Yinchuan
The Phoenix City
General Information
Other Name: Fuping, District: Ningxia, State: NORTHWEST CHINA, China
Area: 4467 km²
Languages Spoken: Mendarin
Long Distance Code: +86951
Importance: It is a treasure of Chinese-Muslim culture.
Best Time to Visit: October to December and April
International Access: Very well connected to most parts of China.Description
Yinchuan is the capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China, and former capital of the Western Xia Empire of the Tanguts. It has an area of 4,467 km² and an estimated population of 1.2 millionLocation
Yinchuan lies in the middle of the Yinchuan or Ningxia Plain. It is sheltered from the deserts of Mongolia by the high ranges of the Helan Mountain to its west.Climate
Temparate Climate
Helan Mountain lies in the middle part between Yinchuan Plain and Inner Mongolia Prairie. There are forests of age-old and rare spruces, pines and aspens. Pine spindrift and snow in the sun are among the spectacular views here.
In the Helan Mountain Nature Reserve in Ningxia, there are approximately 10,000 hectares of spruces which are very rare in Northwest China. Songmo (pine mushroom) is a special local product in the reserve. It is tasty and nutritious. Besides that, a deer-raising field is located deep in the forest, covering an area of over 30 hectares.
In the Helan Mountain Nature Reserve in Ningxia, there are approximately 10,000 hectares of spruces which are very rare in Northwest China. Songmo (pine mushroom) is a special local product in the reserve. It is tasty and nutritious. Besides that, a deer-raising field is located deep in the forest, covering an area of over 30 hectares.
The Pavilion of the Emperor of the Heaven is located in the center of Ningxia, Yinchuan. It had a history of more than 600 years. It is a Taoism temple.
This is a big roof traditional wood construction with clinker-built pavilion and the upturned eave. The structure is compact and unique. The Pavilion of the Emperor of the Heaven is a two-floor pavilion with the height of the Chinese style pavilion about 22 meters. The base assumes the rectangle shape and the height is 19 meters, with a length of 37meters from the east to west. The width is 25 meters from north to south. The vigor is grand with the drum tower located on the opposite.
The base is of earth construction and package of brick. The width from north and south is nearly 5 meters long with arch shape brickwork channel under it where it could let pedestrians and vehicles to pass though. The 3 floors upturned eaves angle pavilion built in the southeast corner of the base is where the tourist could ascend to get a view of this.
This is a big roof traditional wood construction with clinker-built pavilion and the upturned eave. The structure is compact and unique. The Pavilion of the Emperor of the Heaven is a two-floor pavilion with the height of the Chinese style pavilion about 22 meters. The base assumes the rectangle shape and the height is 19 meters, with a length of 37meters from the east to west. The width is 25 meters from north to south. The vigor is grand with the drum tower located on the opposite.
The base is of earth construction and package of brick. The width from north and south is nearly 5 meters long with arch shape brickwork channel under it where it could let pedestrians and vehicles to pass though. The 3 floors upturned eaves angle pavilion built in the southeast corner of the base is where the tourist could ascend to get a view of this.
The Sand Lake of Yinchuan is located 56km east of Yinchuan City and borders the east bank of Yellow River. It combines the dry desert and wet marshland in such a perfect way that tourists flood into there for a wonderful tour. It has been listed as the national level wetland natural reserve.
The Sand Lake occupies about 900 hectares of water surface, about 1800 hectares of marshlands and about 1500 hectares of deserts. It is home of about 100 different kinds of migratory birds, among which some are rare species. People would like to compare it to the heaven of birds, fishes and tourists all because of the harmoniousness of species and the surroundings there. Especially in summer, tourists from home and abroad prefer to visit there as a stop in their Silk Road tour and adventure.
There are excellent tourist equipments and services in Sand Lake Scenery Area. Tourists can watch the rare birds like grey cranes, black storks and wild geese there in the watching tower equipped by telescope. Besides, tourists can choose to cruise in the reed marshes, to visit the aquariums, to experience the Western Xia Xanadu and Mongolian yurts and to drop by a Hui ethnic folk park. Sand Lake Scenic Area also provides tourists more convenience in shopping, dinning, fishing, bathing and horse riding, etc. It is absolutely an ideal place to enjoy both the desert activities and water activities for travelers from all over the world.
The best time to visit there is in summer and autumn and the prior choice to visit there is to join in a Silk Road tour as most of the professional tourists do!
The Sand Lake occupies about 900 hectares of water surface, about 1800 hectares of marshlands and about 1500 hectares of deserts. It is home of about 100 different kinds of migratory birds, among which some are rare species. People would like to compare it to the heaven of birds, fishes and tourists all because of the harmoniousness of species and the surroundings there. Especially in summer, tourists from home and abroad prefer to visit there as a stop in their Silk Road tour and adventure.
There are excellent tourist equipments and services in Sand Lake Scenery Area. Tourists can watch the rare birds like grey cranes, black storks and wild geese there in the watching tower equipped by telescope. Besides, tourists can choose to cruise in the reed marshes, to visit the aquariums, to experience the Western Xia Xanadu and Mongolian yurts and to drop by a Hui ethnic folk park. Sand Lake Scenic Area also provides tourists more convenience in shopping, dinning, fishing, bathing and horse riding, etc. It is absolutely an ideal place to enjoy both the desert activities and water activities for travelers from all over the world.
The best time to visit there is in summer and autumn and the prior choice to visit there is to join in a Silk Road tour as most of the professional tourists do!
The Yinchuan Sea Pagoda Temple is located 1.5 kilometers northwest from Yinchuan city, Ningxia. There is willow all around and is luxuriant. It composes a courtyard from west to east, with the sea pagoda temple construction all arranged along the central axis from east to west. The building’s arrangement is a vivid and magnificent sight. The temple is composed by the front and rear courtyards. The Menglanpen ceremony is held to worship ancestors on the 15th day of July lunar month every year. It is a lively ceremony. The high Sea Pagoda is the main body construction and is known as “the north tower". It is a square shape, nine-story and 11 levels brick tower pavilion brick tower with the height of 53.9 meters. The length of the tower construction is 19.7 meters square shapes bases and the base height is 5.7 meters. Each story is separated by the plank where you may ascend along the wooden ladder to the top. Green square shape glasses were set on the tower top. The Sea pagoda construction has unique style, with its square tower body, four side gates, the multitudinous edges and corners and the foursquare roof. It is a rare and ancient tower in china.