Songshutang

Songshutang

Guide: Located 73 kilometers south of Hami City, Songshutang sits at an altitude of 2,200 to over 3,600 meters. To the south, it borders the Balikun Mountain, while to the north lies the lush green Balikun Grassland. Along the gentle slopes of alluvial fans, hillsides, and valleys, dense forests of pine and fir thrive, stretching all the way to the plains. According to statistics, just within Balikun County alone, the area of primeval forest reaches as much as 56,000 hectares, and the mountaintops are capped with snow year-round. Introduction: After visiting the area, Qing Dynasty scholar Hong Liangji wrote the poem "Song of Ten Thousand Pines in Songshutang": "A thousand peaks, ten thousand peaks — all one peak, each sheer-faced, bare of undergrowth. A thousand pines, ten thousand pines — all one pine, all reaching straight upward without a backward glance. A curious wanderer who suddenly arrives here bursts into laughter, shouting so hard he forgets all danger. Watch how the peaks fly by as the horse's hooves race forward, until you reach where the green pines end."

In ancient times, a post station was established here, along with a beacon tower. Han Dynasty General Ren Shang and Tang Dynasty's Jiang Xingben both achieved great military feats in this area, as evidenced by nearby steles.

Nowadays, during the tourist season, Songshutang is adorned with colorful flags and throngs of visitors. On the grasslands, “horseback riders” gallop freely, while the forests swarm with hikers, both men and women. Melodious songs drift from colorful Kazakh yurts. Songshutang is now home to the Yiwu Military Horse Farm, which raises deer with distinctive yellow rumps and red bodies — animals that hold significant economic and tourism value.

In recent years, the National Sports Commission has leveraged the area’s excellent ice and snow climate and ideal slope conditions to build alpine skiing and skating facilities on the northwest side of Songshutang. In winter, the area becomes a paradise for winter sports enthusiasts.　

Hami City, Xinjiang