Badain Jaran Desert between the dunes, some of which are fresh water while others are extremely saline. These lakes give the desert its name which is Mongolian for "mysterious lakes". It is also crossed by one river, the Ruo Shui ("weak water"), which has formed an alluvial plain in the desert. Measuring over , the Badain Jaran Desert covers a significant part of the south-central part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region as well as the North part of Gansu province. Located in the Alxa Plateau at about 1200 meters above sea level it is listed as a subsection to the Gobi Desert.
Cinema of China China, overtaking "Monster Hunt". It is also the first film to reach . He Ping is a director of mostly Western-like films set in Chinese locale. His "Swordsmen in Double Flag Town" (1991) and "Sun Valley" (1995) explore narratives set in the sparse terrain of West China near the Gobi Desert. His historical drama "Red Firecracker, Green Firecracker" (1994) won a myriad of prizes home and abroad. Recent cinema has seen Chinese cinematographers direct some acclaimed films. Other than Zhang Yimou, Lü Yue made "Mr. Zhao" (1998), a black comedy film well received abroad. Gu Changwei's minimalist epic "Peacock" (2005),