Essay8: Aksu Wensu Grand Canyon

SOME SAY: God didn’t take Van Gogh away; He left him in Xinjiang. Reaching the Wensu Grand Canyon, we felt like entering Van Gogh’s realm, where various illusions and colours surged into the mind with each step, presenting a spectacle. Cliffs, peaks, and peculiar rocks abound, each with its own style yet harmoniously connected by a deep reddish hue. Under the sky, everything – walking, seeing, touching – was enveloped in endless red, igniting passion but warning against crossing boundaries. Safe wooden walkways guided you up and down, accompanied by the roaring wind cautioning about the ground beneath.

In Uyghur, this place is called “perilous and mysterious,” and indeed it is. With our limited knowledge, the mysteries of the universe persisted. You could explain the diverse shapes of rocks due to erosion, compression, and various geological changes, but the peril and mystery are concealed in the abundance of unknowns. So, don’t let named peaks restrain you; instead, name them based on your perceptions, savouring the unique joy they bring. Here, like Van Gogh, let your imagination run wild, painting your canyon with vivid colours, leaving behind the sweetness only you can savour.

Standing on the edge of the grand canyon, observing the wooden walkway winding along the mountainside like a dragon, its head and tail indistinguishable. As long as you approached with awe and care, the mystique and peril should quietly fade away. As Buddha said: All conditioned things are like a dream, a bubble, a flash of lightning, or a dewdrop. Contemplate them thus.  

Photo / 摄影 : YongCM