Scenery of Dushanzi-Kuqa Highway in Xinjiang, NW China

This aerial photo taken on May 10, 2023 shows a winding mountain road just cleared of snow on the Dushanzi-Kuqa Highway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

The Dushanzi-Kuqa Highway, which crosses Tianshan Mountain, is deemed one of China's most beautiful roads.

Due to snowy weather and road icing, the highway has a "hibernation period", which generally begins in October and ends in June of the following year. Maintenance is underway during its yearly "hibernation".

This aerial photo taken on May 10, 2023 shows the Dushanzi-Kuqa Highway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

This aerial photo taken on May 10, 2023 shows the Dushanzi-Kuqa Highway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

This photo taken on May 8, 2023 shows a fox near the Dushanzi-Kuqa Highway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

This photo taken on May 10, 2023 shows a pasturage near the Dushanzi-Kuqa Highway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

This aerial photo taken on May 10, 2023 shows the Dushanzi-Kuqa Highway winding past snowland in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

This aerial photo taken on May 10, 2023 shows the Dushanzi-Kuqa Highway winding past high-altitude mountains covered by snow in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

This aerial photo taken on May 11, 2023 shows the Dushanzi-Kuqa Highway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

This aerial panoramic photo taken on May 10, 2023 shows the Dushanzi-Kuqa Highway winding past high-altitude mountains covered by snow in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

This aerial photo taken on May 10, 2023 shows workers clearing snow on the Dushanzi-Kuqa Highway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The Dushanzi-Kuqa Highway, which crosses Tianshan Mountain, is deemed one of China's most beautiful roads. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

This photo taken on May 10, 2023 shows a sign for a winding mountain road on the Dushanzi-Kuqa Highway in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)