Xining
Xining Overview
As the capital of Qinghai province, Xining is the political, cultural, economic, and transportation center of Qinghai province. Xining lies in the eastern part of Qinghai-Tibet plateau, and the upper reaches of Huang Shui River. It occupies an area of 7,671 square kilometers and the average altitude of the urban area is 2,275 meters. Xining is a melting pot for multiple ethnic groups, including the Han, Tibetan, Hui, Mongolian, Manchu, Tu and Sala.
Xining is a place of important strategic value where battles used to happen during the ancient times. It was once the base for wasteland opening-up in West Han Dynasty, the pass of Silk Road in Qinghai province, and the only access of Tangfan Old Path. Encompassed by mountains all round, Xining belongs to the continental mid-drought climate. The annual temperature averages about six degrees Centigrade. With rich sunlight and little rainfall, the city is short frost-free, long freeze-up, no bitter coldness in winter or extremely hot in summer.
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Transportaion
Xining is situated in a fertile mountain basin in the valley of the Huangshui (river), a tributary of the Yellow River that acts as a river port. The city lies about 200 kilometers west of Lanzhou in Gansu Province, on what was traditionally the main trade route from northern China into Tibet and the Qaidam Basin. These routes are now followed by modern highways. Xining is the starting point of Qinghai-Tibet Railway and the highway, thus is the transportation hub leading to Qinghai-Tibet Plateau hinterland. Xining Caojiabu Airport serves the area with regularly scheduled passenger flights to major Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
Tourism
It is universally acknowledged as the summer capital of China because of its abundant human and natural landscape. Numerous tourist attractions contribute to earning it the reputation of tourist resort. You will have a chance to visit a bunch of Buddhist relics, such as the Xiaoxia Spectacles, quaint Beichan Temple, Ningshou Pagoda, famed Dongguan Mosque, Buddhist sanctuary Ta’er Monastery, as well as the weathered ruins of Hutai.
Located in the southwest part of Xining City, the Kumbum Monastery or Ta'er Monastery is one of six famous monasteries in the Gelug (also called Yellow Hat Sect) of Tibetan Buddhism. Having a history of over 600 years, the Dongguan Mosque, located in the Xining City Zone, is one of the most famous mosques in the northwest region of China. It has splendid and diversiform towers, walls and halls in the mosque.
The Xining region is also replete with natural scenic attractions. One is the Sun and Moon Mountain which divides Qinghai Province into two parts - the stock-raising area and the farming area. Another not-to-be-missed destination is the Qinghai Lake and Bird Island. This alluring body of water is home to hundreds of thousands of birds. About 35 kilometers west of Xining City in Datong County, you can experience the magical power of Laoye Mountain. Every year on the 6th day of the 6th lunar month, the traditional singing festival attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors.
What to see: Qinghai Lake
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