Desert sentinels stand witness to shifting sands of time

In Aksu prefecture of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, about 30 kilometers from the northern edge of the desolate Taklimakan Desert, lies some of the oldest, most resilient trees in the world.

The desert poplars, spread over more than 200,000 hectares, are known to date back millennia. They stand silently amid the arid environment, their deep roots waiting patiently to draw waters from the Tarim River－a mighty waterway that helps sustain flourishing oases in the river basin and famous since ancient times for changing its course, to the detriment of many explorers and trade caravans of the old Silk Road navigating the harsh desert dunes.

The timeless, rugged beauty of the poplar forest enjoys legendary status among the area's ethnic communities, similarly becoming a major scenic spot for visitors home and abroad in recent years.