The Martian Surface on Earth: Eboliang Yadan Ghost City and the Whispering Winds

The Forbidden Zone of the Qaidam

Deep in the northwestern hinterland of the Qaidam Basin in Qinghai Province, lies a landscape so desolate and alien that it is often referred to as "Mars on Earth." This is Eboliang (Ebo Liang), a massive ridge of wind-eroded landforms that constitutes one of the most spectacular Yadan groups in China. Located near the town of Lenghu (Cold Lake), this area was once a bustling center for oil exploration but is now better known for its eerie, natural sculptures. Eboliang is not just a scenic spot; it is a "forbidden zone" for the faint-hearted, a vast labyrinth of clay and sand that challenges adventurers with its rugged terrain and extreme isolation.

A Masterpiece of Wind and Time

1.The formation of the Eboliang: Yadan landforms is a testament to the power of nature's sculpting tools: wind and water. The Qaidam Basin, often called a "Treasure Bowl," is the lowest basin in China by altitude, yet it sits high on the plateau. Over millions of years, the basin's sedimentary layers—remnants of ancient lakes—were uplifted and then mercilessly carved by the fierce northwesterly winds that funnel through the region. Eboliang itself is an anticline, a ridge formed by tectonic squeezing, which was then eroded into a long, dragon-like spine rising above the flat desert floor. The name "Eboliang" is derived from the Mongolian word "Obo" (Aobao), referring to the stone piles used for worship or markers found on the ridge.

The City of Ghosts

The term "Yadan" comes from the Uyghur language, meaning "steep hill" or "precipitous mound". At Eboliang, these mounds have evolved into a "Ghost City." The landscape is populated by thousands of strange clay formations that resemble castles, pagodas, animals, and fleets of ships stranded in a dry sea. The reason for its spooky moniker becomes apparent when the wind blows. As strong gales rush through the narrow corridors and caves of the Yadan formations, they create whistling, wailing, and howling sounds that echo like the cries of ghosts or wolves, adding a chilling auditory layer to the visual desolation.

A Photographer's Martian Dream

For photographers, Eboliang is a paradise of light and shadow. The lack of vegetation and the unique shapes of the Yardangs create a high-contrast environment that changes dramatically with the sun's position. At sunset, the golden light turns the grey-brown clay into fiery red and deep orange, casting long, dramatic shadows that make the "city" look like the ruins of an ancient civilization. At night, Eboliang offers one of the darkest skies in the world, making it a premier location for astrophotography. With no light pollution, the Milky Way arches clearly over the alien landscape, completing the illusion of standing on the surface of another planet.

The Ultimate Road Trip

Visiting Eboliang is a true adventure. Unlike developed tourist parks with paved roads, the core area of Eboliang often requires a 4-wheel drive vehicle to navigate the soft sand and sharp ridges. It sits along the route connecting Qinghai to Xinjiang, passing through areas that were once key to the region's oil industry history. The journey takes you past the "Sulphur Fire" (Liuhuang Huo) sites and deep into the "Sea of Death," where the only sign of life might be the rare sighting of wild camels or the distant lights of the Mars Camp. It is a place to experience the raw, unpolished beauty of the Highland Aesthetics, where the vastness of the earth meets the infinity of the sky.