LANDMARKS AND MONUMENTS OF WUZHONG CITY PREFECTURE:
The main landmark of todays Wuzhong City is the Bronze Gorge (Qingtongxia Dam). The Qingtongxia Dam on the Yellow River (Coordinates: 37°53′05″N 105°59′25″E / 37.88472°N 105.99028°E / 37.88472; 105.99028) is located in the west of Wuzhong City and is part of the Qingtongxia District, so excursions to the Lake are easy to organize. For those who have abundant time to spend it is possible to explore the entire lake by Boat, to see the hydo-electric Dam of the Bronze Gorge, as well as landmarks upstream such as the 108 Tibetan styled Dagoba′s or Yibailingba Ta of Xingtongxia Zhen (village). The Dagoba′s are situated along the banks of the reservoir lake, some 15 minutes upstream (south) of the Dam.
A major irrigation canal branches off the river near the dam and runs north, providing the main irrigation artery for the Wuzhong Region.
The second landmark and the most visited tourist site of Qingtongxia and Wuzhong City are the 108 Dagoba′s of Yibailingba Ta.
Arranged in a triangular pattern against a hillside overlooking the Bronze Gorge stand no less than 108 Stupa′s or Dagoba′s of the Tibetan style. As yet undated in their origins, the 12 rows of white vase-like structures are thought to have been constructed on this site during the reign of the mongol Yuan Dynasty (1271 AD - 1368 AD). Largely smashed and ruined during the years 1966 AD - 1967 AD of the Cultural Revolution Era (See: ′History of Ningxia Autonomous Region (1 through 5)′), the renovated stupa′s proudly stand at attention today, reminding of bygone times when all of Ningxia was a Buddhist land.
You Tube Video: The Bronze Gorge Reservoir, Hydro-electric Dam and 10 Stupa′s, Wuzhong City.
A Full listing of Wuzhong City Landmarks, Monuments, Hotspots and other sites of importance in alphabetical order. Search through the list to find your Full Report and Photo-Virtual Tour of each monument or landmark within the City, or Region of Wuzhong in Ningxia Hui AR of China (PRC).
Other tourist attraction less well-known, especially to Foreign visitors are the NiuShou Shan with its Temples, and the so called Qingtongxia Tourist Zone.
The Xintongxia offers the opportunity to appreciate the Dam, take boat rides and zip-line across the yellow river among things. Although today there are far bigger Dam′s in China, it is interesting to see the first ever such hydro-electric dam on the Yellow River upclose. In addition, a trip to the Dam offers a sort of get away from all the historic monuments, temples and muddy ruins that are the mainstay of tourist spots in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.
For information on the Landmarks, Monuments and Scenic Sites of the wider Region of Wuzhong City, Yinchuan and beyond, please refer to:
Except for the Town Mosque on the north side of town, the tiny park and perhaps the collection of five Government buildings there really are no worthwhile landmarks and certainly no Monuments in the town of Yanchi proper. That is, except for the ruined pathway of the Great Wall of China that cuts right through today's town.
Great Wall of China at Yanchi Town and in Yanchi County:
The Great Wall of China in Yanchi has knowns several layers. To make distinction, there is the outermost layer wall which ran between the south rim of the ordos desert and the town proper. This Wall is taken as the Great Wall of Yanchi Town. Additional sections of the Great Wall of China exist to the south and west of Yanchi, cutting in various directions through the rural lands. This is taken as the Yanchi County Great Wall of China.
The Monumental Great Wall that has given this small town of Yanchi its place in Chinese and World History reaches the vicinity of Yanchi Town from the east and the adjacent County of Dingbian in Yulin Prefecture of Shaanxi Province. It runs in a straight line between Dingbian and Yanchi, However, just south of Dingbian at Hequanzhen lies a node where various sections of wall built in the area converge creating the Great Wall Sections in the county. Yanchi lies due north west of this node.
LANDMARKS AND MONUMENTS IN YANCHI COUNTY:
Other than the Great Wall of China there is only 1 historical landmark in Yanchi County. This is the so called Zhangjiachang Ancient City. Locally this historical site is regarde as an important cultural relic site protected by the state, however outside of Yanchi County hardly anyone, except for archeologists and historians, have heard of it.
. Nevertheless, today′s ruined fortress found near Zhangjiachang Town along the S302 road just 17 kilometers north of Yanchi Town is the ruins of the capital of Xuyan County, an important regional town during the Era of the Western Han Dynasty.
Now being developed as a tourist site, the dilapidated ruins of the ancient city are still said to be yielding ancient artifacts. Items so far recovered include covered rope figures, shards of roof tiles of ancient buildings, broken potteries and other utensils and pig iron. In addition, stores of coins dating from both the Qin and Han Dynasties, a total cash weighing over 1,000kg, have been found at the ancient city of Xuyan.
Schematic Map of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region with the locations of Main Cities + Towns and sites of Interest.
Coming from the south-east, the wall can be followed and seen running just a few hundred meters south of and parallel to the S307 Provincial Road. Take to this road to find and explore the wall near Town and follow it to where buildings prevent further progress. If you come by taxi or your own car, there is often plenty of opportunity to make short stop along the side of the road and have a look at some especially interesting part.
Historically the Wall ran along the outside of town to include it but nothing more. It ran past town heading north-west on its long path to Yinchuan City and Yanchi was not a major fortified town. At best, it was stop over point for the patrols that went along the length of the Great Wall between Yinchuan in the west and the fortified city of Yulin quite far to the east in the neighboring Province.
Naturally, in the last century even the town of Yanchi has been expanded, thus, parts of the Great Wall that protected the historical border town from whatever may have come out of the Ordos Desert have now been paved over or swallowed by modern day structures. However, the Great Wall can be further traced on the opposite of town center in the north-west section.
Roughly speaking the remnants nearest to town center can be found just north of Minzhu West Street (S307 Provincial Road) and one block west of Yanlin Road. From there it can be traced on a northwestern heading, which eventually leads all the way to the Yellow River just east of Yinchuan. On its way westward from Yanchi Town, the Great Wall meets several ruined Fortresses and meets a small stream which winds its way to the Yellow River.
In the early times of the Western Han (202 BC - 25 AD) the local climate was more advantagous, and several small rivers and lakes could be found in the wider regions. Although the main rivals and enemies in the regions where the Xiongnu who held on to lands to the north of the Yellow River and territories far to the west, the Western Han proved a period of military strength and unification. The ongoing war with the Xiongnu Tribes went fairly succesful and as the Xiongu were driven off, the border territories in which Xuyan town lay, could come to peace and begin to prosper on agriculture. In addition, when in 121 BC the enemy was expelled entirely from the southern regions of the Gobi Desert and Gansu′s Hexi Corridor, trading paths were opened to the west, beginning to bring a trickle of trade and prosperity to the regions.
Hui'Anbu
Dashuikeng
As the county Capital of Xuyan flourished during the period, many of the local elite were given a burial in grounds that have since turned to desert. The surrounding areas of the ancient city (and Zhangjiachang Town) have been proved to have a Han tomb cluster with an area of around 10 square kilometers. This includes 8 discovered tombs that are constructed of brick and stones. In the area one can find stone tombs, adobe tombs, and earth-pit tombs. As with other Han Dynasty Tombs undcovered, such as those in Jiayuguan in Gansu Province much further west, all these tombs are built underground and have underground chambers, passages with rectangular scopes, and single semicircular coffin chambers. Inside are found painted wall decorations, ritual pottery, so called Boshan incense burners, iron axes and retorts.
Except for the main line of the Great Wall of China cutting through town and explorable in both directions out from the Town, there are more sections of the Great Wall to be found in the rural county of Yanchi.
The Great Wall sections of Yanchi County are created by a branching off of a different, inner layer of the wall, which branches south of Hequanzhen just south of Dingbian, roughly due westward to pass well south of Yanchi Town. The area between Yanchi Town and the southern wall used to
be occupied by a sandy marsh, which at times could trap horses and men. Cutting across the border from Hequanzhen into and through the southern parts of Yanchi County, this line of the Great Wall inner layer provides many more miles and ruins to explore. The southern line eventually winds it way westward into Yinchuan Prefecture where another cluster of sites can be found in between farmlands and villages.
A Third last and much overlooked section of the Great Wall of China found near Yanchi liea due north of Town and factually within the Ordos Prefecture of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Following the S302 Provincial Road up from town to Beidachi village, one could find very rare Great Wall of China remains that were dated back to the Qin Dynasty Era (221 BC - 206 BC). Unfortunately, this section has mostly been identified using radar and infrared-satellite imagery, space technology and arduous archeological digs and research, so not much of this wall is to be found. In fact, nothing can be found. There is no official Monument, and no Museum or even marker.
You may try your luck by asking the locals for more information. Start with your cab driver. At any rate, it is just a short drive to the lake near beidachi, but as the village lies on the north-east corner of the now parched lake, there is little else to do then walk across to the village and have a look around.
Read More In: "Beidachi County Great Wall of China"
