Xiaolan in Daban and Turpan

"Daban Girls" is the first Uigur folk song Mr. Wang adapted and introduced to the Chinese world, and probably the most popular one.

They say wherever there're Chinese people, there is the song of Daban Girls.

Bidding farewell to Daban town, Xiaolan headed further down south to Destination number 2 - Turpan. Meaning "a land of abundance" in Uigur, Turpan is almost a Xinjiang legend from every perspective. That said, let's hit the road again.

Two hours trekking on bumpy mud road just for this spot - but it's worth it, because this is lowest spot in China, below sea level 154 meters, Aiding lake!

Such vast, barren, desolate land. Human being is really speechless facing this masterpiece of great nature. This is really awe inspiring.

Known as Abnor lake in local language, it's actually the second lowest land worldwide only next to the Dead Sea in Jordan.

Extreme altitude, extreme dryness, but no reason to get desperate, as what they say in Xinjiang, the more sterile the land appears, the more resources you can find underground. Applying this formula to Abnor Lake, you get tons and tons of salt.

Earth is not the only color tone of Turpan Basin. Adorned miraculously by oasis here and there, Turpan provides a rich haven for over half million people.

The annual precipitation is only 16 mm - close to none; but you've got a rich oasis here. The secret lies in Karez well.

Karez well was listed as one of the three greatest irrigation systems in ancient China together with Jinghang manmade cannel, and Dujiangyan Irrigation System. And guess what Karez means in Uigur language? Underground.

The water from snow on Tianshan Mountain, and also underground water. The reason Karez well was built underground is to keep water from evaporation.

For most Turpan people, Karez wells still play the role of lifeline given the special weather condition. A Karez well normally consists of silo, underground and above ground canals, and water-storage dam.

There are altogether over 1000 Karez wells in Turpan basin, the total length of which would exceed that of Yangtze River, the longest river in China. The earliest construction dates back at least 1000 years ago. Karez wells are only to be found in Turpan area in Xinjiang.