Ink Lake, also known as Black Reservoir, gets its name from the ink-green color of its water. Located 54 kilometers south of the county town in the Ma'anshan Scenic Area, it is a pooled lake made up of seven interconnected lakes forming a strip about a hundred meters long. In years with heavy rainfall, the water becomes so deep that the bottom is not visible, earning it the poetic description “No pine shadows float on the banks, green algae abound; when the wind rises, lotuses drift from all directions…”
The ancient city of Tangchaodun is located in the northeastern corner of Qitai County, closely connected to the urban area. It borders the Shuimo River to the east, adjoins residential areas to the southwest, and lies adjacent to a vegetable field (a vegetable production base) to the north. The city spans 315 meters from east to west and 490 meters from north to south, forming a rectangular walled enclosure with gates and battlements on all four sides. There is also a beacon tower on the northern wall…
Ruins of Jingning City In the 41st year of the Qianlong reign (1776), the Qing government changed Qitai Fort into the county seat of Qitai County and replaced the grain administration official with a county magistrate. After the establishment of Qitai County, over ten thousand people were mobilized to begin constructing Jingning City. Jingning City was an expansion built upon the foundation of Qitai Fort. The *Brief Records of Three Prefectures* states: “Jingning City was an extension of the old fort, with a circumference of…”
Qitai County Museum The Qitai County Museum was first established in 1997. In 2004, with the support of higher-level departments, Qitai County raised over 22 million yuan through multiple channels and commenced construction on the 10,025-square-meter Lihua Jian Cultural Building. After the building was completed, the museum was relocated to the third floor of the Lihua Jian Building. …
The Han City Ruins in Qitai refer to the Han City as opposed to the Man City. Located south of Pulei City during the Tang Dynasty, it was constructed in the 35th year of the Qianlong reign (1770). The site gradually expanded from the original location of the ancient Guchengzi military fortress. In addition to the ancient fortress, there is also an old Man City called “Fuyuan City.” Its fate, like that of the ancient fortress...
Qitai Martyrs' Cemetery is located on Dongguan Street in Qitai County. In the early years of the founding of the People's Republic of China, battles such as those at Dashapo, Liushu, and Liuwaliang took place here to suppress bandits, helping to defend and consolidate the new government and maintain the stability and unity of Xinjiang. To commemorate the martyrs who sacrificed their lives, the cemetery was first built in 1963, covering an area of 169,000 square meters, and includes the People’s…
The Daotiaoling Scenic Area in Qitai is located on Chepaiziliang in Banjieguo Town, Qitai County, Xinjiang, nearly sixty kilometers from the county seat. It earned its name because of its long mountain range and pointed peak, which resemble a horizontal broadsword lying across the land. Daotiaoling is famed for its pine waves, sea of clouds, and steep cliffs. The combination of cultural and natural landscapes creates a refreshing and mesmerizing experience that visitors find hard to leave. Qitai…
Jiangbulake is located in the low mountain range 58 kilometers southeast of Qitai County and is a large scenic area that has been approved for development. It includes the Kuangou Scenic Area and Yangwatian, ranking second in scale only to Tianchi. The main scenic area features seven ponds forming a lake cluster, three of which are at lower elevations while the others are nestled on grassy hillsides. Viewed from afar, they resemble the Big Dipper. …
The Petrified Wood - Dinosaur National Geopark is located in Qitai County, Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains and the southeastern edge of the Junggar Basin. Covering an area of 492 square kilometers, it includes the Petrified Wood Scenic Area, Dinosaur Valley Scenic Area, Devil City Yardang Scenic Area, and Stone Coin Beach Scenic Area.…
The Qitai Desert Grassland Reserve is located in the northeastern part of Qitai County, Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang. It is covered with diluvial and alluvial deposits brought by mountain runoff during the Tertiary period. These deposits have been further eroded, transported, and accumulated by present-day water flow, especially wind action, forming vast areas of sand dunes and sand ridges. To its south lies an extensive, flat saline alluvial plain; the northern edge has slightly uplifted due to the rejuvenation of the Altay Mountains, forming hilly uplands of Tertiary sedimentary strata.
Kuerzhi Township is located 18 kilometers east of Qitai County and 1.2 kilometers north of Provincial Highway 303. It borders Wumachang Kazakh Ethnic Township to the east, the 110th Regiment Farm to the west, neighbors Qitai Farm and the 109th Regiment Farm to the south, and adjoins Xidi Village of Xidi Township to the north, covering a total area of approximately 48 square kilometers. The terrain in Kuerzhi Township is flat, and the soil is fertile...
Kumtag Desert The Kumtag Desert Scenic Area in Xinjiang is one of the rare deserts in the world that lies right next to a city. It is also one of the three national key scenic spots in Xinjiang, alongside Tianchi (Heavenly Lake) and Bosten Lake. “Kumtag” means “sand mountain” in the Uyghur language, and the Kumtag Desert is...
The Shanshan Film and Television Base, located within the Shanshan Film and Television Cultural Tourism Area, lies about 40 kilometers north of the county town. The area features two sites: an ancient beacon tower and an old city gate. It is one of the key cultural heritage protection zones. Built around historical relics, this scenic spot integrates cultural tourism and leisure sightseeing. A number of films and TV dramas have been shot here, including “Heroic Trio”…
Mazar Village is located in the southern valley of the Tuyoq Grand Canyon in Xinjiang. Nestled among poplar and mulberry trees, a narrow river runs from north to south through the village. Scattered Uyghur-style homes line both sides of the river, preserving the ancient traditions and folk customs of the Uyghur people. According to findings from the Gobi Desert about five to six kilometers southwest of Mazar Village...
Tuyoq Valley is located within Shanshan County, approximately 55 kilometers east of Turpan City. It was once a sacred site for both Buddhism and Islam. The Thousand Buddha Caves of Tuyoq: Traveling 15 kilometers east along the southern foothills of the Flaming Mountains from Shengjinkou will bring you to the Thousand Buddha Caves of Tuyoq. There are a total of 94 caves, 45 of which still exist — 21 on the eastern side of the valley and 2...
The Thousand Buddha Caves of Toyuk Gully in Turpan Located approximately 55 kilometers southeast of Turpan, Xinjiang, in Toyuk Township, Shanshan County. Originally there were 94 caves, all carved into the high cliffs on both sides of the mouth of Toyuk Gully. Most of the caves have now collapsed, with only eight still retaining partial murals. A number of Buddhist scriptures from the 3rd, 5th, and 6th centuries were discovered here…
The ruins of Liuzhong Ancient City are located in Lukchun, southwest of Shanshan in present-day Xinjiang. The city was situated on an ancient transportation route in the Western Regions, boasting fertile land suitable for military farming. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Ban Yong, serving as Protector General of the Western Regions, stationed here during the YanGuang era. In the Former Liang period of the Sixteen Kingdoms, Zhang Jun of Former Liang established Tiandi County. During the Tang Dynasty's Zhenguan era, after the conquest of Gaochang, it was renamed Liuzhong County. In the Zhenyuan era, the area came under Tibetan control. During the Ming Dynasty, it was called Liucheng, also referred to as Luchen or Liuchen...
The Yanghai Ancient Tombs are located approximately 1.5 kilometers north of Yanghai Xiamali Village, Tuyugou Township, Shanshan County, Turpan Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on the Gobi land of the southern slope of the Flaming Mountains. The tomb complex covers a total area of 54,000 square meters, primarily distributed across three relatively independent plateaus that are slightly elevated above the surrounding terrain. These plateaus are elongated in shape, running from north to south...
The Tuyoq Grottoes are located in Tuyoq Township, Shanshan County, Turpan Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. They are the earliest known grottoes carved in the Turpan region and represent the oldest and largest grotto complex from the Gaochang period. The grottoes were initially constructed in the 4th century. During the 5th to 6th centuries, under the Northern Liang and the Qu Gaochang regime, the construction of temples and excavation of caves reached its peak, and…
Shashan Park is located in Pizhan Township, Shanshan County, adjacent to the northern part of Shanshan County, making it easily accessible. It is a park established by taking advantage of the unique geographical environment at the contact zone between the northern edge of the Kumtag Desert and the Shanshan Oasis. Since its initial construction in 1990, it has taken initial shape, and now plans are underway to further develop it into a multifunctional comprehensive urban park for leisure, vacation, sightseeing, fitness...