A Visit to China’s “Arctic Village”
Tibet, I’d thought previously, is the place in China “closest to heaven,” as we say. Tibet may be higher in altitude, but the “Arctic Village” is higher in latitude. Could this be China’s most tranquil spot outside the monasteries on the “Roof of the World?”
After our first-day wandering, we were hungry and headed back to the Riverside Family inn for dinner. The inn’s caretaker was waiting for us. His family name was Yu, and his ancestral home was in Shandong Province. Yu had been helpful in booking the accommodation at what was a particularly busy time. He picked us up from the airport, and we drank and ate together. As the evenings wore on, we would head out to gaze at the night sky and count the stars. We shared stories and chatted about life under candlelight, since power cuts were frequent in the evening.
I didn’t want to leave. But I had to, and after returning to Beijing, I felt much more at ease, if a little dejected. The verdant fields and the lazy Heilongjiang River stayed with me in my memory, and soothed me on my return to the choking gridlock of Beijing’s streets.
A Park at the End of China
The northernmost point in China is a 10-minute car ride from the village. I expected barrenness, but was pleasantly surprised to find a lovely little park. There is a wooden plank road around it, which takes about an hour to circle round to where we started. The aroma of grass and the forest was strong, and the blue sky was somehow even more brilliant than in the village. We were on the boundary of Russian Siberia, but found nothing as harsh as that place name suggests. Winter, I’d imagine, is a different story.
A massive rock is carved with the proclamation the “Northernmost Point of China.” Three tall sculptures stand nearby, in the center of which is a pyramid marking the location: 53°29’29.58 N and 122°20’43.48 E. On the marble-paved ground are figures marking the distance to China’s big cities. A log signpost features distances to big cities around the world. Seeing “Sydney” there reminded me of the long flight I once took to Australia.
In one grassy field, totems stand tall among the wild flowers. Some have been carved with smiling faces; others were made to resemble monsters and demons. For an instant I couldn’t remember where I was – was it in Stanley Park in Vancouver, or in a Maori village in New Zealand? Totems were common to many ancient cultures around the world. The Tungusic people who formerly inhabited this part of Manchuria produced particularly striking works of totem art. Mohe County was actually named after one of these Tungusic peoples. Admiring the totems, I could almost hear the ancient inhabitants of the land calling out to me.
Walking on, I was disheartened to see that a number of trees had been chopped down. Approaching the stumps, I realized I was too quick to judge – they were an exhibition showing the variety of local species. The annual rings were clearly defined, and I learned that the oldest tree had 240 rings. Surviving 240 winters in this place made one think of the fragility and brevity of human existence. Nature travel, at least, affords us the opportunity to contemplate our insignificance in the face of nature’s awesome grandeur.
In the park I met four retired army officers who had driven there in an old Volkswagen Santana from Beijing. They were busy taking photos, and we chatted for a while, sharing travel stories. As I walked away, I couldn’t help turning back and shouting, “You know, making a road trip like this means that you’re still young!”
In many ways, life is one long road trip, full of unexpected pit stops, fleeting highs, companionship, breakdowns and beauty. We keep moving on, but hope is always before us.
Polar Days
Coming to Arctic Village during the Summer Solstice allows one to experience the “polar day” – almost.
The sky isn’t light for 24 hours a day around the Solstice, but nights are only about one to two hours in duration. A related phenomenon is the aurora borealis, though its occurrence is extremely rare. Some local elders say they have seen it only once or twice in their whole life. Most young residents haven’t seen it. I didn’t have my hopes up of catching a glimpse during my stay, and alas, I wasn’t lucky.
I woke up on my final morning at 2:30 am in time for daybreak. The roosters were crowing. I felt a bit sorry for them; how did they adapt to such wildly fluctuating sunshine hours? The night before we had waited till almost midnight for a chance to photograph the moon. Thick clouds routed our plan, however.
But now, in the very early morning, the moon was shining bright. The village was asleep, and the gentle lapping of the river was about the only sound we could make out. The only light, for presumably hundreds of miles around, was the effervescent glow of the earth’s natural satellite. It was the perfect setting for some great photography.
After “shooting the moon” – pardon the pun – we started our “polar day.” We walked toward the river as the early morning sun awakened in the east. The sunlight was dimmed, however, by a thin veil of fog that hung low over the land.
At half past three, the sun finally made its appearance over the mountains on the horizon. Fishermen already crowded the riverbank. Passenger ferries, berthed along a jetty, were waiting for the day’s first passengers. The ferries’ silhouettes grew stronger with the rising sun.
In this northernmost Chinese village, at such an early hour, I watched the slow slide of the night into day. At one moment the sun and the moon shone in the same sky, competing for prominence. I knew who would lose, but the moment was no less breathtaking.
For me personally, taking time out to leave the city behind and revel in nature’s beauty is incredibly important. In nature we can pause, relax and reflect. The daily worries of city life always seem trivial in retrospect. And in my opinion, nowhere is the opportunity for reflection in stunning natural surrounds better than in China’s “Artic Village.”
Travel Tips:
1. The distance from Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang Province, to Mohe County is 1,200 kilometers. Flying is the best option, but trains do also run. There are shuttle buses from Mohe to the Arctic Village. The journey time is two hours.
2. Better make reservations early in summertime, the peak season. There are no big hotels, only family inns with a limited number of rooms.
3. Mohe features a sub-arctic climate, with long, cold winters and short, hot summers. Summer temperatures can exceed 30°C (86°F), while its winters are the coldest in China, with temperatures dropping to -40°C (-40°F). Summer nights can be on the chilly side, so best bring a warm jacket. In wintertime, rug up with down-padded clothes.
4. In wintertime, bring skid-proof shoes. Roads are cleared of snow, but it is still very icy. Always be careful when walking.
5. It is very dry in wintertime, and heating ensures indoor temperatures stay quite high. Bring moisturizing cream to protect the skin. Outside, don’t touch metal objects with wet hands – they will stick. Don’t lick anything, either, for the same reason.
6. Bring thick casings for your camera and cell phone in winter, and keep the devices close to your body. Extremely low temperatures result in short battery life. On stepping indoors, place your camera in a plastic bag to protect the lens from frosting over.
