An unexpected visit to the Milan ruins in Ruoqiang County
It was an accident that we were able to visit the Milan ruins. The online post said that we had to apply first and pay a ¥350 cultural relic protection fee, so we had no choice but to give up.
On June 30, 2023, I wanted to spend a day leisurely visiting the attractions in Ruoqiang County and the Loulan Museum. We lived near the train station and it was difficult to get a taxi, so I called a taxi from the county town. The driver About ¥25.
Who would have thought that once I got in the taxi, my fate would change! The master told me that the site is open and no application is required, and it is free! She also called the site to confirm for us, and we immediately headed east, feeling excited and full of anticipation!
The car drove more than 70 kilometers, about 1 hour and 15 minutes, all on the highway, and finally stopped at the tourist center.
After entering the visitor center and buying the tickets for the tour bus, the staff asked us to visit the exhibition hall first, and also asked the individual visitors who came to the hall to gather together, in groups of 12, and each person paid ¥10 to hire a tour guide. (Later I found out that the driver was also the tour guide, but he explained in great detail and seriously)
The first thing I took a photo of was the winged angel statue in the exhibition hall. Although it had been taken away by foreigners, the angel with Eurasian features could still be seen, which was a testimony to the fusion of Eastern and Western cultures.
The tour bus was a big bus with about 20 people, but it had air conditioning, which I was really grateful for! The bus first drove to the farthest Todaiji Temple, and then to the vast desert. Thinking of Milan, which was once an important town on the Silk Road, I felt nostalgic.
Milan was the Yixun city of Loulan during the Western Han Dynasty. The Han emperor sent a Sima and some people to cultivate the land. Later, people also discovered the channels and fields of the Han Dynasty. Our master was from the 36th Regiment. He received a salary from the state and also went to the fields. He was a soldier. It is also a farmer. This ancient system is still in use today, which is really wise.
Although there is no fence around Todaiji Temple, visitors are not allowed to step out of the trail. The master will stop them. It is obvious that Todaiji Temple is divided into two floors, but the Buddha shrine mentioned on the Internet is not visible (because it is inside the temple). I can’t see the Buddha statue. Is it weathered? I didn’t see the big Buddha’s head either. Did I miss it?
Gushubao was a military fortress built during the reign of the Tibetans. The master said there was a granary inside. A few meters deep beside it, a very thick tree trunk was found, proving that it was an oasis in the past.
The Saidaiji Temple has a square tower base with a columnar tower in the middle. The explanation says that this is a fertility worship tower built by people who once occupied this place and believed in other religions.
There are only three sites of Milan ruins to see now. Although they have become adobe bricks of different sizes, the vaguely recognizable remains still send out their codes in the vast desert. The explanations help us understand the past civilization and deepen our understanding of the past. I learned more about the ancient times and thought about that prosperous era. It was like traveling through time. The visit of about 1.5 hours was just a flash visit. The rise and fall in history is the reincarnation in the world.
I would like to thank the master for his explanation, and I would like to thank the Corps, the site staff and the protectors for their efforts.
We took the original taxi back to the county town, which was also metered, with a meter of ¥510 + ¥60 for expressway fees, ¥30 per person for the sightseeing bus, and ¥120/12 people for the tour guide fee.