Shizuishan is located in northern Ningxia and ranks as the second largest city in the province. It gets its name from a stretch of the Helan Mountains where rocky outcrops jutt out beside the Yellow River, resembling animal snouts. Human activities can be traced back to the Neolithic Age here. Since the Han Dynasty, this land has been a convergence of nomadic and farming cultures as well as a strategic military stronghold, boasting a profound historical and cultural heritage.
Since its establishment as a city, people from all over the country have gathered here, bringing together diverse cultures. These influences have forged the spirit of Shizuishan and built it into a modern industrial garden city featuring exposed mountains, visible waters, lush greenery and smooth transportation.
Attractions in Shizuishan
North Wudang Mountain
North Wudang Ecotourism Area is a National 2A-level Scenic Spot. It sits at the eastern foot of the Helan Mountains in the northwest of Dawukou District, right at the starting point of West Chaoyang Street. This comprehensive tourist destination integrates mountains, forests, ancient temples, geological relics and military experience activities.
Every September and October, it hosts the Double Ninth Festival Mountaineering Event and traditional temple fairs. The scenic area consists of five major sites, including Dawukou Forest Park — an artificial ecological forest covering over 10,000 mu, which showcases the unique achievements of ecological construction in arid desert regions of Northwest China.
Dawukou District
Located in northern Ningxia, Dawukou District is an old industrial city that rose alongside coal mining and industrial development. Founded in June 1973, it houses the municipal government of Shizuishan, an important industrial hub in Ningxia.
As the political, economic, cultural, information and commercial center of Shizuishan, it also serves as a regional hub at the border of Ningxia and Inner Mongolia.
Shahu Lake, a National 5A-level Scenic Spot and one of China’s top 35 tourist attractions, is merely 10 kilometers away.
North Wudang Ecotourism Area, winner of the National Habitat Environment Model Award, is a regional 2A-level scenic area for sightseeing, leisure, fitness, scientific exploration and religious pilgrimage.
Xinghai Lake, a National Water Scenic Area, lies just 2 kilometers from the city center and covers a total area of 40 square kilometers.
The Helan Mountains are home to more than 3,000 rock paintings and numerous natural landscapes such as Guide Gully and Jiucai Gully, all of great ornamental and historical research value.
Iris Prairie
Iris Prairie is situated around Yuyue Lake in Taole. Each April and May, the vast grassland comes alive with thriving plants and singing birds. Clusters of wild irises spread across the Gobi Desert, blooming into rolling purple flower seas that sway gracefully in the wind. The blue sky, white clouds, sandy shores and vibrant blossoms form a breathtaking natural picture.
Legend has it that the iris is a flower of joy bestowed upon the mortal world by celestial maidens, loved by people for its simple and pure beauty. In summer and autumn, the grass grows lush and cattle and sheep thrive, presenting the most magnificent scenery of the prairie.
Luojia Garden
Nestled at the mouth of Wangquan Gully at the foot of the Helan Mountains (over 3,000 meters above sea level), east of Wangjia Village in Yanzidun, Huinong District, Luojia Garden is an oasis amid the mountains. It features charming scenery, gurgling springs and refreshing cool climate. The harmonious blend of mountains and waters, unique oasis landscape, fantastic valleys and perilous peaks makes it a well-known scenic spot under the Helan Mountains.
Covering over 30,000 square meters, the garden is always cool, quiet and pleasant with gentle mountain breezes. Towering ancient trees, including century-old mulberry, walnut, apricot and wild jujube trees, lend the place an antique charm.
To its south stretches the boundless Yellow River Plain. Traces of ancient cultures from the Western Xia and Ming dynasties can be seen along the natural paths. Ruins of the winding Ming Dynasty Great Wall are still visible, with huge beacon towers standing tall. Though weathered by wind and rain over centuries, these historic relics still strike every visitor. In particular, the tombs of Western Xia nobles scattered on the open land west of the Great Wall arouse people’s endless imagination about the ancient Western Xia Kingdom.
Xinghai Lake
Xinghai Lake lies in the eastern part of Dawukou District, with Landscape Boulevard running across it. It covers a total area of 43 square kilometers, including over 20 square kilometers of water surface. Once the site of an ancient Ming Dynasty sand lake and a wetland on the city’s fringe, it was transformed from muddy marshland into a sparkling lake teeming with birds and fish thanks to ecological restoration efforts.
The scenic area comprises six distinctive zones: Birds’ Song Bay, Golden Western Regions, South Sand Sea, Crane Valley, Crescent Sea and Egret Islet.
Dashui Gully
Dashui Gully is located in Changqing Village, Xiamiao Township. Its boundaries extend 30 meters east beyond Haowang Canal adjacent to Provincial Highway 201, south to the road junction of Nuanquan Village in Xiamiao Township, west to the former West Axle Factory premises, and north to the flood drainage ditch at the border between Xiamiao and Chonggang Townships. Covering about 20 square kilometers, the land is mostly mountainous terrain and alluvial fans.
Shizuishan Forest Park
Located in the northwest of Dawukou District and backed by the Helan Mountains, Shizuishan Forest Park overlooks the urban area of Dawukou. With a planned area of 667 hectares, it is designed as a comprehensive scenic zone for recreation, entertainment, production, outdoor activities, sports, cultural events and religious activities. It plays a vital role in wind prevention, sand fixation, water conservation, urban landscaping and ecological improvement for Dawukou.
In 2000, an investment of 1 million yuan was put into afforestation. A total of 11,000 trees were planted along main roads, including 4,500 tall evergreen trees over 3 meters high, covering 500 mu of land. The newly planted woods have greatly upgraded the park’s landscapes and environment. Integrating sightseeing, amusement, catering and leisure services, the forest park is praised by tourists as "an oasis on the Gobi" and "a paradise on earth".
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