Top Ten Autumn Colors in China: Tenth Place - Hulunbuir, December 15, 2010, 21:42:09, Source: Xielong Journey www.680go.com
The beauty of autumn in Hulunbuir is ignited and resonated. When the first golden leaf hangs on the treetop, and the first formation of geese scatters their songs, autumn arrives. Once it comes, it burns like flames, spreading across the grasslands, forests, and farmlands, seeping into people's dreams, intoxicating the heart.
The geographical distribution of Hulunbuir, covering over 250,000 square kilometers, is very distinctive. The Hulunbuir Grassland, the Greater Khingan Mountains forest, and the agricultural area west of the Nen River are distributed from west to east, with almost equal areas, but each has its own autumn scenery, forming a huge spectrum of colors, dazzling and inexhaustible for viewing.
Walking on the grassland is like stepping on a carpet woven with golden threads, making you reluctant to move forward as if breaking a taboo. With its magical power, autumn turns green into yellow within days, leaving summer as a memory. Before your eyes, the pastures stretch out, glowing with golden hues. The sky is a deep azure blue, as if washed clean; the clouds curl up, as if bleached white; the lake is a deep indigo blue, as if filtered and dyed; the air is purer, cooling the insides and carrying the aroma of mature grass; the Mor格尔River becomes much steadier, flowing not with water but with thick light and color, drifting away like a ribbon; the cattle, horses, camels, and sheep by the shore will soon end their "autumn migration" life (Mongolian nomadic term), returning to winter camps. After being fattened during the summer, their fur shines black, white, red, or brown, walking proudly and looking especially adorable. This is the unique brilliance and wealth of autumn.
Traveling westward from the grassland, climbing over undulating mountains leads you into the lush great forest. At this time, the mountain is called "Five-Colored Mountain," and the forest is called "Fire Forest." Red are the oaks, orange are the poplars, purple are the patches of shrubs; towering larches hang with golden hair, while straight Korean pines remain verdant. The most beautiful are the birch trees, resembling girls with dyed yellow hair, appearing even more delicate and lovely. Birch trees have an inherently proud nature, being very selective about their birthplace. The fertile black soil of Hulunbuir, located around 50 degrees north latitude and 120 degrees east longitude, is her most comfortable home. A single birch tree forms a cloud. Broad-leaved trees nourish needle-leaved pines, allowing the larch to dominate the Greater Khingan Range. The quiet mountain forests, peaceful grasslands, and mysterious wetlands nurture almost all temperate and cold-temperate flora and fauna, with over 1,400 kinds of plants and 500 kinds of wild animals displaying myriad postures and charm, exuding streaks of autumn romance.
On the fertile farmland west of the Nen River, the rolling hilly plains, crops ripen, colors warm, and machinery busies itself, presenting another grand spectacle. The roaring combines, thundering grain trucks, and creaking threshers, along with the cries of vendors selling fruits and vegetables, never cease, playing the strongest notes of autumn.
Autumn is also a season of love. Mammals choose September as the optimal mating period, so that fragile babies can be welcomed in early spring next year, the result of long-term evolution. Foxes busy themselves with hunting, trying to please their proud mates; moles dig burrows, calling out to choosy partners; male deer bellow, antlers raised high, intimidating potential challengers; fat bears roar, swinging their massive paws to drive off rivals... At this time, you can only eavesdrop on their affection, but not approach, as any animal would be annoyed. As for what migratory birds are doing at this time, we need to investigate further.
One day during the Mid-Autumn Festival, we went to photograph swans at a lake called "Galu Tu" (Ewenki for Swan Lake). This small lake of only 5 square kilometers had gathered seven or eight hundred swans, moving like a herd of sheep. When the first "gen ga" sound rang out over the lake, the noise quickly spread, followed by a flat round ball of fire rising from the water, illuminating the sky and earth in a red glow. Whether it was the swan's song welcoming the sun or the blazing sunrise waking the swans, I do not know, but the magnificent scene was etched in my mind, always fresh. By then, gulls, geese, and red-crowned cranes had already flown south, leaving behind the swan family enamored with autumn. Baby swans are learning to fly, led by their parents, until the lake freezes completely and heavy snow blankets everything, before bravely embarking on their ten-thousand-mile journey. Records show that more than half of the swans die en route to the Yellow Sea coast. Survival of the fittest is the law of nature and autumn's selection. Having taken enough photos and feeling both cold and hungry, we found a Mongolian yurt by the lakeside. Hot milk tea and fragrant hand-held meat were served, the host's hospitality like a warm autumn sun dispelling the chill, making us feel extremely comfortable.
Autumn is brief, and because it is brief, it is more precious. However, autumn is also eternal. Although it will soon be swept away by fierce wind, frost, and snow, as long as sandstorms don't disturb this pure land, the elegant and splendid appearance, the soul-stirring sounds of nature, and the fiery passion of life will return cyclically, visiting the beautiful Hulunbuir year after year as scheduled.
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