Wuding River

　　            The Wuding River originates from Baiyu Mountain in Shaanxi Province, flows along the southern edge of the Mu Us Desert, and finally empties into the Yellow River. It is the largest inland river in Ordos City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

　　            The Wuding River is the birthplace of the splendid Ordos civilization. In 1922, French Catholic priest and geobiologist Émile Licent first discovered a molar tooth of the Hetao Man here. Since then, Chinese archaeologists have conducted multiple on-site investigations. The large number of cultural relics unearthed prove that as early as 35,000 years ago, the "Hetao Man" lived in this area.

　　            The Wuding River also has a history marked by solemn tragedy. As it borders the Western Xia, it became a strategic battleground throughout ancient times. Its tragic past is reflected in poetry across the dynasties. A representative work is the famous “Song of the Frontier” by Tang Dynasty poet Chen Tao: “We vow to sweep the Huns, regardless of our lives; / Five thousand armored knights perish in dust and strife. / Alas, the bones by the Wuding’s side, / Still loved ones dream them alive.”　

　　            The Wuding River has finally been allowed to display its beauty. After the founding of New China, people renovated and beautified the river. They carried out watershed management, built hydroelectric power stations, and developed high-yield farmland. Today, the entire Wuding River basin boasts peach blossoms and willows, clear waters reflecting the sun, lush forests and abundant grain, with fragrances wafting all year round—earning it the nickname “Little Jiangnan Beyond the Great Wall.”

　　            Indeed, though located amid high plateaus and vast deserts, it supports rice cultivation and is also one of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region’s premier apple production bases. The Wuding River—the jewel of Ordos.