most unique scenery outside the Great Wall". In the limited historical records and poems, Crescent Moon Lake has always been a place with rippling blue waves, fish swimming in the shallows, and lush aquatic plants, which contrasts with Mingsha Mountain. Until 1960, the spring water did not change much, with a maximum depth of 9 meters and a lake area of 22.5 acres. In the mid-1970s, local land reclamation and irrigation, as well as the destruction of surrounding vegetation in recent years, soil erosion caused the groundwater level in Dunhuang to drop sharply, and thus the water level of Crescent Moon Lake dropped sharply. Since then, Dunhuang City has adopted a variety of ways to replenish water for Crescent Moon Lake.

Crescent Lake is nearly 100 meters long from north to south and about 25 meters wide from east to west. The water is deep in the east and shallow in the west. The deepest part is about 5 meters. It is curved like a crescent moon, hence the name. It is known as the "No. 1 Spring in the Desert". It has been one of the "Eight Scenic Spots of Dunhuang" since the Han Dynasty. It was listed as a national scenic spot in 1994. There are Potamogeton and Chara plants growing in Crescent Lake. There are dense reeds on the south bank. It is surrounded by quicksand. Even in strong winds, the spring is not covered by sand. It has become a wonder because "the spring reflects the moon without dust" and "the sand has never filled the spring and the spring has never dried up". Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake are a pair of twin sisters in the desert Gobi. "The mountain sings because of its spirit, and the water is beautiful because of its spirit". There is a feeling of "Mingsha Mountain is refreshing and Crescent Lake is refreshing".

Crescent Moon Lake is the most outstanding of the many natural landscapes in Dunhuang. It has been known as a "desert wonder" throughout the ages and is praised as "one of the most beautiful scenery outside the Great Wall". Crescent Moon Lake, the Nine-Story Tower of Mogao Grottoes and the artistic landscape of Mogao Grottoes are integrated into one, forming the "three great wonders" in the south of Dunhuang, and have become a tourist destination that people in China and even the world yearn for.

The ancillary buildings of Crescent Lake were built later, and it is said that the spring water is also maintained artificially. It is really magical to have such a spring water in the desert. The best place to watch it is on Mingsha Mountain. There is a guzheng next to the spring where you can play it casually.

I didn't look at Crescent Lake in detail, but it's still very beautiful. If you take a picture from the mountain, the color is very green. There are some quaint buildings next to the spring. It's cool to lie on them and take a rest. There are ice cream sellers there. Don't buy that ice cream. It's very hard and tastes bad. It costs 10 yuan each. Then the vending machine sells beverages and mineral water, Nongfu Spring. I swiped 20 yuan in and nothing came out. I swiped another 10 yuan and one came out. So I spent 20 yuan to buy a bottle of Scream, which is the multifunctional beverage. If I had known this, I would have gone to the store to buy it. At least there was someone there who could talk to me. I don't know what to do with this machine.

Sand and springs coexist, springs and sand coexist, a wonder of the Northwest!

Crescent Spring, the best desert spring in the world, is so beautiful that you must go and see it in person.

The sand is very fine and the scenic area is very large. You can spend a whole day there.

A must-visit place in Dunhuang. The protection is pretty good

An oasis in the desert . . . . . . . . .

The toilet is very clean, this is the deepest feeling. An oasis in the desert, you must go and see it

Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Lake, especially Crescent Lake, are very beautiful and worth a visit.

Magical and spectacular, surrounded by ancient trees, it is even more beautiful when standing on the sand dunes

This is the Crescent Spring that I have been thinking about all the time, a crescent moon in the desert, where mountains and springs coexist, and sand and water coexist. Hello, outside the Great Wall!

There were so many people and it was very sunny that sand got into my shoes. I just walked barefoot. It was an oasis in the desert, a rare sight.

It is worth a visit. There is a helicopter to see the panoramic view and you can also climb up the mountain to take panoramic photos.

Be sure to buy shoe covers. The 10 yuan at the store at the entrance is cheaper than the 15 yuan inside the scenic area. The scenic area is in the city, and there is a large sandy area inside, so it is very easy to get into the sand. I was out of breath after climbing the sand hill for the best camera position, but you can see the panoramic view of Crescent Lake and the city of Dunhuang, so it is worth climbing up.

Magical Earth, Magical Crescent Lake...

Moon Spring is one of the eight scenic spots in Dunhuang. It is surrounded by the Mingsha Mountain, forming a wonder of sand and spring coexisting.

Apart from anything else, the shape of Crescent Lake is very unique, and the small building next to it is also beautifully built. Whether it is filled with water or not, it is an old tourist attraction for more than a thousand years, so there is nothing wrong in maintaining it artificially.

The area is getting smaller and smaller, but it is always a surprise to see a clear spring in the vast desert.

The wonderful landscape of "mountain springs coexisting, sand and water coexisting" is praised as "one of the most unique scenery outside the Great Wall".

It was really nice for me as it was my first time seeing the desert.

Human beings are the biggest destroyer of nature. You can go to the toilet in Mingsha Mountain and see the changes of Crescent Lake hanging on the wall over the past 100 years.

There is no water in Crescent Lake anymore. It is hard to imagine that this place was once a vast ocean.

Mingsha Mountain-Crescent Lake Scenic Area is the business card of Dunhuang, located in the southern part of the city. The most distinctive feature here is a crescent-shaped spring in the desert. Due to wind direction and topography, the surrounding desert will not flood the spring, but the spring has recently been shrinking. There are many commercial attractions around Crescent Lake, and the most popular one among tourists is camel riding, which feels like a desert camel caravan.

We went to Crescent Lake first. Crescent Lake is surrounded by Mingsha Mountain. It has been famous for its wonderful landscape of "coexistence of mountains and springs, and coexistence of sand and water" since ancient times. It is also a very anticipated attraction in the whole trip. Maybe my expectations were a bit too high, or maybe it was because of the large flow of people during the National Day and the wrong season. I seemed to have imagined it too beautiful, and I was a little disappointed. The spring water of Crescent Lake is artificial, and the laid water pipes can be clearly seen. The area of Crescent Lake is also much smaller than expected, which is greatly discounted. The desert facing Crescent Lake has a beautiful ridgeline, but unfortunately there are many footprints below that destroy the beauty. I remember that I told Yang Yang at the time that I wanted to climb the desert over there, which is more beautiful. Yang Yang also told me very seriously that there is a fence where you can't climb. Hahahaha, so cute.

We didn't want to ride camels, even though their naturally smiling lips are very cute. Instead, we chose to walk to the Crescent Lake in the embrace of the desert. It was midwinter, the reeds were yellow and dry, and the Crescent Lake was frozen. There was no trace of the desert oasis in the brochure.

The lights came on at 7:00 in the morning. The scenery at that time was the most beautiful. Maybe few people have this picture, so I'll share it with you.

It is recommended to go to the museum first to listen to the legend of Crescent Lake in Mingsha Bay. The lowering of groundwater level will affect Crescent Lake!

The trip to Dunhuang in September 2016 finally unveiled the mystery of the Crescent Lake in my mind.

Crescent Lake (English: Crescent Lake) is located in the Crescent Lake Scenic Area. It was called Shajing in ancient times and commonly known as Yaoquan. It is located at the northern foot of Mingsha Mountain, 5 kilometers southwest of Dunhuang City, Gansu Province.

Crescent Lake is nearly 100 meters long from north to south and about 25 meters wide from east to west. The water is deep in the east and shallow in the west. The deepest point is about 5 meters. It is curved like a crescent moon, hence the name. It is known as the "First Spring in the Desert" and has been one of the "Eight Scenic Spots of Dunhuang" since the Han Dynasty.

The weather is really dry for people in the south, but there are not many tourists going there in winter, and the scenery is still very magnificent~!

The Crescent Lake is not as beautiful as I imagined. The current Crescent Lake is no longer a natural Crescent Lake. In fact, it is like an artificial pool. If there is no artificial water supply to the Crescent Lake, then the Crescent Lake would have dried up long ago.

There are several tall and sturdy saxaul trees growing on the south bank. Their leaves are a little yellow, unlike the emerald green leaves of other trees by the water. The saxaul are not big but they bear many fruits, and some of the branches are even bent.

The small speaker beside the spring kept playing Tian Zhen's "Crescent Lake". Tian Zhen's low and hoarse voice was very suitable for the scenery here.

The mirror-like sand dunes are covered with footprints left by tourists, like scars. In fact, this place has been separated by ropes and tourists are not allowed to go up. Most of the tourists are of high quality, so there are not many people here, so this corner has become a good place to take pictures.

There are two particularly huge willow trees on the south bank, which are said to be called "Zuogong Willow". There is a small pool under one of the "Zuogong Willows". In the center of the pool, there is a spring gushing out from under the sand. After the fine sand is sprayed out by the spring, layers of sand waves are formed around it, which surprised me. I was happier to see this small "fountain" than to see Crescent Lake, which shows that Dunhuang's environmental governance has made considerable progress. I sincerely hope that it will get better and better.

We came here in winter and it snowed heavily. If it weren't for the crescent-shaped railings, we wouldn't be able to tell where Crescent Lake is, let alone the legendary seven-star grass and iron-backed fish... The song "Crescent Lake" sung by Danzeng Nima was playing on the speakers along the way, which fits the mood very well.

It is said that this is a tourist attraction that will disappear within 50 years, and it is also said that Crescent Lake has dried up and the water below is artificially injected. No matter what, you have to come here, the dry and wet can coexist here, which is a world wonder.

Looking at Crescent Lake from a close distance, the water appears a beautiful emerald green color, very refreshing!

A clear spring is like a moon, with rippling blue waves, unchanged for a thousand years. It can only be described as a miracle of nature.

An oasis in the Gobi Desert, a camel team...

Approaching Crescent Lake, it is as flat as a mirror. No matter how hot or cold the sun or wind blows, there is not a single ripple. It sits there quietly under the shade of reeds like a shy girl, with no expression except for her charm. Surrounded by endless yellow sand, without a single wrinkle, it is majestic and ruthless. Roughness and tenderness interweave into a beautiful picture.

The water of Crescent Lake evaporates day and night, but it never dries up for thousands of years!

Mingsha Mountain soothes your mind, Crescent Lake cleanses your heart

At the foot of Mingsha Mountain, you need to stand on the sand hill to see it. It is just like that when you walk in. There is Mingyue Pavilion beside the spring. It is said that it is because the bottom of the spring is connected with the Dang River that the spring water can be kept from drying up for hundreds of years.

The angle was not good and the crescent shape was not captured. (There are two small long ladders on the Crescent Lake side for climbing the sand hill. You can climb directly without using the ladders, but the sand is very soft and you will sink into it with every step, which is very difficult to climb. Although it is very tiring to climb the ladders, I stopped several times along the way.)

Hemingsha Mountain is a scenic spot, an oasis in the desert, with a building and a spring in the middle of the tall sand dunes, which is beautiful. The scenic spot is clean and well managed.

Crescent Lake is magical. There are sand dunes on both sides, and it sits quietly in the middle, nurturing this land forever.

Standing on the ancient building of Crescent Lake, looking at the desert and the spring through the fence, looking at the pictures and texts of the exquisitely repaired ancient building, and listening to the beautiful legend of Crescent Lake, this trip is worthwhile.

Climb to the top of the sand dune and overlook the full view of Crescent Lake. Lying on the high sand dune, the sand is warm and the wind is gentle. Across the hill, Zong Sheng is white-haired, the crescent moon remains, and the autumn rain flows.

Actually, it's not that great. Crescent Lake is just a pool of water. The pictures on the Internet are all fake. The ticket is 110 yuan, and the activities inside are charged separately. There is not even a place to play with sand, so don't buy the sandboards sold at the door. If you want to play with sand, you can only go to the fixed sand-playing place inside, which costs 15 yuan per time. There is no need to rent shoe covers, because you will definitely play with sand when you go there, and it is easier and more comfortable to walk barefoot when climbing on the sand. You can bring a small glass bottle with some colorful sand back. As for the sunset, it's just like that. Maybe we didn't find the angle well.

Just posting pictures, no explanation. This is also called a desert? Oasis? Use a ruler to measure the distance between the famous Crescent Lake and the urban greening and water supply and drainage network of Dunhuang. At this distance, it would not be surprising to have 100 Crescent Lakes, let alone one. I realized I was fooled by the beautiful promotional photos when I went in. For 110 yuan, there were several sand hills in the suburbs of the city (not a real desert at all) and a pool of water (I don’t know if it is artificial, but artificial water replenishment is simply child’s play at that location and distance). I don’t know how many more people will be fooled. This can also be called a desert? ! It’s too deceptive.