Yardan is a word used by some scholars who explored the Lop Nur and later it became a topographical term. Because of strong water corrosion and fierce wind erosion, a series of parallel ditches and ditch ridges have formed in the clay rock area, which look like “buildings” and “alleys” in the city. Therefore, it is named “wind city”. According to the characteristics, Yardan is termed as Ghost Town and stonr trees. The most marvelous wind cities are Wuerhe Ghost Castle in Karamy, Qitai Ghost Castle and Hami Ghost Castle.
Qitai Ghost Castle
Qitai Ghost Castle is lying in the depths of the Jiangjun Desert north in the east part of Jungar Basin, more than 200 kilometers from Qitai County of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. A mysterious masterpiece of a natural phenomenon, the “city”, about 84 square kilometers in area, looks magnificent and majestic. For the past thousand years, it has been a spot of striking wonder in the desert. The area is a part of the Yardan landscape. Throughout the long period of wind erosion, it has formed many various conformations like pavilions, castles, palaces, towers, and some eerily lifelike things, such as tigers, lions, camels, fungus, and so on; there are also fanciful scenery of wispy lakes, forests, cars, and so on.
Hami Ghost Castle
Hami Ghost Castle lies in the southwest Gobi, about 30 kilometers away from Wubao village of Hami. Yardan spectacle in Hami emerged from the black sand wave. Therefore, it is like a mysterious city in the black sea. It has been developed into Yardan ecological garden. Centered at one of the old station, it includes four scenic spots: east, south, west, and north cities.
Queletage Stone Forest
Situated in the north part of Kuqa Gobi, the famous Queletage Mountains run more than 200 kilometers, crossing Kuqa, Xinhe, Baicheng and Weisu Countries. It boasts many cultural relics as well as marvelous natural spectacle. After thousands years' erosion, the huge rocks are featured by vivid pictures of animals, human beings and trees. Crowds of cone stones are endless from east to west, showing its impressive beauty.
