Beyond the Great Wall lies the Jiangnan of the frontier

The Ili grassland develops in the central Tianshan Mountains and its intermontane basins, one of the largest mountain ranges in Asia. Surrounded by mountains on the north, east, and south, its western part opens up to welcome the moist air currents from the west, creating a 'wet island' with unique scenery in the desert area, which promotes the complete development of the Ili grassland's vertical zonation. From high to low, it is successively distributed with alpine meadows, montane meadows, montane steppe meadows, montane steppes, montane desert steppes, plain deserts, and river valley meadows, with rich diversity. In the upper reaches of the Kashi River is the mountain pasture of Nileke County, where people come in summer to travel for the Tianshan rhododendrons. By mid-May, the Ili River valley meadows turn into a sea of Tianshan rhododendrons. The delicate fiery red color spreads across the mountainside. How can one miss the grassland after seeing the flowers? There is a saying, 'One does not know the vastness of China until they have been to Xinjiang, and one does not know the beauty of Xinjiang until they have been to Ili.' Once you are on the Ili grassland, you know that there is no exaggeration in this statement. The beauty of the Ili grassland lies in its three-dimensionality; meadows and blooming flowers form the foreground, with forests and snow-capped mountains in the distance, and flocks of sheep and yurts scattered about, making every spot scenic. This three-dimensional beauty is due to the geographical location of the Ili grassland, which develops in the central Tianshan Mountains and its intermontane basins. The unique geographical position and climate create the beauty of Ili. Baigou pasture, located by the Gongnaisi River, becomes luminously green overnight after a spring rain. The most amazing part of the Tangbula grassland is the combination of forest, grassland, rapids, and mountain rocks, stretching for miles. Walking along the valley, one often encounters a scene of 'sudden brightening after a dark willow path': Lush secondary forests, rugged canyon rapids, peculiar mountain rocks standing in rows, and fields of colorful flowers... As the terrain undulates, several landscapes often alternate, dazzling the onlooker. Hidden among the flowers and grasses are many ancient Tianshan petroglyphs. The Tangbula grassland is named after the Tangbula Grand Canyon because there is an enormous rock on the mountain ridge on the east side of the valley, shaped like a jade seal, hence the name Tangbula. What people usually refer to as the Tangbula grassland is the lush montane grassland and river valley meadow on both sides of the Kashi River. The torrential Kashi River water flows endlessly, and on the south bank of the Kashi River, the grass is lush. If you are lucky, you can see the beautiful scenery of a myriad of flowers in full bloom. Entering the Tangbula Gorge, the stream babbles, and the spruce forest is lush and tall, especially in summer, picturesque and layered with greenery.