Inner Mongolia Trip: Hohhot - Baotou - Ordos - Yan'an - Xi'an

📍 Auckland · 👁 3767 reads · ❤️ 1 likes

In June 2021, I was already planning to go to Inner Mongolia. At the time, I accompanied a friend to Yunnan. On the return trip, we ended the itinerary in Kunming, where we parted ways—they returned to Guangdong, and we were to fly to Ordos. The plane tickets had already been purchased, but due to a sudden health issue with my husband, we had to cancel the trip.

This spring, my husband was eager to go to Inner Mongolia. However, with the loosening of mainland China's epidemic prevention policies, domestic tourism exploded. Combined with the summer vacation, all scenic spots were overcrowded, so we planned to travel on September 7th. But the Taiwan weather forecast predicted that Typhoon No. 11, Haikui, would affect Taiwan in early September. Fearing that flights might be grounded and we wouldn't be able to leave, we moved the trip forward.

At 9:40 am, we took a taxi to Taitung Railway Station and caught the 10:17 am train to Kaohsiung. We got off at Fengshan Station (close to the airport), then took a taxi to Kaohsiung International Airport.

At 2:30 pm, we took off on schedule and arrived at Kinmen Shangyi Airport at 3:20 pm. We took a taxi to Kinmen's Shuitou Pier. Although it was a bit rushed (we had to fill out the mainland China Customs Entry Health Declaration form on the spot), we still made it onto the 4:30 pm ferry to Xiamen, arriving at Xiamen's Wutong Pier at 5:00 pm.

We have visited Xiamen many times. A few years ago, we stayed at the Ibis Hotel near Xiamen Railway Station. This time, we stayed at the Super 8 Select Hotel next door. I didn't expect the area around Xiamen Railway Station to have changed so much—a highway bridge had been built, and the sound of cars at night made it hard to sleep.

We had some miscellaneous matters to deal with, and the weather was very hot, so we took a day to rest. This trip was planned to be leisurely: we would go as far as we could, stop anytime, and turn back at a moment's notice.

At 7:00 am, we took a taxi from the railway station to Xiamen Gaoqi Airport Terminal 4 to catch Shandong Airlines flight SC8408, which departed at 10:30 am from Xiamen via Jinan to Hohhot. Good—the flight departed on time and arrived at Hohhot Baita Airport at 1:30 pm as scheduled.

--- Hohhot City ---

Formerly known as Guisui, Hohhot means "Green City" in Mongolian, also nicknamed the Green City. It is the capital of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, located in the south-central part of Inner Mongolia. It borders Ordos City to the southwest, Baotou City to the northwest, Ulanqab City to the northeast, and Xinzhou and Shuozhou cities of Shanxi Province to the southeast. It lies on the southern edge of the Mongolian Plateau and the southern foothills of the Yinshan Mountains, with Daqing Mountain to the north, Manhan Mountain to the southeast, and the Tumochuan Plain to the southwest. The Yellow River flows along its southwestern border, and the Dahei River flows from northeast to southwest through the urban area and into the Yellow River. The total area is 17,186 square kilometers, with a population of 3.126 million, of which about 87% are Han and about 10% are Mongol. The city government is located in the Xincheng District. The main urban area of Hohhot was formed by the merger of the two cities of Guihua and Suiyuan in the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China period, hence the old name "Guisui." Hohhot is at the intersection of farming and nomadic cultures and has historically been alternately controlled by Central Plains dynasties, infiltration dynasties, and conquest dynasties, resulting in strong cultural integration. Besides Han culture, Mongol culture, Xinjiang (Western Regions) Islamic culture, and Tibetan Tibetan Buddhist culture have also had significant influences.

Considering convenient transportation and proximity to various city attractions, we chose to stay near Dazhao Temple. We took a taxi from the airport and followed the navigation, but we drove past the hotel and had to go around again because the hotel sign was blocked by a large tree.

After checking in and resting a bit, we went to the food street across the street to see what was good to eat. The self-proclaimed century-old food street was somewhat disappointing; the entire street sold dried goods and some drinks from all over the country. There was a small alley on the side with barbecues, but the sanitation was concerning, and we couldn't bear to sit down. With the weather so hot, I was extra careful about eating out.

At the street entrance, there was a Qinghai beef noodle shop. We ordered a bowl of beef soup noodles and a bowl of beef stir-fried noodles—nothing to praise. Finally, we bought two baked buns from a pastry shop at the street entrance and went back to the hotel for dinner.

In the morning, we asked the hotel front desk for directions to Dazhao Temple. We could walk or take the bus—about 1.3 kilometers. Since we had just had breakfast, we decided to walk, to aid digestion and get some exercise.

Leaving the hotel, we turned right and walked straight along the road. After passing 3-4 traffic lights and about half an hour, we saw a large square and arrived.

--- Dazhao Temple ---

Also called "Yikezhao," meaning "Great Temple," where "zhao" is the Tibetan word for "temple." Located on Dazhao Front Street in Yuquan District, Hohhot, it is a Gelug sect Tibetan Buddhist monastery. Dazhao ranked first among the "Seven Great Zhao" of the Hohhot area during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Its Chinese name was originally "Hongci Temple," later changed to "Wuliang Temple." Because the temple enshrines a silver Buddha statue of Shakyamuni, it is also called "Silver Buddha Temple." Historically, it has also been known as "Mahayana Dharma Wheel Zhao," "Ganjur Temple," "Emperor Temple," and other names. Since it was built by Altan Khan, some Mongolian historical records also call it "Altan Zhao." Dazhao is the earliest Gelug monastery built in Hohhot and is one of the large monasteries built early after the Mongols converted to the Gelug school, second only to Meidaizhao in the Mongol region, and has great influence in the area.

Dazhao was first built during the Ming Dynasty. On the fifteenth day of the fifth lunar month in 1578 (the sixth year of Wanli), Altan Khan (also known as Anda Khan), the leader of the Mongol Tumed tribe, met with the Third Dalai Lama Sonam Gyatso of the Tibetan Gelug school at the Qiaqia Temple (Yanghua Temple) by Qinghai Lake. During the meeting, Altan Khan received the Third Dalai Lama with the protocol used by the Yuan Dynasty to receive foreign envoys, and they exchanged titles. At this meeting, Altan Khan burned the shamanic sacred objects Ongon in front of the Third Dalai Lama to show his sincere conversion to Buddhism. Altan Khan also made a vow to the Third Dalai Lama that he would build temples and create Buddha statues upon returning to the Mongolian grasslands. In 1579 (the seventh year of Wanli), construction of Dazhao began. Altan Khan brought craftsmen from Nepal to cast a silver Shakyamuni Buddha statue using 3,000 jin of pure silver. In 1580 (the eighth year of Wanli), Dazhao was completed and became the most prestigious temple in the Mongol region at the time. It is also the only one among the large Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the Mongol region that does not have a living Buddha. In 1586 (the fourteenth year of Wanli), the Third Dalai Lama personally visited Dazhao to preside over the "consecration ceremony" of the silver Buddha. Later, the Fourth Dalai Lama came to Dazhao and also sat on the seat once used by the Third Dalai Lama.

--- Saishang Old Street ---

Near Dazhao Temple, this is an ancient street with Ming and Qing architectural styles. It is adjacent to the west side of Dazhao, which was built during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. There is a cross street with a memorial archway named Saishang Old Street. It has now become a small commodity street. Near Dazhao Temple Square, many young people are taking photos in Tibetan costumes.

The navigation showed that the distance from Dazhao Temple to Wuta Temple was also 1.3 kilometers. We decided to walk there slowly, taking in the street scenery along the way. Unexpectedly, the main gate of Wuta Temple was not open. We had to walk a long way around the wall to reach the ticket office, which was really tiring. There were very few visitors at Wuta Temple, and the buildings were dilapidated from years of neglect.

--- Wuta Temple ---

Located at No. 48 Wuta Temple Back Street in the southeastern part of Yuquan District, Hohhot, it is a Gelug sect Tibetan Buddhist monastery. In the fifth year of Yongzheng (1727) of the Qing Dynasty, when Yangcha'erji, a lama from Xiao Zhao, served as the deputy Jasagh Lama of Guihua City, he petitioned the Qing court to build a subsidiary temple for Xiao Zhao during his reporting as the annual Jasagh Lama (the lama in charge of administrative power). The subsidiary temple was completed in the tenth year of Yongzheng (1732), and the Qing court granted it the name "Cideng Temple" and bestowed a plaque with the temple name in Mongolian, Tibetan, and Chinese. The "Vajra Throne Relic Stupa" in the temple is commonly known as the "Five Pagodas" locally. The Mongolian name is transliterated into Chinese as "Tabuspuerhan." Construction began in the fifth year of Yongzheng (1727) and was completed in the tenth year of Yongzheng (1732). In the twelfth year of Guangxu (1886), after the third incarnation of Yangcha'erji passed away, there was no living Buddha in the temple, and the lamas returned to Xiao Zhao, causing Cideng Temple to gradually fall into disuse. On July 12, 2006, the restoration project of the Cideng Temple site was completed.

--- Vajra Throne Relic Stupa ---

(Located within Wuta Temple)

This is a brick Vajra throne-style stupa, commonly called the "Five Pagodas" due to the five small pagodas on top. The stupa was built during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty and consists of three parts: the base, the body, and the five pagodas, with a total height of 16.5 meters. There is an underground palace beneath the stupa, but details are unknown.

After leaving Wuta Temple, we took a taxi to the Baoerhan Buddhist Stupa. The stupa was very tall. Locals call it the White Stupa. The weather was hot with strong ultraviolet rays; many devotees were walking around the stupa in circles, showing great sincerity.

--- Baoerhan Buddhist Stupa ---

Located in Yuquan Park, construction began in May 2006, and the consecration ceremony was held on February 14, 2008. All funds for the stupa came from private donations. Living Buddha Longdo Danzeng Rongbo personally selected the site, designed the construction plan, and donated his long-cherished rare relics, including relics of Shakyamuni Buddha and the ten great Arhats such as Ananda, Upali, Shariputra, and Sivali, as well as many precious scriptures and Buddha statues, to the Baoerhan Buddhist Stupa.

Guanyin Temple is right across the street from the Baoerhan Buddhist Stupa. The main gate was under renovation, so we had to go around to the side gate. The temple was also under construction, making it inconvenient to visit. We took a few quick photos and left.

--- Guanyin Temple ---

Guanyin Temple is located at Quanyuan Lane in Yuquan District, southwest of the old city of Hohhot. Commonly called Guanyin Temple, it falls under the jurisdiction of Changhe Lang Subdistrict Office, bordering Ordos Road to the south, with an area of 1,180 square meters. The temple was first built during the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty and is the only well-preserved Han Chinese Buddhist temple in Yuquan District. Its area and building scale cannot compare with the large lamaseries in Hohhot, but it is still quite famous. Locals say, "Among the thirteen Han temples, Guanyin Temple is the first." In the past, Guanyin Temple ranked first among local "Han temples" (Han Chinese Buddhist monasteries) and later became the only surviving Han Chinese Buddhist temple in the urban area of Hohhot.

After leaving Guanyin Temple, it was already past noon, time for lunch. We took a taxi to Xilitu Zhao and planned to eat at Deshun Yuan next door.

--- Xilitu Zhao ---

Located at No. 112 Danan Street, at the northern end of Shitou Lane in Yuquan District, Hohhot, between Dazhao and Xiao Zhao. This temple faces south and is the largest temple in Hohhot. The Mongolian word "Xili Tu" means "chief" or "dharma seat," and it is one of the "Seven Great Zhao" of Hohhot.

Xilitu Zhao was first built during the Longqing and Wanli periods of the Ming Dynasty (1567–1619). Initially a small temple called "Ancient Buddha Temple," it is the Ancient Buddha Hall on the west side of today's Xilitu Zhao, built by Altan Khan's son Sengge. Because the first Xili Tu living Buddha, according to the last words of the Third Dalai Lama, represented the Third Dalai Lama to sit on his throne and search for the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, and the Fourth Dalai Lama held his enthronement ceremony at this temple, the temple was named "Xilitu Zhao" from then on.

Online reviews said the shaomai (steamed dumplings) at this restaurant were very tasty and were a specialty snack of Inner Mongolia. So we ordered one basket of lamb shaomai, one basket of beef shaomai, and a bowl of West Lake beef soup. Unexpectedly, a basket had eight shaomai, and the soup was a large bowl—enough for four people.

We packed the leftovers, but after returning, the cold shaomai didn't taste as good.

After resting at the hotel for two hours, we took a taxi to the Inner Mongolia Museum around 3:00 pm. The exterior was spacious, and there were many visitors. The museum had three floors.

--- Inner Mongolia Museum ---

Formerly known as the Inner Mongolia Museum, it is located at No. 27 Xinhua East Street in Xincheng District, Hohhot, the capital of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, adjacent to the Inner Mongolia Ulanqat Grand Theater. The museum site is on the west side of Hulunbuir Road in the city center, with a building area of over 15,000 square meters. The architecture is full of Mongolian characteristics, and the galloping horse statue on the museum was once the opening image of Inner Mongolia Television. The museum is one of the eight new scenic spots of Hohhot ("Horse Flying"). The main building covers over 50,000 square meters, consisting of exhibition halls, artifact storage areas, visitor service areas, research areas, and multi-function halls. The museum is the largest and most important museum institution in Inner Mongolia, combining functions of history and natural history museums. It houses over 150,000 sets of paleontological fossils, historical artifacts, and ethnic folk artifacts, including over 5,600 sets of precious artifacts and 650 sets of national first-class artifacts. The exhibitions are arranged along the theme of the grasslands, highlighting regional and ethnic characteristics. The exhibits range from fossils to extant organisms, from the origins of various ethnic groups to representative artifacts of their development, revealing the key processes of the ecological changes in northern China and the development of grassland civilization.

In the morning, we planned to go to Hasuhai Lake. I had done some research: there is a daily bus from Hohhot West Bus Station to Hasuhai. Yesterday, I called customer service several times but no one answered. In the morning, we took a taxi to the West Station. The environment outside the station was very poor, with no people or cars in sight. When we entered the waiting room, there were only a few people waiting. There were more staff than passengers. At the ticket window, we learned that there was no bus in the morning; only one bus at 3:00 pm. So we made a wasted trip. We had to make other plans. We decided to go to the Zhaojun Museum. The navigation at the West Station showed that we could take the K3 tourist bus nearby and then transfer to Bus 209. Buses in Hohhot usually cost 1 yuan, but Bus 209 cost 5 yuan, which meant we were going out of town. Indeed, it took over an hour to get there.

The museum had a large area and an imposing exterior. It had three floors, but there were very few actual exhibits; it was mostly pictures and stories. There were very few visitors, which was disappointing. Behind the museum was the Zhaojun Tomb.

--- Zhaojun Museum ---

Wang Zhaojun (51 BC – 15 BC), named Qiang, with the courtesy name Zhaojun, was from Zigui in the Nan Commandery of the Western Han Dynasty (now Xingshan County, Hubei Province). She was a palace maid and a peace-making bride during the reign of Emperor Yuan of Han, and one of the Four Great Beauties of ancient China. Zhaojun Tomb is the burial site of Wang Zhaojun from the Western Han Dynasty. It is located on the south bank of the Dahei River, 9 kilometers along National Highway 209, in the southern suburbs of Yuquan District, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. According to legend, the surrounding grass and trees wither in autumn, but the grass on Zhaojun Tomb remains green all year round, so it is also called "Green Tomb." "Green Tomb in Blue Haze" is praised as one of the eight scenic spots of Hohhot. The tomb is 33 meters high, covering an area of over 20 mu, and is a man-made rammed earth mound. There are pavilions on the second-level platform and on the top of the tomb.

In the afternoon, it was very hot, and my husband didn't want to go out. I went out alone to explore nearby. First, I went to the Great Mosque across from the hotel. It was very quiet, with no tourists. I walked around slowly and carefully. After leaving the mosque, I tried to find the Islamic Style Street according to the navigation, but I searched for a long time and couldn't find it.

--- Great Mosque ---

Located in the Huimin District of Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, this is a mosque. During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, the power of the Oirat Mongol Galdan Boshugtu Khan on the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains was very strong. He conquered Turpan, Hami, and the Uyghur-populated cities on the southern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains such as Yarkand and Kashgar. The Hui people of Xinjiang were then under Galdan's rule. At that time, the Qing court designated Hohhot and Zhangjiakou as trading posts with the Oirat Mongols. Many Hui people were among the merchant caravans Galdan sent to Hohhot. From then on, some of these Hui people settled in Hohhot. The Great Mosque was gradually built by them.

Seeing that it was still early, I decided to take the K3 tourist bus to the Princess Residence. It was very convenient. Inside, there were very few actual objects; it was all promotional materials, which was disappointing.

--- Heshuo Kejing Princess Residence ---

Also called Gulun Kejing Princess Residence, it is located at No. 11 Princess Mansion Street, Saihan Road, Xincheng District, Hohhot. Covering an area of 18,000 square meters, it is currently the best-preserved Qing Dynasty princess residence in China and the best-preserved Qing Dynasty courtyard complex outside the Great Wall. It was the residence of the sixth daughter of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, known as the "Fourth Princess," Gulun Kejing Princess. In 1990, the residence was converted into the Hohhot Museum, which is now a national second-class museum. At the age of 19 in the 36th year of Kangxi (1697), the princess was granted the title of Heshuo Princess and married to Mondu Borjigin, a Khalkha Mongol prince. Since the Khalkha Mongol prince's seat was in Kulun (now Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia), but due to the war with Galdan, the northern desert was unsafe, Emperor Kangxi ordered the princess to reside in Guihua (now Hohhot, Inner Mongolia). By imperial decree, around the 36th year of Kangxi (1697), the princess's residence was built on the east bank of the Zhada River, 2.5 kilometers north of the north gate of Guihua City.

At 7:30 am, we took a taxi to Hohhot East Station to catch the 9:25 am high-speed train to Baotou. The driver told us: we should have taken the train from Hohhot Station, which is closer to the city. Although the train departs from East Station, it stops at Hohhot Station. The weather was good, and the square in front of Hohhot East Station was spacious.

--- Baotou City ---

Regarding the origin of the name Baotou, it is generally believed to be a transliteration of the Mongolian word "Bagotou," meaning "place with deer," which is the official explanation. A second theory is that it is a transliteration of the Mongolian word "Botor" (meaning "hero"), with the Botor River referring to today's East River Channel. A third theory is that it is a phonetic alteration of "Botou," meaning a mooring dock, because Baotou was originally a port for water and land transport.

Abbreviated as Bao, it is located in central Inner Mongolia, on the north bank of the Yellow River. It borders Bayannur City to the west, Ordos City to the south, Hohhot and Ulanqab cities to the east, and Mongolia to the north. It lies in the central part of the Inner Mongolian Plateau, with the Wula Mountains and Daqing Mountains running across the central-southern part of the city, belonging to the Yinshan Mountains. The terrain is high in the center and low in the north and south. The south is an alluvial plain; the center is the Yinshan mountainous area; the north is low mountains and hills. The Yellow River flows along the southern edge of the city. The Han population accounts for about 94%, and the Mongol population about 3%. Baotou is an important metallurgical, materials, and manufacturing base in China, an important industrial city in North China, with particularly abundant rare earth production.

We arrived at Baotou Station at 10:42 am and took a taxi to the hotel. We stayed at a hotel very close to the city grassland. It was the same hotel chain as in Hohhot, but with much better facilities and service.

In the afternoon, we took a taxi to the city grassland. After entering the gate, we didn't see the grassland I had imagined. There were only a few horses tied to trees and a few pitiful animals. Fortunately, there was a sea of flowers, which made me feel it wasn't a completely wasted trip.

--- Saihantala City Grassland ---

Located south of the intersection of Minzu Road and Jianshe Road in Qingshan District, Baotou, also known as Genghis Khan Grassland Ecological Park. The Mongolian name means "beautiful grassland," and it is a free park.

In the morning, we took a taxi to Baotou Railway Station to catch a high-speed train to Salaqi. Originally, we planned to go to Salaqi from Hohhot, visit Meidaizhao, and then go to Baotou, which would have been more convenient. But dragging suitcases was very inconvenient, so we finally decided to go to Baotou first and go back to Salaqi the next day.

--- Salaqi County ---

In the sixth year of Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1741, or according to some sources, the fourth year of Qianlong), the Salaqi Assistant Office was established. After the Xinhai Revolution, the fu, zhou, and ting systems were abolished and replaced by counties. In 1912, it was renamed "Salaqi County," belonging to Shanxi Province, with the seat in Salaqi Town. After 1928, it belonged to Suiyuan Province. On May 25, 1958, Salaqi County was abolished. Four townships—Yanggeleng, Eergexun, Shaerqin, and Dabagagai—in the western part of the former Salaqi County were transferred to Baotou City, while the remaining administrative areas were transferred to the Tumd Banner, with the Tumd Banner seat in Salaqi Town. In 1965, the Tumd Banner was abolished and divided into the Tumd Right Banner and the Tumd Left Banner, with the Tumd Right Banner seat in Salaqi Town. Although Salaqi County has been abolished, people in the Hetao area still habitually refer to this region as "Salaqi," as well as the local accent and customs.

We took the 8:47 am train and arrived at Salaqi Station at 9:19 am. The station was very basic. At the exit, many drivers were soliciting passengers, all asking if they were going to Meidai. We went to the taxi stand to hail a taxi to Meidaizhao. The streets along the way were very tidy, and many residential buildings were springing up. The driver dropped us off at the entrance of the scenic area. We asked for his business card so we could call him for the return trip, as there wasn't a single taxi at the entrance.

The scenic area was under renovation. Perhaps it was after the peak tourist season, so many scenic spots use the off-season for renovations. Many venues were not open. There were very few people, and it was very quiet. Construction materials were placed on the road, making it difficult to walk. We had come at the wrong time.

--- Meidaizhao ---

Originally, its Chinese name was "Lingjue Temple," and in the Qing Dynasty it was granted the name "Shouling Temple." Located in the Tumd Right Banner of Baotou City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, it is a Gelug sect Tibetan Buddhist monastery. Meidaizhao is one of the "Eight Minor Zhao" in the Hohhot area.

After the fall of the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongols retreated to the desert and were divided for a long time. In the middle and late Ming Dynasty, the leader of the Tumed tribe in southern Mongolia, Anda Khan (also translated as Altan Khan), gradually rose to power, controlling a vast area from the Hetao region in the west to Xuanhua in Zhili and north of Datong in Shanxi in the east, from the Gobi Desert in the north to the Great Wall in the south. He also occupied Qinghai and even used military force in Tibet for a time. Anda Khan built "Daban Sheng City" in Tumochuan (about 80 kilometers east of Baotou City). In the fifth year of Longqing (1571), Anda Khan made peace with the Ming Dynasty, was granted the title "Shunyi King" by the Ming court, and began building a new city in Kuku Hoto (now Hohhot). His ruling center gradually moved from Daban Sheng City to Kuku Hoto. In the sixth year of Longqing (1572), influenced by Tibetan Buddhism, Anda Khan began building "Lingjue Temple" within Daban Sheng City, which is today's Meidaizhao.

In the morning, we took a taxi to Baotou Railway Station to catch a high-speed train to Ordos. Ordos has two train stations: Dongsheng Station and Ordos Station, and two districts: Dongsheng and Kangbashi. Dongsheng is the old city area, with convenient transportation and a dense population, but no sightseeing spots. Kangbashi is the new city area, with many highlights.

We bought tickets for the 11:20 am train from Baotou to Ordos. The hotel I booked was near the Dongsheng Shopping Center, so we got off early at Dongsheng West Station, arriving at 12:31 pm. Tomorrow we would stay in Kangbashi.

--- Ordos City ---

It is a prefecture-level city under the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, located in the southwestern part of the region. Formerly known as Ih Ju League. It borders Hohhot and Xinzhou in Shanxi to the east, Yulin in Shaanxi and Wuzhong in Ningxia to the south, Alxa League, Wuhai, Shizuishan in Ningxia, and Yinchuan to the west, and Baotou and Bayannur to the north. It is situated on the Ordos Plateau, with the Kubuqi Desert in the northwest, the Mu Us Desert in the south, hilly gullies in the east, and the Yellow River alluvial plain in the north. The Yellow River surrounds the city's east, north, and west borders. The name "Ordos" comes from the Ordos Plateau and can be traced back to the Mongol tribe—the Ordos tribe, meaning "many palaces" in Mongolian. Ordos is rich in coal resources, with about 80% of the city's area containing coal, and abundant reserves of oil, natural gas, and rare earths.

The old city of Dongsheng was like a small county town. In the afternoon, we just did some shopping. We booked a one-day tour for tomorrow to the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan, including lunch and entrance tickets for 298 yuan per person, with hotel pickup and drop-off. On the return trip, we were supposed to spend an hour sightseeing in the new Kangbashi district, but we decided not to. We asked the driver to drop us off at our hotel in the new district.

At 8:15 am, the driver sent by the travel agency was already waiting at the hotel entrance. We had already packed our luggage. When we received the call, we immediately went downstairs. It was a 7-seat minivan. We were the only two tourists. The driver was a young man, very enthusiastic. He helped us load our luggage into the car and introduced the changes in the old and new districts of Ordos along the way. He said that besides Karamay in Xinjiang, Ordos was the richest region in all of China, with a GDP that had already surpassed Hong Kong.

The 50-minute drive passed quickly. The Mausoleum of Genghis Khan was very large, displaying saddles, bows and arrows, yurts, and family members used by Genghis Khan. Photography was not allowed in the exhibition hall. The square was very open, and the sun was scorching.

Before noon, we arrived in the new Kangbashi district. The driver dropped us off at the hotel entrance, helped us take down our luggage, and left. I had booked the room through a well-known domestic website. The hotel's check-in policy stated: "Guests from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan are accepted." However, when I tried to check in, the front desk clerk said we could not stay and told me to contact the booking website myself. Every time I travel domestically in China, I am most afraid of encountering this kind of thing. Before the trip, I had confirmed with the booking website. At that moment, I panicked. The weather was hot, we were dragging two suitcases, and we were exhausted from the tour.

I immediately called the booking website. The customer service representative was very polite and within five minutes found us a 4-star hotel about 1 kilometer away from our current hotel. The price difference would be covered by their company. I finally breathed a sigh of relief. Just then, the driver called to tell us that he would refund our lunch fee (40 yuan) and ticket fee (40 yuan). Seeing that we were changing hotels, he proactively offered to take us there and helped us settle in before leaving. Thank you! The new district had few people, few taxis, and few ride-hailing cars. I'm grateful! Nowadays, young people in mainland China are very kind!

The hotel was in the city center, surrounded by government departments. At around 4:00 pm, my husband rested at the hotel, and I went out alone to explore the area and get familiar with the surroundings. The streets were very clean, and I couldn't see a single person. The landscaping was well done. Nearby were a museum, a library, a theater, the city government square, and Genghis Khan Square.

Netizens all say: when visiting the new Kangbashi district, you must see the musical fountain on the Wulan Mulun River. I asked the hotel front desk. It starts at 8:00 pm, about 2.4 kilometers from the hotel. We set off at 7:00 pm and walked both ways, also taking the opportunity to see the night scenery of the new Kangbashi district. It was beautiful, but very tiring. That day, we walked over 28,000 steps.

Our trip to the three cities of Inner Mongolia concluded. The highlights around these three cities should be grasslands and deserts. However, over the past ten-plus years of domestic travel, I have visited grasslands and deserts many times, so this time we only walked around the city areas.

Since we needed to return to Xiamen from Xi'an, we took a detour to Yan'an. In the morning, afraid that we couldn't get a taxi to the train station, I started calling for a ride on Didi 3 hours early. Unexpectedly, a driver quickly accepted the order. At 7:30 am, we got into a taxi heading to the train station.

We took the 10:51 am train from Ordos. When buying tickets, the 12306 system showed no second-class seats, only second-class sleepers, and all were upper or middle berths, which was inconvenient. I checked the price of first-class sleepers; it wasn't much more expensive, so I decided to buy first-class sleeper tickets. After boarding, the first-class sleeper compartment was empty, and the doors were locked. When the train attendant opened the door, the original arrangement of one lower and one upper berth was changed to two lower berths. We arrived in Yan'an at 2:15 pm. Along the way, we only stopped at Yulin Station, passed through countless tunnels, and the train wove through mountains and ridges. No one else came into our compartment before we got off, so the two of us comfortably lay down until we arrived.

--- Shaanxi Province ---

Abbreviated as Shaan or Qin, also known as Sanqin. It is currently the most industrially and agriculturally developed province in the northwest region. It is located in the middle reaches of the Yellow River and is the geographical center of present-day China. The provincial capital is the famous ancient capital Xi'an.

The origin of the name Shaanxi is related to historical changes. In present-day Sanmenxia, Henan Province, southwest of Shanzhou District, there is a place called Shaan Yuan (Shaan Mo). In the early Zhou Dynasty, the Duke of Zhou and the Duke of Zhao divided their territories at this point: "To the east of Shaan, the Duke of Zhou governs; to the west of Shaan, the Duke of Zhao governs." In the Song Dynasty, Shaanxi was established as a circuit (equivalent to today's province), named Shaanxi Circuit because it was west of Shaan Yuan. The name Shaanxi began here. Shaanxi has been abbreviated as "Qin" for a long period in history. Before the Yuan Dynasty, Shaanxi did not include the Hanzhong and Ankang areas south of the Qinling Mountains that are part of present-day Shaanxi; on the other hand, before the Qing Dynasty, Shaanxi generally included parts of present-day Gansu Province.

--- Yan'an City ---

Abbreviated as Yan, anciently called Fushi. It is a prefecture-level city under Shaanxi Province, located in the northern part of Shaanxi Province. It borders Weinan, Tongchuan, and Xianyang to the south; Qingyang in Gansu Province to the west; Yulin to the north; and Lüliang and Linfen in Shanxi Province to the east. It is situated on the Loess Plateau, with the Baiyu Mountains, Ziwu Ridge, Lao Mountain, and Huanglong Mountain stretching across the area. The main rivers include the Beiluo River, Yan River, Qingjian River, Shiwang River, and Fenchuan River.

I visited Yan'an more than ten years ago and went to the surrounding attractions. Getting off the train and exiting the station, I saw that Yan'an had changed a lot. The train station gave the impression of good facilities and good service. Following the instructions of the station staff, we went down to the underground passage across the street, which was the taxi stand. But there was not a single taxi inside, and no staff either. I was a bit anxious. As the saying goes, it's easy to go down but hard to come up. After ten minutes, a taxi drove in, and we immediately got in and asked him to take us to the hotel. It was hard to imagine that this small town surrounded by mountains was so bustling, with as many cars and people as a big city.

Our hotel was near Pagoda Hill. After returning to the room, we booked a one-day tour to the Ganquan Grand Canyon for tomorrow. Around 5:00 pm, we walked to Pagoda Hill. When I came to Yan'an over ten years ago, climbing Pagoda Hill was simple. But now, we could see fences from far away. To climb Pagoda Hill, we had to buy a ticket and take a car. Many inland scenic spots are like this now, so it's best to travel early. Many scenic areas have lost their original appearance. When we arrived, the scenic area was already closed. Although it was said to close at 6:00 pm, we could only look at Pagoda Hill from the foot of the mountain.

This is a display item in the hotel—

It was also time for a meal. I searched and found a famous restaurant nearby with a lot of character. We went to check it out—

We enjoyed this meal very much. It indeed had the local characteristics of Yan'an, and the service staff were very enthusiastic and proactive.

--- Ganquan (Liangcha) Yucha Grand Canyon ---

Located in Yucha Village, Xiasiwan Town, 56 kilometers northwest of Ganquan County, Yan'an. It is known as a "natural geological fissure wonder on the Loess Plateau," formed by a strong earthquake hundreds of millions of years ago that cut the surface into fissures, and then eroded by mountain torrents over hundreds of millions of years, gradually creating this unique canyon landform.

At 7:30 am, a bus came to pick us up. By then, the road was already bumper-to-bumper. It took about 2 hours to reach the scenic area. There were more than 20 tourists and one tour guide on the bus. On the bus, the guide collected the tour fee. When we signed up, each person paid 88 yuan. Now, an additional 238 yuan was collected, including 70 yuan per person for the shuttle bus.

The entire scenic area was very primitive. The road was slippery, and the rock walls were so narrow that only one person could pass. The sunlight shone on the rock walls, creating a colorful, ever-changing display. So the weather determined what you could see.

In the morning, we took a taxi to Yan'an Railway Station to catch the 10:00 am train to Xi'an, arriving at Xi'an Station at 12:30 pm.

We took a taxi to the hotel. I have been to Xi'an twice before. Along the way, I felt that the buildings outside the window had changed a lot; I could no longer distinguish between the old and new city.

We stayed near the most bustling areas of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and the Tang Dynasty Never Night City. Around 4:00 pm, I went out to familiarize myself with the environment and prepare for the evening outing.

Due to historical reasons, Xi'an's food culture is equally profound. As a representative of northwestern Chinese cuisine, Xi'an's snacks are the most famous. Because the Hui ethnic group is relatively concentrated, halal food accounts for a certain proportion in Xi'an, such as lamb paomo, waxed beef and mutton, and the famous Jia San soup dumplings. Local Han snacks include roujiamo and liangpi. Biangbiang noodles are particularly notable for their unique name.

The evening performances of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda musical fountain are at 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm. We arrived around the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda at 6:30 pm, but people were already packed in layers. We didn't get the best viewing spot, but fortunately, this was our second time watching the performance.

After the musical fountain performance ended, people began to move toward the Tang Dynasty Never Night City. So many people!

According to the weather forecast, Xiamen would experience heavy rain due to Typhoon Haikui in the past few days. I was very worried about whether our flight to Xiamen today would be able to take off. We arrived at the airport as scheduled. Fortunately, we were lucky—the plane took off on time and landed on time.

It was drizzling in Xiamen. To make it convenient to take the ferry back to Kinmen tomorrow, we stayed at a hotel very close to Xiamen Wutong Pier. Due to the bad weather, we didn't go anywhere and just rested, preparing to go home tomorrow.

In the morning, we took a taxi to Xiamen's Wutong Pier. We missed the 10:00 am ferry, so we took the 11:00 am one.

The sea was pitch black. In just half an hour, the ferry quickly docked.

Kinmen is the production area of Taiwan beef, so the beef noodles at Kinmen Airport are very delicious, with large chunks of beef.

Eager to return home, we went home! The journal-style travelogue is also coming to an end! Ha ha ha!

Travelogue Directory

1. Day 1 (August 26) Taitung—Kaohsiung—Kinmen—Xiamen

2. Day 2 (August 27) Rest day

3. Day 3 (August 28) Xiamen—Hohhot

4. Day 4 (August 29) Dazhao Temple—Wuta Temple—Baoerhan Buddhist Stupa—Guanyin Temple—Xilitu Zhao—Inner Mongolia Museum

5. Day 5 (August 30) Zhaojun Museum—Great Mosque—Princess Residence

6. Day 6 (August 31) Hohhot—Baotou—Saihantala City Grassland

7. Day 7 (September 1) Baotou—Salaqi—Meidaizhao