Westward Bound: A Self-Drive Tour of Xinjiang via Southern Shanxi, Yan'an, and Ningxia

📍 Christchurch · 👁 493 reads · ❤️ 1 likes

Xinjiang, located at the northwestern border of China, is one of the five autonomous regions for ethnic minorities and the largest provincial-level administrative region by land area in China. Historically, it was an important passage on the ancient Silk Road. Here, not only are there连绵的雪山, vast Gobi deserts, but also beautiful grasslands and rich ethnic minority customs. In recent years, tourism in Xinjiang has become increasingly popular, and we chose Xinjiang as our destination this year. Due to Xinjiang's vast territory, using public transportation is time-consuming and doesn't allow flexible route planning, so we decided to drive to Xinjiang.

Starting from Tianjin, we passed through Hebei, southern Shanxi, northern Shaanxi, Ningxia, and the Hexi Corridor before entering Hami in Xinjiang. We first visited the Altay region and the Ili River Valley, then crossed the Tianshan Mountains via the popular Duku Highway to reach southern Xinjiang. Finally, we left Xinjiang from Ruoqiang, passing through Qinghai, southern Gansu, southern Shaanxi, Hubei, and Henan before returning to Tianjin. The total journey was 22,000 kilometers, traveling and sightseeing along the way, taking three and a half months to complete this Xinjiang trip.

The journey through southern Shanxi, Yan'an, and Ningxia took 11 days and covered about 2,400 kilometers. The total cost (for two people) was 4,927.16 yuan, including: transportation (fuel, tolls, etc.) 1,434.82 yuan, accommodation 1,172.00 yuan, tickets (including scenic area shuttles, cable cars, etc.) 1,561.00 yuan, shopping, meals, and miscellaneous expenses 759.34 yuan.

Today, we set off from Tianjin heading west, embarking on the long-planned self-drive tour to Xinjiang. With ample time, we didn't arrange long driving distances each day. Our first day's destination was Handan, more than 400 kilometers from Tianjin. Along the way, we passed the Zhaozhou Bridge in Zhao County, Hebei. We first learned about the Zhaozhou Bridge in elementary school textbooks, almost fifty years ago, so we decided to visit this ancient stone arch bridge before heading to Handan.

We departed at 9 a.m., took the Jinshi Expressway, and arrived at the Zhaozhou Bridge scenic area at noon.

The Zhaozhou Bridge is a stone arch bridge located over the Xiao River, south of Zhao County, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province. It is named because Zhao County was called Zhaozhou in ancient times. Locals call it the Big Stone Bridge to distinguish it from the smaller Yongtong Bridge outside the west gate of the city. The Zhaozhou Bridge was built in the Sui Dynasty, designed and constructed by master craftsman Li Chun. Later, Emperor Zhezong of Song named it Anji Bridge, which became its official name. The Zhaozhou Bridge holds an important place in the history of Chinese bridge building and has had a profound impact on bridge construction worldwide. It is the oldest, largest-span, and best-preserved single-arch, flat, open-shoulder stone arch bridge in existence. Its construction technique is unique, pioneering the open-shoulder arch structure in world bridge history, with high scientific research value. The bridge's decorative carvings are exquisite, with bold and vigorous carving techniques, showing the robust, orderly, and elegant stone carving style of the Sui Dynasty, possessing high artistic value.

After visiting the Zhaozhou Bridge, we continued onto the Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway and arrived in Handan, our destination for the day, two hours later.

Handan in Hebei has a long history and is a national historical and cultural city. The idiom 'Handan Learning to Walk' originates from here. After checking into the hotel, we walked to the nearby Xuebu Bridge.

Xuebu Bridge is located in the northern section of Chengli Street in downtown Handan, spanning the Qin River. It was a key crossing for north-south traffic in the ancient city, known as the 'Lock of the Three Regions.' Built in 1617 (the 45th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty), it is a seven-arch stone bridge with three large arches and four small arches. It is 8 meters high, 32 meters long, and 9 meters wide, with 19 balustrade panels on each side and 18 pillars between them. The panels and pillars are carved with historical figures and exquisite animals such as lions and monkeys.

Both sides of Xuebu Bridge are lined with various snacks, and many Handan residents come here to eat and stroll. We also had dinner here before returning to the hotel to rest.

Our destination for today is Jincheng City in Shanxi Province, 280 kilometers away. Fifteen kilometers from Jincheng city center, there is the Yuhuang Temple Painted Sculpture and Mural Museum, which houses exquisite colored clay sculptures. We decided to visit Yuhuang Temple first to see the sculptures.

We departed a little after 9 a.m., drove on the expressway for over three hours, and arrived at Zezhou County, Jincheng. By the roadside, we spotted a large-scale Guandi Temple and decided to visit it first.

The Fucheng Village Guandi Temple is located in Fucheng Village, Jincun Town, Zezhou County, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province. It is a vast complex consisting of upper, lower, outer, middle, and front courtyards, covering dozens of acres. The construction date is unknown, but it underwent repairs in 1756 (the 21st year of Qianlong) and 1782 (the 47th year of Qianlong). Along the central axis are the mountain gate, stage, Guandi Hall, and Sanyi Hall, with side buildings including corridors, bell and drum towers, and monk quarters. The main hall is Guandi Hall, three bays wide and eight rafters deep, with a single-eave hanging ridge roof. Guandi Hall and Sanyi Hall are relatively well-preserved, with prominent stone and wood carvings, fine craftsmanship, and high historical and artistic value.

Fucheng Village Guandi Temple

After visiting Guandi Temple, Yuhuang Temple was not far away.

Yuhuang Temple is located in Fucheng Village, Jincun Town, Zezhou County, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province. Its founding date is unknown. According to a Ming Dynasty inscription in the temple, 'During the Sui Dynasty, people gathered on the northern hill and built a temple of three bays, inside which they painted the Three Pure Ones.' In 1076 (the 9th year of Xining of the Northern Song), it was rebuilt on the original site and named 'Yuhuang Xinggong.' In 1207 (the 7th year of Taihe of Jin), most of the temple collapsed, and local people raised funds for repairs. During the Zhenyou period of Jin (1214-1216), part of it was destroyed by war. In 1335 (the 1st year of Zhiyuan of Yuan), it was rebuilt again, and it was repaired several times during the Ming and Qing dynasties, reaching its current scale.

Yuhuang Temple faces south, with a three-courtyard layout in a rectangular plan, covering an area of 3,520 square meters. The main buildings include the mountain gate, ceremonial gate, Cheng Tang Hall, offering pavilion, Yuhuang Hall, east and west side halls, 28 Mansions Hall, 12 Earthly Branches Hall, 13 Luminous Stars Hall, Guandi Hall, and Silkworm Goddess Hall, forming a large ancient architectural complex. The extant main buildings include Yuhuang Hall from the Song Dynasty, Tangdi Hall from the Jin Dynasty, and the rear courtyard's side towers and east-west side rooms from the Yuan Dynasty, with the rest from the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

The colored clay sculptures from the Song, Jin, and Yuan dynasties preserved in Yuhuang Temple, especially the ones in the 28 Mansions Hall, represent the highest achievement of ancient Chinese sculpture. They not only had a significant influence on ancient sculpture after the Yuan Dynasty but also have great importance for the research and development of contemporary sculpture. The more than 260 clay statues of Taoist deities form a coherent system, artistically presenting the complete pantheon of Chinese Taoist gods. They are unique among the ancient statue remains discovered nationwide and reflect the convergence of Chinese and Western sculpture art. It is a peculiar and wonderful treasure trove of Taoist art with extremely high historical and ornamental value.

Leaving Yuhuang Temple, it was still early, so we visited the Jincheng Museum.

Jincheng Museum is located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Fengtai East Street and Wenbo Road in Jincheng City, Shanxi Province. It covers an area of 1.6 hectares with a building area of 10,282 square meters, making it a local comprehensive history museum. The museum holds more than 20,000 artifacts, including over 200 items at the third grade or above. The most distinctive local collections are historical pottery figurines, Ming and Qing dynasty glazed attendant figurines, and burial objects.

After visiting the museum, we returned to the hotel to rest.

Today, we plan to visit the Huangcheng Xiangfu scenic area in Yangcheng County, Jincheng. We departed a little after 9 a.m. and arrived at the parking lot an hour later.

Huangcheng Xiangfu is located in Beiliu Town, Yangcheng County, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province. It was the mansion of Chen Tingjing, a prominent minister of the Kangxi era: a lecturer at the Imperial Academy, Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, successively minister of Personnel, Revenue, Justice, and Works (with three promotions), teacher of Emperor Kangxi, and chief editor of the Kangxi Dictionary. It consists of the inner city, outer city, and Ziyunqian, with a scenic area of over 100,000 square meters. The buildings are constructed along the hillside, adapting to the terrain, with layered courtyards and staggered structures. The Imperial Calligraphy Tower is magnificent, Zhongdaozhuang is majestic, Douju is a continuous complex of residences, the River and Mountain Tower is steep and imposing, and the hidden soldier caves are cleverly layered. It is a rare Ming and Qing dynasty castle-style official residence complex, praised by experts as 'the residence of the number one cultural clan in northern China.'

After touring Huangcheng Xiangfu, it was still early, so we continued to the Yunqiu Mountain scenic area.

We arrived at the scenic area yesterday after 4 p.m. and stayed in a guesthouse nearby. After breakfast today, we began our tour of Yunqiu Mountain.

Yunqiu Mountain is located in Guanwangmiao Township, Xiangning County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province, at the intersection of the Lüliang Mountains and the Fenwei Graben. The scenic area features realistic human-shaped mountain forms, rich and diverse plant species, and unique and magical natural landscapes. It has deep historical and cultural积淀. Legend says it was a place where ancient emperors Yao, Shun, and Yu observed celestial phenomena and measured time, and the 'Zhonghe Culture' took root and continued here.

Upon entering the scenic area, we took a sightseeing bus to the first stop, Ta'erpo Ancient Village.

Ta'erpo Ancient Village, originally named Ta'erpo, has a history of over 2,500 years. It was named after Laozi (Li Er) once stayed here during his travels. Later, Taoists heard about it and came, finding this favorable location suitable for cultivation, so they practiced meditation in the nearby mountains and lived alongside local villagers, gradually forming a village.

Our main purpose for coming to Yunqiu Mountain was to see the Yunqiu Mountain Ice Cave Group. After a quick tour of Ta'erpo, we went to the ice caves nearby.

The Yunqiu Mountain Ice Cave Group in Xiangning County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province, is hidden deep in the mountains and is one of the three major ice cave wonders in the world. The entire group consists of 11 caves, of which five are currently open. The caves are interconnected and winding, with the widest point reaching 12 meters and the tallest 15 meters. The walls are covered with ice, and every few steps there is a new scene: ice pillars, ice stalactites, ice stalagmites, and ice flowers are distributed throughout the space. The crystal-clear icicles of various sizes create a dreamlike scene under colorful lighting. According to research, the ice cave group formed during the Quaternary glaciation, over 3 million years ago. The cause of the caves remains unknown, and the scenery inside is stunning; even in the hot summer, the ice cave is extremely cold.

It was very cold inside the ice cave. Even in our cold-weather suits, we stayed less than half an hour. After coming out, we returned to the hotel. Since it was still early, we decided to continue to Hongtong County.

Today's first destination was Guangsheng Temple to see its glazed pagoda and the well-preserved Yuan Dynasty murals in the Water God Temple.

Guangsheng Temple is located at the foot of Mount Huo, 17 kilometers northeast of Hongtong County, Shanxi Province. It was first built in 147 AD (the first year of Jianhe of Emperor Huan of the Eastern Han), originally named Julushe Temple, also known as Yu Wang Pagoda. It was renamed Guangsheng Temple in the Tang Dynasty. The main structures consist of the Upper Temple, Lower Temple, and Water God Temple. The Upper Temple sits atop Mount Huo, surrounded by cypresses, with an ancient pagoda and glittering glazed components. The Lower Temple is at the foot of Mount Huo, built following the terrain with staggered heights. The Water God Temple is west of the Lower Temple, separated only by a wall. The Guangsheng Temple complex has a rigorous layout and unique design, renowned for its long history and grand scale, and especially famous for its brilliant Flying Rainbow Pagoda, the unparalleled Zhaocheng Jin Tripitaka, and the unique Yuan Dynasty drama murals.

We first took an electric cart to the Upper Temple.

Entering the temple gate, the exquisite glazed pagoda stands majestically, soaring into the clouds. This pagoda was first built in the Han Dynasty and has been rebuilt many times. The body is made of blue bricks, with 13 octagonal stories. From bottom to top, each story gradually decreases in height and width, forming a beautiful cone shape.

Descending stone steps, not far from the foot of the mountain, we reached the Water God Temple.

The Water God Temple is a Yuan Dynasty structure, with the Mingying Wang Hall as its main building. The existing Yuan Dynasty murals inside the hall are well-preserved, covering all four walls. Compared to the murals in Yongle Palace, the Water God Temple murals have a more lively everyday feel. They depict pavilions, palaces, markets, celestial and earthly scenes, and human life, covering society, economy, culture, folklore, architecture, and entertainment, presenting a complete picture of life in the Yuan Dynasty.

After visiting Guangsheng Temple, we continued to Huozhou City, about 50 kilometers away.

After a short rest at the hotel, we went to the Huozhou Government Office.

The Huozhou Government Office was first built in the Sui and Tang dynasties, with a history of 1,300 years. It consists of three major building groups: the central axis, east auxiliary line, and west auxiliary line. The existing structures are cultural relics from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, covering an area of over 21,400 square meters, with more than 180 rooms. It is the largest prefectural government office among existing local government offices and the only well-preserved prefectural office in China.

Among existing ancient government offices, the Huozhou Government Office has the earliest construction date, the largest area, the most functions, and the most imposing presence. It is not only a classic example of ancient official architecture but also a heavy carrier of China's thousand-year official culture. Due to its complete preservation, exquisite architecture, and rich cultural connotations, it is known as 'the best government office under heaven.' From the Huozhou Government Office, you can see the Huozhou Drum Tower not far away.

Wenchang Pavilion, also known as the Drum Tower, is located at the city center of Huozhou, Shanxi Province. It has a long history and is well-known, built in 1583 (the 11th year of Wanli of the Ming Dynasty).

The Drum Tower is in a busy area surrounded by many shops. We strolled around, had dinner, and then returned to the hotel to rest.

Today we are going to 'Little Western Paradise,' where 'all the suspended sculptures are full, and none after it can compare.' After a 1.5-hour drive, we arrived.

Little Western Paradise in Linfen, Shanxi, also known as Qianfo Nunnery, is located on Phoenix Mountain, 1 kilometer northwest of Xixian County. It is a Buddhist temple founded in 1634 (the 7th year of Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty). The site is surrounded by mountains on three sides, with a river in front, ancient trees reaching the sky, and a clear stream. The cliff of Phoenix Mountain is steep, and the temple stands out on the edge of a high platform. To reach Little Western Paradise, you must cross the 'Tongtian Bridge,' climb over 240 stone steps, and pass through a 10-meter-long earth cave to enter the temple gate. The temple's unique shape and the many steps give the feeling of ascending to the Western Paradise of Ultimate Bliss.

The temple is divided into upper and lower courtyards, famous for its Ming Dynasty colored suspended sculptures. The essence is preserved in the Mahavira Hall. The hall is filled with large colored suspended sculptures. Besides the five main Buddhas on the altar, the walls, beams, purlins, and rafters are adorned with thousands of colored sculptures. These sculptures are bright in color, vivid in form, and diverse in posture—numerous but not chaotic, dense but not messy. The tallest is over 3 meters, and the smallest is only the size of a thumb. The figures are full and lifelike, with moving portrayals of inner thoughts. The entire set of colored sculptures is a rare group of colored sculpture art in China, filling a gap in the history of Chinese Buddhist sculpture, truly a museum of Chinese suspended sculpture art with immeasurable historical and artistic value.

The full hall of suspended sculptures at Little Western Paradise was captivating, and we lingered for a long time. Since we still had to drive 140 kilometers to the Hukou Waterfall, we reluctantly left.

We arrived at our guesthouse in Hukou Town, Ji County, after 4 p.m. We had planned to visit the scenic area the next day, but the guesthouse owner suggested going today. We took his advice and went to the nearby Hukou Waterfall scenic area.

Hukou Waterfall borders Hukou Town, Ji County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province to the east, and Yichuan Township, Yan'an City, Shaanxi Province to the west. It is known as a 'wonder of the Yellow River,' the only yellow waterfall in the world, and the second largest waterfall in China. The cliffs on both sides of Hukou face each other. The surging Yellow River water, after passing through Hukou, is constricted by the mountains on both sides into a narrow stone gorge. The 600-meter-wide flood suddenly narrows to just over 30 meters, plunging from a 20-meter-high fault cliff into a 30-meter-wide stone trough. It sounds like ten thousand horses galloping with echoes in the mountains, and looks like a giant dragon stirring up waves, roaring fiercely and heard for miles. Its shape resembles a giant kettle boiling, hence the name Hukou Waterfall. The scenic area centered on Hukou Waterfall integrates the Yellow River Gorge, the Loess Plateau, and ancient village platforms, showcasing the magnificent natural landscape and rich historical and cultural heritage of the Yellow River basin.

After breakfast, we set off from Hukou Town and arrived in Yan'an after a 2-hour drive. Since our hotel was next to Qingliang Mountain, we decided to walk there.

Qingliang Mountain, also known as Taihe Mountain, is located on the opposite bank of the Yan River in the northeast of Yan'an City. It stands opposite Fenghuang Mountain and Baota Mountain across the river, forming a 'three mountains standing in a tripod, with Taihe as one.' The mountain has a cool climate, beautiful environment, with pine and cypress forests and scattered temples and halls.

Leaving the hotel, we turned into a small road nearby and soon saw stone steps leading up the mountain. We climbed the steps and saw several temple buildings at the top. Approaching, many people were burning incense and worshipping; it turned out to be the Taihe Mountain Taoist Temple.

The religious activities at Taihe Mountain can be traced back to 607 AD (the 3rd year of Daye of the Sui Dynasty). Since the Sui and Tang dynasties, Qingliang Mountain has integrated Buddhism and Taoism on the same mountain. Despite repeated wars and destruction and reconstruction, the incense has never ceased.

The main deity enshrined in the Taihe Mountain Taoist Temple is Emperor Zhenwu. The temple now has dozens of halls of various sizes, with a very grand scale.

After leaving the temple, we returned to the hotel to rest. In the evening, we went to the Yan'an Erdao Street Night Market.

Erdao Street Night Market is the most famous snack street in Yan'an, where you can taste authentic Yan'an snacks.

The night market was crowded, with not only tourists but also many locals enjoying the food. After tasting Yan'an's specialties, we took a stroll along the Yan River, enjoying the beautiful night scenery.

The Yucha Grand Canyon in Ganquan County, Yan'an, is known as 'the world's living Danxia, the dream valley of China,' and is a must-visit when traveling to Yan'an. To avoid the noisy crowds and have a better experience, we chose the nearby Mao Alley Canyon, which has similar scenery.

Mao Alley Canyon is located in the southeast of Zhidan County, Yan'an City, Shaanxi Province. It consists of six scenic spots: Qiankun Valley, Lovers Gorge (Heartbreak Gorge), Palace Corridor, Time Flow Wall, Body Shaping Alley, and Another Hidden World. The canyon is 9 kilometers long, with varying widths; the narrowest part only allows one person to pass, forming many one-slit sky scenes surrounded by a giant dragon. The carved rock in the canyon is a narrow valley landform with steep curved walls, formed by long-term erosion of weak structural parts of the rock by perennial or seasonal swift water carrying sand and gravel, creating countless potholes in three dimensions. The curved lines on the valley walls are as smooth and silky as brown-red chocolate, varied and ever-changing. The valley floor keeps changing colors over time, magnificent and wonderful.

Mao Alley Canyon is a lesser-known attraction with few visitors. Walking through the canyon, you can take photos freely, slowly appreciate the work of flowing water, and feel the infinite charm of nature.

Tomorrow we are going to Yinchuan. After playing in Mao Alley Canyon, we didn't return to Yan'an city but stayed in Wuqi County, about 70 kilometers away.

This morning we set off from Wuqi County, took the Dinghan Expressway and Qingyin Expressway, and arrived in Yinchuan at noon.

We had reserved a time to visit the Ningxia Museum. After a short rest at the hotel, we went to the museum.

The Museum of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, abbreviated as Ningxia Museum, is located on East Street of People's Square, Jinfeng District, Yinchuan, Ningxia. The building has a '回' (hui) shaped layout, with a total area of 30,258 square meters. The museum houses nearly 40,000 artifacts, including 159 national first-class artifacts and over 4,000 third-grade or above precious artifacts. Among them, the carved tomb doors with Huixuan dance, the gilded bronze ox, and the majestic stone inscription support have been identified as national treasures.

The 'Stone Carving History Book' rock art gallery allows close contact with Ningxia rock art, making you feel like you've entered an ancient era.

The overview of Ningxia History gallery is a key area, displaying treasures such as the Western Han silver-inlaid bronze sheep, the Tang Dynasty Huixuan dance stone door leaf, the Western Xia gilded bronze ox, the human figure stele base, and the glass bowl with protruding nails. Here you can also see a rubbing of the 'Inscription for the Reconstruction of the Gantong Pagoda at Liangzhou,' where the Western Xia characters look more square than Chinese characters.

The 'Hui Customs Exhibition' mainly displays historical books and various copies of the Quran, making it a good place to learn about Muslim culture and Islamic history.

The museum is large and rich in collections. We spent the entire afternoon there until closing time. After leaving, we went to the Huaiyuan Night Market.

Huaiyuan Night Market is located at the intersection of Huaiyuan Road and Wencui North Road in Xixia District, Yinchuan (outside the south gate of Ningxia University). The nearly 1-kilometer stretch of stalls along Huaiyuan Road is a small commodity night market, while the sides of Wencui North Road are for food. Here you can not only taste all kinds of Ningxia lamb dishes such as hotpot, grilled skewers, sauced trotters, steamed neck, mixed offal, and stir-fried lamb, as well as local specialties like mixed snacks, cold noodles, fried bo bo, and the Hui people's 'Ten Big Bowls,' but also various flavors from all over the country.

The Helan Mountains lie on the border between the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. They are an important natural geographical boundary in China, playing a significant role in turning the Yinchuan Plain into 'a paradise beyond the Great Wall.' The Helan Mountains are not only the watershed between external and internal drainage basins in China but also the boundary between monsoon and non-monsoon climates, as well as the dividing line between grassland and desert in China; east of it is semi-agricultural and semi-pastoral, west is purely pastoral.

The Helan Mountains region has been inhabited since ancient times, leaving a large number of rock carvings. Today, we will go into the Helan Mountain gorge to see the life of ancient humans. After a 50-minute drive from downtown Yinchuan, we arrived at the Helan Mountain Rock Art scenic area.

Rock art are pictures drawn or carved on rocks by ancient ancestors. In the hinterland of the Helan Mountains, stretching over 200 kilometers north-south, nearly 6,000 mysterious rock paintings record the realistic life of ancient humans from 3,000 to 10,000 years ago. They have become a cultural treasure for studying human cultural history, religious history, and primitive art history, and are known as 'the history book on stone,' 'the prehistoric art corridor,' and 'the source of Chinese culture.'

Helan Mountain Rock Art - Woman Flower

Helan Mountain Rock Art - Sun God

Helan Mountain Rock Art - Handprints

The open area of the Helan Mountain Rock Art scenic area is not large; it takes less than two hours to walk around. After leaving, we went to the nearby Ningxia Helan Mountain National Forest Park.

Ningxia Helan Mountain National Forest Park is located in the outskirts of Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia, and is the closest national forest park to a provincial capital city in China. The park covers an area of 9,587 hectares, with a highest elevation of 3,483 meters. The mountains are majestic, the forests dense, offering rich natural scenery and unique cultural landscapes, making it an eco-tourism destination integrating sightseeing and recreation.

At the park entrance, we took a sightseeing bus to Songtao Villa, then walked up the plank road for about 40 minutes to reach Qingsongling. The altitude here is already over 2,000 meters. To conserve energy, we didn't continue to Cherry Valley. After a short stay at Qingsongling, we returned to Songtao Villa and took the bus back to the entrance.

Helan Mountain National Forest Park

At the entrance, we learned that the Baishikou Twin Pagodas, about 5 kilometers from the forest park, are Western Xia ruins, so we decided to visit them.

The Baishikou Twin Pagodas are located on a platform north of Baishigou in the Helan Mountains, about 45 kilometers northwest of Yinchuan, Ningxia. They are the best-preserved Western Xia Buddhist pagodas in Ningxia, with a history of about 1,000 years. The east and west pagodas face each other, about 80 meters apart, with similar structures: both are 13-story octagonal dense-eave hollow brick pagodas, consisting of the body and the spire, without a base. Around the twin pagodas, there are also remains of a pagoda forest, a large monastery platform, and a small temple from the late Qing Dynasty. The Baishikou Twin Pagodas are rare art treasures in the history of Chinese pagoda architecture, with high historical, cultural, and research value in Western Xia archaeology, architecture, and Buddhism.

The east and west pagodas are simple in design, simple and elegant. After seeing the Twin Pagodas, it was already after 4 p.m. We drove 110 kilometers via the Beijing-Tibet Expressway to Wuzhong City.

Wuzhong has a long history and diverse cultures, being an important passage on the Silk Road, known as 'the water and land dock, the great market under heaven.' Long-term trade and cultural exchanges led to interaction, mutual influence, and integration of various cuisines, gradually forming unique food customs. Wuzhong morning tea originates from Chinese cuisine, incorporating elements of Cantonese morning tea, blending breakfast consumption with leisure life, and merging business culture with social culture. It formed gradually through the interactions, exchanges, and integration of various ethnic groups. Wuzhong morning tea culture tells the hardworking and enterprising spirit of all ethnic groups in Wuzhong, inherits a long-standing health culture, and is part of traditional Chinese culture.

Different from southern morning tea, Wuzhong morning tea is served in beef noodle restaurants. Today, we first visited a beef noodle restaurant near the hotel to experience Wuzhong morning tea culture.

Wuzhong morning tea generally consists of rich and sweet health-preserving eight-treasure tea, fragrant beef noodles, exquisite pastries and snacks, and a variety of refreshing appetizers.

After eating and drinking our fill, we drove to the Qingtongxia Yellow River Grand Canyon tourist area.

The Qingtongxia Yellow River Grand Canyon is located in the Hui hometown of Wuzhong, known as the 'Pearl on the Frontier,' and is the last gorge on the upper reaches of the Yellow River, often called the 'Little Three Gorges of the Yellow River.' The scenic area has numerous attractions on both sides of the Yellow River, dazzling visitors, and comprehensively showcases Yellow River culture, Western Xia culture, Hui culture, and the scenery beyond the Great Wall.

Upon entering the scenic area, we first went to the Qingtongxia Hydropower Station.

Qingtongxia Hydropower Station, known as the 'Pearl on the Frontier,' is located at the outlet of the Qingtongxia Yellow River Grand Canyon. It is 687.3 meters long, 42.7 meters high, and 46.7 meters wide, built in 1958, with an average annual power generation of 13.5 billion kWh. The Qingtongxia water control project was the first water conservancy project built in the western minority region after the founding of the People's Republic of China. It is the earliest gate-type hydropower station built on the upper reaches of the Yellow River in China. It is a comprehensive water control project mainly for irrigation and power generation, also for flood control and ice prevention. Its completion ended the history of over 2,000 years of diversion without dams in Ningxia, hence the saying, 'The Yellow River enriches Ningxia, and the Pearl on the Frontier is Qingtongxia.'

Qingtongxia Hydropower Station

Originally, we had booked boat tickets for the Ten-mile Long Gorge, but due to equipment maintenance, we couldn't enter today. Instead, we entered the gorge from the Qingtongxia Dam and took a boat to the One Hundred and Eight Pagodas.

The One Hundred and Eight Pagodas are on the west bank of the Qingtongxia Yellow River Grand Canyon, built during the Western Xia period. They are one of the largest existing ancient pagoda clusters in China, attracting tourists for their historical, artistic, and scientific value.

After the Western Xia Dynasty, dominated by the Dangxiang people, Buddhism became its main religion. Western Xia Buddhism, though lasting less than two hundred years, not only occupies a position in the history of Chinese Buddhism but also has distinct regional and ethnic characteristics. Deeply influenced by Central Plains Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism also spread rapidly in Western Xia through interactions with Tibet. The distinctive Western Xia Buddhism is an indispensable part of Chinese Buddhist culture and has left extremely precious relics for the world's ethnic cultural treasure house.

After visiting the One Hundred and Eight Pagodas, we took a sightseeing bus to the Qingtongxia Yellow River Iron Bridge.

The Qingtongxia Yellow River Iron Bridge is located at the entrance of the Qingtongxia Yellow River Grand Canyon scenic area. It was the first bridge over the Yellow River in Ningxia, officially opened to traffic on July 1, 1959, mainly built for transporting materials for the Qingtongxia water control project and across the Yellow River. It is a semi-permanent bridge, 292.3 meters long, with 35,000 rivets used in its construction. The rusted steel beams on many parts bear marks in eight languages including English and French, with production year marks, earning it the name 'Eight-Nation Bridge.'

Qingtongxia Yellow River Iron Bridge

After touring the Qingtongxia Yellow River Grand Canyon, it was already after 2 p.m. We drove 100 kilometers to Zhongwei City.

The Zhongwei High Temple was just across the street from our hotel. After checking in, we went to visit it.

The Zhongwei High Temple is located in the north of downtown Zhongwei, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, built on a high platform connected to the city wall (including the Bao'an Temple below). It is a temple integrating three religions. First built during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, it had become a large-scale ancient architectural complex by the Qing Dynasty.

The High Temple is famous for its height. The entire complex is divided into two parts, with the front part low and the back part high, layered like a phoenix spreading its wings. Climbing to the highest level, you can gaze into the clouds and blue sky, and take in the desert oasis, the Yellow River, and the Great Wall.

As it grew dark after leaving the High Temple, we had dinner and wandered in a nearby park, experiencing the nightlife of this small city, Zhongwei.

July 2024