Inner Mongolia Trip — Hohhot, Baotou, Ordos, Yan'an, Xi'an

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In June 2021, we planned to go to Inner Mongolia. At that time, I accompanied friends to Yunnan. On the return trip, we ended the journey in Kunming, parted ways with friends—they went back to Guangdong, and we were going to fly to Ordos. We had already bought the tickets, but due to my husband's sudden health issue, we had to cancel the trip.

This spring, my husband was set on going to Inner Mongolia. However, with the relaxation of mainland China's pandemic prevention policies, domestic travel surged, and coupled with the summer vacation, every scenic spot was packed. So we planned to travel on September 7th. But the Taiwan weather forecast predicted that Typhoon Haikui (No. 11) would affect Taiwan in early September. Worried that flights would be canceled and we wouldn't be able to leave, we moved the trip forward.

At 9:40 a.m., we took a taxi to Taitung Railway Station, caught the 10:17 a.m. train to Kaohsiung, and got off at Fengshan Station (closer to the airport). From there, we took a taxi to Kaohsiung International Airport.

The flight departed on time at 2:30 p.m. and arrived at Kinmen Shangyi Airport at 3:20 p.m. We took a taxi to Kinmen's Shuitou Pier. Although we were in a bit of a rush (we had to fill out the mainland China customs health declaration form on the spot), we still made it onto the 4:30 p.m. ferry to Xiamen, arriving at Xiamen Wutong Pier at 5:00 p.m.

We've been to 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—an elevated highway had been built, and the noise of cars at night made it hard to sleep.

Since we had some errands to take care of and the weather was very hot, we rested for a day. This trip was meant to be slow-paced—we'd go as far as we could, stop anytime, and head back whenever we felt like it.

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

Hohhot City—

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

Considering convenient transportation and proximity to various city attractions, we chose to stay near Dazhao Temple. From the airport, we followed the navigation by taxi but drove past the hotel—we had to circle around because the hotel sign was blocked by a big tree.

After checking in and resting a bit, we went to the food street across the road to see what good food there was. The self-proclaimed century-old food street was somewhat disappointing—the entire street sold dried goods from all over the country and some drinks. There was a small alley with barbecue, but the hygiene conditions were worrisome, so we couldn't sit down. Given the hot weather, I was especially careful about eating out.

At the street corner, there was a Qinghai beef noodle shop. We ordered a bowl of beef noodle soup and a plate of stir-fried beef noodles—they were not to our taste. In the end, we bought two flatbreads from a pastry shop at the street entrance and returned 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.

Exiting the hotel, we turned right and walked straight along the road. After passing three or four traffic lights, about half an hour later, we saw a large square and arrived.

Dazhao Temple—

Also called "Yike Zhao," meaning "Great Temple" in Mongolian ("Zhao" means temple in Tibetan). Located on Dazhao Front Street in Yuquan District, Hohhot, it is a Gelug school Tibetan Buddhist temple. Dazhao was the foremost of the "Seven Great Zhao" in Hohhot during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Its Chinese name was originally "Hongci Temple," later changed to "Wuliang Temple." Because it houses a silver statue of Sakyamuni, it is also called "Silver Buddha Temple." Historically, it has also been known as "Mahayana Wheel Zhao," "Ganjur Temple," and "Imperial Temple." Built by Altan Khan, some Mongolian historical records also call it "Altan Zhao." Dazhao was the earliest Gelug temple built in Hohhot and one of the large temples built after the Mongols converted to the Gelug school, second only to Meidaizhao, and it had great influence in the Mongolian region.

Dazhao was first built in the Ming Dynasty. Altan Khan (also known as Anda Khan), leader of the Tumed Mongols, met the Third Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso, at the Chabchya Temple (Yanghua Temple) by Qinghai Lake on May 15, 1578 (the sixth year of the Wanli era). During the meeting, Altan Khan greeted the Third Dalai Lama with the ceremony used for foreign envoys in the Yuan Dynasty, and they exchanged titles. At this meeting, Altan Khan burned the shamanic sacred objects Ongon before the Third Dalai Lama, expressing his sincere conversion to Buddhism. Altan Khan also made a vow to the Third Dalai Lama that upon returning to the Mongolian grasslands, he would build temples and create Buddha statues. In 1579 (the seventh year of the Wanli era), construction of Dazhao began. Altan Khan also brought craftsmen from Nepal and used 3,000 jin of pure silver to cast a silver statue of Sakyamuni. In 1580 (the eighth year of the Wanli era), Dazhao was completed, becoming the highest-status temple in the Mongolian region at the time. It is also the only major Tibetan Buddhist temple in Mongolia that does not have a living Buddha. In 1586 (the fourteenth year of the Wanli era), the Third Dalai Lama personally visited Dazhao and presided over the "consecration ceremony" of the silver Buddha. Later, the Fourth Dalai Lama also came to Dazhao and sat in the same seat that the Third Dalai Lama had used.

Saishang Old Street—

Near Dazhao Temple, this is an ancient street with Ming and Qing architectural styles. It was built around the same time as Dazhao Temple (built in the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty). At the west side of the temple's front gate, there is a horizontal street with a memorial archway, named Saishang Old Street. It has now become a street of small commodities. Near Dazhao Temple Square, many young people wear Tibetan costumes for photos.

According to the navigation, the distance from Dazhao Temple to Wuta Temple was also 1.3 kilometers, so we decided to walk slowly and enjoy the street scenes along the way. Unexpectedly, the main gate of Wuta Temple was not open. We had to walk around the wall to reach the ticket office, which was very tiring. There were few visitors at Wuta Temple, and the buildings were in disrepair.

Wuta Temple— Located at No. 48 Wuta Temple Back Street in the southeast of Yuquan District, Hohhot, it is a Gelug Tibetan Buddhist temple. In 1727 (the fifth year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty), when the lama Yangchalji of Xiao Zhao served as the deputy Jasagh Lama of Guihua City, he petitioned the Qing court to build a subordinate temple for Xiao Zhao during his report as the annual Jasagh Lama. The temple was completed in 1732 (the tenth year of the Yongzheng reign), and the Qing court granted it the name "Cideng Temple" and bestowed a plaque with the temple name in Mongolian, Tibetan, and Chinese. The "Vajrasana Relic Stupa" in the temple is commonly called "Wuta" (Five Pagodas) by locals. Its Mongolian name is transliterated as "Tabuspuerhan." Construction began in 1727 and was completed in 1732. In 1886 (the twelfth year of the Guangxu reign), after the third incarnation of Yangchalji passed away, there was no living Buddha in the temple, and the lamas returned to Xiao Zhao. Cideng Temple gradually fell into ruin. On July 12, 2006, the restoration project of the Cideng Temple ruins was completed.

Vajrasana Relic Stupa— "Located in Wuta Temple"

It is a brick Vajrasana-style stupa, commonly called "Wuta" because of the five small pagodas on top. The stupa was built in the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty. It consists of a base, a body, and 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 Bao'erhan Buddha Pagoda. The pagoda is very tall. Locals call it the White Pagoda. The weather was hot, and the UV rays were strong. Many devotees walked around the White Pagoda in circles, showing great sincerity.

Bao'erhan Buddha Pagoda—

Located in Yuquan Park, construction began in May 2006, and the consecration ceremony was held on February 14, 2008. All funds for the pagoda came from private donations. Living Buddha Longduo Danzeng Rongbo personally selected the site and designed the construction plan. He also donated the rare holy relics of Sakyamuni Buddha and the relics of ten great Arhats, including Ananda, Upali, Sariputra, and Sivali, as well as many precious scriptures and Buddha statues, to Bao'erhan Buddha Pagoda.

Guanyin Temple is across the street from Bao'erhan Buddha Pagoda. The main gate was under renovation, so we had to use the side gate. The temple was also undergoing major construction, making it inconvenient to tour. 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 within the jurisdiction of Changhelang Subdistrict Office. To the south lies Erdos Road. It covers 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 Buddhist temple in Yuquan District. Although its size and scale cannot compare with the large lamaseries of Hohhot, it is very well-known. Locals say, "Among the thirteen Han temples, Guanyin Temple ranks first." In the past, it was the chief of the local Han temples, and later it became the only remaining Han Buddhist temple in the urban area of Hohhot.

After exiting Guanyin Temple, it was already past noon and time for lunch. We took a taxi to Xilituzhao and ate at Deshun Yuan restaurant next door.

Xilituzhao—

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

Xilituzhao was first built during the Longqing and Wanli periods of the Ming Dynasty (1567–1619). It started as a small temple called "Ancient Buddha Temple," which is now the Ancient Buddha Hall on the west side of Xilituzhao, built by Altan Khan's son Senge. Because the first Xili Living Buddha, according to the last words of the Third Dalai Lama, represented the Third Dalai Lama on his throne and searched for the reincarnated child, and the Fourth Dalai Lama held his enthronement ceremony here, the temple became known as Xilituzhao.

Online reviews said that the shaomai (steamed dumplings) at this restaurant were delicious, 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, one basket had eight shaomai, and the soup bowl was huge—enough for four people.

We packed the leftovers, but after we got back, the cold shaomai didn't taste good.

After returning to the hotel for a two-hour rest, we took a taxi to the Inner Mongolia Museum around 3:00 p.m. 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, Xincheng District, Hohhot, 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, featuring strong Mongolian characteristics. The galloping horse statue on the museum was once the opening image of Inner Mongolia Television. The museum is one of the eight new sceneries of Hohhot ("Horse Galloping"). The main building covers over 50,000 square meters and includes exhibition halls, artifact storage areas, visitor service areas, research areas, and a multi-function hall. The museum is the largest and most important museum institution in Inner Mongolia, combining the functions of a history museum and a natural history museum. It houses over 150,000 pieces (sets) of paleontological fossils, historical artifacts, and ethnic folk relics, including more than 5,600 precious artifacts and 650 first-grade national cultural relics. The exhibitions are arranged along the grassland theme, highlighting regional and ethnic characteristics. The exhibits cover everything from fossils to living organisms, from the origins of various ethnic groups to representative artifacts of their development, revealing the general process of ecological change in northern China and the development of grassland civilization.

In the morning, we planned to go to Hasuhai Lake. I had done advance research—the Hohhot West Passenger Station had daily buses to Hasuhai. Yesterday, I called the customer service several times but no one answered. So we took a taxi to the West Station. The outside environment was very poor, with no people or cars in sight. Inside the waiting room, only a few people were waiting; there were more staff than passengers. At the ticket window, I learned that there were no buses in the morning; the next one was at 3:00 p.m. That meant our trip was wasted. We had to make another plan. We decided to go to the Zhaojun Museum. According to the navigation at the West Station, we could take the K3 tourist bus and then transfer to Bus 209. Hohhot city buses charge 1 yuan, but Bus 209 cost 5 yuan, indicating it was going out of town. Indeed, it took over an hour to get there.

The museum covered a large area and looked magnificent with three floors, but there were very few actual artifacts—mostly pictures and stories. Few visitors were there, which was a bit disappointing. Behind the museum was Zhaojun's Tomb.

Zhaojun Museum—

Wang Zhaojun (51 BC – 15 BC), named Qiang, styled Zhaojun, was from Zigui, Nan Commandery in the Western Han Dynasty (today's Xingshan County, Hubei Province). She was a palace lady during the reign of Emperor Yuan of Han, a peace-making bride, and one of the Four Great Beauties of ancient China. Zhaojun's Tomb is the burial site of Wang Zhaojun of the Western Han Dynasty, located on the south bank of the Dahei River in the southern suburbs of Yuquan District, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, along National Highway 209 at 9 km. Legend has it that the grass around the tomb remains green even in autumn, while the surrounding vegetation withers, so it is also called "Qingzhong" (Green Tomb). "Qingzhong Yongdai" is considered one of the eight sceneries of Hohhot. The tomb is 33 meters high, covering over 20 mu, and is an artificially rammed earth mound. There are pavilions on the second platform and at the top of the tomb.

In the afternoon, the weather was very hot, and my husband didn't want to go out. So I went for a walk alone nearby. First, I went to the Great Mosque across from the hotel. It was quiet, with no tourists. I slowly looked around carefully. After leaving the Great Mosque, I followed the navigation to find Islamic Style Street but searched for a long time without success.

Great Mosque—

Located in the Huimin District of Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, it is a mosque. During the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, Galdan Boshugtu Khan of the Oirat Mongols in the northern Tianshan region was very powerful, conquering Turpan, Hami, and the Uighur-populated towns of Yarkant and Kashgar in the southern Tianshan. The Hui people of Xinjiang were all under Galdan's rule. At that time, the Qing court designated Hohhot and Zhangjiakou as trading posts with the Oirat Mongols. Galdan's trade caravans to Hohhot included many Hui people. From then on, some Hui people settled in Hohhot. The Great Mosque was gradually built by them.

Seeing that there was still time, I decided to take the K3 tourist bus to the Princess Palace. It was very convenient. Inside, there were very few physical objects, mostly promotional materials—disappointing.

Princess Heshuokejing Mansion—

Also known as Princess Gulun Kejing Mansion, it is located at No. 11 Princess Palace Street, Saihan Road, Xincheng District, Hohhot, covering an area of 18,000 square meters. It is currently the best-preserved Qing Dynasty princess mansion in China and the most complete quadrangle complex beyond the Great Wall. It was the residence of the sixth daughter of Emperor Kangxi, known as "Fourth Princess" Gulun Kejing. In 1990, the mansion was turned into the Hohhot Museum. The Hohhot Museum is now a national second-level museum. At the age of 19 in 1697 (the 36th year of Kangxi), she was granted the title of Heshuo Princess and married Donduobduoerji, a Khalkha Mongol prince of the Borjigin clan. The Khalkha Mongol prince's seat was in Kulen (today's Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia), but due to the war with Galdan, the northern desert was unsafe. Emperor Kangxi allowed the princess to reside in Guihua (today's Hohhot, Inner Mongolia). By the emperor's decree, around 1697, the princess's mansion was built on the east bank of the Zada River, 2.5 kilometers north of Guihua's north gate.

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

Baotou City—

The origin of the name Baotou is generally believed to be a transliteration of the Mongolian word "Bogotu," meaning "place with deer"—this is the official explanation. The second theory is that it is a transliteration of the Mongolian word "Botuo" (i.e., "Bator," meaning "hero" in Mongolian), with the Botuo River referring to today's Donghe Channel. The third theory is that it is a variant of "Botou," meaning a docking place, as Baotou was originally a water and land dock.

Abbreviated as Bao, Baotou is located in central Inner Mongolia, on the north bank of the Yellow River. It borders Bayannur to the west, Ordos to the south, Hohhot and Ulanqab to the east, and Mongolia to the north. It is situated in the central part of the Inner Mongolia Plateau, with the Wula and Daqing Mountains running across the south-central part, belonging to the Yin Mountains. The terrain is high in the middle and low in the north and south. The southern part is an alluvial plain; the central part is the Yin Mountain range; the northern part is low hills. The Yellow River flows along the southern edge of the city. Han Chinese make up about 94% of the population, and Mongols about 3%. Baotou is an important national base for metallurgy, materials, and manufacturing, a key industrial city in North China, and is particularly rich in rare earth production.

We arrived at Baotou Station at 10:42 a.m. and took a taxi to the hotel, which was very close to the Prairie in the City. It was the same hotel chain as in Hohhot, but the facilities and service were much better.

In the afternoon, we took a taxi to the Prairie in the City. Upon entering the gate, we didn't see the prairie we had imagined—only a few horses tied to trees and a few pitiful animals. Fortunately, there was a sea of flowers, which made the trip worthwhile.

Saihantala Prairie in the City—

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

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

Salaqi County—

In 1741 (the sixth year of the Qianlong reign, some say the fourth year), Salaqi Assistant Subprefectural Hall was established. After the Xinhai Revolution, the country abolished prefectures and departments and changed them into counties. In 1912, it became Salaqi County, belonging to Shanxi Province, with the county seat in Salaqi Town. After 1928, it belonged to Suiyuan Province. On May 25, 1958, Salaqi County was abolished. The four townships of Yanggeleng, Eergexun, Shaerqin, and Dabalagai in the western part of the former Salaqi County were incorporated into Baotou; the remaining administrative areas were transferred to Tumote Banner, with the banner seat in Salaqi Town. In 1965, Tumote Banner was abolished and divided into Tumote Right Banner and Tumote Left Banner. The Tumote Right Banner seat was in Salaqi Town. Although Salaqi County has been abolished, the people of the Hetao area still habitually refer to the region as "Salaqi," as well as the local accent, customs, and so on.

The train departed at 08:47 and arrived at Salaqi Station at 09:19. 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 and hailed a cab to Meidaizhao. The streets along the way were very clean, and many residential buildings were springing up. The driver dropped us at the scenic area entrance. We asked for his business card and arranged for him to pick us up on the way back, as there were no taxis at the gate.

The scenic area was under renovation. Perhaps because the peak tourist season had passed, many attractions use the off-season for maintenance. Many venues were closed, there were few people, and it was very quiet. Construction materials were scattered on the ground, making the path difficult to walk. We had come at the wrong time.

Meidaizhao—

Originally named "Lingjue Temple" in Chinese, it was granted the name "Shouling Temple" in the Qing Dynasty. Located in Tumote Right Banner, Baotou City, Inner Mongolia, it is a Gelug Tibetan Buddhist temple and one of the "Eight Minor Zhao" in the Hohhot region.

After the fall of the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongols retreated to the desert and were divided for a long time. In the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty, Anda Khan (also known as Altan Khan), leader of the Tumed Mongols in southern Mongolia, 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 in the north to the Great Wall in the south. He also occupied Qinghai and even used force in Tibet. Anda Khan built "Dabansheng City" in Tumochuan (about 80 km east of present-day Baotou). In 1571 (the fifth year of the Longqing era of the Ming Dynasty), Anda Khan made peace with the Ming Dynasty and was granted the title "Shunyi Wang" (Obedient and Righteous Prince). He then began to build a new city in Kukuheton (present-day Hohhot), gradually moving his ruling center from Dabansheng City to Kukuheton. In 1572 (the sixth year of the Longqing era), influenced by Tibetan Buddhism, Anda Khan began building "Lingjue Temple" in Dabansheng City, which is present-day Meidaizhao.

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

We bought tickets for the 11:20 a.m. 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. We were planning to stay in Kangbashi the next day.

Ordos City—

It is a prefecture-level city under the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, located in the southwestern part. It was 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, hills and gullies in the east, and the Yellow River alluvial plain in the north. The Yellow River surrounds the city on the east, north, and west. The name "Ordos" comes from the Ordos Plateau and can be traced back to the Mongolian tribe Ordos, meaning "many palaces." Ordos is rich in coal resources—about 80% of the city's area contains coal—and also has abundant reserves of oil, natural gas, and rare earths.

Dongsheng old city is like a small county town. We strolled around in the afternoon and booked a one-day tour for the next day to the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan, including lunch and admission for 298 yuan per person, with hotel pickup and drop-off. The return trip included a one-hour stop at the Kangbashi New District for sightseeing, but we opted out and asked the driver to drop us at our hotel in the new district.

At 8:15 a.m., the driver from the travel agency was waiting at the hotel entrance. We had already packed our luggage. When we received the call, we immediately went downstairs. It was a seven-seat minivan. We were the only two tourists. The driver was a young man, very enthusiastic. He helped us load our luggage and introduced the changes between the old and new districts of Ordos along the way. He mentioned that besides Karamay in Xinjiang, Ordos was the wealthiest region in China, with a GDP surpassing Hong Kong's.

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

Before noon, we arrived at Kangbashi New District. The driver dropped us at the hotel entrance, helped us unload our luggage, and left. I had booked the room on a well-known domestic website. The hotel's check-in policy stated that guests from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan were welcome. However, when I tried to check in, the front desk clerk said we couldn't stay and told me to contact the booking website myself. Every time I travel in mainland China, I fear this kind of situation. I always confirm with the booking website beforehand. At that moment, I panicked. The weather was hot, and we were dragging two suitcases. We had just returned from sightseeing and were exhausted.

I immediately called the booking website. The customer service staff was very polite. Within five minutes, they found us a four-star hotel about one kilometer away. They covered the price difference. I finally breathed a sigh of relief. Just then, the driver called to say he would refund our lunch fee (40 yuan) and ticket fee (40 yuan). Seeing that we had to switch hotels, he offered to drive us there and helped us settle in before leaving. Thank you! The new district had few people, few taxis, and few ride-hailing cars. Grateful! Young people in mainland China today are very kind!

The hotel was in the city center, surrounded by government buildings. Around 4:00 p.m., my husband rested at the hotel, while I went for a walk to familiarize myself with the area. The streets were very clean, but there was nobody in sight. The greenery was well-maintained. Nearby were a museum, a library, a grand theater, the municipal square, and Genghis Khan Square.

Netizens said that when visiting Kangbashi New District, one must see the musical fountain on the Wulanmulun River. I asked the hotel front desk, and they said it starts at 8:00 p.m., about 2.4 kilometers from the hotel. We left at 7:00 p.m. and walked both ways, enjoying the night scenery of Kangbashi New District along the way. It was beautiful but very tiring. We walked more than 28,000 steps that day.

The trip to the three cities of Inner Mongolia ended. The highlights around these cities should be grasslands and deserts, but over the past decade or so of domestic travel, we had already visited grasslands and deserts many times. So this time, we only walked around the city areas.

Since we had to return to Xiamen via Xi'an, we made a detour to Yan'an. In the morning, afraid of not being able to get a taxi to the train station, I started hailing a car on Didi three hours early. Unexpectedly, a driver quickly accepted the order. At 7:30 a.m., we were in a taxi to the train station.

The train departed from Ordos at 10:51 a.m. When buying tickets, 12306 showed no second-class seats, only second-class sleepers, and all were middle and upper berths—very inconvenient. I checked the price of first-class sleepers; it wasn't much more expensive, so I chose first-class sleepers. When we boarded, the first-class sleeper compartment was empty, and the doors were locked. After the train attendant unlocked the door, we found that our original assignment—one lower berth and one upper berth—was changed to two lower berths. At 2:15 p.m., we arrived in Yan'an. The train only stopped at Yulin Station along the way, passing through countless tunnels through the mountains. Before we got off, no one else had entered our compartment. We lay comfortably until we disembarked.

Shaanxi Province—

Abbreviated as Shaan or Qin, also called Sanqin, it is the most industrially and agriculturally developed province in the northwest region. It lies in the middle reaches of the Yellow River and is the geographical center of China today. Its capital is the famous ancient city Xi'an.

The origin of the name Shaanxi is related to historical changes. In the southwest of present-day Sanmenxia Shanzhou District, Henan Province, there is a place called Shaan Yuan (Shaan Mo). In the early Zhou Dynasty, the Duke of Zhou and the Duke of Shao divided their territories here, ruling over separate areas: "Those east of Shaan were under the Duke of Zhou; those west of Shaan were under the Duke of Shao." In the Song Dynasty, Shaan was established as a circuit (equivalent to today's province) because it was located west of Shaan Yuan, and was called Shaanxi Circuit. Hence the name Shaanxi. For a long period in history, Shaanxi was simply called "Qin." Before the Yuan Dynasty, Shaanxi did not include the Hanzhong and Ankang areas south of the Qinling Mountains (which are part of Shaanxi today). However, 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 northern Shaanxi. 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 Mount Baiyu, Ziwuling, Mount Lao, and Mount Huanglong stretching across the area. Major rivers include the Beiluo, Yan, Qingjian, Shiwang, and Fenchuan.

I had been to Yan'an over a decade ago and visited nearby attractions. After getting off the train and exiting the station, I saw that Yan'an had changed a lot. The railway station gave a good impression—good facilities and service. Following the station staff's directions, we went down to the underground passage across the street, which was the taxi stand. But there were no taxis or staff inside. I started to panic. As the saying goes, it's easier to go down than to come up. After ten minutes, a taxi drove in, and we immediately got in and asked the driver to take us to the hotel. It was hard to imagine that this small town surrounded by mountains was so bustling, just like a big city, with many cars and people.

Our hotel was near Baota Mountain. Back in the room, I booked a one-day group tour to Ganquan Grand Canyon for the next day. Around 5:00 p.m., we walked to Baota Mountain. Over a decade ago, climbing Baota Mountain was simple. Now, from afar, we could see fences. To climb the mountain, we had to buy tickets and take a bus. Many inland scenic spots have become like this now. So, travel early—many scenic areas have lost their original appearance. When we arrived, the scenic area was already closed. Although it was supposed to close at 6:00 p.m., we could only look at Baota Mountain from the foot of the mountain.

These were display items in the hotel—

It was time for dinner. I searched and found a famous restaurant nearby with unique characteristics. Let's go check it out—

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

Ganquan (Liangcha) Yucha Grand Canyon—

Located in Yucha Village, Xiasiwan Town, 56 km northwest of Ganquan County, Yan'an. Known as "a natural wonder of earth fissures on the Loess Plateau," it was formed by strong earthquakes hundreds of millions of years ago that cut the surface into cracks, followed by hundreds of millions of years of mountain torrent erosion, gradually creating this unique canyon landform.

At 7:30 a.m., a bus came to pick us up. The roads were already heavily congested. After about two hours, we arrived at the scenic area. There were more than 20 tourists on the bus, with one guide. The guide collected group fees on the bus. Each person had paid 88 yuan when signing up, and now they collected another 238 yuan, including the shuttle bus fee of 70 yuan per person.

The entire scenic area was very primitive. The ground was slippery, and the rock walls only allowed single-file passage. Sunlight shone on the rock walls, creating colorful changes, so the weather determined your visual experience.

In the morning, we took a taxi to Yan'an Railway Station and caught the 10:00 a.m. train to Xi'an, arriving at Xi'an Station at 12:30 p.m.

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

We stayed near the most bustling areas, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and the Tang Paradise Street. Around 4:00 p.m., I went out to acquaint myself with the surroundings and prepare for the evening outing.

Due to history, Xi'an's food culture is also profound. As representative of northwest Chinese cuisine, Xi'an snacks are most famous. Because of the concentrated Hui population, halal food occupies a certain proportion in Xi'an, such as lamb paomo, spiced beef and lamb, and the famous Jia San soup dumplings. Local Han snacks include roujiamo and cold noodles. And Biangbiang noodles are particularly eye-catching because of their unique name.

The musical fountain at Giant Wild Goose Pagoda has shows at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. We arrived around 6:30 p.m. and found that people had already surrounded the area in layers. We didn't get the best viewing spot, but fortunately, this was our second time watching the show.

After the musical fountain performance, the crowd moved toward the Tang Paradise Street. So many people!

According to the weather forecast, Xiamen was hit by heavy rain due to Typhoon Haikui in recent days. I was worried whether the flight to Xiamen today would depart. We went to the airport as scheduled. Fortunately, we were lucky—the flight took off on time and landed on time.

There was light rain in Xiamen. For convenience in taking the ferry to Kinmen the next day, we stayed at a hotel very close to Xiamen Wutong Pier. Due to bad weather, we didn't go anywhere and rested, preparing to go home the next day.

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

The sea surface was dark and gloomy. The 30-minute voyage passed quickly, and the boat soon docked.

Kinmen is a production area for Taiwanese beef, so the beef noodles at Kinmen Airport are very delicious, with large pieces of beef.

Anxious to return home, we headed back! This diary-style travelogue comes to an end! Ha ha ha!

Travel Journal Directory

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

2. Day 2 (August 27) Rest

3. Day 3 (August 28) Xiamen → Hohhot

4. Day 4 (August 29) Dazhao Temple → Wuta Temple → Bao'erhan Buddha Pagoda → Guanyin Temple → Xilituzhao → Inner Mongolia Museum

5. Day 5 (August 30) Zhaojun Museum → Great Mosque → Princess Palace

6. Day 6 (August 31) Hohhot → Baotou → Saihantala Prairie in the City

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