The beauty of Hulunbeier Grassland is vividly described in the Chinese poem 'The sky is blue and the grassland is boundless; when the grass bows in the wind, horses and sheep appear in your eyes.' As one of the most beautiful and fertile grasslands, Hulunbeier Grassland is undoubtedly a jade in North China on the cockscomb of the rooster-like China map.
Covering an area of over 100,000 square kilometers (386,102 square miles), Hulunbeier Grassland is located in northeast of Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region 300 kilometers long from east to west and 200 kilometers (124 miles) wide from south to north. In the expansive grassland, herds of sheep and cattle are seen chasing after each other, shepherd singing the song with whip in his hand, flowers blooming dazzlingly. All that presents before your eyes is sedate and full of life. It is the best-preserved grassland in China at present. More than 100 nutritious pastures including clover and needle grass are lushly grown here, weaving a green thick rug for the pastureland. It is also a pure sanctuary far from being polluted, thus the meat, dairy food and fur produced here are highly favorable. The grass mowed is of high quality and usually exported to the foreign countries.
The derivation of the name 'Hulunbeier' is related to a beautiful legend. Once upon a time, there were a lot of ogres in the grassland, who destructed the pasture and killed the livestock at random. Then, the pretty and brave girl named Hulun and her beloved man called Beier from the local Mongolian tribe fought against the devils fearlessly. Later, they two became water and have those devils drowned. The lovers turned out to be the two lakes 'Hulun' and 'Beier' nourishing the pastureland generations after generations.
In addition to the two lakes, there are around 3,000 rivers and hundreds of lakes in different sizes meandering as well. They appear to be the stars embedded in the vast land lending a feeling of softness and vividness to the majesty of the land. Thanks to the flat terrain, the rivers are free to meander up and down without any restriction. Crowned as 'the First Meandering River under the Sky', Mo'ergele River is much more bended than the Yellow River. Overlooking the river in the higher position, you will find the river ways turned its way to east at this section and then towards west abruptly next. Seemingly a circular pattern is drawn on the green land.
Hulunbeier Grassland is also the cradle of Mongolian grassland civilization. Erguna River used to be the battlefield for the well-known chief 'Genghis Khan' Up till now, Hulunbeier continues to feed the nomadic people as what it was in the past. The numerous yurts are dotted on the grassland, from which wisps of smoke rise and film the land with the soft light. It is naturally the scene that herds of sheep and cattle eating the grass leisurely, the sturdy horses running at a gallop. The pastoral song that has lasted for thousands of years keeps on resounding in the huge grassland.
Entrance Fee: Free
Best Time to Visit: Jun. to Sep.
Transportation: The grassland is far away from the city, visitors are recommended to rent a car or go with a tourism group to the grassland.
Tip: If you have enough time, you really should stay there for one or two nights. There are always good bonfires at night, and traditional Inner Mongolian food including milk tea and roast mutton.
