Despite baking summer temperatures andan arid atmosphere, Turpan Basin supports aflourishing community
By WANG HAIRONG
On an autumn day, as Xuanzangand his three disciples walkedtoward the direction of the sun-set. they felt unseasonably hot.A mountain blocked their way. To their as-tonishment, the mountain was on fire. It wasnot a forest fire. The whole mountain wasburning like a sun, with flames licking hun-dreds of miles into the air. Even birds couldnot fly over it.