A 150-kilometer journey from the desert depths to a new home

Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Chen Jianglin) news: "I plan to get my driver's license next month so that I can drive to the county seat and go shopping more easily," said Yunjulai Wubuli, a village official in Daliyabuyi Village, Yutian County, Hotan Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang, on May 18, 2026.

From the heart of the Taklimakan Desert to the edge of the county seat—along the 150-kilometer stretch between the old village, an idyllic retreat, and the new one—Yunjulai and her husband, Maitusong Maisidike, have bridged two worlds.

Aerial photo taken on May 17, 2026 shows Daliyabuyi Village in Daliyabuyi Township, Yutian County, Hotan Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang. (Photo by Zhang Yun)

When Yunjulai first set foot in the new village in 2019, things she had never dared imagine in the old village—asphalt roads, streetlights, brick houses, running water—were all within reach.

"The old village was deep in the desert, 240 kilometers from the county seat. The houses let in wind and sand. Every step was on sand, and when the wind blew, you couldn't keep your eyes open," Yunjulai recalled. "But the new village is only 90 kilometers from the county seat, cutting travel time by more than half."

In 2021, she married Maitusong, and the young couple put down roots in the new village.

According to Guo Wei, deputy head of Daliyabuyi Township, 221 households (853 people) now live in the new village. The village has standardized planting on 12,000 mu (about 800 hectares), mainly using a pattern of interplanting Cistanche deserticola (a medicinal herb) with drought-tolerant shrubs like tamarisk and saxaul.

After moving to the new village, she began managing 40 mu (about 2.7 hectares) of land. Each spring, she plants Cistanche seeds at the roots of tamarisk and saxaul, then harvests the herb in autumn.

"Cistanche is a parasitic herb that grows on the roots of tamarisk and saxaul. Planting these shrubs both stabilizes sand and yields medicine—two benefits at once," Yunjulai said. Her family earns about 30,000 yuan (about 4389 U.S. dollars) a year from planting, an increase of more than 10,000 yuan (about 1463 U.S. dollars) over their income in the old village.

This year, the village also planted 140 mu (about 9.3 hectares) of Astragalus as a trial, using four-meter row spacing for mechanical operations. "Cistanche is purchased by traders, dried, and sold to places like Hebei and Inner Mongolia. Last year, Yutian County produced over 30,000 tons of Cistanche," Guo said.

"Back in the old village, like many villagers, I herded more than 100 sheep," Maitusong said. After the new village was built, a collective "trustee" model was promoted—farmers entrust their sheep to large-scale herders, freeing up labor to work elsewhere or pursue other production activities.

Maitusong entrusted his sheep and now works alongside his wife managing the land.

"I used to tend sheep all day long. Now I don't have to follow them around all the time," he said. His workload has lightened, and the couple spends more time together.

Currently, the village has about 38,000 sheep, averaging more than 100 per household. There is a professional breeding cooperative in the village, operated independently by leading herders.

"The trustee model frees up labor from traditional animal husbandry, allowing farmers to diversify their income," Guo said.

Thus, the village has developed an interesting "dual-track" system: Some people stay in the old village to continue herding, maintaining a traditional livelihood. Others work in the new village planting saxaul and managing land, opening new income streams. The two "Shangri-Las"—old and new—complement each other.

In the evening, music fills the new village square as villagers dance the Meshrep (a traditional Uygur dance) and children chase each other. The night market, built in 2023, has become a popular spot for evening leisure and entertainment.

Photo taken on May 18, 2026, shows Yunjulai Wubuli (second from right) explains policies to villagers at the entrance of a shop in Daliyabuyi Village, Daliyabuyi Township, Yutian County, Hotan Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/Chen Jianglin)

Yunjulai is a lively presence there. In April 2024, she became a village official in charge of women's affairs and publicity.

"My main job is mediating family disputes, but most are just couples bickering over small economic matters," she said, smiling. "To help with that, we organize three or four activities every month — dancing, basketball games, reading clubs — and family relationships have become more harmonious."

All main roads are paved, water quality meets standards, and infrastructure improvements are visible. In 2024, charging stations for electric vehicles were installed and connected to the grid.

"Last year we had the most tourists, including many foreigners who came specifically to see the desert scenery," Guo said.

The village is now applying to become a 4A-level scenic area, and experts have suggested developing high-end specialty tourism.

"With more and more tourists coming, opening a supermarket should be profitable. I might need to apply for a small loan, but it's worth a try," Maitusong said, planning his next move.

"He has ideas about the future, and I fully support him," Yunjulai said, looking at her husband with a smile.

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