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Crescent Spring

Crescent Spring in the DesertThe crescent spring is about 6 kilometers (3.73 miles) south of Dunhuang city, and surrounded by the Echoing-Sand Mountain, Crescent Spring can be called a natural wonder in the Gobi Desert. It is resembles a crescent fallen down into this desert. Having been lying among these sand dunes for thousands of years, although given many surprise attacks by sandstorms, Crescent Spring still gurgles clear, and still remains worthy as the first spring in the desert.

About the reason of this desert wonder formed. Research has discovered that in this special crescent landform the wind created this depression, as the cross-ventilated theory states, the falling sands from the surrounding mountains would be sent back to the other side of nearby Echoing-Sand Mountains. Thus, the sands do not smother the spring. And this particular earth movement keeps the sand dunes and spring eternally in a harmonious and almost paradoxical existence.