Tiantu Mountain, also known as Xihua Mountain, is located 15 li west of the ancient city of Xi’anzhou in Haiyuan County. About 2.5 kilometers into the valley from the mountain pass, you can see an ancient temple — these are the Tiantu Mountain Grottoes. Due to local legend that a golden ox was once discovered in the mountain, the grottoes are also called Golden Ox Temple, while locals refer to them as Lao Ye Temple because of the statues inside. In addition...
The Site of the Phoenix Ancient City is located in Caochang Village, Gaoya Township, Haiyuan County, Zhongwei City, dating back to the Song Dynasty. On September 15, 2005, it was designated as part of the third batch of Autonomous Region-level Cultural Relics Protection Units. …
Nanhua Mountain is an extension of the Liupan Mountain range, located 7.5 kilometers south of Haiyuan County. It borders Yueya Mountain of Xiji County to the south, neighbors Xihua Mountain to the northwest, and connects with Sikouzi to the southeast. Stretching in a southeast–northwest direction, it is approximately 35 kilometers long and 25 kilometers wide, covering a total area of 420,000 mu. With an average elevation of 2,600 meters, its main peak, Mawanshan, stands at 2,9…
The Caiyuan Neolithic Cultural Site is located on the slopes of the western, southern, and eastern ridges of Caiyuan Natural Village in Xi’an Town, Haiyuan County. It covers an area of 41,250 square meters. The village is situated at the foot of Nanhua Mountain, bordered by Lingguang Temple to the south and Yehupo Village in Haicheng Town to the east. In 1984, during a comprehensive cultural relics survey conducted across Ningxia, the Caiyuan…
Traveling about 20 kilometers west from Haiyuan County, you will come across the ruins of an ancient city. This is the Xi'an Prefecture Ancient City, historically known as the "throat of Guying and the sash of Gansu-Liang." In the second year of the Yongxi era (985 AD) during the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty, the Tianhushan area was occupied by the Western Xia. In 1042, the Western Xia built...
Located in Zhongwei County. Benefiting from the Yellow River, Zhongwei is a major scenic destination in Ningxia, home to the Ming Dynasty’s High Temple that blends Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, ancient Yellow River waterwheels, ruins of the Ming Great Wall, and the popular “Golden Sand Bell Tourist Area.” The “Golden Sand Bell” is 39 kilometers from Zhongwei County, situated on the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert. The world-renowned “Shapotou Sand Control Station” (affiliated with the Lanzhou Desert Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences) is located here. Shapotou is globally acclaimed for its outstanding achievements in sand control and is also famed worldwide for its unique natural landscapes. To the south lie the surging Yellow River and the majestic Xiangyan Mountains, with remnants of the Ming Great Wall still faintly visible; to the north, the Baotou-Lanzhou Railway winds through the desert, flanked by verdant sandy ridges. Beneath the desert wonder known as the “Golden Sand Bell,” lush gardens burst with vibrant colors. After enjoying the sights, visitors can ride camels into the desert or take a traditional Yellow River boat—the sheepskin raft—for a delightful float along the river.
The ancient Yellow River races like a wild horse through the mountains and valleys, making a sharp turn at the Heishan Gorge before flowing into Zhongwei in Ningxia. This sudden bend transforms the usually turbulent river into a gentle and graceful maiden, flowing calmly to nourish the fertile lands on both banks; this turn also gives rise to a magical natural wonder — Shapotou...
Qiyi Beizui City Site is located in Beizui Village, about 5 kilometers north of Qiyi Township, Guyuan County. The city measures 600 meters in width from east to west and 650 meters in length from north to south. It has an inner city that is 450 meters wide from north to south and 550 meters long from east to west. In the northeast corner of the city lies a small fortress measuring 100 meters on each side, surrounded by a barbican that is 96 meters long and 36 meters wide. The remaining sections of the city wall are 1…
Liuzhou Ancient City is located in Baziwawa Village, Chengguan Township, Haiyuan County, Zhongwei City, dating back to the Song and Xia dynasties. On September 15, 2005, it was designated as part of the third batch of Autonomous Region-level Cultural Heritage Protection Units. …
The Site of Yanchi Ancient City is located in Yanchi Township, Haiyuan County, Zhongwei City, dating back to the Song Dynasty. On September 15, 2005, it was designated as part of the third batch of Autonomous Region-level Cultural Relics Protection Units. …
China's fourth-largest desert. Located in the southeastern part of the Alxa region, between 37°30′ and 40° north latitude, and 102°20′ and 106° east longitude. It covers an area of approximately 42,700 square kilometers. Administratively, it mainly belongs to Alxa Left Banner, with its western and southeastern edges falling within Minqin and Wuwei of Gansu, and Zhongwei City of Ningxia...
Sikuizi is located 20 kilometers south of Xuanhe Town in Zhongwei, covering an area of 10 square kilometers. Historically known as Beihai, Sikuizi is flanked by the lush, layered peaks of Xiangshan Mountain to the south, where treacherous mountain paths once served as a strategic chokepoint controlling access to Guyuan, Pingliang, and Xi’an. To the north lies the Wei-Ning Plain, with a major river flowing through vast fields of flat farmland, presenting the boundless scenery of a “riverine Jiangnan” on the frontier. To the east you can see the ancient capital of the Western Xia Dynasty, Yinchuan; to the west lies the tourist destination of Shapotou. Historically, due to its location as the gateway to southern Ningxia and the barrier of the Wei-Ning region, Sikuizi was a contested military stronghold. Today, its unique geographical features and rich historical legends have made it a popular tourist attraction. The precipitous, serene, strange, and breathtaking natural scenery makes Sikuizi stand out uniquely in the world. Speaking of peril, those who cross the Huanglong Bridge will know what true danger feels like. Below is a gorge dozens of meters deep, while the suspension bridge is just over a meter wide and 30 meters long, paved with wooden planks. The ends of the bridge slope steeply and dangerously, connected by ladders and iron railings. Walking on the swaying suspension bridge with its creaking cables creates a staggering sensation — that’s what we call perilous.
Laojun Terrace is located on Xinglong Mountain within Changle Town in Zhongwei. Surrounded by mountains on three sides and standing solitary on one, it enjoys vast mountain vistas and tranquil terrace surroundings, making it the largest Taoist site in the Shuofang region. The terrace was historically known as the "Quanzhen Temple of Laojun Terrace on Xinglong Mountain." During its restoration and reconstruction in the early 1990s, the nearby "Taiqing Mountain Hongfo Temple" was also incorporated into the temple grounds of Laojun Terrace…
Guide: Honghe Water Park is located in the middle of the Yellow River, 3 kilometers south of South Street in the urban area. It consists of three interconnected islands, surrounded by water on all sides, with Riverside Park to the east and Xindun Village to the west. Tourist services include sightseeing by barge, speedboat island tours, and drifting on sheepskin rafts. Introduction: Honghe Park offers tranquility amid the hustle and bustle, and serenity within that calm. Stepping into the…
The Yellow River Waterwheels are located on a bend of the Yellow River, about 7 kilometers from Shapotou. Here stand six massive wooden waterwheels that slowly rotate day and night, driven by the impact of the river’s current, producing a loud rushing sound. The waterwheels are an ancient irrigation tool used along the Yellow River to lift water. Although most have been phased out, these six giant wheels are preserved solely for visitors to admire and enjoy...
The Zhongwei Rock Carvings are divided by the Yellow River, with clusters located on the Xiangshan Mountain to the south bank and the Weining North Mountain to the north bank. The densest concentration of rock carvings is found in the Damaidi area of the North Mountain. Since their discovery in 1986, the Damaidi Rock Carvings have been surveyed multiple times, uncovering over 3,000 individual carvings (with more than 10,000 individual images). Within just a 6-square-kilometer area near Damaidi alone…
Zhongwei Gao Miao is located in the north of Zhongwei County. It was built on a high platform connected to the city wall (including Bao’an Temple beneath the platform). Legend has it that construction began during the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty (1403–1424). Through successive expansions and renovations over the dynasties, it had become a large ancient architectural complex by the Qing Dynasty, embodying the style of ancient Ningxia architecture. Alongside the “Great Desert Wonder,” it is one of the two major scenic highlights of Zhongwei.
Introduction The Dragon Palace Ecotourism Area is located on the edge of the Tengger Desert in the northern part of Zhongwei City, 10 kilometers from downtown Zhongwei, covering an area of 25,000 mu. The area features the largest Taoist temple in Ningxia — the Dragon Palace Temple. To the north of the temple, the ancient Great Wall meanders through the landscape, with millennia-old ruins still standing. The largest beacon tower on the ancient Great Wall of Ningxia — Sifangding — stands proudly here. On both the north and south sides of Sifangding, there are two well-preserved ancient city sites. Not far north of the Great Wall lies a natural freshwater lake called Xiaohu Lake, covering an area of about ten hectares, formed by underground spring water.
Introduction: On a crescent-shaped hillside to the south of Lingyang Village in Xuanhe Town, Zhongwei District, there stands a temple called Lingyang Temple. Covering an area of over 20 acres, the temple complex includes main structures such as the Mahavira Hall, the Heavenly King Hall, auxiliary halls, and a gate tower, all arranged along a central axis. The Mahavira Hall is the central structure of the temple, majestic in presence and grand in design…
Introduction: Gaodun Lake gets its name from the several towering ancient Great Wall beacon towers standing nearby. The tourist area is located on the southern edge of the Tengger Desert, 8 kilometers from the city center, and integrates sightseeing, leisure, vacation, and entertainment. Covering an area of over 1,000 acres, the site includes a 400-acre lake, more than 200 acres of desert wetlands, and features...