Xining, known as Siling in Tibetan, is the start of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and the gateway to Tibetan Plateau as well as the ancient Silk Road. It is the capital city of Qinghai province in western China and the largest city on the Tibetan Plateau. Xining has 2.3 million inhabitants and at present. Xining includes four districts and three counties (Huzhu, Huangzhong and Datong) . With a population of more than two million and being the center of both politic and economy of Qinghai Province, Xining is also consider to be the first city on the upper reaches of the Yellow River to achieve a population in the millions. For travelers, Xining is one of the best choice to land first due to Xining’s international airport. It has several international flights every week and regular flights from almost all major cities in China in daily basis. The Qinghai Tibet Railway or known as the sky-railway way also starts from Xining.

Where to chill out in Xining:  

• Limen Walking Street, Located between Wusi Dajie Street and Xiguan Dajie Street. This is Xining’s top choice for restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and shopping including several international brands Starbucks, Haagen-Dazs, Pizza Hot, Burger King, KFC, H&M.etc
• The second place is Wanda Plaza, located at the Haihu Xinqu west district of the town. It is consist of several malls and restaurants. There are few walking street and coffee shop area.
• Mojiajie Street: this is a Xining’s bestMuslim food / Halal food area with many small restaurants run by local Hui and Sala Muslims. If you want to try something different and cheap, this is one of the best place in Xining.

 

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  Limen Landmark Business Street

Xining – Ethnic Diversity

The main ethnic groups living in Xining are the Han, Hui, Monguor/Tu and Tibetan and local traditions and customs are influenced by the Tibetans, Monguor, Muslims and Han. Tibetans settle in cold and humid high-altitude regions owing to the cultivation of highland barley and the breeding of yak, Tibetan sheep and Tibetan goat. Mongolians survive by animal husbandry in cold and dry grassland areas. Han and Tu people settle in the Huangshui River Valley, which offers relatively humid climate and flat land for agriculture. Hui and Salar people occupy the Yellow River Valley with its relatively arid environment and grassland vegetation suitable for animal breeding.

Sightseeing in Xining.

 The below sites in Xining can be done as a city tour if you don’t have much time in Xining, There are three Tibetan temple or monasteries in Xining and three of them are located at the older part of the city. Dongguan grand mosque is located in the Muslim quarter.

No 1. Qinghai Tibetan Medicine and Culture Museum

Qinghai Tibetan Medical and Cultural Museum or Qinghai Tibet Cultural Museum was built in 2006. The purpose of this museum is to collect, preserve, display, and research the culture of Tibetan Medicine,Tibetan traditional culture and history overall. Besides these halls, there are a famous Tibetan Art painting or Thangka on the second floor of the museum which is highlight of the Museum.

No 2: Qinghai Provincial Museum

Qinghai museum is definitely worth a visit for its collection of relics that includes Mongolian pottery, Tibetan manistones (stones carved with religious script and images), and bronze coins from the Han dynasty. The permanent exhibition also features a display of traditional clothing and architecture from minority ethnic groups in Qinghai, including Tibetans, Mongolians, and Hui, and the lesser-known groups like the Tu and Sala. (it is under construction by the time when we write this one April 2020)

No 3: Northern Mountain Taoism Temple

Northern temple is the oldest religious building in Qinghai Province and it is one of the important cultural relic protection units in China. Due to the Buddhist and Taoist architecture styles and unique culture of Taoism, the temple is praised as a bright pearl on the southern path of “Silk Road”, the whole building of Northern temple was built from west to east orderly. Carrying huge rock above and facing deep valley below, the temple seems to be hanging in the sky, so the temple and it is the second largest hanging temple in China.

No 4: Khepa Misum Lhakhang (Dafo Temple)

Khepa Misum Lhakhang or Dafo temple is built to commemorate the place where Mar Shakyamuni and his two colleagues maintained the Tibetan monastic tradition and finally passed away during the persecution of Buddhism in central Tibet by Langdarma. Formerly contained exquisite images of the three great monks, one small section of the temple was built in the mid 1980s.

No 5: Tsongkha Monastery (Hongjue Temple)

 In the seventh century AD, Princess Wencheng stayed at the original site of the temple for one month when she entered Tibet. The Hongjue Temple was built in the seventh century AD, It said that the Hongjie temple is built even before the Qingtang city. During the reign of Qianlong, when the sixth Panchen Chan was invited to Beijing, he lived in this temple. Emperor Qianlong bestowed the temple on the sixth Panchen, and since then, it has become an important Buddhist site for all previous Panchen Lamas stationed in Qinghai.

 No 6: Dusum Nyiwo Temple (Jintasi)

Dusum Nyiwo temple or Jintasi in Chinese is located just next to Hongjuesi and which was founded in 1390, which is also a branch of Kumbum Jampaling monastery. The temple mainly contains the Buddhas of three times flanked by the other small status.

No 7: Dongguan Grand Mosque

Dongguan Mosque in Xining is one of the largest mosques in northwest China with a history more than 600 years. Architecture of the mosque combines traditional Chinese style and the local features, a three-story modern building was built between the gateway and the street to house the mosque administration. The mosque is not of particularly Muslim architecture, normally easily differentiated from its Buddhist counterparts, but is more in the typical Chinese folk style. Beyond the square itself, the grand Domed Hall, housing up to 10,000 Muslim worshiper at peak times, is the highest Islamic education center in the province.

No 8: Nanshan Park

Nanshan Park of Xining City is located in Nanshan south of Xining City. Nanshan Park is 2419 meters above sea level. It is built on Nanshan Mountain. It covers an area of 1500 mu. It is the largest modern mountain forest park in Xining City. The park, which was officially built and opened in 1999, is mainly divided into mountain forest strolling area, colorful overflow scenic area, overlooking scenic area, children’s amusement area, leisure fishing park, Tibetan amorous garden. The whole park has beautiful scenery and is a good place for leisure sightseeing.

Sightseeing nearby Xining.

Xining also has great places to explore near the city itself, which are located about 100-150km not far from the city, normally these sites can be done a day trip or two. Below here are some of the most interesting places nearby Xining.

No 1: Kumbum monastery (Ta’er Si)

Kumbum Monastery is located at 25km west of Xining. 

Kumbum, one of the six great monasteries of the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism, is famous for being the birthplace of the great religious reformer Tsongkhapa. It is a wonderful place to check out Tibetan religious culture, Tibetan architecture, and Tibetan art. Highlights at the monastery include a large butter sculpture, monastic debating, and a chapel housing a sandalwood tree said to have grown from the umbilical cord of Tsongkhapa.

No 2: Kanbula National Park (Khamra Park) 

Kanbula National Forest Park is located in Jianzha County about 105km south of Xining. 

Take a hike through this beautiful park, which features incredible peaks, tall mountains, caves, precipitous cliffs, red stone columns, forests, and turquoise rivers. Stop by Achu Nanzong Nunnery, which is located in a valley in the park. Climb up a mountain peak to visit an ancient Buddhist temple and its several small caves that contain Buddha statues.

• Achung Namdzong Nunnery (inside the Kanbula National Park)

The historically important site of Malho Dorji Drakra Namdzong is located inside the Khamra national park. During the eighth century this sacred abode was entrusted by Padmasambhava to the protector deity Mesang, and it was revered as one of the 25 important power places of Kham and Amdo, specifically symbolizing the mind aspect of Buddha mind.

No 3: Qinghai Lake (Kokonor Lake)

Qinghai Lake is in Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture with 150km to the west from Xining. 

The largest lake in all of China, Qinghai Lake is regarded as holy by Tibetans and Mongolians. At the south side of the lake (150km from Xining), take a boat ride on the turquoise waves of the lake or go horseback riding along the shores with Tibetan nomads. If you have an extra day, continue on to the northwest side of the lake (220km from Xining), where you can visit Bird Island, a breeding ground for black-necked cranes, sandpipers, wild geese, and other bird species.

No 4: Joktsang Dorje Chang (Qutan Si) 

Qutan Monastery is in the Ledu County with 90km to the east from Xining. 

Formerly known as Drotsang Lhakhang Gautamde Gegye Dechenling. Many people call it ‘Little Forbidden City’. This remarkably symmetrical complex of the temples in Sino-Tibetan style, dates from 1392 and originally belonged to the Karma Kagyu school. It was founded by Samlo Sangye Tashi and funded his patron. Because of the design of the complex, it is one of the study and research center of archaeologist and ancient building designers and repairers. 

No 5: Huzhu Beishan Park

Huzhu Beishan Park is located in the Huzhu County with 145km to the east of Xining. 

The park has many sights perfect for nature lovers and serious trekkers. Walk through forests, stroll along mountain streams, visit beautiful waterfalls, and sit by a calming pond near a sacred stupa. For those interested in trekking, hike up to the Heavenly Lakes, which sit atop a mountain peak of around 3700 meters.

No 6: Gonlung Monastery / Youning Si

Gonlung Monastery lies in Huzhu County with 65km to the east from Xining. 

Located in an evergreen forest at the foot of snow mountains, Gonlung Jampaling is a rare gem that few tourists visit. The monastery, a major pilgrimage site along the northern Zongchu River, is home to a handful of ethnic Mongolian and Tibetan monks. It is revered as a place where the 3rd and 4th Dalai Lamas stopped on their way to Lhasa. There is great hiking in the area, and the monastery has many ancient thangka paintings of interest to art lovers.

No 7: Shadzong Ritro/ Xiazong Monastery

Shadzong Monastery is in the Ping’an county about 30km to the east from Xining. 

Below the Mt Amnye Gyeli, some 28km southwest of Pingan and also within Sanhe township, there is the Shadzong ritro where relics of Chinese pilgrim Fa xian where once housed, Fa xian passed through Sanhe en route for India in 399D. Later, in 1359, the fourth Karmapa Rolpei Dorji visited the site and conferred the upasaka vows on Tsongkhapa here.

No 8: Shachung Monastery

Shachung Monastery located in Hualong County with 120km east of Xining

Perched on top of a mountain ridge shaped like the mythical Garuda bird, Shachung is one of the four greatest monasteries of the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Built in 1349, Shachung is one of the oldest monasteries in eastern Tibet. From its location on the mountain, hike along the mountain ridge while taking in views of Tibetan farming fields on one side, and of a steep cliff that overlooks the Yellow River on the other side.

No 9: Mt Gomey (Laji) / Zongkar Latse 

Lajia Shan or Dzongkar Latse in the south about 60km from Xining. 

“Laji Mountain” is a branch of the Qilian Mountains. Laji Mountain lies across the south of Xining, winding from west to east, with the highest peak at 4524 meters above sea level. The Laji Mountain Pass at an altitude of 3820 meters is of great importance. The highway from Xining to Golok passes by. There is also a highway to Tongkor on the south side of the Pass. It is the highest elevation and the most unique scenic mountain range in the 200 km tourist circle around Xining.

 No 10: Martsangdrak Gompa / Baima Si

This cave style temple is located 10km at the east end of Xining

During the ninth century, Buddhism was persecuted in central Tibet by the King Langdarma, the three monks Mar Shakyamuni, Tsangrabsel and Yo Ge jung fled to Amdo where they maintained the monastic lineage, they lived some time at Martsangdrak and passed away at Xining.