Xinjiang Habahe County: the northwest edge of China, a unique cultural region bordering the two countries
If we talk about Xinjiang’s “No. 1 Village in Northwest China” Baihaba, many people who have been to Altay may be familiar with it. This village is located in Tirekti Township, Habahe County, Altay Prefecture, between China and Kazakhstan. On the border with Kazakhstan, it is only 1.5 kilometers away from East Silek, Kazakhstan, and is connected by a national defense highway. Today, Baihaba Village has been rated as one of the eight most beautiful small towns in China by "China Geography" and has become a must-visit place when traveling in Xinjiang.
Three years ago, Wang Mingguo, a classmate from the military school, told me on WeChat: "Lao Zhu, come to Altay when you have time. I will take you to the Haba River, where I used to be a soldier. The place is so familiar that it can no longer be familiar, and the scenery is so beautiful. If you stay here for one night, you may not want to leave again. "At that time, Lao Wang was already the deputy captain of the Altay Prefecture Armed Police Detachment, but he I still have deep feelings for Habahe County.
This summer, when I went to Burqin County, I dialed Lao Wang’s phone number. Unexpectedly, he retired and returned to our hometown in Henan. He said with some regret: "I have retired for more than two years. I wanted to let our classmates go to Altay to have fun before retiring. Unfortunately, no one went there. Now we have returned to Zhengzhou, Henan. When you return to your hometown, you must remember to give me I’ll call. If you want to go to Habahe County, I’ll contact you right away...” I said to Lao Wang, “Don’t bother. I came with the outdoor hiking group and didn’t go. I can only wait to see the Haba River route next time when I go to Baihaba Village. I just really like the cultural and natural scenery there, as well as the folk culture of the Tuva people. I should be able to stay in the village for a night. A deeper feeling." After hearing this, Lao Wang laughed and said, "I am not as elegant as you. If I have a chance to go to Xinjiang, I will still go back to my old army. Not only did I serve as a soldier there for three years, I was admitted to the military academy there and assigned there after graduation. I have a really deep affection for Habahe. If it weren’t for my wife and children, I wouldn’t have planned to go back to my hometown. When I return to Xinjiang, I will contact you in Urumqi and we will go to Habahe County together." When I was in the military academy, Lao Wang and I lived in a big house, and he often told us about Haba. According to He’s experience, the scenery in the countryside of Habahe County is completely different from the scenery in other parts of Xinjiang and the mainland. Staying there is like an isolated fairyland on earth. Walking around casually, my mood is not only suddenly bright, but also everywhere. The original natural scenery and the local people have always maintained simple folk customs.
Habahe County is located at the southern foot of the Altai Mountains, the northwest edge of Xinjiang, bordering Kazakhstan and Russia to the west and north respectively, and adjacent to Burqin County and Jimunai County to the east and south. It can be said to be a mysterious area located at the corner of the border. There are 23 ethnic groups living here, including Han, Kazakh, Hui, and Uygur. Importantly, it is also famous for its large reserves and high grade of copper and gold. If you want to pan for gold, Haba River is really a geomantic treasure.
According to historical records, Habahe County is named after the Haba River. Haba, in Mongolian, means "the river bed has a steep slope and a lot of water falls". One theory is that "perch" (i.e. five black) fish refers to a small fish, so this fish is produced in the river, hence its name. Another theory is that the Kazakh meaning is interpreted as "dense forest". "Illustrated Records of the Western Regions" records: "The quasi-language Haba is the name of a small fish, and the river is named after this small fish." Perhaps this is the origin of the name of the Haba River. .
Regarding the beauty of Habahe County, I think it should be the same as Kanas in Burqin County. Baihaba Village, known as the "No. 1 Village in the Northwest", has become an important stop for Chinese and foreign tourists traveling to Kanas Lake because the original wooden spire buildings of the village houses are well preserved. It has a strong Kazakh nostalgia and Tuva customs. , the appearance of the original village strongly attracts a large number of tourists, and now the Baihaba Resort has been built here.
The Tuva people belong to the Mongolian branch and are a nation that is gradually being forgotten. For centuries, they have thrived on the fertile grasslands of Baihaba, Hemu River and Kanas Lake in Altay, and have made a living by grazing for generations.
From a humanistic and natural point of view, it is a pure land and magical scenery that is rare in China and the world. It has a strong mysterious color. But it is not just a pure land, but also has richer beautiful scenery that adds the feeling of paradise on earth and wonderland to the pure land. color.
Habahe County has a long history. There are 78 ancient cultural relics in the territory, including 51 cemeteries and 1,079 tombs. These historical and cultural relics are of great significance to the study of the ethnic migration of ancient humans in Xinjiang. , primitive religion, production and life, etc. provide important archaeological basis. For example, during the archaeological excavation at Halasu Cemetery in Habahe County 6 years ago, experts found four horses buried with them, as well as cultural relics such as pottery pots, bronze mirrors, iron nails, and copper nails. After identification, they deduced that the age of the tomb was During the Han and Jin Dynasties, it effectively witnessed the historical changes of the Haba River.
As the northwest border area of our country, Habahe County has both human and natural resources and cultural relics left over from history, which fully illustrate the continuation and existence of grassland culture in Xinjiang. Especially in the northern region of Xinjiang, this kind of grassland culture has a longer history. In the history of Habahe County, ethnic groups such as Ser, Xiongnu, Western Turks, and Xianbei once lived here, which will inevitably leave distinctive regional cultural characteristics. .
Within Habahe County, there are not only cultural and natural landscapes such as Baihaba Village, but also Baisha Lake, Narenxia Ranch in the mountainous area in the northern part of the county, and the natural birch forest resort in Kulebai Township, etc. . I think that in this mysterious region in the northwest of the motherland, what is hidden is not only the cultural and natural beauty, but the most important thing is the original history and folk culture. These long-standing cultural elements will definitely reflect the unique multicultural charm of Xinjiang.