There is such a world-class secret island in the southern tip of our country. It is so beautiful that it can be compared with the Maldives. However, currently only citizens of mainland China can go there, excluding compatriots and overseas Chinese from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. It is the South China Sea. Among the islands——Xisha Islands.
Xisha has been China’s territory since ancient times . "Old Book of Tang" records that starting from the Tang Dynasty, the Chinese government began to formally manage the waters south of Hainan Island. In ancient times, this place was called the "Thousand Miles of Changsha" and was the only way for the South China Sea route.
In ancient times, merchant ships loaded with ceramics, silks, and spices sailed here. The Paracel Islands carry the history of China’s “Maritime Silk Road” and also affect the patriotism in the hearts of countless of us.
Do you still remember the article about the Paracel Islands " The Rich Paracel Islands " in the primary school textbook ? The description of the archipelago in it is fascinating and haunting .
The Paracel Islands are a group of islands in the South China Sea and are my country's coastal defense outposts. It is a lovely place with beautiful scenery and rich products.
The sea water in the Xisha Islands area is colorful and magnificent: dark blue, light blue, green, light green, and apricot yellow. Pieces, strips, intertwined with each other.
Because the bottom of the sea is uneven, with cliffs and canyons, and the sea water is deep and shallow, the colors look different when viewed from the sea surface...
The Paracel Islands are one of the four major archipelagos in the South China Sea, consisting of the Yongle Islands and the Xuande Islands. They start from Beijiao in the north, to Pioneer Bank in the south, from Xidu Bank in the east, to Zhongjian Island in the west. They are the largest land area in the South China Sea. of islands.
The sea area of the Paracel Islands is more than 500,000 square kilometers , with a total of 40 islands and reefs, of which 29 are exposed to the sea , and a total of 22 islands , 7 There are 8 sandbanks , 8 atolls, 1 platform reef, and 1 reef beach, with a total area of about 10 square kilometers and a coastline of 518 kilometers. It has the largest number of islands exposed above the water among the islands in the South China Sea. a group of people.
The following pictures were taken by Song Guoqiang
Amidst the flying clouds and rolling waves, the beautiful islands are like strings of emerald pearls. , embedded in the vast blue waters of Xisha. Its tropical island scenery is magnificent, and its tourism resources such as sunshine, air, beach, seawater and greenery are unmatched by the offshore islands.
Shidao is located in the Xisha Xuande Islands, in the northeast of the Yongxing Island reef plate, with an area of 0.08 square kilometers and an altitude of 15.9 meters. It is the highest point of the Xisha Islands .
Shidao is the only rocky island in the Paracel Islands.It is named because most of the rocks on the island are exposed.
There are China's Sovereignty Monument and a "Xisha Old Dragon Head" stone monument on the island, as well as a Veterans Forest, which was planted when the officers and soldiers guarding the island left. of. The island has been integrated with Woody Island.
▲The middle island of Qilian Island in Xisha Islands
The vast expanse of blue waves shines like emeralds. Youth is like a dream, otherworldly. As soon as he stared at it, he was in ecstasy.
Zhongdao , are named because they are between the North Island and the South Island.
When you come to the Xisha Islands, if you cannot appreciate the beauty of Qilian Island, it can be said to be a regret in life.
Qilian Island can be regarded as the dazzling star island of the Paracel Islands. It has almost become the iconic shot of the South China Sea in movies and TV shows.
The blue waves are rippling and crystal clear. The corals are jagged and the fish are happy. Beautiful underwater swimming, forgetting both things and me .
In the sea area of Zhaoshu Island in Xisha, fisherman Fu Mingyou is diving and fishing.
Dive into the crystal clear water and enter a mysterious dream space .
Clusters and clusters of corals cover the entire seabed like blooming flowers: orange, yellow, blue, white and red, colorful and beautiful.
Swimming with the colorful fish,just like Zhuang Zhou dreaming of butterflies, completely forgetful.
▲The big fish comes out of the water
The sea and sky are the same color, and the silence is fleeting. The waves are rippling and the fishermen sing late. Standing and staring, intoxicated as before.
In the waters near Zhaoshu Island in Xisha, fisherman Fu Mingyou caught a big fish while diving.
Most of the many islands in the Xisha Islands stand on large coral reefs. The scenery of islands, sandbars, reefs, submerged sands, and submerged shoals is diverse.
Some islands protrude from the reef. Within a few hundred meters of the surrounding area, the sea water is only as high as the knees or waist . It is flowing in the clear water and the slightest trace can be seen under your feet .
Among the colorful coral reefs, there are not only gorgeous and charming tropical ornamental fish , but also rich aquatic products such as sea cucumbers, clams, snails, abalone, sea urchins, lobsters, etc.
The ground is paved with emeralds, as clear as a mirror. The state of purity is like a dream. The joy of traveling is what my heart longs for.
Fishermen Fu Mingyou and Fu Minggang brothers were seine fishing in the waters of Zhaoshu Island, Xisha. For Fu Mingyou, stalking is a way of working.
The waters of Xisha are a spotless and clean world. Its purity and transparency are breathtaking. Currently, diving in Xisha has become a popular travel itinerary for Chinese people.
Standing on the boat, the colorful corals under the water are clearly visible, and it is hard not to feel a sense of The urge to jump in and dive .
The bright light in the sea and the sightline comparable to that on land make divers feel at ease and comfortable. Even when diving to 20 meters, people can clearly look up at the dreamy figures of ships on the surface.
▲Playing with baby Hai
On the water side, floating light leaps into gold. The boat returns to the shadow, and the clear shadow ripples lightly. My heart is rippled and my thoughts are dancing.
On the beach of Zhaoshu Island in Qilian Island, fisherman Xu Mingwen was playing with his 2-year-old son on the beach.
Sansha sea area is the ancestral sea of Chinese fishermen . Hainan Island fishermen have been farming, herding and fishing in this sea area for generations, leaving behind countless legends and stories .
In recent years, with the continuous improvement of living and working conditions on the island, more and more fishermen from Hainan Island have come to live and work here.
![[Travel Notes] My hand passing through the sea breeze of Qinhuangdao](https://bh2255.static.gitbeta.eu.org/bh2255/body_images/frc-0de752468fa424bd9d09aa834bbe2d30.gif)
