Upon arriving at Yanqi1, Lu Guang receives a grand reception from the king. During his Western expedition, Lu Guang had passed by Yanqi, and King Niliu had brought along other smaller neighbour kingdoms to surrender. Now on his way back to the east, King Niliu of Yanqi is doing his best to please him, so Lu Guang decides to stay at Yanqi for five days and receives many gifts from the king. Yanqi and Kucha are very similar in language, customs, and ethnicity, so in these five days, it seems almost as if we are back in Kucha. This feeling of familiarity makes Rajiva very happy for several days.
1 also known as Ārśi in Tocharian, an ancient kingdom on the Silk Road, now the capital of Yanqi Hui Autonomous County in the Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang.
After leaving Yanqi, we travel along Lake Bosten for several days. This is the largest inland freshwater lake in China. Waves ripple across the surface of the [bluish] green-like-jade lake; lush reeds and cattails grow along its edges. Flocks of water birds fly across the lake’s surface and occasionally, there would be local Yanqi people and their fishing boats floating by. After we have set up camp, every day, the soldiers would go to the lake to catch fish, improving the fare we have for dinner.
Map of present-day China with Xinjiang highlighted in orange and Turpan Prefecture highlighted in red
In May, we enter one of the lowest basins in the world – Turpan Basin. Turpan is the Uyghur name, which was not yet in use during this era. During the Wei-Jin, Northern and Southern Dynasties era, this basin belonged to the State of Nearer Jushi1. The climate is hot and dry. It is not yet summer, yet Turpan is already eagerly showing off its “fire continent” reputation to us. After several days of travelling, all we can see is dry, barren land, extremely desolate. Strong gusts of wind would appear frequently and blow us around. The ground is covered by fine participles of salt, and this salt crust seems to be able to absorb sunlight, emitting a trance of dim light. Inexplicable lakes and forests appear in the horizon. These strange images are the result of a mirage2.
1 “In or about 60 BC, the Han—ruled at the time by Emperor Xuan—defeated Xiongnu forces at the Battle of Jushi, during the Han–Xiongnu War. Afterwards, the main part of the Jushi lands was divided into two states: a southern area controlled by the Han, who referred to it as “Nearer Jushi” (or “Anterior Jushi”), and a northern area known to the Han as “Further Jushi” (or “Posterior Jushi”) that was dominated by the Xiongnu.” (quoted from Wiki’s page on “Jushi Kingdom”, which referenced its source from Hill, John E. (2009) Through the Jade Gate to Rome: A Study of the Silk Routes during the Later Han Dynasty, 1st to 2nd Centuries CE. BookSurge, Charleston, South Carolina.)
2 A mirage is “a naturally occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays bend via refraction to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky” (source: Wiki).
We now enter the capital city of Jushi. This city was built on a 30-metre high cliff platform at the intersection of two rivers. There is only a narrow dirt road that leads to the city’s gates. The topography of this place is pretty unique and interesting. I have been here in modern times, but all that filled my eyes was broken yellow earth. Here is the ancient city of Jiaohe, which in the 21st Century is considered the oldest, largest, and best-preserved ancient city made completely from soil1.
1 more specifically, loess soil, which is “a loosely compacted yellowish-grey deposit of wind-blown sediment of which extensive deposits occur” (Source: Oxford Dictionaries).
Scale model of Jiaohe (Source: Wiki)
The Book of Later Han – “Treatise on Western Regions” writes as follows: “The king of Nearer Jushi lives in the town of Jiaohe. A river divides into two and surrounds the town, which is why it is called Jiaohe.”1 Nearer Jushi ruled over this region for over five hundred years. But less than eighty years from now [460 CE], after the last King of Jushi dies, the Rouran people will install Kan Bozhou as its [Turpan’s] king, and Nearer Jushi would be renamed as Gaochang and move its capital to the City of Gaochang, which is dozens of kilometres away from Jiaohe. Xuanzang on his way to the West would pass by Gaochang and become sworn brothers with King Qu Wentai. This was how his title of “emperor’s younger brother” in Great Tang Records on the Western Regions came to be.
1 English translation by Hill, John E. (2009). Through the Jade Gate to Rome: A Study of the Silk Routes during the Later Han Dynasty, 1st to 2nd Centuries CE. Charleston, South Carolina: BookSurge. p. 48.
[T/N: 交河 (jiāohé) means “river junction”]
Nearer Jushi was one of the small kingdoms that went to Chang’an and persuaded Fu Jian to commence a Western expedition, and it was also this kingdom that volunteered to be the guide for Lu Guang’s army. This is why they are giving Lu Guang such a grand welcome ceremony. At dusk, we enter the gates of Gaochang amidst the sounds of music, dance, and flowers, which make me fall into a trance. It is because the ruins of the city that I saw not long ago have now transformed into a vivid picture of prosperity. The blue sea turning into mulberry fields1 is really just a matter of moments.
1 沧海桑田 (cāng hǎi sang tián): chengyu, describing great changes over time. This chengyu originated from Ge Hong’s《神仙传·麻姑》 or Shénxiān zhuàn (Biographies of Divine Immortals is one translation of this title).
This city would continue to prosper until the end of the 13th Century, when Mongolian nobleman Kaidu rebelled. After years of devastating wars, he succeeded in capturing Gaochang and Jiaohe, and at the same time, forced the people living there to abandon Buddhism and convert to Islam. When the war was over, the Jushi people had drowned all women and children in wells to prevent them from being assaulted and enslaved. Those wells continue to exist in the 21st Century. And now, walking along the streets of Jiaohe, I am seeing them again. After the Mongols have broken down the city’s fortifications, they implemented their usual tactics of burning, looting, and killing. The city of over 1,500 years old was destroyed completely. Where I am standing is the Great Buddha Temple, situated at the centre of the city. Next to it is the palace that was built entirely by soil and rows of residences for officials. In the 21st Century, there are still traces of the ravage caused by the fire.
Jiaohe is the last of the big cities that we will be crossing before Duanhuang, so Lu Guang announces a ten-day rest here. Thanks to Rajiva’s noble status, we do not have to stay at an inn; the King of Jushi specifically arranges for us to stay in the palace. That evening, a grand welcome banquet is held in the main hall. Rajiva and I are both invited to attend. At the banquet, the King of Nearer Jushi asks Rajiva to lecture on Mahayana Buddhism at the Great Buddha Temple. Even though he does not want to, Lu Guang still has no choice but to allow it. Rajiva’s answer is: He needs to prepare for a day, and then he will start.
I look at him in puzzlement. Holding lectures is part of his usual job, and since when does he need to prepare for that! Just tell him which sutras to search for or which Buddhist concepts need explaining and without thinking, he will immediately be able to speak on it eloquently. His brain is like a comprehensive encyclopedia on Buddhism. My suspicions deepen when I see him cast a secretive smile in my direction. Once we return to our room after the banquet, I impatiently ask him to explain but he only smiles, acting all mysterious.
The next morning, I wake up and see that he is nowhere to be found. He usually wakes up earlier than me and is probably chanting mantras outside, so I do not give it any attention. Furthermore, I have more important things to do today, which I have been looking forward to since before we arrive at Jiaohe. To me, being able to conduct field research on the ancient city of Jiaohe during its heyday is very meaningful. Even though I do not plan on returning to modern times, my love of history and archaeology is already in my bones and cannot be wiped out. That is why, after washing up, I eagerly make plans to go out. However, as soon as I step out of the palace’s gates, I immediately still.
A tall and impeccable-looking man is standing with his back to me. He is wearing ivory robes and brown curly hair drapes over his shoulders. The man seems to exude a rather otherworldly aura. Hearing movement behind him, he turns around. A river of spring water is flowing in his bright gray eyes.
He glances at his clothes, then stretches his arm towards me and smiles radiantly:
“Today, there is no eminent monk Kumarajiva, only an ordinary man who will be taking a walk with his wife.”
I was in the middle of a trance, looking at the otherworldly man with heart eyes, but hearing him say that, I immediately become annoyed: “I am going to work, not to play.”
He chuckles and lightly shakes his head: “All right, then this ordinary man will accompany his wife to work, completely at her disposal.”
No wonder he was acting all mysterious yesterday. He must have been planning this for a long while. He has taken notes of my hobbies in his heart, making me grin uncontrollably. I hook my arm with his and start to walk.
Suddenly, recalling something from before, I ask: “Tell me honestly, on the last day of the Sumuzhe Festival that year, did you come to find me?”
His footsteps come to a stop. His face is bright red in a flash. Usually, he is very articulate, yet he is now stumbling in his words: “You- How did you know?”
“Because it has been more than ten years, and your style in secular clothing has not changed one bit!”
I laugh loudly. Thinking about the past, I cannot help but feel emotional. I stop and turn to face him: “Last time, I was not able to tell you, but this time I must definitely say it.”
He looks back at me with confusion in his eyes. That worried look makes me double over in laughter.
“What I wanted to say is that you look very handsome, dressed this way!”
I stop laughing, meet his warm gaze, and praise him sincerely: “Rajiva, you are the most handsome and manliest man I have ever met.”
He freezes for a moment, then a shy smile appears, making his entire being glow.
“Rajiva has never cared about outward appearance. Besides, I am already thirty-six years old, what handsomeness.”
I shake my head:
“Before the age of thirty, your appearance is gifted by your parents. But after thirty, your appearance is determined by yourself. As the saying goes: Appearance is born from the heart. Temperament, broad-mindedness, and maturity are all acquired through lived experience. When people have an open mind, it is reflected in their appearance. Some men are too reliant on their parents’ gift in their youths, and the older they get, the more tasteless they become. Their bellies become round from over-indulgence, yet they curse fates instead and blame others. Those men, no matter how handsome they were originally, after a few years, their disgusting faces would be revealed. But some men are like wine – the more they age, the finer they become. The years bring out the heady aroma, and the wrinkles on the forehead add grace and charm, because they represent the experience and wisdom of life.”
Gazing at his clear and bright visage, I say sincerely: “Rajiva, you are a man who is like fine wine. Even if you are fifty, sixty, or even older, I will still love your appearance.”
I cast my eyes down, stretch out my arms and give myself an appraisal, then take a deep breath and speak with self-encouragement: “As for me, I will try to discipline and cultivate myself, so that I become more attractive and be worthy to stand next to you.”
latiaozi (Source: Jing Xi Cai Pu)
“You- You really have the ability to make Rajiva happy.” He gently knocks my forehead, a bright glint in his eyes, “Are you hungry yet? I heard that Jiaohe’s latiaozi1 are quite delicious…”
1 拉条子 (lātiáozi): Xinjiang-style hand-pulled noodles, also known as Laghman or Lagman.
“Really? Then let’s go.”
Without even rubbing the spot where he just knocked, I pull him by the hand to pick up our pace.
“You are treating me, right?”
“You silly girl, what are you in a hurry for…”
kao baozi (source: juncanw.com)
He accompanies me on the streets and because he is wearing layman’s clothes, I unabashedly hold his hand in public. He is a little uncomfortable in the beginning, but after I persistently grab his hand to hold several times, he reluctantly lets me be. We eat the special coloured baked baozi1, which is a specialty of this region. It is not a baozi in the usual sense, but one made of lamb filling that is wrapped in a thin pastry skin and put in the pit of a tandoor2. It is taken out once the skin reaches a golden colour and eaten while hot. The skin is crispy, the meat is tender, fragrant but not greasy. I hop from one foot to another while eating because of how hot it is. He [Rajiva] keeps sighing and shaking his head besides me.
1 烤包子(kǎo bāozi): also known as samsa (Uyghur) or somsa (Uzbek). Baozi is a yeast-leavened filled bun that is usually steamed and white in colour, hence why Ai Qing is describing this bun here as a “special” baozi.
2 Tandoor is a cylindrical clay oven used in in Southern, Central, and Western Asia. Often used to bake flatbreads such as naan, or to roast meats.
Lamb skewers are another indispensable snack. I recall how during the Sumuzhe Festival, I had imagined the two of us sitting by the side of the streets eating lamb skewers, and turn to him with an evil look. Seeing my sly grin, he discreetly steps back and tries to pull me to eat latiaozi instead, but I stay him with my hand. Haha, a lamb is in a tiger’s den1 and yet wants to escape? No way.
1 羊入虎口 (yáng rù hǔ kǒu): a chengyu that describes a dangerous situation where death is guaranteed.
The final result is that the most venerable master of a generation of monks ends up sitting next to me, eating lamb skewers with a blushing face. Fortunately, he has never been to Jiaohe before and is wearing a layman’s clothes, so no one can recognize him. Otherwise, he would rather be killed than let me destroy his image like this!
I find a small stall, sit down, and ask for two bowls of latiaozi, but he looks at the grease on the tables and chairs, somewhat discomfited. I know he is used to being served since young and that he likes to be clean. I smile and tell him that if you want to eat the most authentic kinds of snack, you must get them at small stalls like this. This is precisely how I am during my travels abroad – a glutton. Sure enough, the latiaozi of this stall is delicious, both soft and chewy. He sees me eating so happily that he finally is willing to move his chopsticks. After eating for a bit, he cannot help but nod in agreement with me.
That day, we wander everywhere in Jiaohe and do not return until it is dark. I completely forgot my original purpose of going outside was to work. After eating too much, I have to rub my stomach on the way back. I used to think that it was more interesting to have someone playful like Pusysdeva accompany you when going out, but that view has been turned upside down today. Turns out, it was because I have never walked the streets with someone I love. Even if he does not know how to joke and is not amusing, even if before holding my hand he has to cast his eyes around to see if anyone is watching, even if he wants to control my movements, not letting me eat too much or run around. However, the overwhelming feeling of happiness that I get when walking next to him is not something that Pusysdeva could have given me.
When we go to sleep at night, he offers his arm as a pillow as usual and gently says into my ear: “Ai Qing, I am very happy today.”
“It is the same for me. It has been a long while since I am this happy.” I turn around and hug him, sighing with satisfaction: “Thank you for everything you have done for me.”
“If you want, I will accompany you on outings more often in the future.”
“You are a monk, you should not do this often.” I bury myself in his arms and rest my cheek against his, “I do not want much, as long as we can do this once a year, where you stay and accompany me for the whole day, enjoying the mundane life together – that will be enough to satisfy me.”
The lips that touch mine are soft and gentle, and a deep voice speaks into my ears: “All right.”
[After that,] he lectures at the Great Buddha Temple until the day before departure. And I, just like at other places that we have stopped by, go out to investigate and take notes. It is just that every time I pass by the shop that sells baked baozi, the corner where we ate lamb skewers, and the stall that sells latiaozi, I cannot help but smile. When we leave Jiaohe, I keep looking back at the city built on a river platform as it fades from view. This city makes me more nostalgic than any other place we have stopped by because of the beautiful memory of that outing…
On the way from Jiaohe to Shanshan, there are many grapevine trellises put up on the fields, and sometimes we would travel under those trellises. Every household has a shed for making raisins. Halfway through the route, the Flaming Mountains1 appear in front of us. Above, the sky is blue and the clouds are like cotton candy, yet underneath is a continuous strip of intense red-brown colour. Even if you close your eyes, that crimson colour can still penetrate your eyelids. Sweating profusely, we exit Turpan Basin and arrive at Shanshan.
1 火焰山 (huǒyànshān), lit. Flaming Mountains, also known as Gaochang Mountains, “are barren, eroded, red sandstone hills in the Tian Shan of Xinjiang. They lie near the northern rim of the Taklamakan Desert and east of the city of Turpan. Their striking gullies and trenches caused by erosion of the red sandstone bedrock give the mountains a flaming appearance at certain times of the day.” (Source: Wiki)
火焰山 ‘Flaming Mountains’ AKA Gaochang Mountains (Source: WestChinaTour.com)
Shanshan is a small state and far inferior to Jiaohe. We only stay here for three days before setting off to the last of the small states in Western Regions – Yiwu. Yiwu’s name is even more famous in modern times due to its excellent yellow melons, and everyone on earth knows this place – Hami. At this time, Yiwu is far from the reputation of later generations, just a small state, but it is located at a vital point of the Silk Road.
Little Yiwu’s strategy for survival is to strike water left and right1, not daring to offend anyone. That is why, even though Yiwu did not participate in Lu Guang’s Western expedition, they are still very generous in their reception, bustling around to entertain guests2. Our stay at Yiwu is longer than at Shanshan because the army needs to prepare enough water and food, for what awaits us [after this] is eight hundred li of the nightmarish3 Moheyan Qi4.
1 左右逢源 (zuǒ yòu féng yuá): chengyu, meaning to be able to achieve success one way or another, to take advantage of both sides.
2 迎来送往 (yíng lái sòng wǎng): chengyu, the literal meaning is “to receive those arriving, to send off those departing”, describing someone who is busy with greeting and socializing with guests.
3 闻风丧胆 (wén fēng sang dǎn): chengyu, literally “hear the wind and lose gall”.
4 莫贺延碛 (mò hè yán qì): 莫贺延 lit. “no one [would] congratulate a delay”, and 碛 means a pile of sand and gravel in shallow water. It is now known as Hashun Gobi or Kumtag Desert, part of the Gobi Desert.
Moheyan Qi was known as Shahe [lit. “sand river”] before the Tang Dynasty. It is an almost dead area, devoid of life. To cross this place, one can only walk along the path laid by the bones of previous travellers and animals. The skeletons of ancient people can often be seen on the way. It is heard that some people walked and walked until they fell into the ground and after years of weathering by the elements, became mummified corpses, still retaining their appearances at the time of death.
When Lu Guang was on his Western expedition and passed by here, after walking for three hundred li without water, all of his soldiers’ faces had lost colour. But Lu Guang’s luck was really good, for his army experienced a rainfall that only occurred once in a century. However, Lu Guang knows that he would not be so lucky every time so this time, he personally goes around asking about water and food supply. Indeed, the experience of ‘nine deaths and still alive’1 of last time had really scared him.
1 九死一生 (jiǔ sǐ yī sheng): chengyu, meaning a narrow escape or a new lease of life.
At the end of June, we head towards the eight hundred li of Moheyan Qi, the Land of Death. From Yiwu to Yumen, there is nowhere to restock supplies. Xuanzang also faced extreme difficulty during this journey, crossing with only himself and an old horse. He even lost his waterskin and after four days and five nights, almost died of thirst. We are much more fortunate than Xuanzang, for we have both guide and supplies. However, it is still difficult to enter Moheyan Qi in this hot weather. The temperature reaches 45°C [113°F] at noon, extremely dry. Everyone is given only a certain amount of water every day and no one dares to drink too much. Soon, everyone’s lips are chapped.
Xuanzang described it like this in Great Tang Records on the Western Regions: “At night, demons light up fires, bright as multitudes of stars. During the day, the wind and sand are bad, scattering like rain.” This kind of vivid description, if you do not enter this desert yourself, you would not be able to experience it viscerally. During the day, there would be no wind and then all of a sudden, the sky would darken and there would be flying sand and rocks, creating a hissing sound like that of demons. The yellow sand is swept by the wind and scatters like rain; it enters your throat even if you wrapped your face with a thick veil.
At night, the sky is full of dazzling stars in addition to flickers of phosphorescence. This is the first time I get to see “ghost fire” [will-o’-the-wisp], which is light emitted from bones of humans and animals that have died in this harsh environment for the past thousands of years. In the 21st Century, Moheyan Qi is no longer as horrible. A railway now cuts through and in front of passengers’ eyes is nothing but a dull Gobi Desert. Who would have thought that this area could be called the Land of Death a thousand years ago!
After travelling for half a month, when the fire beacon tower of Yumen Pass finally appears in the distance, everyone yells in excitement, for we have finally passed the eight hundred li of Moheyan Qi. But I know that the road ahead is not as smooth as everyone thinks. Something more terrifying than the Land of Death is awaiting us.
War is now in sight…
Upon arriving at Yanqi1, Lu Guang receives a grand reception from the king. During his Western expedition, Lu Guang had passed by Yanqi, and King Niliu had brought along other smaller neighbour kingdoms to surrender. Now on his way back to the east, King Niliu of Yanqi is doing his best to please him, so Lu Guang decides to stay at Yanqi for five days and receives many gifts from the king. Yanqi and Kucha are very similar in language, customs, and ethnicity, so in these five days, it seems almost as if we are back in Kucha. This feeling of familiarity makes Rajiva very happy for several days.
1 also known as Ārśi in Tocharian, an ancient kingdom on the Silk Road, now the capital of Yanqi Hui Autonomous County in the Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang.
After leaving Yanqi, we travel along Lake Bosten for several days. This is the largest inland freshwater lake in China. Waves ripple across the surface of the [bluish] green-like-jade lake; lush reeds and cattails grow along its edges. Flocks of water birds fly across the lake’s surface and occasionally, there would be local Yanqi people and their fishing boats floating by. After we have set up camp, every day, the soldiers would go to the lake to catch fish, improving the fare we have for dinner.
Map of present-day China with Xinjiang highlighted in orange and Turpan Prefecture highlighted in red
In May, we enter one of the lowest basins in the world – Turpan Basin. Turpan is the Uyghur name, which was not yet in use during this era. During the Wei-Jin, Northern and Southern Dynasties era, this basin belonged to the State of Nearer Jushi1. The climate is hot and dry. It is not yet summer, yet Turpan is already eagerly showing off its “fire continent” reputation to us. After several days of travelling, all we can see is dry, barren land, extremely desolate. Strong gusts of wind would appear frequently and blow us around. The ground is covered by fine participles of salt, and this salt crust seems to be able to absorb sunlight, emitting a trance of dim light. Inexplicable lakes and forests appear in the horizon. These strange images are the result of a mirage2.
1 “In or about 60 BC, the Han—ruled at the time by Emperor Xuan—defeated Xiongnu forces at the Battle of Jushi, during the Han–Xiongnu War. Afterwards, the main part of the Jushi lands was divided into two states: a southern area controlled by the Han, who referred to it as “Nearer Jushi” (or “Anterior Jushi”), and a northern area known to the Han as “Further Jushi” (or “Posterior Jushi”) that was dominated by the Xiongnu.” (quoted from Wiki’s page on “Jushi Kingdom”, which referenced its source from Hill, John E. (2009) Through the Jade Gate to Rome: A Study of the Silk Routes during the Later Han Dynasty, 1st to 2nd Centuries CE. BookSurge, Charleston, South Carolina.)
2 A mirage is “a naturally occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays bend via refraction to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky” (source: Wiki).
We now enter the capital city of Jushi. This city was built on a 30-metre high cliff platform at the intersection of two rivers. There is only a narrow dirt road that leads to the city’s gates. The topography of this place is pretty unique and interesting. I have been here in modern times, but all that filled my eyes was broken yellow earth. Here is the ancient city of Jiaohe, which in the 21st Century is considered the oldest, largest, and best-preserved ancient city made completely from soil1.
1 more specifically, loess soil, which is “a loosely compacted yellowish-grey deposit of wind-blown sediment of which extensive deposits occur” (Source: Oxford Dictionaries).
Scale model of Jiaohe (Source: Wiki)
The Book of Later Han – “Treatise on Western Regions” writes as follows: “The king of Nearer Jushi lives in the town of Jiaohe. A river divides into two and surrounds the town, which is why it is called Jiaohe.”1 Nearer Jushi ruled over this region for over five hundred years. But less than eighty years from now [460 CE], after the last King of Jushi dies, the Rouran people will install Kan Bozhou as its [Turpan’s] king, and Nearer Jushi would be renamed as Gaochang and move its capital to the City of Gaochang, which is dozens of kilometres away from Jiaohe. Xuanzang on his way to the West would pass by Gaochang and become sworn brothers with King Qu Wentai. This was how his title of “emperor’s younger brother” in Great Tang Records on the Western Regions came to be.
1 English translation by Hill, John E. (2009). Through the Jade Gate to Rome: A Study of the Silk Routes during the Later Han Dynasty, 1st to 2nd Centuries CE. Charleston, South Carolina: BookSurge. p. 48.
[T/N: 交河 (jiāohé) means “river junction”]
Nearer Jushi was one of the small kingdoms that went to Chang’an and persuaded Fu Jian to commence a Western expedition, and it was also this kingdom that volunteered to be the guide for Lu Guang’s army. This is why they are giving Lu Guang such a grand welcome ceremony. At dusk, we enter the gates of Gaochang amidst the sounds of music, dance, and flowers, which make me fall into a trance. It is because the ruins of the city that I saw not long ago have now transformed into a vivid picture of prosperity. The blue sea turning into mulberry fields1 is really just a matter of moments.
1 沧海桑田 (cāng hǎi sang tián): chengyu, describing great changes over time. This chengyu originated from Ge Hong’s《神仙传·麻姑》 or Shénxiān zhuàn (Biographies of Divine Immortals is one translation of this title).
This city would continue to prosper until the end of the 13th Century, when Mongolian nobleman Kaidu rebelled. After years of devastating wars, he succeeded in capturing Gaochang and Jiaohe, and at the same time, forced the people living there to abandon Buddhism and convert to Islam. When the war was over, the Jushi people had drowned all women and children in wells to prevent them from being assaulted and enslaved. Those wells continue to exist in the 21st Century. And now, walking along the streets of Jiaohe, I am seeing them again. After the Mongols have broken down the city’s fortifications, they implemented their usual tactics of burning, looting, and killing. The city of over 1,500 years old was destroyed completely. Where I am standing is the Great Buddha Temple, situated at the centre of the city. Next to it is the palace that was built entirely by soil and rows of residences for officials. In the 21st Century, there are still traces of the ravage caused by the fire.
Jiaohe is the last of the big cities that we will be crossing before Duanhuang, so Lu Guang announces a ten-day rest here. Thanks to Rajiva’s noble status, we do not have to stay at an inn; the King of Jushi specifically arranges for us to stay in the palace. That evening, a grand welcome banquet is held in the main hall. Rajiva and I are both invited to attend. At the banquet, the King of Nearer Jushi asks Rajiva to lecture on Mahayana Buddhism at the Great Buddha Temple. Even though he does not want to, Lu Guang still has no choice but to allow it. Rajiva’s answer is: He needs to prepare for a day, and then he will start.
I look at him in puzzlement. Holding lectures is part of his usual job, and since when does he need to prepare for that! Just tell him which sutras to search for or which Buddhist concepts need explaining and without thinking, he will immediately be able to speak on it eloquently. His brain is like a comprehensive encyclopedia on Buddhism. My suspicions deepen when I see him cast a secretive smile in my direction. Once we return to our room after the banquet, I impatiently ask him to explain but he only smiles, acting all mysterious.
The next morning, I wake up and see that he is nowhere to be found. He usually wakes up earlier than me and is probably chanting mantras outside, so I do not give it any attention. Furthermore, I have more important things to do today, which I have been looking forward to since before we arrive at Jiaohe. To me, being able to conduct field research on the ancient city of Jiaohe during its heyday is very meaningful. Even though I do not plan on returning to modern times, my love of history and archaeology is already in my bones and cannot be wiped out. That is why, after washing up, I eagerly make plans to go out. However, as soon as I step out of the palace’s gates, I immediately still.
A tall and impeccable-looking man is standing with his back to me. He is wearing ivory robes and brown curly hair drapes over his shoulders. The man seems to exude a rather otherworldly aura. Hearing movement behind him, he turns around. A river of spring water is flowing in his bright gray eyes.
He glances at his clothes, then stretches his arm towards me and smiles radiantly:
“Today, there is no eminent monk Kumarajiva, only an ordinary man who will be taking a walk with his wife.”
I was in the middle of a trance, looking at the otherworldly man with heart eyes, but hearing him say that, I immediately become annoyed: “I am going to work, not to play.”
He chuckles and lightly shakes his head: “All right, then this ordinary man will accompany his wife to work, completely at her disposal.”
No wonder he was acting all mysterious yesterday. He must have been planning this for a long while. He has taken notes of my hobbies in his heart, making me grin uncontrollably. I hook my arm with his and start to walk.
Suddenly, recalling something from before, I ask: “Tell me honestly, on the last day of the Sumuzhe Festival that year, did you come to find me?”
His footsteps come to a stop. His face is bright red in a flash. Usually, he is very articulate, yet he is now stumbling in his words: “You- How did you know?”
“Because it has been more than ten years, and your style in secular clothing has not changed one bit!”
I laugh loudly. Thinking about the past, I cannot help but feel emotional. I stop and turn to face him: “Last time, I was not able to tell you, but this time I must definitely say it.”
He looks back at me with confusion in his eyes. That worried look makes me double over in laughter.
“What I wanted to say is that you look very handsome, dressed this way!”
I stop laughing, meet his warm gaze, and praise him sincerely: “Rajiva, you are the most handsome and manliest man I have ever met.”
He freezes for a moment, then a shy smile appears, making his entire being glow.
“Rajiva has never cared about outward appearance. Besides, I am already thirty-six years old, what handsomeness.”
I shake my head:
“Before the age of thirty, your appearance is gifted by your parents. But after thirty, your appearance is determined by yourself. As the saying goes: Appearance is born from the heart. Temperament, broad-mindedness, and maturity are all acquired through lived experience. When people have an open mind, it is reflected in their appearance. Some men are too reliant on their parents’ gift in their youths, and the older they get, the more tasteless they become. Their bellies become round from over-indulgence, yet they curse fates instead and blame others. Those men, no matter how handsome they were originally, after a few years, their disgusting faces would be revealed. But some men are like wine – the more they age, the finer they become. The years bring out the heady aroma, and the wrinkles on the forehead add grace and charm, because they represent the experience and wisdom of life.”
Gazing at his clear and bright visage, I say sincerely: “Rajiva, you are a man who is like fine wine. Even if you are fifty, sixty, or even older, I will still love your appearance.”
I cast my eyes down, stretch out my arms and give myself an appraisal, then take a deep breath and speak with self-encouragement: “As for me, I will try to discipline and cultivate myself, so that I become more attractive and be worthy to stand next to you.”
latiaozi (Source: Jing Xi Cai Pu)
“You- You really have the ability to make Rajiva happy.” He gently knocks my forehead, a bright glint in his eyes, “Are you hungry yet? I heard that Jiaohe’s latiaozi1 are quite delicious…”
1 拉条子 (lātiáozi): Xinjiang-style hand-pulled noodles, also known as Laghman or Lagman.
“Really? Then let’s go.”
Without even rubbing the spot where he just knocked, I pull him by the hand to pick up our pace.
“You are treating me, right?”
“You silly girl, what are you in a hurry for…”
kao baozi (source: juncanw.com)
He accompanies me on the streets and because he is wearing layman’s clothes, I unabashedly hold his hand in public. He is a little uncomfortable in the beginning, but after I persistently grab his hand to hold several times, he reluctantly lets me be. We eat the special coloured baked baozi1, which is a specialty of this region. It is not a baozi in the usual sense, but one made of lamb filling that is wrapped in a thin pastry skin and put in the pit of a tandoor2. It is taken out once the skin reaches a golden colour and eaten while hot. The skin is crispy, the meat is tender, fragrant but not greasy. I hop from one foot to another while eating because of how hot it is. He [Rajiva] keeps sighing and shaking his head besides me.
1 烤包子(kǎo bāozi): also known as samsa (Uyghur) or somsa (Uzbek). Baozi is a yeast-leavened filled bun that is usually steamed and white in colour, hence why Ai Qing is describing this bun here as a “special” baozi.
2 Tandoor is a cylindrical clay oven used in in Southern, Central, and Western Asia. Often used to bake flatbreads such as naan, or to roast meats.
Lamb skewers are another indispensable snack. I recall how during the Sumuzhe Festival, I had imagined the two of us sitting by the side of the streets eating lamb skewers, and turn to him with an evil look. Seeing my sly grin, he discreetly steps back and tries to pull me to eat latiaozi instead, but I stay him with my hand. Haha, a lamb is in a tiger’s den1 and yet wants to escape? No way.
1 羊入虎口 (yáng rù hǔ kǒu): a chengyu that describes a dangerous situation where death is guaranteed.
The final result is that the most venerable master of a generation of monks ends up sitting next to me, eating lamb skewers with a blushing face. Fortunately, he has never been to Jiaohe before and is wearing a layman’s clothes, so no one can recognize him. Otherwise, he would rather be killed than let me destroy his image like this!
I find a small stall, sit down, and ask for two bowls of latiaozi, but he looks at the grease on the tables and chairs, somewhat discomfited. I know he is used to being served since young and that he likes to be clean. I smile and tell him that if you want to eat the most authentic kinds of snack, you must get them at small stalls like this. This is precisely how I am during my travels abroad – a glutton. Sure enough, the latiaozi of this stall is delicious, both soft and chewy. He sees me eating so happily that he finally is willing to move his chopsticks. After eating for a bit, he cannot help but nod in agreement with me.
That day, we wander everywhere in Jiaohe and do not return until it is dark. I completely forgot my original purpose of going outside was to work. After eating too much, I have to rub my stomach on the way back. I used to think that it was more interesting to have someone playful like Pusysdeva accompany you when going out, but that view has been turned upside down today. Turns out, it was because I have never walked the streets with someone I love. Even if he does not know how to joke and is not amusing, even if before holding my hand he has to cast his eyes around to see if anyone is watching, even if he wants to control my movements, not letting me eat too much or run around. However, the overwhelming feeling of happiness that I get when walking next to him is not something that Pusysdeva could have given me.
When we go to sleep at night, he offers his arm as a pillow as usual and gently says into my ear: “Ai Qing, I am very happy today.”
“It is the same for me. It has been a long while since I am this happy.” I turn around and hug him, sighing with satisfaction: “Thank you for everything you have done for me.”
“If you want, I will accompany you on outings more often in the future.”
“You are a monk, you should not do this often.” I bury myself in his arms and rest my cheek against his, “I do not want much, as long as we can do this once a year, where you stay and accompany me for the whole day, enjoying the mundane life together – that will be enough to satisfy me.”
The lips that touch mine are soft and gentle, and a deep voice speaks into my ears: “All right.”
[After that,] he lectures at the Great Buddha Temple until the day before departure. And I, just like at other places that we have stopped by, go out to investigate and take notes. It is just that every time I pass by the shop that sells baked baozi, the corner where we ate lamb skewers, and the stall that sells latiaozi, I cannot help but smile. When we leave Jiaohe, I keep looking back at the city built on a river platform as it fades from view. This city makes me more nostalgic than any other place we have stopped by because of the beautiful memory of that outing…
On the way from Jiaohe to Shanshan, there are many grapevine trellises put up on the fields, and sometimes we would travel under those trellises. Every household has a shed for making raisins. Halfway through the route, the Flaming Mountains1 appear in front of us. Above, the sky is blue and the clouds are like cotton candy, yet underneath is a continuous strip of intense red-brown colour. Even if you close your eyes, that crimson colour can still penetrate your eyelids. Sweating profusely, we exit Turpan Basin and arrive at Shanshan.
1 火焰山 (huǒyànshān), lit. Flaming Mountains, also known as Gaochang Mountains, “are barren, eroded, red sandstone hills in the Tian Shan of Xinjiang. They lie near the northern rim of the Taklamakan Desert and east of the city of Turpan. Their striking gullies and trenches caused by erosion of the red sandstone bedrock give the mountains a flaming appearance at certain times of the day.” (Source: Wiki)
火焰山 ‘Flaming Mountains’ AKA Gaochang Mountains (Source: WestChinaTour.com)
Shanshan is a small state and far inferior to Jiaohe. We only stay here for three days before setting off to the last of the small states in Western Regions – Yiwu. Yiwu’s name is even more famous in modern times due to its excellent yellow melons, and everyone on earth knows this place – Hami. At this time, Yiwu is far from the reputation of later generations, just a small state, but it is located at a vital point of the Silk Road.
Little Yiwu’s strategy for survival is to strike water left and right1, not daring to offend anyone. That is why, even though Yiwu did not participate in Lu Guang’s Western expedition, they are still very generous in their reception, bustling around to entertain guests2. Our stay at Yiwu is longer than at Shanshan because the army needs to prepare enough water and food, for what awaits us [after this] is eight hundred li of the nightmarish3 Moheyan Qi4.
1 左右逢源 (zuǒ yòu féng yuá): chengyu, meaning to be able to achieve success one way or another, to take advantage of both sides.
2 迎来送往 (yíng lái sòng wǎng): chengyu, the literal meaning is “to receive those arriving, to send off those departing”, describing someone who is busy with greeting and socializing with guests.
3 闻风丧胆 (wén fēng sang dǎn): chengyu, literally “hear the wind and lose gall”.
4 莫贺延碛 (mò hè yán qì): 莫贺延 lit. “no one [would] congratulate a delay”, and 碛 means a pile of sand and gravel in shallow water. It is now known as Hashun Gobi or Kumtag Desert, part of the Gobi Desert.
Moheyan Qi was known as Shahe [lit. “sand river”] before the Tang Dynasty. It is an almost dead area, devoid of life. To cross this place, one can only walk along the path laid by the bones of previous travellers and animals. The skeletons of ancient people can often be seen on the way. It is heard that some people walked and walked until they fell into the ground and after years of weathering by the elements, became mummified corpses, still retaining their appearances at the time of death.
When Lu Guang was on his Western expedition and passed by here, after walking for three hundred li without water, all of his soldiers’ faces had lost colour. But Lu Guang’s luck was really good, for his army experienced a rainfall that only occurred once in a century. However, Lu Guang knows that he would not be so lucky every time so this time, he personally goes around asking about water and food supply. Indeed, the experience of ‘nine deaths and still alive’1 of last time had really scared him.
1 九死一生 (jiǔ sǐ yī sheng): chengyu, meaning a narrow escape or a new lease of life.
At the end of June, we head towards the eight hundred li of Moheyan Qi, the Land of Death. From Yiwu to Yumen, there is nowhere to restock supplies. Xuanzang also faced extreme difficulty during this journey, crossing with only himself and an old horse. He even lost his waterskin and after four days and five nights, almost died of thirst. We are much more fortunate than Xuanzang, for we have both guide and supplies. However, it is still difficult to enter Moheyan Qi in this hot weather. The temperature reaches 45°C [113°F] at noon, extremely dry. Everyone is given only a certain amount of water every day and no one dares to drink too much. Soon, everyone’s lips are chapped.
Xuanzang described it like this in Great Tang Records on the Western Regions: “At night, demons light up fires, bright as multitudes of stars. During the day, the wind and sand are bad, scattering like rain.” This kind of vivid description, if you do not enter this desert yourself, you would not be able to experience it viscerally. During the day, there would be no wind and then all of a sudden, the sky would darken and there would be flying sand and rocks, creating a hissing sound like that of demons. The yellow sand is swept by the wind and scatters like rain; it enters your throat even if you wrapped your face with a thick veil.
At night, the sky is full of dazzling stars in addition to flickers of phosphorescence. This is the first time I get to see “ghost fire” [will-o’-the-wisp], which is light emitted from bones of humans and animals that have died in this harsh environment for the past thousands of years. In the 21st Century, Moheyan Qi is no longer as horrible. A railway now cuts through and in front of passengers’ eyes is nothing but a dull Gobi Desert. Who would have thought that this area could be called the Land of Death a thousand years ago!
After travelling for half a month, when the fire beacon tower of Yumen Pass finally appears in the distance, everyone yells in excitement, for we have finally passed the eight hundred li of Moheyan Qi. But I know that the road ahead is not as smooth as everyone thinks. Something more terrifying than the Land of Death is awaiting us.
War is now in sight…
