Ｔｈｅ Ｈｅａｔ ｉｓ Ｏｎ

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.