By ZHANG YAJUN

China's burgeoning private car ownership has considerably broadened its scope of holiday travel. Driving tours are more and more popular, and cross-country vehicles make exploring remoter regions an exciting and viable vacationing proposition.

Taking a break on the Inner Mongolia grassland.

ON October 2, 2003, our convoy of ten cross-country autos set out from downtown Beijing and headed north. After passing through Huairou, Fengning and Datan, we arrived at Duolun County and met up with members of the Hangzhou Explorer Auto Club. Our aim was to spend the seven-day October First National Day holiday exploring Onqin Daga Desert in Inner Mongolia.

As the crow flies, Duolun is 180 kilometers north of Beijing, but the actual traveling distance is 360 kilometers. No easy journey, it entails driving over rugged mountain paths. The seat of Duolun County is a small town with a population of 90,000. It is famous for having been site of the Duolun (or Kangxi) Alliance of 1691, the 30th year of Qing Emperor Kangxi's reign. The emperor convened a meeting of the nobles of three Outer Mongolian tribes and 48 Inner Mongolian banners to discuss unification of the motherland. At the request of Mongolian chieftains he ordered construction of a grand lamasery, Huizong Monastery, to commemorate this great meeting. Duolun subsequently became a collection and distribution center for trade with Mongolia, and contributed a great deal to economic and cultural development on the Mongolian Plateau.

In recent years, grassland desertification has made Duolun one of the main sources of the sandstorms that hit Beijing and Tianjin in autumn and spring. It is generally associated with raised ecological awareness.

Lending a hand.

We set off the next morning, first crossing the Shangdu River before heading along intricate grassland roads toward the Onqin Daga Desert. We stopped at its periphery, where meadow steppe becomes typical grassland to enjoy its pleasant autumn scenery -- leaves turning from green to yellow and red, seeding grass like white gauze on the golden grassland and birds wheeling overhead. The tributaries of the Luanhe and Shandian rivers flow through here, making it an unlikely looking source of the sandstorms that so plague Beijing and Tianjin.

After crossing a nine-meter-wide river we arrived at the no. 2 sand belt of Duolun County -- a golden sea of sand.

We drove slowly along this soft road surface, taking care not to slide, and at 14:00 our convoy arrived at Liutangwan Village. We then had two choices: to head east toward Holoi Hure -- a straightforward detour, or north toward Dalai Nur. The local people described many large and difficult to negotiate sand dunes at Dalai Nur, which were the more attractive choice for us. We fixed our routes on the GPS, changed gear to four-wheel drive, and overcame one sand dune after another. This meant accelerating hard over sandy slopes 400-500 meters high in one go and, so maintaining a safe distance between each car.

At 16:00 we hit a sand dune too tall to navigate, although the GPS indicated that there was still a road. But where? The vehicles at the foot of the sand dune looked like helpless small boats on a vast yellow sea. What was to be done? I radioed our Beijing and Hangzhou team members and asked their opinions. Their answer: march on. In order to cross this steep desert slope, we had to drive in four-wheel gear at low speed, but there was still no guarantee we could go over it in one go. After overcoming one we were confronted with another even higher sand dune. It seemed to me an experience similar to surfing, only on waves of sand rather than water. I cautioned drivers over the radio not to over-use and risk damaging their clutches, as towing a motor vehicle out of desert would be no easy task. We slowly but surely advanced as the sun set behind the dunes and cold darkness descended. Any vehicle not continuing in the proper order and dropping out would be bound to get lost among these lofty sand dunes. For safety's sake we decided to seek out a local guide, and negotiated a price with the head of a small village. He sent two herdsmen on motorcycle, both experienced night drivers, who headed our convoy.

An hour and a half later we arrived at Dalai Nur Town. On our first day we had spent 13 hours driving 178 kilometers. At a local restaurant I ate a big steaming bowl of noodle soup while my fellows from Beijing and Hangzhou toasted each other with bowl after bowl of erguotou (a strong spirit made from sorghum) to celebrate our successful navigation. We talked about the grassland, and of Kublai Khan leading his troops on the battlefield. We were, and still are, immensely grateful to the herdsmen who guided us through the desert.

In the morning of the third day, we drove up a high mountain and enjoyed a panoramic view of Dalai Nur Lake. Thousands and thousands of migrant birds, such as the swan, red-crested crane, ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) and goose, hovered over the lake, preparing to go south. The lakeshore was covered with frost, and the reed leaves had turned yellow.

That afternoon, our convoy headed for Jingpeng Town, seat of Hexigten Banner. On ridges along the road stand Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) boundary walls and forts built by the Nuzhen people who established the Jin Dynasty. These fascinating remains testify to their strength and engineering skill.

On the morning of the fifth day, our convoy headed west from Jingpeng Town, and then turned south. The vast and gently undulating Gunger Grassland soon came into view.

Advancing in the glow of the setting sun.

Further south, after passing through Huamugou and Yikesong, we arrived at Ulan Butong. Ulan Butong is Mongolian for red altar-shaped mountain. Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and bar-headed geese swam on Jiangjun Paozi Lake, which brought to mind of Ulan Butong Battle in 1690. That year Gardan, lord of the Junger Tribe, staged Tsarist Russia-incited rebellions against the central government that were quashed by repeated punitive expeditions. Emperor Kangxi personally led three expeditions and finally defeated Gardan, and the Mongolian areas were reunified under the central Qing Dynasty authorities. Tong Guogang (Kangxi's maternal uncle) died in battle, and the lake was later named Jiangjun Paozi (General Lake).

Advancing, we passed by Saihanba Tree Farm. In the 1950s a group of college graduates settled in the area and planted 400 million trees on 30,000 hectares of land. Entering this artificial forest, the bounty bestowed by the elder generation became pleasantly apparent.

This was the last day of our motor-driven exploration. That night we stayed at the seat of Weichang County. Driving enthusiasts from Beijing and Hangzhou parted reluctantly here, cheered only at the prospect of our next expedition.

Tourist Attractions

Duolun

Duolun means "seven lakes" in Mongolian. Within its boundaries are beautiful landscapes: vast pastures, primitive forests in secondary growth inhabited by Mongolian gazelles, roe deer, wolves and foxes, and historic sites. It is also rich in edible and medicinal plants such as the fern, day lily, membranous milk vetch (Astragalus membranaceus), and Chinese thorowax. The mean temperature in summer is 18.7 degrees Centigrade. Scenic spots such as Nanshaliang, Luanyuan Hall, Huhen Lake and Huizong Monastery, have been developed and ready to receive summer tourists. Visitors can enjoy the blue sky and white clouds over the vast grassland, go horse-riding, do archery, sand sliding and river rafting. A grassland tour is the only way to witness and experience the authentic Mongolian way of life.

Site of Yuan Dynasty City Shangdu

The Yuan Dynasty capital Shangdu is on an alluvial plain on the north bank of the Shandian River (upper reach of the Luanhe River) within the boundary of Wuyi (May First) Pasture in Zhenglan Banner, Inner Mongolia. The city was built in 1256, sixth year of Yuan Dynasty Xianzong's reign. It was originally called Kaiping Fu (prefecture), and later changed its name to Shangdu (Upper Capital). The city is square and in a traditional Central Plains area layout incorporating a Forbidden City, Imperial City and Outer City, built symmetrically along a central axis. The walls of the Forbidden City were covered with bricks, and in their four corners were watchtowers. Inside the Forbidden City were Daming Hall, Hongxi Hall, Kuizhang Pavilion and Da'an Pavilion. It was bounded by the Imperial City, whose walls were lined with stone slabs. Government offices once stood on its neat streets and roads. The Outer City wall was built of earth. Inside it were gardens, temples and workshops. The neighborhoods outside the city's east, south and west gates comprised markets, residences and warehouses. The city fell to ruin in the early years of Ming Emperor Yongle's reign, but its walls and building foundations still stand. Shangdu is an invaluable site for research into Yuan Dynasty history.

Remains of the Jin Boundary Trench

Bashang.

The greater part of this boundary trench is in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and some sections run through Russia and Mongolia. That in Inner Mongolia's Arun Banner and Zalantun City serves as the boundary between Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang Province. There are also sections in Hebei Province's Weichang, Fengning and Kangbao counties. The boundary trench was built with the aim of fending off invasions of Mongolian cavalry. Earth dug from it was used to build walls. Strongholds, passes and cities connected to the boundary trench were all located within it. On the northern section of the northeastern side are 19 border strongholds at 10-kilometer intervals. Each stronghold is a 150-meter square with a watchtower at each corner and a gate. The strongholds are further protected by moats. Jin Dynasty stone mortars and pottery and porcelain vessels have been unearthed inside and outside the trench.

The Dalai Nur Nature Reserve

The Dalai Nur Nature Reserve is in western Hexigten Banner, under the jurisdiction of Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia. It is 90 kilometers from Jingpeng Town, seat of the Hexigten Banner government. The nature reserve is an important port of passage for migrant birds in northern China. More than 160 species roost here, including the black stork, red-crested crane, white-naped crane, gray crane, demoiselle crane, and whooper swan. In spring and autumn, prime bird watching seasons, thousands of whooper swans and hundreds of white-naped cranes, gray cranes and demoiselle cranes come here to nest.

Mulan Hunting Ground

After Qing emperor Kangxi suppressed the Revolt of Three Feudatories (1673-1681), he ordered establishment of the Mulan Hunting Ground, whose enclosure wall was 650 kilometers long, divided into 72 units, and where there was annual autumn hunting. In the 140 years following the 20th year of Kangxi's reign, three emperors - Kangxi, Qianlong and Jiaqing - held 105 hunts here. Many historical events are linked to Mulan, most particularly the ancient Ulan Butong Battle whose site is within its grounds. Mulan is now open to visitors who can enjoy grassland and forest scenery, go hunting, explore the imperial hunting routes and visit the ancient battlefield.

Jiangjun Paozi is the best known and most popular scenic spot in nearby Saihanba.

Jinshanling Great Wall

Jinshanling Great Wall is on Mt. Jinshanling, northeast of Beijing and south of Chengde, 125 kilometers from Beijing's Gubeikou and Bakeshiying Town of Hebei's Luanping County. To its east is Wuling Mountain, and to its west is Wohu Ridge. It is linked to the capital in the south and Bashang in the north, having been a strategic passage vied for by various ancient military strategists.

The Jinshanling section is more than 20 kilometers long. Construction of the project started in 1567 under the leadership of famous generals Qi Jiguang and Tan Lun. The outstanding features of Jinshanling Great Wall are its grandeur, densely distributed watchtowers and superb workmanship. It is rival to the Badaling Great Wall.