The Museum of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region

The Museum of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, located at the Chengtian Buddhist Temple in Yinchuan City, is a comprehensive historical museum of provincial level in China. The Museum was prepared in 1959 and officially completed in 1973.

The Museum has collected over 10,000 cultural relics, of which 45 are Class One collection, among which are the ink-stick unearthed from a Han tomb at Guyuan County of Ningxia, the gold-plated copper bull unearthed from a Western Xia (1038-1227) tomb, and a silk banner presented to the leader of the Hui nationality by the Red Army when passing by Guyuan County of Ningxia during the Long March. The overwhelming majority of the relics collected by the Museum were obtained from archeological survey and field excavation with the exception of small quantity of collected items and the items left over through the ages.

The exhibits in the museum are mainly divided into four districts: "Historical Relics of Ningxia", "Cultural Relics of West Xia Dynasty", "Revolutionary relics of Ningxia" and "Folk custom Relics of Hui Nationality". 

In the Historical Relics of Ningxia District, over 400 relics including paleolith, zoolith, bronze, iron ware, bamboo ware, brick sculpture and currency are exhibited. In the Cultural Relics of West Xia Dynasty District, there are over 200 relics including stone horse and gold inlaid bronze bull. In the Revolutionary relics of Ningxia District, the real objects exhibited with pictures reflect the early activities of Chinese Communist Party in Ningxia. And in the Folk custom Relics of Hui Nationality District, the relics, pictures and models which present the formation, religion, buildings, cultural life, marriage, funeral of Hui Nationality are on show.

The Museum has held temporary exhibitions such as the Exhibition of Painting and Calligraphy of Ming and Qing Dynasties Collected by the Museum, Li Xian's Tomb Unearthed from Guyuan County, the Exhibition of Ningxia Liberation, and the Currencies and Coins through the Ages. The Museum has also edited and published the Concise History of Western Xia,the Brief Introduction to Ningxia Relics,the Data Collection of Dangxiang and Western Xia,the Collection of Fragmentary Tablets Found at Mausoleum Area of Western Xia, etc. In the museum, you can feel the richness of the culture in Ningxia.

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Helanshan Rock Carvings

Helanshan Rock Carvings is also called Helan mountain rock paintings at Helan Shandong mountain in Yinchuan city Ningxia, the distribution of an extremely rich rock-art heritage. It is a Prehistoric art gallery. Since the nineteen eighties Helan mountain rock paintings are found and announced to the world, has aroused strong repercussions in China and abroad. In 1991 and 2000, the UNESCO by the International Commission of rock paintings in Asia at the two annual meeting held in Yinchuan, choose. 

Helan Mountain, or Helan Shan is an natural barrier extending for 250km from north to south, which divides Inner Mongolia and Ningxia. The west slopes of Helan Shan are gentle and smooth, connecting Alashan Plateau while the east slopes are rugged and steep, overlooking at Yinchuan Plain.

On the over-30 passes in the east slopes of Helan Shan and the wild grasslands on the alluvial fan, exist some 6,000 images and graphs, pictographs of rock carvings. The rock engravings at Helan Shan mainly depict animals, plants, hunting scenes, faces and figures. They are the last remnants of the nomadic tribes living on the steppes.

The rock carvings at Helan Mountain date back to some 10,000 years, predating any dynasties that once appeared in the area. The Helan Shan rock art belongs to China north rock art system with various animal images – domestic animals: cattle, horse, donkey, camel and wild animals: tiger, wolf, leopard. Sheep is widely used in the Helan Shan including bharal, antelopes and sheep.

In general, the rock carvings of Yinshan and Helanshan are believed to be bound up with expressions of identity, a sort of ancient precursor to MySpace or Facebook, if you will, albeit, one devoted to the group, or tribe, rather than to the individual. These petroglyphs are by no means pre-historic – they date from the Eastern Zhou (BCE 770-221) period, which is subdivided into the Spring and Autumn (BCE 770-476) period and the Warring States (BCE 475-221) period. By comparison, Taoism, the earliest religious belief in China to be crystalized, as it were, from the nebulous notions of religion that were stirring at the time (the dualism of the Yin and Yang preceded Taoism (but was incorporated into Taoism) and before that, there was the notion of animism, or the belief that all things – humans, animals, plants, stones, etc. – possess a spirit), originated in BCE 604.

The petroglyphs of Helanshan are a continued source of scholarly research into the history, culture, economy and customs of the ancient nomads of northern China, and are as well a treat for lay folk – including tourists – to observe first-hand.

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108 Pagodas at Qingtongxia

The 108 Buddhist Pagodas lies at the east of Xiakou Mountain on the western shore of the Yellow River. They are the primary attractions of the tourism areas in Qingtongxia Reservoir near Yinchuan City. They are a triangle pagoda forest of 108 brick stupas of Lamaism. The pagoda complex has a unique layout and ranks among the top three pagoda complexes in China. The other two are the pagoda forest of Shaolin Temple in Henan and Lingyan Temple in Shandong. Here used to be grand temple buildings, nowadays, most of the temples were ruined, only left pagoda. This 108 pagodas form in 12 rows, the overall layout is narrow on the top and wide on the bottom, form an isosceles triangle, which is a unique style.

The origin of 108 Pagodas at Qingtongxia is something of a mystery, but from their solid form, they are believed to stem from the Yuan (CE 1279-1368) Dynasty period, though they were referred to as "ancient dagobas" in local historical accounts stemming from the Ming (CE 1368-1644) Dynasty, and under the base of one of the pagodas was once unearthed a book, copied on silk, with writing on it that corresponds to the script in use during the Xia ( BCE 2000-1500) Dynasty.

The 108 Dagobas, arranged in twelve tapering rows of odd numbers – from 19 dagobas in the base row to 1 dagoba at the top "row" – form a large, equilateral triangle. The 108 dagobas range in height from 3½ meters to 2½ meters. Another peculiar aspect of the 108 dagobas is that they are each fashioned in one of three different shapes: that of a pyrimad, that of a gourd, or that of a vase. Each dagoba is erected on an octagonal-shaped, raised base that is convex, though solid, symbolizing Sumeru, or the Buddhist variant of the Hindu concept of "world mountain". 

The one at the top of the pagoda group is a huge lama pagoda of solid core and shaped like an upside-down alms bowl. It is about two meters high, built by bricks and covered by lime. The pagoda has an octagonal sumeru seat. The pagoda body is like an upside-down alms bowl and the top shapes like a pearl. Other pagodas resemble this pattern, but are smaller in size.

From a distance, a full view of the entire group of pagodas can be achieved. 108, is the idiomatic number in Buddhism. Buddhism identifies 108 kinds of trouble and affliction for life, to eliminate the trouble and affliction, one should pray to Buddha 108 times, knock a bell 108 times and so on. 108 towers should be those contribute the "merits and virtues". To build a tower here is to eliminate the trouble of life.

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Laolongtan (Old Dragon Lake)

With a nick mane of “the Head of Jinghe Rive”, Laolongtan is a big valley formed by the motion of Himalayas and Yanshan. Located in the east of Liupanshan Mountain, 20km southwest of Jingyuan County, Laolongtan is called “a natural water tower” on the Loess Plateau. The Jinghe River, which origins from Laolongtan, travels through Ningxia, Shaanxi and Gansu, benefits people on both banks.

Laolongtan is consisted of four waterfalls. In the lower reaches of a reservoir, the first and second waterfalls are mysterious with steep precipice, and deep ponds. The third waterfall is submerged by the reservoir. When the mist is floating and the sun is projected on the water surface, it looks like a magic mirror, fantastic and splendid. In the upper reaches is the forth waterfall, winding as a dragon and limpid to the bottom. Mountains lie beside the water, and look at the reflections in the water, creating picturesque scenery.

It is not only famous for its natural beauty, but also known for its mystical legend. It is said that it is the right place where Weizheng (a chancellor of Tang Dynasty) beheaded the Dragon King of the Jin River and the red stone in the waterfall is the blood of the Dragon King.

Hugged by water and surrounded by mountains, Laolongtan is like a fairyland where your soul can be purified and your imaginations will be stimulated.

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High Temple (Gao Miao)

The Zhongwei Gao Miao, or High Temple, located in the town near the Zhongwei County, 170km southwest ofYinchuan City, is a grand jumble of buildings and styles. Construction was completed during the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) and was subsequently repaired in the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911). This special temple used to serve for a few various religions, such as Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and even Christianity.

High Temple covers an area of about 4000 m² and has about 250 temple rooms, towers and pavilions; which are built symmetrically and layers upon layers to 29 meters high.The present structure is composed of the Baoan and High Temples. Baoan is a Buddhist Temple. It has a mountain gate facing south and rooms on each side similar to a phoenix spreading its wings. The Hall of Mahavira stands in the front. 

The High Temple can be reached by ascending 24 stairs. Visitors will see archways, Southern Heavenly Gate, Wuyue Hall, Yuhuang (Jade Emperor) Hall, and Shengmu (Heavenly Mother) Hall in succession. On the two sides of the temple lie the symmetrically shaped Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Lingguan Hall, Wen (Literary) Tower and Wu (Military) Tower. These compact structures all feature Taoist architecture. There is an elaborate sound and light show under the temple’s platform conveying what hell must be like. This startlingly vivid presentation is frightening, but is also intended to be educational.

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Mount Sumeru Grottoes

First built around the mid-late northern Wei Dynasty, some 1,400 years ago, Mount Sumeru Grottoes is among the ten most famous and earliest grottoes in China. Later, large-scale cave building and image sculpturing were conducted in the area from the Northern Dynasty to the Tang and Song dynasties. Mount Sumeru Grottoes are located 34 miles northwest of Guyuan City in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. They remain the largest Buddhist relics in the Guyuan area.

Mount Sumeru Grottoes houses about 150 caves arranged along eight Cliffside walls stretching for one mile. The grottoes feature eight scenic spots from north to south: Heishi Gou (Black Stone Channel), Sange Yao (Three Caves), Songshu Wa (Pine Hollow), Taohua Dong (Peach Blossom Cave), Xiangguo Temple, Yuanguang Temple, Zisun Palace and Big Buddha Tower. There are over 350 cliffside images including stone tablets, inscriptions, and mural paintings.

Unlike Longmen and Yungang Grottoes which were built in the high cliffs to offer visitors a panoramic view, Mount Sumeru Grottoes were built along the contour of the mountains. Some of the caves are hidden and some are visible and they all seem to come in endless variations. The grottoes tend to reflect the unique style of the epoch in which they were created. For example, the Buddha statues in the Northern Wei Dynasty retain the flavor of Indian Buddhism. The Sui’s Buddha statues are simple and pristine while the Tang’s sculpture achieve near perfection. The latter’s statues are full-size figures wearing luxurious attire reflecting the sophistication and quality of Tang Dynasty art.

At the entrance of the grottoes, there's a 20-meter-tall sculpture of sitting Maitreya. It is a symbol of Mount Sumeru Grottoes. The caves built in different dynasties reflect different period styles. The Buddhist images built in the Northern Dynasty retain Indian Buddhist styles, and those built in the Sui Dynasty are simple and rough. Those built in the Tang Dynasty are near perfect and characterized by a plump figure and luxury attire, reflecting the superb quality of the Tang Dynasty art. Mount Sumeru Grottoes are a cultural icon and an important site for researching religious art.

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Liupan Mountains Tourist Zone

Located in the south of Ningxia province, the Liupan Mountaini is also called Longshan Mountain. With an altitude of 2928 meters, the main peak of it is in the range of Guyuan County and Longde County of Ningxia. The mountain body is in the south and north direction with a length of about 240 kilometers and is the boundary mountain of the Loessil Altiplano in the north of Shan’xi against the one in the south of Shan’xi and the sinuous and rugged watershed of Wei River and Jing River. In the ancient times, the people have to travel six winding roads before they get to the top, hence the name Liupan Mountain. On the southeastern foot of the mountain is another scenic spot named Old Dragon Pond, one of the headstream of Jing River.

Continuing for more than one hundred kilometers, it has a natural second growth forest of more than 40,000 hectares. As the headwater of the Jinghe River, Qingshui River and Hulu River, its unique geographical position and the great zoological function play import role in mediating and humidifying the environment of the mountainous area in the southern Ningxia which is dry and barren. Recently, natural reservation and scenic spot had been built one after another on the Liupan Mountain.

The Liupan Mountain is always said “spring is closely followed by autumn”. On the top of its main peak—the Migang Mountain with an altitude of 2924 meters, you can enjoy a variety of amazing scenes at different times, the thick mist clouding the mountain-top in the morning, the mountains emerging in an endless stream in the day time, the green trees and wild flowers enhancing in the clear sky and mountain in spring, the unique landscapes with cool and refreshing air in summer, the red autumnal leaves covering all the mountains in autumn and the white mountains in snow in winter. 

Liupan Mountain embraces over 60 scenic spots distributed in six tourist landscapes: Erlong (Two Dragons) River, Laolong (Old Dragon) Pool, Liangdian Gorge, Guimen Guan (the Gate of Hell), Hehua (Lotus Flower) Garden and Baiyun (White Cloud) Mountain. In 1935, Mao Zedong once arrived at this scene spot with the Red Army on the Long March, so he composed down the resplendent Mount Liupan-to the Tune of Qing Ping Yue. At present, the Long March Memorial Kiosk is a lasting reminder of the Long March for tourist.

Liupan Mountain, besides its charming and beautiful landscapes, is largely endowed with Hui Culture. The unique architecture, food culture, and folk arts of Hui people make the mountain more attractive to visitors. It is no doubt a satisfactory place for sightseeing and scientific research. 

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Tongxin Great Mosque

The Tongxin Great Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in China. It is located in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in Northwest China. Ningxia is the largest residential place of the Hui ethnic minority group in China. There are more that 2,000 mosques with Arabic and traditional Chinese architectural styles. The Tongxin Great Mosque is one of them. Originally built in the early Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644) and repaired three separate times in the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911), the Great Mosque is an imposing structure mingling traditional Chinese wooden architectural style with Arabian wood and brick carving art.

Covering an area of 3,432 square yards, all the buildings are built on a cyan platform of seven meters high. In front of the gate there is an imitated-timber work entrance wall decorated with brick carvings. Visitors can climb to the pedestal of several meters high via an arch and a hidden passageway. On the pedestal, the first building you see is a two-storeyed minbar. Passing through the door beside the minaret, visitors can enter the courtyard that is composed of the main worship hall and the southern and northern sermon halls. The main worship hall consists of two connected halls, and can seat more than 1,000 worshipers.

The mosque complex is divided into inner and outer courtyards. During key Islamic festivals, Muslims will gather here for religious activities. The main building is the prayer hall which faces east and can hold about 800 worshippers. Inside, there are more than twenty columns supporting the roof. The walls are decorated with calligraphic works extracted from the Koran. The hall’s exterior is marked by elegant convex eaves and tiers of elaborate brackets and crossbeams giving the structure a solemn and ethereal character.

Tongxin Great Mosque symbolizes peace and harmony. Its unique design blends Arabian and Chinese culture and exemplifies mutual friendship.

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Nanguan Mosque

Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, as indicated in its name, has the largest population of the Hui ethnic group in China. Therefore there are a lot of mosques in the region. Among them, the Nanguan Mosque is one of the most famous. Rebuilt in 1981, it occupies an area of 2,074 square meters and has two floors. During every local festival, thousands of Muslims worship here. 

The Nanguan Mosque has a long history. Towards the end of the Ming Dynasty, the original location was at the Gongbei Pavilion, outside the Nanguan District and the size was small. In 1916, the Mosque was moved to Nanguan District and was rebuilt into a classical large-scaled Mosque. During the 60s of the 20th century, the Mosque was totally destroyed. In 1981, many Muslims raised funds to rebuild the Mosque at Nanguan.

The Nanguan Mosque has a 22-metre-tall, 945-wquare-metre Prayer Hall that can seat 1,000 worshipers. On top of the main building, there stand five green hemispherical decorations in center. It is said that the biggest one in the center symbolizes the Mohammed, the prophet of Islamism, and that the other four symbolize four famous imams.

The mosque is marked for its group of green domes, with the one in the center dedicated to Mohammed, the father of Islamism, and the four in the corners honouring the Hanafiyah, Malikiyah, Shafiiyah, and Hanabilah schools respectively. The mosque is the venue for Id-al-Fitr, Corban, and Mawlid alnabi festivals and the daily morning and evening prayer services.

The Nanguan Mosque is famous for its unique, graceful structure and classical Islamic architectural style. If you want to visit Nanguan Mosque, you should adapt yourself to new condition there. The admission fee is 8 Yuan. You can walk there from Nanmen Square of Yinchuan.

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Jade Emperor Pavilion (Yu Huang Ge)

Located at the crossroads of Jiefang Road and Yuhuangge Street in Yinchuan City, Jade Emperor Pavilion is a Taoist temple at the foot of Penang Hill in Air Itam, Penang. Occupying an area of 1040 square meters, Jade Emperor Pavilion is the only ancient high-rise pavilion with timberwork in Yinchuan. With its history of more than 600 years, Jade Emperor Pavilion was built originally during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It was destroyed by earthquake during the Qing Dynasty in the reign of Qianlong (1711-1799), and was rebuilt later.

The Jade Emperor Pavilion (Yuhuang Ge in Chinese) is dedicated to the eponymous deity, who according to Chinese legend is the leader of all the gods. The Jade Emperor is considered the omnipotent ruler of Heaven and Earth as well as the spirit world. The bronze statue of this all powerful Emperor, once worshiped by the faithful, stands in the pavilion. 

The Jade Emperor Pavilion is the main structure within a group of buildings and has a height of about 22 meters (72 feet) and covers an area of about 1040 square meters (1244 square yards). It stands on a rectangular rammed-earth base, through which runs a north-south archway; there are steps providing access to the pavilion on the north-western side.

This is the only remaining traditional wooden structure in Yinchuan and you are sure to be left with a deep impression by the exquisitely designed and constructed winged eaves, curved-canopy roofs, the cloisters and the red-lacquered balustrades. Together with the bell tower and the drum tower, standing respectively to the east and west, the overall complex resembles a flying roc with great majesty and beauty.

The Jade Emperor Pavilion is an embodiment of the consummate skill of the ancient craftsmen of Yinchuan and contributes greatly to the study of the architectural style and materials used during the Ming Dynasty. Considerable attention has been paid to protection work and the pavilion is now open as one of Yinchuan's major tourist attractions.

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Chengtiansi Pagoda

Chengtiansi Pagoda (the ''Western Pagoda'') is located in Yinchuan's Chengtian Temple (Chengtian Si) and is known to be the tallest ancient brick pagoda in the region, dating back to 1050. However, the structure currently standing on the site only dates back as far as 1820, when it was rebuilt in its original Western Xia Dynasty style after an earthquake nearly destroyed it in 1738. Apparently built as a tribute to the child King Li Lianzuo, it took over 6 years to build and became a favorite spot for the young ruler and his retinue to listen to sermons. 

According to the historical record, Buddhism prevailed for a time during the Western Xia Dynasty period. After the death of Li Yuanhao, the founding emperor of Western Xia, the empress dowager conscripted tens of thousands of solders in 1050 for the construction of the Chengtian Temple and a pagoda of the same name as her wish for the longevity of Li Liangzuo, his son, only one-year-old then, had just been enthroned。

This pagoda is located in a beautiful garden. A number of small iron bells were hanged on corners of the pagoda. Via a wooden stairway, people can walk up to the top, where a panoramic view of the city is available through the windows. Today, the Museum of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region is situated in the temple together with the pagoda.

With a total height of 64.5 meters (some 211 feet), Chengtiansi Pagoda is half a meter (about 1.6 feet) higher than the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xian. It is an octagonal structure with 11 wooden floors. The small iron bells hanging on the corners of the Pagoda ring in the soft winds. The sweet bells will inspire your imagination. Through a wooden stairway, people can access to the top of the Pagoda, where looking out of the window, they can perceive a fine view of the ancient city of Yinchuan.

Chengtiansi Pagoda has been well preserved and become one of key protected cultural relic sites. In addition, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Museum is located in the Temple. It mainly displays rare cultural relics of the Western Xia Dynasty and Ningxia, and has now become one of the most important places to visit for both sightseeing and recreational purposes.

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Shapotou Tourism Area

220 km south of Yinchuan (3.5 hours ride), Shapotou Tourism Area lies on the southeastern rim of the Tengger Desert with breathtaking scenery of desert dunes, the Yellow River and lush farmlands. It is based around the Shapotou Desert Research Center, which was founded in 1956 to battle against the ever-expanding problem of desertification in the area and sand dune stabilization to protect the Baotour-Lanzhou railway. In 1980s, here was developed into a famous tourist attraction due to its unique desert scenery. 

Shapotou Tourism Area is regarded as one of the five most beautiful deserts in China, and is widely recognized as the Capital of Sand. Standing on the sand hill, one can see the desert extending to the north, and to the south, a boundless oasis. Both the grandeur of the north of China and the elegance of the south come together in this lovely place. Nowadays Shapotou has become a desert amusement park, where tourists are recommended to try 3 most popular activities: Yellow River Drift, Sand Slide, and Yellow River Cableway Slide.

The Yellow River Drift

Floating along the Yellow River on a sheepskin raft - the most unpretentious of vehicles - is something of a special thrill. When a sheep is killed the locals will remove the skin and skillfully make a balloon out of it. A number of these balloons are strung together to form a buoyant base for a floor of bamboos. This sheepskin raft may look flimsy, but it is eminently safe. The drift requires great courage, but this does not mean that it is unsafe. Experienced boatmen will make sure that you cannot only sense the excitement but also enjoy the fascinating scenery along the way. The ruins of a part of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) are there, as is the site of ancient waterwheels-an image of the Yellow River culture.

Sand Slide

Shapotou International Sand Slide Center is the biggest natural sand slide field in China. It is also one of China's Four Sounding Sand Fields. It has a length of about 1000 meters (about 1094 yards), a height of over 100 meters (about 109 yards) and a slope of 60 degrees. When the weather is fine, people sliding down the sand hill can hear the sound of sand underneath them, for all the world like tolling bells. It is adventurous, breathtaking, strange and heady experience-not designed for the weak of heart.

Yellow River Cableway Slide

The cableway slide across the Yellow River at Shapotou has won fame as the First Yellow River Cableway Slide. The cableway here is 820 meters (about 897 yards) long, 54 meters (about 59 yards) high above the water and the slide is at an average speed of 8 m/s (about 26 feet per second). The cableway at Shapotou is unique in China, in that it depends totally on gravity to set it in motion.

Besides, tourists can enjoy the beauty and mystery of the desert from the vantage point of a camel's back. Sunset on the Yellow River and sunrise in the desert are particularly memorable. One can spend an evening in a Mongolian camp or sit by a bonfire enjoying an ethnic-style performance or even take part in a dance. If one prefers a more gentle experience, one can take a yacht along the Yellow River and visit the show of local sand-controlling achievements.

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