Gaojia Site Located to the south of Gaojia Village in Zhuandao Township, Minhe Hui and Tu Autonomous County. The site covers an area of approximately 200×200 meters. The northern part of the site is adjacent to the village, the southern side borders Maying River, there is a large gully to the east, and it connects with cultivated land to the west. The ground is scattered with pottery shards and animal bones, more densely distributed in the east than in the west. On the eastern side and the northern main road as well as along the edges of gullies…
The Haitai Site is located to the north of Qingquan Village, Zhongchuan Tibetan Ethnic Township, Minhe Hui and Tu Autonomous County. Zhongchuan Township lies in the central part of a small basin situated between Sigou Gorge and Jishi Gorge. The basin is well-developed and divided into three stepped terraces, which are relatively broad and flat. The Haitai Site is situated at the southern edge of the third terrace, bordered by Qingquan Gully to the west, Hongya Gully to the east, and a large gentle slope of the terrace to the north, while facing Qingquan Village (commonly known as Qijia) to the south. The site covers an area of approximately 300×120 meters. Its western side is adjacent to Qingquan Gully, the southern edge lies within the campus of Zhongchuan Middle School, and the eastern part hosts a cluster of Han Dynasty tombs. Due to water diversion for irrigation, the site has been eroded and divided into eastern and western sections by water flow, with a large pit formed in the middle due to collapse. The ground is scattered with miscellaneous bones and pottery fragments, especially concentrated within the collapsed pit. Surrounding areas reveal ash layers, ash pits, and white-plastered house remains. In the eastern part, remnants of tombs can also be found. In 1980, the Qinghai Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Team excavated one tomb, two houses, and one ash pit here. The tomb was a rectangular earthen pit oriented from north to south, measuring 240 cm in length and 140 cm in width, containing the remains of two individuals — a male buried in a secondary burial style and a female in a lateral extended position facing the male. Burial objects included one double-handled red clay jar, two long-necked double-handled jars, one wide-mouth coarse pottery jar, one stone bi disk and ornaments, and twenty bone arrowheads. One house measured 410×350 cm, the other 310×300 cm; both were semi-subterranean structures. The floor was coated with a 0.3–0.5 cm thick layer of white plaster, and the walls had slightly arched corners that sloped inward at the top. Each house featured a circular hearth with a diameter of 114 cm in the center, surrounded by a ring of small white river pebbles. The two houses were about 20 meters apart, differing only in the direction of their entrances—one faced south, the other north. The ash pit was circular with a flat bottom. Both the ash pit and the interior of the houses were filled with ash-rich soil, mixed with numerous pottery fragments, miscellaneous bones, and scattered stone tools. The pottery fragments were predominantly made of red clay, followed by gray clay and sand-tempered pottery. Pottery types included plain and basket-patterned double-handled jars, abdominal-handled jars, spouted pottery basins, zun vessels, li tripods, sand-tempered coarse pottery flared-rimless jars, and urns. Stone tools comprised stone knives, stone axes, and disc-shaped implements. This is a fairly typical site of the Qijia Culture.
The San Chuan Yellow River Water Conservancy Scenic Area is located in Minhe County, Haidong Prefecture, Qinghai Province, at the border between Gansu and Qinghai provinces. It is built along the Yellow River and relies on the hydroelectric power stations of the Yellow River cascade, including the Bingling and Jishi Gorges. This scenic area is classified as a natural river-lake type water conservancy scenic zone, covering an area of 205 square kilometers, with 25 square kilometers of water surface. The San Chuan area of Minhe is...
About ten kilometers north of Weiyuan Town, the county seat of Huzhu, lies Nanmen Gorge, a renowned tourist destination in the Tu ethnic region. The gorge stretches from south to north, winding and twisting through layers of undulating mountains, with lush forests, blooming flowers, and picturesque scenery. At the entrance of Nanmen Gorge, two towering mountains stand opposite each other — to the east is Heidong Mountain, resembling a dark dragon meandering from east to west, and to the west is Pingding Mountain, resembling a reclining…
Wufeng Temple, a provincial-level cultural heritage site, is located on Wufeng Mountain in Baiduonao Village, Wufeng Township, about 15 kilometers northwest of Weiyuan Town in Huzhu County and 45 kilometers from the provincial capital Xining. The mountain is surrounded by five peaks arranged like the fingers of a hand, hence the name "Wufeng Mountain" (Five Peaks Mountain), and since there is a temple on the mountain, it is called Wufeng Temple. The temple was first built in the 15th year of the Chongzhen reign during the Ming Dynasty, which is...
Huzhu Beishan National Forest Park, originally known as Huzhu Beishan Forest Farm, was established in 1959. After over 40 years of management, the natural forests have been effectively protected and restored, featuring intact vegetation and well-arranged forest landscapes. In November 1992, it was approved by the former Ministry of Forestry to become Huzhu Beishan National Forest Park in Qinghai Province. The park...
Huzhu County Wufeng Mountain Wufeng Mountain is located in Wufeng Township, Huzhu County, Qinghai Province, about 40 kilometers from Xining City. At an elevation of 2,800 meters, it gets its name from the five peaks that rise like an upturned palm. The mountain is covered with tall trees such as pines and poplars, along with numerous shrubs. In spring and summer, the mountain is lush and green, while in late autumn, it bursts into a riot of colors, offering a delightful sight. On the mountainside...
The "Er Yue Er" (Second Day of the Second Lunar Month) Arena Temple Fair in Weiyuan Town The county seat of Huzhu County, Weiyuan Town’s Dasilu Village, has a traditional custom of holding an arena temple fair on the second day of the second lunar month every year. Historical records indicate that before the Song Dynasty, the area around Weiyuan Town was called "Nuoshudu" (a local term meaning forested region), and during the Song Dynasty, it was renamed "Mu-" as a military stronghold—a place frequently involved in warfare. The custom of holding arena contests began around the Song Dynasty, initially as martial arts competitions, hence the name "Arena Fair."
Tu ethnic architecture The architectural culture of the Tu people is distinctive and unique in character. In rural areas, people typically live in villages, most of which are located at the foot of mountains, with houses built against the hills and near water sources. Each household has its own courtyard, with animal pens inside and toilets, vegetable gardens, and threshing grounds outside. The houses have flat roofs that can be used to store fodder and grain. Most homes consist of three rooms in a unit...
Nanmenxia Reservoir Nanmenxia Reservoir is located 15 kilometers north of Weiyuan Town in Huzhu County and 55 kilometers from Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province. The reservoir was constructed starting in 1973 and completed in 1985, with a water storage capacity of 18 million cubic meters. The surrounding area boasts beautiful scenery, with steep cliffs rising thousands of feet on both the eastern and western mountains. In the height of summer, the reservoir area...
Qucang Temple
The Drum Tower is located at the center of the cross street in Weiyuan Town, Huzhu County. Originally built in the fourth year of the Tianqi era of the Ming Dynasty (1624 AD), it consists of three stories and is a wooden structure with ethnic architectural features. The entire building is tall and majestic, with soaring eaves, painted beams, and carved rafters. Wind chimes hang from its four corners, and the roof ridge is adorned with glazed mythical beasts, creating a spectacular sight. It currently...
Yoning Monastery is located in Wushi Township, southeast of Huzhu Tu Autonomous County, approximately 50 kilometers from Xining. It is one of the larger Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in Qinghai and is known as the “Mother of All Monasteries on the North Shore of the Huangshui River.” The monastery was prophesied by the Third Dalai Lama and was established under the directive of the Fourth Dalai Lama and the Fourth Panchen Lama by the Seventh Jamyang from Tibet, with assistance from local Tibetan, Mongolian, and Tu chieftains. …
Qinghai Huzhu Jiading National Geopark is located in the northeastern part of Huzhu Tu Autonomous County, Qinghai Province, at the eastern end of the Qilian Mountains and the middle and lower reaches of the Datong River, on the border between Gansu and Qinghai provinces. It is 78 km from the county seat Weiyuan Town, 110 km from the provincial capital Xining, and 220 km from Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province. The Weibei and Qinggang highways run through the park...
Nanmenxia Wetland Park is located in Nanmenxia Town, Huzhu Tu Autonomous County, Qinghai Province, at the southern foot of the Qilian Mountains and at the base of the Dabanshan Snow Mountain. The rivers within the park are all part of the Huangshui River system, a tributary of the Yellow River, making it one of the sources of the Yellow River. The park lies in the transitional zone between the Loess Plateau and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, featuring the natural characteristics of both plateaus. The terrain is undulating, with higher elevations in the north…
The Huzhu Tu Nationality Homeland Park scenic area is located in Weiyuan Town, Huzhu Tu Autonomous County, Haidong City, Qinghai Province, 31 kilometers from Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province. It covers a total planned area of 6.81 square kilometers, with the core tourist area spanning 3.25 square kilometers. The scenic area includes the Tianyoude Chinese Highland Barley Wine Origin, Rainbow Tribe Tu Nationality Park, Nathon Manor...
The scenic area combines agricultural sightseeing, Tu ethnic group singing and dancing, traditional Tu costumes, Tu folk songs (Hua'er), the Wheel of Autumn (Lunziqiu) performance, and Tu wedding customs, making it a typical and concentrated cultural village showcasing Tu ethnic folklore. The area is widely renowned for the unique cultural traditions, customs, lifestyle, as well as the simplicity, kindness, and hospitality of the Tu people. The Tu ethnic folklore has...
Langshidang Scenic Area is located in the northeastern part of Huzhu Tu Autonomous County, serving as the core area of the Qilian Mountain Scenic Belt. It is 110 kilometers from the provincial capital Xining and 220 kilometers from Lanzhou City. It is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction, a national forest park, a national geological park, and also Qinghai’s first self-drive camp. The total area of the scenic area is 1,1…
Zhangkashan Site Located to the west of Zhangkashan Village, Songduo Township, Huzhu Tu Autonomous County. Zhangkashan is part of the mountainous region and sits at a relatively high elevation. The site is bordered by mountains to the northwest, a village to the east, and gentle slopes to the south, covering an area of approximately 120×100 meters. A major irrigation canal runs through the northwest part of the site, causing some damage to its northern section. Exposed sections of the cliff face reveal…
Fengtai Site — Located in Hongya Village, Weiyuan Town, Huzhu Tu Autonomous County, the Fengtai Site, also known as the Fengtai (Jia) Site, covers an area of approximately 100×90 meters. The site is adjacent to Hongya Village, borders Shatangchuan River to the east, and has a sand gully to the north. Originally a gentle slope, it was later terraced. There have been slight alterations to the upper covering soil and cultural layers. Scattered across the ground are disturbed ash soil, mixed bones, pottery fragments, and sporadic stone tools. Exposed sections of the cliff reveal ash layers up to several centimeters thick, containing numerous pottery shards. The pottery pieces are all fragments of double-handled jars, basins, and li tripods made of sandy red pottery from the Shangsun type of the Kayue Culture. This site is a provincial-level cultural heritage protection unit.