World Country Guide

The Northern Provinces

The capital of Shaanxi Province and often regarded as the true historic capital of China, Xi’an was once amongst the most magnificent cities in the world. For 11 dynasties, from the 11th century BC, the city was also the capital of China. It was the starting point of the ancient trade route with the West known as the Silk Road (see Silk Road section) and is now, after Beijing, the most popular tourist attraction in China. The city is most famous for the Tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi, who first united China under the Qin Dynasty in 200 BC, and its terracotta figures - over 6000 life-sized Terracotta Warriors and horses buried along with the emperor. Many other tombs from the Han and Tang Dynasties are still unexcavated. Despite damage inflicted during the Cultural Revolution, there are still numerous tombs, pavilions, museums and pagodas to be seen, such as the Big Wild Goose Pagoda with its spiral staircase, and the Small Wild Goose Pagoda.
Luoyang, lying east of Xi’an and its historical twin capital, has a fine museum of treasures. The fifth-century Longmen Buddhist Caves are among some of China’s finest, lined with carved effigies and monuments. Kaifeng, east of Luoyang and a Northern Song Dynasty capital, has a Jewish quarter formerly home to indigenous Chinese Jews, the Xiangguo Monastery, the Iron Pagoda from AD 1049, Fan Bo Pagoda (c. AD 977), and other relics of ancient courts and poets.
The capital of Shandong Province, Jinan is known as the ‘City of Springs’; these provide the main tourist attraction. The city also has Buddhist relics, parks and lakes. Of particular interest is the Square Four Gate Pagoda, the oldest stone pagoda in China. Outside the city, Mount Taishan’s 72 peaks make up a mountain park with ancient pine and cypress trees, spectacular waterfalls, 1800 stone sculptures and a kilometre-long mountain stairway known as the ‘Ladder to Heaven’.
Qingdao is a former Treaty Port annexed by Germany. Like elsewhere in Asia, the Germans brought breweries, creating China’s ubiquitous Tsingtao Lager in 1902, but also built the fine German Concession buildings; there are also attractive traditional areas. Laoshan, east of Qingdao, is a fine mountain region with a famous monastery, the Taiqing Palace. In Qufu, close to Qingdao, the Mansion of Confucius was home to the sage’s descendants, and the enormous Temple of Confucius, with its many pavilions, was a centre for his worshippers. Today, the buildings store and display important historical records, art and cultural artefacts. Confucius’s tomb is in a cemetery just north of Qufu.
Shenyang was once an imperial capital. Remains from this period include the Imperial Palace and two interesting tombs. The North Imperial Tomb, about 20km (13 miles) from the city, is the burial place of the founding father of the Qing (Ch’ing) Dynasty. Dalian is China’s third port. Formerly occupied by the Soviets, it is an airy and interesting bi-cultural city with some Russian architecture.
Hohhot (meaning ‘green city’ in Mongolian) is the capital of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and one of the most colourful cities in China, with unique local architecture including the Five-Pagoda Temple. Tours of the grasslands can also be arranged. Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang Province, is a Russian-style industrial city. Harbin is host to the annual Harbin Summer Music Festival and a winter Ice Festival of ice sculptures (see Special Events section).
Lanzhou is an oasis on the Silk Road (see Silk Road section), and capital of Gansu Province, but the ugly city is chiefly noteworthy as a centre to visit the 34 early Buddhist caves at Bingling. The White Pagoda Mountain Park is also an attractive retreat.
Dunhuang, a 2000-year-old town on the edge of the desert, once an important Silk Road caravan stop, is famous for the Mogao Caves, some of the oldest Buddhist shrines in China and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These ancient murals and hand-carved shrines are a national treasure and represent a thousand years of devotion to Buddha between the 4th and 14th centuries. Some 500 exist today, and large areas of frescoes can still be seen. Also worth a visit when in Dunhuang are the Crescent Lake, the Yang Guan Pass and the Mingsha Hill.
Turpan and Urumqi are situated in the far northwest on the edge of the vast deserts of Xinjiang Province. These Muslim cities, lying on the Silk Road, are well known for the distinctive Islamic culture of the inhabitants. Turpan has a distinct and well-preserved architectural character, and is surrounded by spectacular scenery and interesting sites, including two ruined cities. Turpan is also the hottest place in China, lying in the Turpan Depression, the second-lowest point on earth next only to the Dead Sea. Nearby are the Flaming Mountains, which glow brightly at sunset. Urumqi is the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The city is inhabited by people of 13 different nationalities, including Mongolian, Kazakh, Russian, Tartar and Uzbek. The majority of the inhabitants are Muslim Uygurs who speak a Turkish language completely unrelated to Chinese. Northwest of Urumqi, a few hours’ bus ride away, is the beautiful Lake of Heaven, a clear turquoise-coloured lake set in the midst of the Tian Shan range of mountains. Museums in both cities trace their fascinating histories.