Xining 西宁 ཟི་ནིང་ Silung
—  Prefecture-level city  —
西宁市
Central Business District, Xining, Qinghai, China
Xining Location within China
Coordinates: 36°38′N 101°46′E / 36.633°N 101.767°E / 36.633; 101.767Coordinates: 36°38′N 101°46′E / 36.633°N 101.767°E / 36.633; 101.767
Country	People's Republic of China
Province	Qinghai
County-level divisions
Township divisions
Government
• CPC Xining
• Mayor
Area
• Prefecture-level city	7,372 km2 (2,846 sq mi)
• Urban	343 km2 (132 sq mi)
• Metro	343 km2 (132 sq mi)
Elevation	2,275 m (7,464 ft)
Population (2010 Census)
• Prefecture-level city	2,208,708
• Density	300/km2 (780/sq mi)
• Urban	1,198,304
• Urban density	3,500/km2 (9,000/sq mi)
• Metro	1,198,304
• Metro density	3,500/km2 (9,000/sq mi)
Time zone	China Standard Time (UTC+8)
Postal code	810000
Area code(s)	971
License plate prefixes	青A
Website	http://www.xining.gov.cn/ (Chinese)

Xining (simplified Chinese: 西宁; traditional Chinese: 西寧; pinyin: Xīníng; Wade–Giles: hsi-ning; Tibetan: ཟི་ལིང་།; alternatively spelled Silung) is the capital of Qinghai province, People's Republic of China, and the largest city on the Tibetan Plateau. It has 2,208,708 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 1,198,304 live in the built up area made of 4 urban districts.

History[link]

Xining People's Park (西宁人民公园); a major park containing children's fairground rides, zoo and a lake.

Xining has a history of over 2100 years^[1] and was a chief commercial hub on the Hexi Corridor caravan route to Tibet, handling especially timber, wool and salt in ancient times. The trade along the Hexi Corridor was part of a larger trade corridor along the Northern Silk Road, whose use was intensified in the 1st century BC after efforts by the Han Dynasty to control this route.^[2]

Under the Han dynasty (206 BC–220 AD) a county there called Linqiang controlled the local Qiang tribesmen. It was again a frontier county under the Sui (581–618) and Tang (618–907) dynasties; during the 7th and early 8th centuries it was a center of constant warfare with the Tuyuhun and (later) the Tibetan peoples. In 763, it was overrun by the Tibetans and while under Tibetan control was known to the Chinese as Qingtangcheng. Recovered by the Song dynasty in 1104, it received the name Xining (meaning "peace in the west") and has been the seat of a prefecture or superior prefecture under that name since that time. With the rise of Tibetan Buddhism (Lamaism), which began in the 7th century, Xining became an important religious center; Qinghai's largest lamasery, a holy place to the Yellow Hat sect of Buddhists, was located at Kunbum, some 19 km to the southeast.

A major earthquake occurred May 22, 1927 and measured 8.6 on Richter scale. It was one of the deadliest earthquakes with a total count of 200,000 deaths. It also caused large land fractures.

Xining was the extraterritorial capital of the Koko Nor territory and remained in Gansu until 1928, when it became the provincial capital of the newly established independent province of Qinghai.^[3][4] Xining was given municipal status in 1945.

Under Governor 1928's reign, Xining, like the rest of Qinghai, underwent industrialization and modernization. In 1947 the USA sold Ma Bufang a piped water (sewage) system which was installed in Xining.^[5] Ma Bufang also promoted education. He made businessmen methodically clean up Xining by serving as insect exterminators, killing flies and neatly throwing them away.^[6]

Since the late 1950s, when the Liujia Gorge Dam and hydroelectric project came into operation in neighboring Gansu province, Xining has been linked by a high-tension electrical grid to both Liujia and Lanzhou. It also uses local coal from mines at Datongxian to the north. A modern woolen mill was installed at Xining before 1957. The city also has a leather industry and is a market for salt from the Qaidam region. During the late 1950s medium-sized iron and steelworks were built there, supplying metal to Lanzhou.

Construction of a highway to the mineral-rich Qaidam basin and completion in 1959 a link to the Chinese rail network via Lanzhou in Gansu province has spurred industrial development. This effort was part of a plan of the central government to rapidly exploit oil and pasturage in the Xining area beginning in the 1950s.^[7]

Geography[link]

A street in Xining

Xining is located in the eastern part of Qinghai Province and lies on the Huangshui River. It has a total area of 350 km².

Xining is located on the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the upper reaches of the Huangshui River. It is the political, economic, and cultural center of Qinghai Province with an average altitude of about 2,200 metres (7,200 ft). Human activity in the region can be traced to 2,100 years ago. During the Western and Eastern Han dynasties, owing to its developing agriculture, Xining was paid noticed due to its economic and military significance. As well as being an important hinge between the Central Plains and the western part of China in ancient times, Xining was an important link in the Silk Road. It continues to be an important rail and road link to the hinterlands of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Xining has also been dubbed the Summer Resort Capital of China owing to its cool summer, with a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk). Conditions are influenced by the aridity and high altitude. Lows are cold or cool throughout the year, and highs are often more than 15 °C (27 °F) warmer than lows. Monthly daily averages range from −7.4 °C (18.7 °F) in January to 17.3 °C (63.1 °F) in July; the year averages at 6.1 °C (43.0 °F). Rainfall falls mainly from May to September, and the area is often dry and sunny, with nearly 2680 hours of bright sunshine per year.

River management[link]

In 2007, the World Bank lent US$1 billion to aid river treatment in Xining, including Sanxian County's anti-flooding project, with an added US$1 billion dollars to support infrastructure. Qinghai has invested large amounts in the treatment of Huangshui Main River and Nanchuan River, totalling 24.5 km. However, a treatment on a 40 kilometer river course and 10 flash flood relief channels remain pending due to lack of equipment. In Sanxian County, a 108.4 meter long river course and 80 flash flood relief channels need treatment.

Air quality[link]

According to a 2011 World Health Organization (based on Chinese statistics), Xining has the second worst air quality (annual mean PM10 ug/m3 of 141) among eleven western China cities, and is worse than Beijing (121).^[8]

Economy[link]

The GDP per capita was ¥19,494 (ca. US$2,800) in 2008, ranked no. 382 among 659 Chinese cities. Its main industries are wool spinning and textiles, fur, meat, milk, salt, and light processing industries.

Economic and Technological Development Zones[link]

• Xining Economic & Technological Development Zone

Xining Economic & Technological Development Zone (ZETDZ) was approved as state-level development zone in July 2000. It has a planned area of 4.4 square kilometers. XETDZ lies in the east of Xining, the capital city of Qinghai province, 5 kilometers away from downtown. Located in the east of the province, Xining stands at the upper reaches of the Huangshui River-one of the Yellow River's branches. The city is surrounded by the mountains with an average elevation of 2261 meters and the highest at 4393 meters. Xining Economic and Technological Development Zone (XETDZ) is the first of its kind at the national level on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is established to fulfill the nation's strategy of developing the west.

XETDZ enjoys a convenient transportation system, connected by the Xining-Lanzhou expressway and run through by two main roads, the broadest roads of the city. It is 4 kilometers away from the railway station, 15 kilometers from Xi'ning Airport, a grade 4D airport with 14 airlines to other cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu and Xi'an. Xi'ning is Qinghai province's passage to the outside world, a transportation center with more than ten highways, over one hundred roads and two railways, Lanzhou-Qinghai and Qinghai-Tibet Railways in and out of the city.

It focuses on the development of following industries: chemicals based on salt lake resources, nonferrous metals, and petroleum and natural gas processing; special medicine, foods and bio-chemicals using local plateau animals and plants; new products involving ecological and environmental protection, high technology, new materials as well as information technology; and services such as logistics, banking, real estate, tourism, hotel, catering, agency and international trade.^[9]

Demographics[link]

Nan Chuan Xi Lu (南川西路); street scene in Xining

According to the 2010 Census, the prefecture-level city of Xining has a population of 2,208,708 inhabitants, 229,508 persons more than in 2000 (and the demographic growth for the period 2000-2010 was of 1.1% per year).^[10]

At present, four districts, three counties, and a national economic and technological development zone are under the administration of the local government. With a population of more than two million, Xining is the first city on the upper reaches of the Yellow River to achieve a population in the millions. There are about 37 nationalities living here, though it is only the Han, Hui, Monguor (Tu people in Chinese - 土族) and Tibetan who are numerically significant. Local traditions and customs are influenced by the Tibetans, Monguor, Muslims, and Han. On 2010 Census numbers, Han Chinese represent 74.04% of the total population of Xining, while Hui (16.26%), Tibetan (5.51%) and Tu (2.6%) are the main minority groups in the city

Administrative divisions[link]

The municipality oversees seven districts and counties. The data here are presented in km² and in population according to 2010 Census:

Map	#	English Name	Simplified	Traditional	Pinyin	Area	Population	Density
	City proper
	1	Chengzhong District	城中区	城中區	Chéngzhōng Qū	11	296,987	26,999
	Suburban
	2	Chengdong District	城东区	城東區	Chéngdōng Qū	115	359,688	3,128
	3	Chengxi District	城西区	城西區	Chéngxī Qū	79	242,627	3,071
	4	Chengbei District	城北区	城北區	Chéngběi Qū	138	299,002	2,167
	Rural
	5	Huangyuan County	湟源县	湟源縣	Huángyuán Xiàn	1,609	136,632	85
	6	Huangzhong County	湟中县	湟中縣	Huángzhōng Xiàn	2,430	437,835	180
	7	Datong Hui and Tu Autonomous County	大通回族土族自治县	大通回族土族自治縣	Dàtōng Huízú Tǔzú Zìzhìxiàn	3,090	435,937	139

Education[link]

Colleges and universities[link]

• Qinghai University (青海大学)
• Qinghai Normal University (青海师范大学)
• Qinghai University for Nationalities (青海民族大学)

Transportation[link]

Xining is situated in a fertile mountain basin in the valley of the Huangshui (river), a tributary of the Yellow River, that acts as a river port. The city lies about 200 km west of Lanzhou in Gansu province, on what was traditionally the main trade route from northern China into Tibet and the Qaidam Basin. These routes are now followed by modern highways.

Railway[link]

Inside the Xining railway station

Since 1959 Xining has been connected by rail to the main Chinese system at Lanzhou; this railway extends into the Qaidam area via Haiyan near Qinghai Lake to Golmud and extends, since 2006, to Lhasa in Tibet.

Air[link]

Xining Caojiabu Airport serves the area with regularly scheduled passenger flights to major Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Chengdu, Kunming, Xi'an, and Wuhan.

Highway[link]

• China National Highway 214

Tourism[link]

Located in the southwest part of Xining City, the Kumbum Monastery or Ta'er Monastery is one of six famous monasteries in the Gelug (also called Yellow Hat Sect) of Tibetan Buddhism. Having a history of over 600 years, the Dongguan Mosque, located in the Xining City Zone, is one of the most famous mosques in the northwest region of China. It has splendid and diversiform towers, walls and halls in the mosque. Another unique religious structure is the Beishan Si (North Mountain Temple), a Taoist facility.

The Dongguan Mosque.

The Xining region is also replete with natural scenic attractions. One is the Sun and Moon Mountain which divides Qinghai Province into two parts - the stock-raising area and the farming area. Another not-to-be-missed destination is the Qinghai Lake and Bird Island. This alluring body of water is home to hundreds of thousands of birds. About 35 kilometers west of Xining City in Datong County, you can experience the magical power of Laoye Mountain. Every year on 6th day of the 6th lunar month, the traditional singing festival attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors.

Food[link]

A halal butcher's shop

As the capital of Qinghai province, Xining almost boasts all varieties of local flavors. Xining's cuisine is distinct from other varieties of Chinese cities using mainly food products native to the area. Food here is substantial, but quite inexpensive.

A unique feature of dishes in Xining is that they are given names after the surname of their initiator. Here are some of the most famous: Liangfen (bean jelly) is made from pea powder and cut into short strips. Liangfen is served with vinegar, chili and mashed garlic, mustard and salt to enhance the taste the dish. Niangpi is a popular snack made of flour and baking soda. It can be found anywhere in Xining for four-yuan. The most famous version of this snack is called Mazhong Niangpi and can be found in the Mojia Jie. Zasui Tang is a soup cooked with lamb and oxen entrails. Locals often eat this snack for breakfast. The hot soup helps warm people during the winter. Muslim Yoghurt is a must while in Xining – this breakfast is a kind of substance made by local Muslim families and is served in small bowls for one-yuan. Terrine is a popular snack in Xining. It is a small hot pot which contains beef, mutton, been curd and vermicelli. Mutton Eaten with Fingers is the most famous snack in Qinghai Province. It is made of fresh mutton and served with a little salt. This snack is the favorite food of the herdsmen of Qinghai Province.

In Xining, some restaurants serve varieties of 'plateau flavor', such as Feng'er Liji (a round lamb tenderloin), Danbai Chongcao Ji (a medicine cuisine made of chicken, Chinese caterpillar fungus and eggs), Jinyu Facai (pork wrapped in flagelliform nostoc and shaped as a goldfish) among others. These dishes are often cooked by the locals at home.

There are also many small restaurants offering noodles. Gan Ban is a very common noodle dish. Perhaps Mian Pian, which means "noodle leaves" is the most common noodle plate among the Qinghai people.

On the streets, many Muslims sell spicy lamb brochettes.

Due to the cold climate, residents of Xining are also fond of strong spirits - Xining has the reputation of being one of the heaviest regions of alcohol consumption in China.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Xining

• Xining Government Website
• Xining travel guide from Wikitravel

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