Along the silk road lies the Tarim Basin and the Taklamaka Desert.  The name may be an Uyghur borrowing of the Persian tark, "to leave alone/out/behind, relinquish, abandon" + makan "place". Some sources claimed it means "Place of No Return", once you get in, you will never get out.  With this sense of danger, and mystery, the sand dunes change their formation as the wind blows.  As the sand settles, folds and unfolds, it makes for beautiful shapes.  Sometimes, the shape is smooth like silk, like ribbons, one on top of another. Sometimes it brings out detailed lines like zebra skin.  Sometimes it is incredibly soft, other times it looks incredibly hard.  When it is hard, it is safe.  But when it is soft it can be deadly.  Nonetheless, each pattern is completely natural, completely random and completely beautiful, which makes for a beautiful work of art offered by nature.