Hi， I&China：第二级阶梯，承上启下的地理枢纽

摘要：循着《这里是中国》英文版的地理脉络，第二级阶梯是中国地貌的 “塑造者”。它承接高原，俯向平原，以黄土高原、云贵高原与众多盆地为骨架，用峡谷、丹霞与草原，勾勒出中国最丰富多样的地表形态。

循着《这里是中国》英文版的地理脉络，第二级阶梯是中国地貌的 “塑造者”。它承接高原，俯向平原，以黄土高原、云贵高原与众多盆地为骨架，用峡谷、丹霞与草原，勾勒出中国最丰富多样的地表形态。

Ili: A Corner of the Far West of China

伊犁：遥远西部的一个角落

One side of the towering Tian Shan (Mount Tianshan) has a bell-shaped mouth facing west at Ili, forming a super rain collector. In this way, Ili, which is located in an arid region, has some of the most abundant water resources in Xinjiang, and even all of inland Asia, through the help of water vapor collected from the westerlies. It has also become the key place to manage Xiyu (Western Regions).

高大的天山，在伊犁形成了一个朝向西方的喇叭口，就这样，本应干旱的伊犁，在大西洋水汽的帮助下，成了新疆乃至亚洲内陆水资源条件最好的区域之一。伊犁也就成一个经营西域的关键命门。

Landforms of the Ili Hegu

伊犁河谷地形图

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Kabanbayi Feng (Kabanbayi Peak)/Photo by Ma Junhua

喀班巴依峰，摄影马俊华

The Xiate Ancient Route/Photo by Yang Sihang

夏特古道，摄影杨思航

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Horse ranch of Zhaosu Caoyuan/Photo by Lai Yuning

昭苏县马场，摄影赖宇宁

Guozigou Bridge/Photo by Lai Yuning

果子沟大桥，摄影赖宇宁

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Lop Nur: The Rise and Fall of Loulan during Five Thousand Years

罗布泊：楼兰生死五千年

Located in the southeastern part of Xinjiang, Lop Nur is in the hinterland of the Eurasian continent. Consisting mainly of deserts, the area is extremely dry. The natural environment is harsh in these barren deserts and can really be called a“death zone.” However, this death zone holds a powerful and mysterious attraction.

罗布泊位于新疆东南部，深居欧亚大陆内陆，异常干旱。极目四望，往往寸草不生，自然环境极为恶劣，是名副其实的“死亡地带”。然而就是这样的“死亡地带”，却拥有极其强大而神秘的吸引力。

Lop Nur and its surroundings

罗布泊及其周围环境示意图

Daxihaizi Shuiku (Great West Sea Reservoir)/Photo by Zhao Laiqing

大西海子水库，摄影赵来清

Ruins of the Three Houses of Loulan/Photo by Wen Xinghua

楼兰三间房遗址，摄影文兴华

The “China Will Rise When the Five Stars Appear in the East Together” brocade/Photo by Liu Yusheng

“五星出东方利中国”织锦，摄影刘玉生

Gansu: The More Diverse, the More Beautiful

甘肃：越多元越美丽

A look at Gansu from a broad perspective reveals that this province in China is not some remote and desolate place famous for its hand-pulled noodles. Rather, Gansu is the most inclusive province with the greatest diversity China has to offer. It is a kaleidoscope of landscapes, plants, as well as customs, cultures, ethnicities, and religions.

如果我们用更宽广的视角来审视甘肃，就会发现甘肃并非像大众认为的那样是一个偏远且荒凉的“拉面省”，而是中国最多元、最包罗万象的省份。各种截然不同的自然风光、水火不容的动植物都在这里会集，各种历史、文化、民族、宗教也都在这里交会。

The Huangtu Gaoyuan region in Gansu

黄土高原分区示意图

Yongtai Fortress/Photo by Cheng Weigang

永泰古城，摄影程伟刚

The loess ridges in Dingxi/Photo by Wang Hongbin

定西黄土地貌，摄影王宏宾

Mogao Grottoes/Photo by Zhang Shihong

莫高窟，摄影张世宏

Xi’an: Rich and Affluent for a Thousand Years

西安：鲜衣木马一千年

The impression of Xi’an varies from person to person. It could be the Terracotta Warriors of the first Emperor of Qin, Chang’an City of the Han and Tang dynasties or the ancient city walls of the Ming and Qing dynasties that have made an impression on a person’s heart. However, Xi’an is not only an ancient imperial capital but also a modern city of great vitality. After countless instances of destruction, it always has the power to be reborn.

每个人心中都有一个西安。或是秦皇的兵马俑，或是汉唐的长安城，又或是明清的古城墙。但西安又并非只是一座高高在上的古老帝都，而是一座鲜活的城市。它历经无数次城毁人失，却总有一种力量，让它焕然一新。

Xi’an and its surrounding areas

西安及周围地区地形图

The reconstructed Danfeng Gate of the Daming Palace/Photo by Li Wenbo

大明宫丹凤门，摄影李文博

Tang Paradise/Photo by Song Hongfei

大唐芙蓉园，摄影宋虹霏

The Ancient Ginkgo in the yard of the Ancient Guanyin Temple/Photo by Han Fei

古观音禅寺古银杏，摄影韩飞

Chengdu: Three Thousand Years of Vibrant Traditional Lifestyles

成都：烟火人间三千年

What kind of a city is Chengdu? Why is it so charming?

This may be due to its accommodation of three religions, nine schools of thought, and people of all classes. Over the past three thousand years countless people, from princes and generals to commoners, have stepped onto the stage of Chengdu one by one. Together, they have built a grand Chinese city full of the hustle and bustle of daily life.

成都究竟是一个什么样的城市？为什么会拥有如此大的魅力？

这也许要归因于它对三教九流、各个阶层的容纳。三千年以来，上至王侯将相，下至升斗小民，无数人逐一登临成都这个舞台，共同营建出了一个中国最具人间烟火气的城市。

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The topographic map of Chengdu

成都地形图

A red panda/Photo by Yan Su

小熊猫，摄影严肃

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The Dujiangyan Irrigation System/Photo by Tang Chao

都江堰水利工程，摄影唐潮

Du Fu Thatched Cottage/Photo by Fan Zhe

杜甫草堂，摄影樊哲

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Fanjing Shan: A Paradise in the Secular World

梵净山：红尘孤岛

What makes Fanjing Shan (Mount Fanjing) stand out is not its scenery or religion but the life it nurtures. Through the ages, Fanjing Shan has been like a solitary island in the world of mortals. It has repeatedly supported the survival of endangered species at critical moments.

梵净山真正出众的不是外形，而是它所孕育的生命。亘古至今，人世间滚滚红尘，梵净山如同一座孤岛。它在危急时刻接连三次出手，助力生灵繁衍存续。