Zhongwei Travel Guide

Nestled on the edge of the Tengger Desert, Zhongwei is backed by boundless sand dunes and traversed by the Yellow River, which brings abundant irrigation water. Coupled with remarkable local sand control achievements, the city earns its reputation as an oasis amid the desert and a romantic desert capital.

Shapotou, integrating desert, the Yellow River, mountains and oases, is the most iconic scenic spot in Zhongwei. It was here that the ancient poet Wang Wei composed the immortal line: "A single wisp of smoke rises straight in the vast desert; the round sun dips beyond the endless river.". In addition, Sikouzi Scenic Area, famous for its Danxia landform, features precipitous terrain, serene valleys, exotic rocks and stunning views.

Zhongwei is also known as the Ancient City by the Yellow River. The grand and intricately structured Gao Miao Temple is a masterpiece that combines Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. A host of historical sites including Shikong Grand Buddha Temple, Gulou Tower, Haiyuan Grand Mosque and Jiucaiping Gongbei showcase distinctive ethnic features and the splendid ancient civilization of Zhongwei.

Nourished by the Yellow River, this land in the desert yields delicious Zhongwei rice. Zhongwei, particularly Zhongning County, is home to high-quality wolfberry, a traditional nourishing specialty of Ningxia, hence the title Capital of Wolfberry. Do not miss other local delicacies: sweet and tangy sea buckthorn (a key plant for sand control), sweet selenium-sand watermelons, appetizing and cough-relieving fragrant pears, and mellow golden thread jujubes.

The fruit of wolfberry is one of Ningxia’s most renowned specialties. Zhongning County under Zhongwei is hailed as the Hometown of Chinese Wolfberry, and a local saying goes: "The Yellow River blesses Ningxia, and Zhongwei’s wolfberry tops the world."

Wolfberry has been cultivated in Zhongning for more than 600 years. Unique geography, soil, water, sunlight and temperature create superior-quality wolfberry here. As early as 1501 (the 14th year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty), Zhongning wolfberry was designated as a royal tribute. Historical records note: "Wolfberry produced in Ning'an Fort (present-day Zhongning County) is superb — bright red, plump and thick-fleshed, grown by every household." After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Zhongning wolfberry became a major export commodity earning foreign exchange. To this day, Zhongning remains China’s largest wolfberry production base.

In recent years, local agricultural researchers have developed over ten intensive processed products, such as instant wolfberry granules, effervescent tablets, crystal gummies, tea, vegetable dishes, wine and beverages. More than a dozen well-known brands including Ningxia Red, Qixiang Chun and Western Sunshine have been established. A ten-thousand-mu wolfberry sightseeing garden has also been built, allowing tourists to admire and even pick wolfberry fruits in person.

Ningxia wolfberry generally blossoms twice a year. Fruits harvested in summer are called summer berries, and those picked in autumn are autumn berries. Fresh wolfberries are bright red and spindle-shaped, resembling date pits. Processed with traditional techniques, dried wolfberries can be stored for a long time without deterioration.

There are four common ways to consume wolfberry:

Located in west-central Ningxia deep in China’s inland, Zhongwei borders Gansu to the west and Inner Mongolia to the north. It has a temperate arid climate. Adjacent to the Tengger Desert in the northwest, it features a temperate continental climate with typical desert characteristics, boasting ample sunshine and low rainfall.

Spring is cold, dry and plagued by severe wind and sand. Summer is arid and hot with a large diurnal temperature difference. Autumn is mildly cool and pleasant, while winter is frigid.

Most scenic spots are located in deserts, mountains or along the Yellow River. Winter and early spring are not suitable for travel due to cold weather, frozen river and frequent sandstorms. Summer and autumn offer mild weather ideal for sightseeing.

In summer, you can enjoy drifting on sheepskin rafts along the Yellow River at Shapotou and taste local refreshing snacks. The dry climate means you should carry sufficient drinking water and take precautions against heatstroke. Remember to bring extra clothes for the cool nights due to the big temperature gap between day and night.

Many scenic spots have developed diverse entertaining activities, such as desert surfing, off-road driving, desert motorcycles, Hummer tours, Yellow River speedboat rides, sheepskin raft drifting, beach volleyball, beach dragon boat racing, sand sliding, grass sliding and zip lines. These activities are not to be missed during your trip.

Zhongwei is a major settlement of the Hui people, whose culture deeply influences local daily leisure and entertainment, especially folk music and dance. Tourists can appreciate Hui Hua'er and Kouxian (Jew's harp), two quintessential folk arts of the Hui ethnic group.

Hui Hua'er is a popular folk song genre in northwest China, featuring loud, melodious tunes and simple, fresh lyrics. The Kouxian is a small plucked instrument favored by Hui women. Traditional melodies such as Eaves Dripping, Camel Bell and Pearl Curtain Rolling Down sound extremely melodious.

Hua'er from Haiyuan County of Zhongwei is especially famous. Compared with those from Yinchuan, Haiyuan Hua'er is more resonant and impassioned. Long narrative songs tell touching stories vividly, while free-style impromptu songs showcase singers’ wit and talent. Duet performances feature quick and witty exchanges, captivating the audience completely.

Major shopping malls in downtown Zhongwei include Gulou Department Store on South Town Street, Golden Century Shopping Mall, Wenchang Shopping Plaza, People's Shopping Mall and Kaisheng Shopping Center on East City Street, offering a rich variety of goods. Characteristic pedestrian streets such as Xiangyang Street, Xinglong Street and Yonglou Street greatly facilitate shopping for tourists.

Harsh natural conditions have nurtured unique local specialties. Sea buckthorn, a sand-resistant plant thriving on sandy land, tastes sweet and plays a vital role in local ecological restoration.

As the Capital of Wolfberry, Zhongning County produces top-grade wolfberry. Zhongwei rice also enjoys a great reputation. Though Ningxia is arid with little rainfall, irrigation water from the Yellow River guarantees high-quality rice cultivation.

Thanks to long sunshine hours and large temperature differences, local desert fruits have high sugar content and rich juice. The most famous variety is selenium-sand watermelon, also known as the Olympic Watermelon. Other popular fruits include fragrant pears, muskmelons and golden thread jujubes.

Gongbei is a transliteration from Arabic, referring to the mausoleums of respected Islamic ancestors and saints in China. Originally an Islamic architectural style prevailing in Arabia, Persia and Central Asia, it now specifically means domed shrines built over the tombs of Sufi masters, descendants of prophets and ancient sages. Chinese Muslims use this term to distinguish such sacred tombs from ordinary graves, as a sign of reverence.

Before the Yuan Dynasty, tombs of Islamic missionaries in China were mostly domed structures with Arabian architectural features. Famous examples include Wangus Tomb in Guangzhou, Ancient Sages' Tombs in Quanzhou and Puhading Tomb in Yangzhou.

During the Qianlong and Jiaqing reigns of the Qing Dynasty, the architecture blended with traditional Chinese styles. While the domed roof of the tomb chamber retained Arabian features, attached prayer halls, meditation rooms, scripture halls and living quarters adopted classic Chinese courtyard layouts. Modern Gongbei buildings often feature hexagonal multi-eave towers with exquisite carved beams and painted rafters. The ground walls are decorated with brick carvings of Quranic verses and floral patterns.

Famous large-scale Gongbei across China include Jiuzhao Pavilion in Langzhong (Sichuan), Honglefu Gongbei in Jinji and Jiucaiping Gongbei in Zhongwei (Ningxia), Ershilipu Gongbei in Guyuan, Xuanhuagang Gongbei in Zhangjiachuan, Lanzhou Grand Gongbei and Lingmingtang Gongbei (Gansu), and Houzihe Gongbei (Qinghai).

Apart from being pilgrimage sites for believers to commemorate ancestors, Gongbei also serve as centers for religious preaching, parish management and major religious events. Their daily affairs are generally managed by descendants or relatives of the buried saints. Special management teams are assigned to receive pilgrims, organize religious activities and maintain the mausoleums.

The Xiangshan area of Zhongwei sits at an altitude of around 1,700 meters. The average annual rainfall is less than 200 millimeters, while evaporation is 10.5 times higher. With long sunshine hours and drastic temperature differences, the land is covered with gravel and barely supports vegetation. It was once listed by the United Nations Environment Programme as an area unfit for human habitation. Yet it is the hometown of the renowned high-quality selenium-sand watermelon and muskmelon. During the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, selenium-sand watermelon was specially supplied to the Olympic dining tables, earning it the name Olympic Watermelon.

Zhongwei lies in the arid belt of central Ningxia with plenty of sunshine and little rain. This watermelon is cultivated with a special dry-farming technique adapted to extreme drought. It has high sugar content and a long shelf life. The planting method has a history of over 100 years, a creation of local people.

Farmers first cover dry mountain slopes with crushed gravel before planting watermelons with plastic mulch. The gravel retains water and heat, and prevents soil erosion caused by wind and rain. Rich in various minerals, the gravel weathers over years, and nutrients seep into the soil with rainwater and are absorbed by watermelon roots. The fruits are thus abundant in selenium, which benefits human health — hence the name selenium-sand watermelon.

The sheepskin raft is an ancient water transport vessel, historically called leather boat and locally known as paizi. Raft operators are called paizi craftsmen. Once a major means of transportation on the Yellow River, it is an indispensable part of the ancient Yellow River culture. Riding a sheepskin raft at Shapotou offers a wonderful chance to experience the charm of the Yellow River in western China.

A raft is assembled by tying more than a dozen inflated whole sheepskins side by side onto a wooden frame. After slaughtering a sheep, the whole skin is peeled off, processed through multiple procedures, sealed and inflated to form a buoyant leather bag like a round air cylinder.

To build a raft, craftsmen first fasten tough ash wood strips into a square frame with hemp ropes and add cross beams. The inflated sheepskins are then tied beneath the beams. Lightweight and shallow-draught, the raft is perfectly suited for sailing on the Yellow River. All components are connected with ropes, easy to disassemble and carry.

Rafts vary in size across regions. A typical sheepskin raft at Shapotou, Zhongwei, consists of 14 leather bags and can carry four people. It has been inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

"A single wisp of smoke rises straight in the vast desert; the round sun dips beyond the endless river." This timeless line depicts the scenery of Shapotou in Zhongwei, Ningxia. Located at the convergence of the Tengger Desert and the Yellow River, Shapotou boasts globally exclusive tourism resources and is designated as a national nature reserve.

Its fame derives not only from unique landscapes but also outstanding sand control achievements. The Baotou-Lanzhou Railway, a vital transportation artery running across northwest China, cuts through the desert — China’s first desert railway.

To guarantee safe operation, local residents and sand control workers invented the straw grid sand-fixation method in 1956. A variety of sand-resistant plants were successfully cultivated. The grid networks restrain drifting sand, forming two green barriers alongside the railway and curbing sand hazards. The Baotou-Lanzhou Railway has run smoothly since its opening in 1958, and the sight of the "iron dragon crossing the desert" has become a local landmark. This feat is universally recognized as a miracle in the history of human sand control, and Shapotou was awarded the title of one of the Global Top 500 for Environmental Protection by the United Nations in 1994.

Today, Shapotou is a 5A-level scenic area combining desert, the Yellow River, mountains and oases. The winding Yellow River forms a large S-shaped bend here, blending the grandeur of northwest deserts and the grace of regions south of the Yangtze River. A wealth of distinctive tourism activities have been developed, including Yellow River drifting, desert exploration and sand control achievement exhibitions.