 Ningxia
Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region lies on the borders of Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. The Northern route of the Silk Road starts in Shaanxi, runs through Pingliang in Gansu and enters Guyuan in South Ningxia before it joins the main Road in Wuwei of Gansu. The historical sites in Guyuan or nearby include the Great Wall built during the Warring States period (475-221 BC) and Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC), Xumishan Grottoes and Saozhuling Grottoes.
The Great Wall of the Warring States period and Qin Dynasty within Ningxia is  the most age-old wall in the history of China, which was built in 306 BC. This earth-rammed section of the Great Wall winds on the high ranges of the mountains over 200 kilometres. The current height of the Wall is between 1-3 metres. Today, the wall, the Watch Tower and the moat are still in sight.
Xumishan Grottoes are located in the North of Liupan Mountain. The first grottoes were built in 386 and later restored by North Wei, Sui, Tang, song, Ming dynasties. Today, in 132 caves are stored 315 statues in different postures as well as other records and steles.
Guyuan Museum lies in the west of Guyuan Town. Its collection includes nearly ten thousand historical relics, such as the relics in the Neolithic Age,  bronze wares made during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) and the Warring States period, material in the Northern Dynasties (386-581 AD) and especially murals in the tombs of sui and Tang dynasties. The gilded silver pot, unearthed in the tomb of General Li xian in the Northern zhou Dynasty (557-581 AD), and the glass bowl were the utensilsihts of the ancient persian Dynasty, which recorded the history of friendly exchanges between China and other foreign countries.
Yinchuan is the capital and the hub of communications of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. It has regular flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, xi¡¯an and Chengdu. The main tourist attractions in Yinchuan or nearby are Haibao Pagoda. Mausoleums of the Western xia Emperors, the Nanguan Mosque and Rolling Bell Pass in the Helan Mountains.
|
