When the plane landed, a light rain caught the wind. And when we walked out of the hotel, Yinchuan had clear skies for thousands of miles. This wonderful opening seems to foreshadow that in the next four days, we will continue to experience the generously gifted and unexpected scenery of Ningxia.

The first lesson of getting to know Ningxia was completed at the dining table.

      That night, a group of people tasted ice boiled sheep, Sunite sheep slowly simmered with ice cubes. The meat was fresh and tender like tofu, without any gamey smell; The other team experienced hand grabbed lamb, which was plump and pure. When the sun still twinkles in the sky at eight o'clock at night, we realize how generous even time is here. Delicious food and long dusk are the gifts Ningxia has given us.

On the second day, crossing the oasis: wandering between the desert bloodline and the starry sky bonfire.

      In the early morning, the convoy headed towards Alxa Left Banner for a date with a desert lake. Crossing the Five Lakes is the main theme of this day. The scenery outside the car window, overlooking the towering and desolate Helan Mountains from the road, switches to the endless golden curves deep in the desert. The real shock begins with getting on a professional off-road vehicle. The vehicle rushed up the ridge of the sand dune, creating a thrilling arc between heaven and earth, and then plunged almost vertically from the top of the slope several tens of meters high. The weightlessness made my heart skip a beat, and the sand sea rushed towards me. And when the wheels stopped by the lake of Ulan, everything instantly softened. The lake water in May is a gentle light pink color. The guide said that this color comes from the dormant microorganisms in the lake, which will "burn" into a fiery red in the summer. We were blowing the wind by the quiet lake, watching the shy colors lying among the endless golden sand dunes. On this day, the desert generously displays its two completely different sides, one rigid and one gentle, one dynamic and one static.

      At the end of the journey, we transitioned to the No.7 Starry Sky Camp in Zhongwei. Large white tents bloomed like flowers on the sand dunes in the twilight, creating a spectacular and novel scene. The prelude to tonight's carnival comes from a powerful and beautiful interpretation: Mongolian riders ride their horses at full speed, and complete difficult movements such as standing, hanging upside down, and overlapping in the gallop. The sound of the horse's hooves knocking on the earth is intertwined with the cheers of the audience, which is the unrestrained and uninhibited people of the grassland in their blood. Subsequently, bonfires and fireworks were lit one after another, and everyone walked onto the stage, with the flames reflecting every happy face. Some people hold hands and dance Mongolian dance, while others sway freely to the music, and everyone is immersed in this carnival.

      Finally, guided by the staff, we went deep into Lotus Valley to observe the stars. The night sky is like a deep black velvet, as empty as ink, with clear stars. Although we did not witness the magnificent scene of the Milky Way pouring down, several of the brightest stars stubbornly penetrated through the gaps in the clouds. Under the guidance of the staff's laser pens, we learned to identify constellations and distinguish artificial satellites. At this moment, the sky and earth were vast, and the night breeze was slightly cool.

On the third day, passion and inheritance: the screams of Shapotou and the singing of the Yellow River.

      Today's destination is the Shapotou Scenic Area, known as the "Desert Disney". Here, the Yellow River meets the desert, where passion and antiquity coexist. The desert off-road vehicle that can be driven by ourselves once again ignites our adrenaline, and the "Yellow River Flying Rope" that flies over the Yellow River allows us to experience the unique pleasure of "flying over the mother river". Roaring down a 200 meter long sandy slope is a bold gift for childhood.

      At night, the team gathered around and realized the "freedom of Roasted whole lamb". Eating meat in large chunks, communicating freely, all the excitement and fatigue of the day have turned into the most sincere smile and the wine in the cup at this moment.

The endpoint of the journey: listening to the epic of Western Xia under the "Eastern Pyramid"

      On the last day of our journey, we walked into the Western Xia Mausoleum with reverence. This site, which was just listed in the The World Heritage List in July 2025, is known as the "Oriental Pyramid". From a distance, tall yellow earth rammed earth mausoleum towers stand at the foot of Helan Mountain, silent and solemn in the vast sky and earth.

      Visiting is not only a marvel at the magnificent architecture, but also a profound historical lesson. We have learned that this mysterious dynasty, the Western Xia, which once coexisted with the Song, Liao, and Jin dynasties, had its own unique writing system, splendid Buddhist culture, and powerful military power, but suddenly disappeared in the long river of history. The wind howled through the mausoleum area, carrying a chill of history. A few days ago, all the sensory stimuli settled at this moment, turning into a soft sigh for time and civilization.

      In these four days, we have experienced various gifts from Ningxia: from the freshness of rain upon landing to the generosity of sunlight at dusk; From the adrenaline rush as the off-road vehicle dives, to the gentle breeze by the pink lake; From the passion of horse hooves splashing by the campfire, to the vast tranquility under the starry sky; From the freedom of driving down the sandy slope with one's own hands, to the grandeur of flying over the Yellow River. The journey is a sea of sand and a sea of stars, we have walked through them; Together, we are writing about the present and the future