Rough Guide to Xining Travel

Rough Guide to Xining Travel

Xining is the diverse and surprising capital of the Qinghai Province, and sits on the eastern edge of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. This ancient highland city acts as a gateway into Tibet and was a commercial hub on the ancient ''Silk Road''. Xining has been welcoming people from a myriad of cultures for centuries. It now welcomes visitors from all over the world to sample its unique flavor.

As well as being the capital, Xining is the political, economic, and cultural center of the Qinghai province, and the largest city in the area. It is blessed with excellent natural resources, including mineral deposits and extensive farmland, mainly used to farm wheat, corn, fruit, vegetables & livestock.

Xining is most pleasant in summer, when the cool desert temperatures provide travelers with respite from the heat. For this reason it has often been called the Summer Resort Capital of China. Visitors coming to enjoy the scenery will not be disappointed: stunning sights such as Qinghai Lake, Bird Island and Riyue (Sun and Moon) Mountain can't fail to enchant. The winters are cold in Xining, but not harsh, even though many of the surrounding mountain ranges are permanently covered in snow.

The city holds many ancient relics, and has world famous Islamic, Buddhist and Taoist structures, all of which display a combination of architectural styles. Ta'er Monastery, Beichan Temple and Dongguan Mosque are three structures a visitor shouldn't miss.

Throughout the year, Xining is home to a series of festivals, the most visually arresting of which is undoubtedly the Tulip Festival in May. Over four million tulip plants of over 50 varieties provide a stunning backdrop to cultural displays and the festival is used to promote tourism in the area. By legend, Qinghai is the birthplace of the tulip: new tulip species have reportedly been found in the mountainous regions in recent years.

Xining has a wonderful array of foods on offer, thanks in part to its ethnically diverse population. Xining Jiaotongxixiang is a good place for any visitor to begin their culinary exploration of this city: this street is lined with restaurants & something is bound to tempt even the pickiest of eaters. Large numbers of ethnic Hui live in and around Dongguan Street, which has accordingly become famous for Hui cuisine: meals are prepared according to Islamic law, using flavors traditional to this area. A visitor wanting to sample a more diverse selection of Qinghai food may want to head up to Shuijing Lane in Ximenkou. Known locally as ''hundred-flavor-street'', it is a place where a visitor can sample all the major dishes of the province. Not to be missed are the famous Liangfen (bean Jelly) Fengwo Liji (a round lamb tenderloin) Jinyu Facai (pork wrapped in nostoc served in the shape of goldfish) and for the more adventurous western explorer, Danbai Chongcao Ji (a medicinal dish made of chicken, Chinese caterpillar fungus and eggs)

The traditional medicines of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are still in use and widely available in Xining. Dongchong Xiacao (Chinese Caterpillar Fungus) and Snow lotus are extremely popular. Travelers should be warned however that trade in the most prized of the local medicines - pilose antler - was made illegal several years ago, and purchasing the powdered horn is to be avoided. Far safer & more attractive, local embroidery makes a beautiful keepsake of time in this area, as do the traditional clasp knives. The area is also known for the excellent quality of its wool, and a variety of fabrics woven from this material can be browsed in abundance at any of the local shopping districts, such as Dashizi, Ximengkou, Dongguan Street, or Xiaoqiao.

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