? Arrihashat means "backyard" in Mongolian, which means that Genghis Khan once regarded this place as his backyard. Arikhashat Port is my first stop for learning and training at Manzhouli Customs. Opposite here is Habiriga Port in Qiaobashan City, Oriental Province, Mongolia, known as the Khunjerab of Manzhouli Customs. It is said that the environment is harsh and the conditions are relatively difficult.
? We will drive from Manzhouli at two o'clock in the afternoon and go south along the 203 provincial highway on the vast Hulunbuir prairie. After about 120 kilometers, we will reach the New Barhu Right Banner. As for the Alihashat Port, you need to turn right here and drive 82 kilometers west along County Road 908.
? In mid-October, the south of the Yangtze River is still lush and green, but the grassland in Hulunbuir has long been withered and yellow. The county road has been repaired for more than a year. Although it has been basically completed, mounds of earth are still set up every few kilometers. Because of the obstacles, we could only make twists and turns on the grassland dirt road, bumping along the wind, sand, rain, snow and scorching sun. Except for the occasional car coming from the opposite direction and kicking up the billowing red dust, we could hardly see a person. The road from Dingri County to Mount Everest.
? At early five o'clock, I climbed over the last grassy slope and passed a lonely mobile border guard post. A few houses finally appeared at the end of the road, where the Ali Hashat Port was. In the next two weeks, Weishan and I worked, studied and lived here.
In 1989, after consultation and agreement between China and Mongolia, a temporary goods crossing point was set up here in New Barhu Right Banner, which started the history of exchanges between the people of China and Mongolia through this place. After three years of development, in 1992, the State Council officially approved the Arhat Port as a national first-class port.
? Those entering and exiting through this port are mainly Mongolian and Chinese tourists who enter and leave the country for a short period of time. Preliminary statistics show that there are about 400 passengers and about 70-80 cars in and out every day on average. The focus of customs supervision is whether the luggage and items carried by these people and the vehicles they ride in contain prohibited items, and whether the quantity is reasonable. The Supervision Section 1 of the Manzhouli Customs Document Review Office sends 4 customs officers here every week to take charge of the customs clearance supervision business at this port.
? To say that the conditions are difficult, I felt it as soon as I got off the car. This lonely port deep in the vast grassland has its own pathos. The backwardness of living facilities is the most obvious.
According to reports, before 2004, two rows of bungalows were the only buildings in this port, and the joint inspection units at the port all worked and lived in these bungalows with less than 20 rooms.
? "At that time, there were no telephones here, let alone mobile phones, and communication could only rely on radio; the water quality was so poor that customs officers had to bring water from Manchuria to drink; customs officers crowded into a room to rest and keep warm. They relied on burning kangs, so no female customs officers came in..." Director Zhang Fuyou, who fought here for more than three years from 1997 to 2000, recalled the situation back then and still vividly remembers it. In 2004, with the concern of the General Administration, Manzhouli Customs took the lead in building a dormitory building here, and finally had its own independent living area. Several other joint inspection units also gradually invested, and the port gradually became what it is today. appearance.
? Corey made careful preparations for us before we arrived, but despite this, we were still in various situations when we arrived. There was almost no warmth from the radiator, and it tripped as soon as the radiator was turned on. The mobile phone signal was intermittent, and the tap water had a salty taste... Due to the backward supporting facilities of the public house, the small building only had the appearance of a villa. It is difficult to conceal his origins as a poor and lower-middle peasant.
In order to cooperate with the construction of the port, in 2006, the autonomous region adjusted its administrative divisions and established Arhashat Town. The town government is located on the edge of the county road 1 kilometer away from the port. After retreat, I always like to go for a walk in the so-called town.
? This is a town with more animals than people. Except for a few government office buildings and a housing complex for herdsmen in the south, there are no supporting facilities such as markets, barber shops, and car repair shops, and there are almost no people. Only cattle graze lazily on the grassland in the distance. Chasing and playing with Mongolian dogs. This kind of environment is best for dazing, relaxing yourself or thinking about something.
? Miao Qingfeng Supermarket is the only canteen at the port and even on the grassland within a radius of dozens of kilometers. The three words "Miao Qingfeng" fit very well with the atmosphere here and always remind people of scenes in martial arts novels such as "Dragon Gate Inn".
? This is an independent bungalow on the grassland. Half of it is used for living and half is used for business. Fruits, wine, non-staple food and daily necessities are the main business, but there are very few varieties. It is said to be a supermarket, but in fact , it may be more appropriate to use "small shop" or "non-staple food store". Miao Qingfeng and his wife are almost the only aborigines that can be found on this grassland (actually they are also from Xiqi). Weishan and I go there almost every other day. Lifting the curtain and opening the door, the cabin was dimly lit, with one third being a supermarket and the other two thirds being the living area of ??the boss and his wife. Although there are no hooks or hangers, you can see the proprietress every time you go there. The proprietress is an old lady and not very pretty. She always sits behind the counter. Apart from collecting money, she doesn't seem to want to talk to anyone much, and she seems to be ignoring people.
Sometimes you can see Miao Qingfeng lying on the wooden bed in the back playing with his mobile phone, looking very awesome.
Since the new joint inspection building has just been built and is still being renovated, the environment at the port is somewhat unsightly.
? Construction materials are piled up indiscriminately, construction waste is everywhere, the roads at the entrance and exit ports are constantly filled with potholes, and when the northwest wind blows, people are covered in dust. As a local official, the Port Office seems to have little effort and few means in coordinating and orderly promoting infrastructure construction and ensuring that projects are put into use on schedule.
? When working at the port, what I look forward to most every day is the craftsmanship of Master Wang in the canteen. For some unknown reason, even though I eat much more at every meal than in Hangzhou, I still feel hungry very quickly (some say it’s because the water at the port is heavy in alkaline content). Chef Wang's cooking skills are excellent, and every meal is highly praised by everyone. Braised fish, beef stew with potatoes, large stews, steamed onion and beef dumplings, etc. are always eaten by everyone. It is said that he has traveled abroad many times to cook for Chinese workers on business trips. His cooking skills are not just as simple as these 4 dishes for each meal.
? I cherish and enjoy my days at the port. I live a fulfilling and vigorous life every day, and I feel that there is not enough time. Early morning is the lowest temperature of the day in the grassland. It has been around -10 degrees for the past two days, and it is very windy outside. So after learning the first lesson, I will never dare to run in the morning.
After getting up early, I read in the room for a while, went to the cafeteria for breakfast on time at 7:30, and went directly to work in the joint inspection building after eating. After finishing the cleaning, incoming and outgoing passengers and vehicles will start to come to go through the formalities around 8:30.
? Mondays and Fridays of every week are the peak passenger flow. Due to the lack of domestic materials in Mongolia, a large number of Mongolians will flock in on Fridays and use the weekend time to purchase daily necessities and food in Xiqi and Manzhouli. Agricultural and sideline products, and then rush back to the port early on Monday morning, and still return to China from here. In normal times, there are far fewer such passengers. It is more common for drivers to drive broken-down cars to and from the ports of the two countries, bringing in fruit candies and dairy products that Chinese people like in quantities that can be approved by customs officers. etc. (sometimes also hiding some beef and mutton), and take away Chinese daily necessities and agricultural and sideline products that the Mongolians need, as well as a small amount of rice that is restricted for export.
In addition to providing services through normal procedures, the relationship between the port joint inspection unit and illegal drivers is more like playing a cat and mouse game. The driver accurately grasps the law enforcement standards and tolerance of the law enforcement officers at the ports in China and Mongolia. If they can do it openly, they will show it to you openly. If they are not allowed but have higher profits, they will hide it in a hidden way. I saw with my own eyes that all the back seats of a van were removed and divided into two parts. At the same time, a hidden space was set up between the two parts, which was enough to store more than 100 bags of milk powder. I have seen nearly 50 kilograms of beef and mutton hidden in spare tires or even tires many times. In the eyes of these drivers, there is no need to consider "safety". Or when it’s time to get off work, focus on requesting clearance. It is said that we get off work at 5 o'clock, but when this happens, everyone is often busy until after 5:30.
? At noon, when the temperature rises, I sometimes use it for running. Although the wind is still very strong, under the blue sky and white clouds, facing the endless prairie, running wildly, it seems that I am the only one left in the world. I enjoy such pleasure.
? And at night, I often feel that there is not enough time. In addition to writing a diary to record the day's experiences and feelings, I also watch the Zhejiang Satellite TV News Network and CCTV News Network every night through the Internet, feeling the pulse of the motherland and receiving information from my hometown in this border town. I have a video call with Xixi every night, asking her about school, her study, life and the situation of her grandparents. The past two weeks have been quite hard for her. Then, read and write, work hard to calm yourself, and work hard to do something that you want to do in Hangzhou but don’t have time to do. One night passed in the blink of an eye.
Just yesterday, Chief Bai of the Port Office told us: The road to Xiqi has been completely connected, and there is no need to take the grass road from now on; the newly dug deep road at the port The 180-meter deep well was inspected and put into use the day before. Daily water use will no longer be salty. After two consecutive days of investigation, the heating problem was finally found, and it was still separated by the new building. Due to a large amount of heat, he has already asked the heater to give priority to the dormitory area...
? The infrastructure is getting a little better, but the days will be getting colder day by day, waiting for the comrades behind, It will be different and difficult.
(On the night of October 25, 2017, at the Arhat Port)