Xining Guide Qinghai Province

China Travel Guides: 48 Hours in Xining, Qinghai 西宁

Daniel Allen

Introduction to Xining 西宁

Perched on the eastern edge of the high-altitude Tibetan Plateau, Xining tempts visitors with its mesmerizing melting pot of cultures and cuisines. Often overlooked by those en route to Lhasa and Tibet, today this burgeoning western Chinese city of over 2 million people has more than enough sights to keep travellers entertained for a weekend or more.

The capital of Qinghai Province since 1928, Xining was a commercial hub on the Silk Road for over two millennia, and came under Tibetan control for over 300 years. With the sprawling Ta'er Monastery (Ta'er Si) founded on the city outskirts in the 1600s, Xining was (and remains) an important religious centre for the Yellow Hat Sect of Buddhists.

Tibetans, Han Chinese and Muslim (Hui, Salar and Uyghur) rub shoulders harmoniously in Xining, with the city itself currently experiencing a boom in commerce and construction. While distinctive onion domes are visible across the skyline, Muslim culture is centred around Dongguan Mosque (Dongguan Qingzhen Dasi).

One of China's largest centres of Muslim worship, it dates back to 1380, with lunchtime prayers regularly attracting massive crowds. Surrounding the walls of the mosque, the stalls of the bustling Dongguan Market (Dongguan Shichang) are overloaded with everything from kebabs and walnuts to knives and skull caps.

Shuijing Xiang

As a long-standing trading centre, Xining boasts a cornucopia of markets, all of which offer a colourful insight into local life. Visitors to Shuijing Xiang, a food-focused bazaar at Xining's Ximen (West Gate), will find a a mind-boggling array of produce and snacks, from live turtles and roundels of yak butter to cold glutinous noodles and spicy potato chips.

People watching is always a fascinating pastime in China. Xining's green spaces are a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and witness residents at rest and play. The Central Square (Zhongxin Guangchang) is typically filled with ethnic dancers, kite fliers, calligraphers and chess players, while the People's Park (Renmin Gongyuan) offers lakes, flower gardens and genteel teahouses.

Last but not least, the newly revamped and surprisingly fascinating Tibetan Medicine and Culture Museum (Zang Wenhua Bowuguan), located close to Qinghai University, is also a Xining must-see. The highlight is a 600-metre-long thangka (a Buddhist tapestry), the longest and heaviest example of its kind in the world. Illustrating the whole of Tibetan history, it is said to have taken 400 artists four years to complete.

Itineraries

Day 1

Morning

Take a bus or taxi out to Ta'er Monastery (known as Kumbum Monastery in Tibetan), a 30-minute drive from Xining city centre. As the birthplace of Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Yellow Hat Sect of Buddhists, this large monastery attracts a multitude of devout pilgrims from across Tibet, Qinghai and Mongolia. Weatherworn features, colourful clothing and hand-held prayer wheels make for a photogenic spectacle.

Afternoon

Continue the Tibetan theme at the Tibetan Medicine and Culture Museum, located in the north of Xining close to Qinghai University. Exhibitions here focus on traditional Tibetan medicine, astronomy and science, as well as traditional Tibetan life, homes and costumes. Make sure to check out the record-breaking, 618 metre-long thangka.

Evening

Unwind in Xining's Central Square and watch Chinese life go by. A beautifully manicured new park stretches southward along the west side of the Huangshui River from here, complete with numerous al fresco beer gardens. Perfect for an early evening tipple.

Day 2

Morning

Head out to Dongguan Mosque in the east of Xining, the main mosque for the city's more than half-million Hui Muslims. While the interior of this impressive green-domed building is open Saturday-Thursday, Friday is by far the most interesting day to visit the surrounding area, when Muslim residents take the day off work and flock to the surrounding shops and stalls of Dongguan Market.

Afternoon

Continue the appreciation of Xining's ethnic mix at the city's West Gate area, where the arcade-style Shuijing Xiang Market attracts hundreds of shoppers. Peruse the thousands of stalls, selling everything from freshly baked bread and pungent spices to Tibetan bags and scarves. A good place for souvenir hunting.

Evening

Check out Xinning Square (Xinning Guangchang), which often hosts Tibetan circle dances in the summer months, before moving on to the nearby Koufu Jie snack street. This semi-pedestrianized, gastronomic thoroughfare can get incredibly busy at night, with hundreds of excellent hotpot and Uyghur-style restaurants. Round off the night at Culture Bar Street; this collection of lounge bars and live music venues is a 10-minute taxi ride away on Wenhua Jie.

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Qinghai Essentials - Getting To Qinghai

The Beijing-Lhasa train passes through Qinghai on the Qinghai–Tibet railway. The train to Xining departs from Beijing West Station.
Xining Caojiabao Airport has connections with numerous Chinese cities including Beijing, Changsha, Chengdu, Dalian, Hangzhou, Hohhot, Hong Kong, Lhasa, Nanjing, Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Urumqi, Xiamen, Xian and Wuhan as well as Bangkok.