Hidden Yellow Earth Plateau Wonders Beneath the Horizon – Come Unveil Their Mystery!

This mud river bay cultural relic site, located beneath the yellow earth plateau and hailed as 'the cradle of ancient human cultures in the East,' is the Datong Tuolin, located in Du Zhuang Village, Yunzhou District, 19 kilometers outside Datong City's urban area. It is also an exterior location for the movie 'Legend of the Dragon,' starring Jet Li and Fan Bingbing.

I spent my student years in Shanxi Province, Datong to be exact, and have left it after 30 years due to work. I have a deep fondness for this land, often dreaming of returning to the old military compound where I lived, seeing my teachers and classmates in my midnight reveries.

In the 1980s, most people were living with basic needs like food, clothing, and housing, and rarely traveled. Although Datong Tuolin was right beside the urban area, I hadn't heard of it. It was only when I found it online that I was instantly curious about this 'muddy earth forest'.

When I arrived at the entrance of the scenic area, it was 9 o'clock. Even during the peak season of the National Day holiday, it wasn't crowded. There were only a few scattered cars in the parking lot. When I asked at the ticket office (adult ticket price is 60 yuan), the scenic area was temporarily closed due to rain last night, and the muddy tour route was not yet open,

This must be a relatively well-preserved original scenic area, and there aren't many places now where the roads haven't been paved. I was full of anticipation,

I waited for nearly an hour, and the scenic area opened. Walking along the two flower paths on either side of the 'muddy earth forest,' I descended a large slope, and arrived at the 'muddy earth forest',

Locals call this place Shiqigou (Stone-made Gorge), formed by calcified soil layers compressed by stone and eroded by water and wind,

'Those who can form forests with stone, few can form them with earth.' This unique yellow earth 'muddy earth forest' is formed by the erosion of water and soil loss,

The peculiar shapes tell silently of the thousands of years and hundreds of years that nature has imprinted on them. They are like soldiers in formation, like horses marching out, like graceful maidens, or like golden eagles standing alone – all depending on your perspective and imagination,

The 'muddy earth forest' is the result of time, and the best time to view it is at dawn or dusk. Due to the time constraints, I haven't had the chance to see the 'muddy earth forest' in the light and shadow, but today, the 'muddy earth forest' is even more desolate and magnificent in the cloudy weather,

The land beneath my feet is typical northern saline-alkali land, and here grows drought-resistant cat's tail grass and salt-tolerant sanddatwan grass, swaying in the autumn wind.

Happily, I saw a group of white ducks leisurely swimming in the lake, creating ripples on the water's surface.

As I strolled through this mysterious and unique 'muddy earth forest,' I saw the traces of yellow earth, and felt the imprint of time; I was amazed by the ingenuity of nature, and felt the tenacity of life.

It has silently stood for a thousand years, waiting for you to unveil the mystery of the Mud River Bay Basin ruins!