'Ning ' (níng 宁) is the colloquial term for the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (níng xià huí zú zì zhì qū 宁夏回族自治区). Find it on the map in northwest China and into the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. It is bordered by Gansu (gān sù 甘肃) to the south, Shaanxi (shǎn xī 陕西) to the east, and the Inner Mongolia (nèi méng gǔ 内蒙古) Autonomous Region to the north, and is one of the five ethnic minority autonomous regions in China. Ningxia (níng xià 宁夏) covers a total area of 66,000 square kilometers (about 25,484 square miles) and has a population of 5.62 million; One third of who are Hui (huí 回) minority people. It has a temperate continental climate of long, cold winters and short, hot summers with the temperature being lowest in January, averaging from -10 C to -7 C and highest in July, averaging from 17 C to 24 C. Annual rainfall averages from 190 - 700 millimeters. Map

 

Ningxia, a region as culturally rich as the entire area south of the Yangtze River (yáng zǐ jiāng 扬子江), continues to be admired for its resplendent cultural heritage garnered from the long river of history. During the time of the Tang (táng 唐) and Han (hàn 汉) Dynasties (206 BC - 907 AD) Ningxia was the main place for trade and transportation between the eastern and western regions of ancient China. Ruins of the Great Wall of the Ming (míng 明) Dynasty can be found in east Ningxia.

 

 

By the influence of temperature zone continental climate with desert feature, Ningxia has abundant sunshine and relatively little rainfall. The yearly average temperature is 7.4 and in spring, it is cold and dry with fierce sandy weather. And in summer, it is hot and dry with large temperature range between day and night whereas in fall, it is a little bit cold.

 

A unique landscape, unique local customs and habits, and ancient history, all add up to make Ningxia an interesting tourist area for those wishing to discover a rich and diverse region.

 

Yinchuan City
Yinchuan (yín chuān 银川) City (also called 'Phoenix City') is the capital of the region situated in the remote northwest of China. The 1000-year-old city is a famous cultural city beyond the Great Wall. The old sector of Yinchuan City to the west is green and peaceful, and contains all the places of interest. It includes the 1500-year-old Haibao Pagoda (hǎi bǎo tǎ 海宝塔); the famous Buddhist architecture from the West Xia Kingdom Chengtiansi Pagoda (chéng tiān sì 承天寺); and the West Xia Imperial Tombs (xī xià wáng líng 西夏王陵) known as the 'Pyramids of China'. One can also find there the mystic Helan Mountain (hè lán shān 贺兰山) Cliff Painting, created by the ancient nomads who dwelled in the regions of the Helan Mountains in northwest Ningxia. They used a bold and descriptive chiseling and drawing technique, to which they added dazzling colors, to depict the history of a splendid Chinese civilization.

Liupan Mountain
Liupan Mountain (liù pán shān 六盘山) is located in south Ningxia. This is an area famous for its picturesque scenery and it certainly lives up to its reputation as the 'green islet'. This place actually is amzaing and there you can see how great the mountain is. The road on of this mountain is just like a dragon.

 

 

Sand Lake Scenic Resort
Sand Lake Scenic Resort (shā hú 沙湖) is the national tourist trump card for those looking for a place with a lake, sand dunes, reeds, birds and fish. During the May-September period, the lake becomes a veritable paradise for a dozen or so varieties of precious bird species, such as swans, white and grey cranes, black storks, and wild geese.

 

Shapotou
Shapotou (shā pō tóu 沙坡头) on the southern rim of the Tengger Desert (téng gé lǐ shā mò 腾格里沙漠): There one will find the Desert Research Centre, established in 1956 to find ways of preventing the sands from encroaching onto the railways, and one of China's four singing sand dunes. Sliding down the sand dune gives one the ethereal feeling of descending from the sky. The peculiar geological structure of the place causes the sand to emit a resonance that reverberates like the tolling of a huge bell or the beating of a big drum. Limpid water flows gently in a knee-deep stream at the foot of the dune.

 

 

Helan Mountain is where ancient northern minorities lived from the early times, multiplied and worked. They have chiseled the scenes of their living and production on rocks in Helan Mountain, which reproduces their social customs and life interests. Along the 124 miles long Helan Mountain interior place, covering over ten hill mouths ranging from north to south, there are over 20 groups of rock paintings which embrace over 10,000 paintings. They are said to be the masterpieces of Qiangrong (qiāng róng 羌容), Xianbei (xiān bēi 鲜卑), Xiongnu (xiōng nú 匈奴), Yuezhi (yuè zhì 月氏) and other minority groups who created them during Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC-476 BC) to West Xia Dynasty (1038-1227).

 

According to records, the tombs were patterned after Song Tombs in Gongxian (gǒng xiàn 珙县) County, Henan (hé nán 河南) Province. The West Xia Imperial Tombs adopted the zhao-mu (zhào mù 赵墓) burial system (the father is zhao, son is mu while grandson is zhao again.). East line and west line are formed from south to north with zhao on the left and mu on the right. Each imperial tomb is an individual and integrated group of architectures, sitting north and facing south in a rectangle.

 

 

Located in the desert, two big life-size forts have been built of clay in Ming (míng 明) and Qing (qīng 清) periods of China. Many famous Chinese historical movies have been film at this set. When movies are being filmed it is also open to the public, walk around a village from the Ming and Qing periods, and dress up as a Chinese nobel or a savage warrior, with sword and helmets, ready for battle.

 

Talking about Yinchuan gourmet food, we first have to mention Ningxia mutton. The unique natural conditions in the dry and warm area have made local water and grass full of minerals. A special breed of sheep called Mudflat Sheep grazes on this special grass, and as a result is tender, refined and odor-free. The mutton is now exported in large quantity to many Islamic countries in the Middle East.

 

 

A transportation system of highway, railway and airlines in Yinchuan provides speed and convenience. There are several national highways leading to all parts of the country and more than 125 kilometers (about 78 miles) of expressways within the boundaries of the city. Baolan (bāo lán 包兰) Railway which from Baotou (bāo tóu 包头) in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to Lanzhou (lán zhōu 兰州) in Gansu Province. And Zhongbao (zhōng bǎo 中宝) Railway which from Zhongwei (zhōng wèi 中卫) in Yinchuan Province to Baoji (bǎo jī 宝鸡) in Shaanxi Province connect with all railway lines to every destination. In addition, flights from Yinchuan Hedong Airport (yín chuān hé dōng jī chǎng 银川河东机场) take you to all the major cities of China. For more information please Click Here.