Let us take you to a magnificently historical and grand destination, the Kunlun Mountains in China. The beauty, geographical grandeur and ages-long history of which are unparalleled. Kunlun Mountains, are otherwise called Kunlun Xu, Kunlun Hill or the Jade Mountain. In Chinese Taoist culture, the Kunlun Mountains are known as “the progenitor of 10,000 mountains”. It is a holy mountain in old Chinese folklore and is viewed as a pixie mountain where divine beings reside by Taoism. Kunlun Mountains are one of the biggest mountain chains of focal Asia, and are additionally the foundation of the mountain framework in western China. The mountain range starts in the Pamirs Plateau, the westernmost area of China, which is the wellspring of all the extraordinary mountain ranges in Asia, like the Himalayas, the Tianshan Mountains, and the Sulayman Mountain.
Geographical Overview:
The Kunlun Mountains have the most diverse and complex geographies present out there. From the Pamirs Plateau in the west, Kunlun Mountains stretch through Xinjiang and Tibet to Qinghai. The mountain range is around 2500 kilometres in length, with a typical height of 5500-6000 meters, a width of 130-200 kilometres, limited in the west and wide in the east, with a complete area in excess of 500,000 square kilometres. The most elevated top, Kongur Tagh is situated in Akta County, Kizilsu Kyrgye Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, around 7,649 meters above ocean level. The Muztagata (7,509 meters), on Kongur Tagh’s southeast side, known as the dad of the ice shelf, is a lofty open air setting.
At the foot of the Muztagata, the blue Karakul Lake is outlined against the mountain, framing the most gorgeous landscape of the Kunlun Mountains. In general, many mountains are a part of the Kunlun Mountains. Geologically, Kunlun Mountains are generally in accordance with the Qinglin Mountains and Huai Rivers from east to west. It ends up separating the north and south of China.
Also, the mountain range branches toward the north from Altyn Tagh mountains – Qilian Mountains – Helan Mountains – Yin Mountains – Yan Mountains – Greater Khingan Mountains – Changbai Mountain. Toward the south, it branches out Bayan Har Mountain-Hengduan Mountain and interfaces the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau-Nanling-Southeast Hills – Hangzhou Bay. The mountains that form the structure of China’s domain fundamentally start from the Kunlun Mountain Range, so it’s known as the “precursor of 10,000 mountains”. Some heavy words, aren’t they? Don’t worry, we’ll ditch geography now and carry on with the interesting history and historical occurrences now.
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Historical Sneak-Peek:
Kunlun Mountains, without a doubt, have an exceptional history attached to it. It’s surprising how an entity with such a vast geographical footprint, has an equally grand impact on history too. The Kunlun Mountains are accepted to be Taoist heaven. The first to visit this heaven was, as indicated by the legends, King Mu (976-922 BCE) of the Zhou Dynasty. He evidently found there the Jade Palace of Huang-Di, the legendary Yellow Emperor and originator of Chinese culture, and met Hsi Wang Mu, the “Soul Mother of the West” as a rule called the “Sovereign Mother of the West”, who was the object of an old strict faction which arrived at its top in the Han Dynasty, likewise had her legendary homestead in these mountains.
Jesuit teachers, the prominent American Sinologist Charles Hucker, and London University’s Dr Bernard Leeman (2005) have recommended that Hsi Wang Mu and the Queen of Sheba, were indeed the very same individual. The greatness of Sheba, a religious faction, accepts that the Queen of Sheba’s pre-Deuteronomic Torah kept in the Kebra Nagast was compelling in the improvement of Daoism. They demand that in the wake of clearing the lofty position for her child Solomon, the sovereign ventured to the Kunlun Mountains where, known as the Queen from the West, she achieved spiritual nirvana.
Climate, Flora and Fauna
The Kunlun Mountains are completely secluded from the climatic impact of the Indian and Pacific Ocean storms. All things being equal, they are under the consistent impact of the mainland air mass, which causes extraordinary yearly and diurnal temperature changes. Most extreme aridity happens in the central fragment of the mountain framework; toward the west and east, in any case, the environment is to some degree, moderate. The desert or, best case scenario, steppe conditions existing all through the Kunlun Mountains repress advancement of vegetation.
A significant part of the territory comprises of rock deserts. Infrequent stale water pools give water to a few wild ungulates, like the Tibetan gazelle and Tibetan goat pronghorn alongside enormous groups of wild asses and bunches of wild yaks. In the stickier western mountains, argali sheep eat on the high prairies. On the upper ridges blue sheep, Ladakh urials, and ibex, range irregularly all through the western scopes. Willow shrubberies close to conduits often contain earthy coloured bears, and wolves are endemic; the snow panther is interesting. Numerous transitory waterfowls visit the lakes during occasional relocation.
People
Notwithstanding the super climatic and geographical circumstances, the Kunlun Mountains and neighbouring regions support long-lasting and transitory populaces. On the northern slants are Uighurs, up from the desert gardens, are infrequent Mongols. South toward the northern areas of Tibet, Tibetan peaceful wanderers have laid hold of huge breadths of previously deserted steppe brushing lands. Mountain Tajik and Kyrgyz leftovers possess the couple of settlements in the profound valleys of the western mountains. Chinese (Han) are omnipresent, with fixations along the broad and all around well-kept rock streets that have been built starting around 1949.
Some worthy attractions:
Yuxu and Yuzhu Peaks:
Yuxu Peak and Yuzhu Peak are wrapped with snow and encompassed by mists and fogs lasting through the year. The legend says they’re the manifestations of the two more youthful sisters of the Jade Emperor. The notable Kunlun June Snow Wonder is framed here. Presently the two pinnacles are available to the rest of the world in Qinghai territory as the blessed spots for a memorable and adventurous journey.
Heihai Lake
As indicated by legend, the pixie master of Kunlun Mountains is the Queen Mother of the West. The “Yao Chi” kept in numerous old books is the Heihai lake at the wellspring of the Kunlun River. It is 4,300 meters above ocean level. The lake is clear and gatherings of birds and wild creatures torment with grand perspectives. Go through Yeniu Valley, there are valuable stone works of art. Not a long way from the Heihai lake is where the unbelievable Jiang Taigong has drilled the Chinese way of thinking Five Elements for a considerable length of time.
Kunlun Mountains spring
Kunlun Spring, situated on the north bank of the Kunlun River, is the biggest sans ice spring in the Kunlun Mountains. Shaping from the Kunlun June Snow Wonder, large amounts of stable water is present here. It is said that the spring water utilized by the Queen Mother of the West to mix Qiongye Yuye is top notch mineral water.
Kunlun Mountain Pass
At an elevation of 4767 meters, Kunlun Mountain Pass is situated in the south-western piece of Qinghai, in Kunlun Mountain, 160 kilometres south of Golmud City. It is the main pass from Qinghai and Gansu regions to Tibet. It is likewise a significant pass on the Qinghai-Tibet Highway. The Kunlun Pass has a transcending territory, cold and damp environment, slender air, interesting biological climate, and tremendous regular view. There are moving mountains, sudden blanketed tops, and huge prairie. Albeit the permafrost of the Kunlun Pass doesn’t soften through the year, the glades on the outer layer of the permafrost are brimming with green fields. Each midyear season, the grass is brimming with brilliant and stunning wildflowers, which is truly gorgeous and scintillating.
Golmud River and Kunlun Bridge
Beginning from the Kunlun Mountains, the centre compasses of the Golmud River have disintegrated large number of records for quite a while, shaping a one-step normal miracle with the bluffs confronting one another. All of this makes for a stunning visual and also aesthetically pleasing. Kunlun Bridge is otherwise called a one-step natural risk bridge. Situated at the foot of Kunlun Mountains, in the south of Golmud, around 50 kilometres from Golmud city, it is a significant risk on Qinghai-Tibet Highway. The all out length is just north of 4 meters, and it is a supported substantial extension. The gloriousness of Kunlun Bridge isn’t in the actual extension, however in the stone bluffs and profound streams under the bridge.
Bonus Trivia:
The Kunlun Mountains Martial Arts
The Kunlun Mountains are related with various different hand to hand fighting, and are viewed as by some as a substitute hotspot for the Daoist combative techniques. Some styles related with the Kunlun Mountains: Kunlun Mountains Fist is a style related with the Kunlun Mountains range, in spite of the fact that likenesses between this style and Kunlun Fist, as well as the name of one of the structures (White Cloud Mountain Fist) recommend that this style might be related with Kunlun Mountains in Shandong territory. Kunlun Fist might be named after the Kunlun Mountains reach, or it could be named after Kunlun Mountains in Shandong area.
How to reach the Kunlun Mountains?
Until Xining, you can arrive by train or flight. After that you should take the rail to Golmud. Kunlun Mountains are 160 Km away from here which roughly takes up 3-4 hours to cover.
