Deutsch English Home About us Travel information Suggestion Contact us online-booking Impression Testimonial.Beijing Chengdu Chongqing Dali Datong Dunhuang Guangzhou Guilin Guiyang Hangzhou Hohhot Hongkong Kashgar Lhasa Lijiang Luoyang Nanjing Tsingdao Qinghai Shanghai Suzhou Turfan Urumqi Wuhan Xi'an Zhangjiajie Qinghai Qinghai Lake Qinghai Hu (Koko Nor), known as the Western Sea in ancient times, is a somewhat surreal-looking saline lake to the west of Xining. It’s the largest lake in China and contains huge numbers of fish.The main attraction is Niao Dao (Bird Island), on the western side of the lake, about 300km from Xining. It’s a breeding ground for thousands of wild geese, gulls, cormorants, sandpipers, extremely rare black-necked cranes and many other bird species,. Perhaps most interesting of them are the bar-headed geese. These hardy birds migrate high over the Himalayas to spend winter on the Indian plains, and have been spotted flying at altitudes of 10,000m. You will see birds in quantity only during the breeding season-between March and early June.Ta’er Si One of the six great monasteries of the Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism, Ta’er Si (or Kumbum in Tibetan) is found in the town of Huangzhong, a mere 26km south of Xining. It was built in 1577 on sacred ground- the birthplace of Tsong Khapa, founder of the Yellow Hat sect.The monastery is noted for its extraordinary sculptures of human figures, animals and landscapes carved out of yak butter. The art of butter sculpture probably dates back 1300 years in Tibet and was taken up by the Ta’er Si in the last years of the 16th century.It’s a pretty place and very popular with local tourists. An earthquake in 1990 and subsequent heavy snows threatened to destroy many of the buildings, and the Chinese government eventually forked out Y70 million for a major restoration project. Despite the damage, the place still maintains its historical atmosphere.North Mountain TempleThe temple is about a 45-minute walk up the mountainside north-west of the Xining Binguan. The hike is pleasant and you’ll be rewarded with a good view over Xining.Great Mosque This mosque is one of the largest in China’s north-west and attracts large crowds of worshippers. It was built during the late 14th century and recently restored.Home, About Us, Travel Information, Suggestion, Contact Us, Online-booking, Impression, Testimonial and professional tour guide. Please contact us! All rights reserved

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Qinghai

Kumbum(Ta'er) Monastery

Kumbum Monastery is about 27 southwest of Xining. It is one of the two most important Tibetan Buddhist monasteries outside Tibet itself. Set among flowing wheat fields and fertile hills, the Ta'er Monastery evokes an ambience of relaxation and meditation.

Kumbum Monastery, also called Ta'er Monastery, originated in 1379 from a pagoda, which marked the birthplace of Tsong Kha-pa, founder of the Gelugpa Sect in Tibetan people. The site covers around 400,000 square kilometers and is home to over 75o monks. The most famous items in this monastery are the "Three Treasures"-the yak butter sculpture called "Suyouhua". Made from yak butter, the sculptures bring to life Buddha, animals and flowers, varying from a few meters tall to less than a centimeter. To prepare for the grand butter sculpture show on the night of January 15 on the lunar calendar, the lamas must start working at least three months ahead. To prevent the butter from melting, they must work in sub-zero temperature and the sculptures are kept in giant glass boxes with air-conditioning after the show. Another treasure housed in this monastery is the appliquéd embroidery displayed in the Great Hall of Sutra.

The pictures are pieced together with silk and the Buddha. Mural forms another treasure of the monastery. They were painted with pigments made from minerals and plants, so the colors stay fresh and bright for centuries. But the most interesting thing you will encounter here is the debate of the lamas. Standing in front of his teacher who is seated, the student must think of some difficult questions from Buddhist sutras, then clap his hands as loudly as possible and extend his right arm to his teacher while raising the question. Generally the teacher will answer succinctly with one or two words.

Occasionally, he will speak longer and the student's smile clearly shows his gratitude for the advice. Tourists are not allowed to watch the debate, and if you show enough respect to the lamas, you might be able to have an interesting talk with them.

Do not miss out on the eight stupas to the right of the entrance, representing the life story of Sakyamuni.

Qinghai Lake

Qinghai Lake, historically known as Kokonor (from the Mongolian name), is a salt lake situated in the province of Qinghai, and is the largest lake in China. It is located about 100 km west of the provincial capital of Xining at 3,205 m (10,515 feet) above sea level in a depression of the Tibetan Plateau in the former Tibetan province of Amdo. Twenty-three rivers and streams empty into Qinghai Lake. The lake is 5,694 km² (2,198 sq mi) large (some sources say 4,635 km²) but shrinking, and 360 km (220 miles) in circumference.[citation needed] Despite its salinity, it has an abundance of fish, such as the edible huángyú.

Like most sacred lakes in Tibet, pilgrims circumambulate it. Przhevalsky estimated it would take about 8 days by horse or 15 walking to circumambulate the lake, but pilgrims report it takes about 18 days on horseback, and one took 23 days walking to complete the circuit.

Qinghai Lake is sandwiched between Hainan and Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures in northeastern Qinghai. The lake is located at the crossroads of several bird migration routes across Asia. Many species use Qinghai as an intermediate stop during migration. As such, it is a focal point in global concerns of avian influenza (H5N1), as a major outbreak here could spread the virus across Europe and Asia, further increasing the chances of a pandemic. Minor outbreaks of H5N1 have already been identified at the lake. At its northeast end are the "Bird Islands" (Cormorant Island and Egg Island), which have been bird sanctuaries of the Qinghai Lake Natural Protection Zone since 1997. The lake often remains frozen for three months continuously in winter.

Great Mosque of Xining

The Great Mosque of Xining is one the four largest mosques in northwest China and is the largest and most important mosque in the Qinghai Province. Locally, it is known as the Dongguan Masjid, or the East Gate Mosque, due to its eastern location in the city alongside the Muslim Hui neighborhood. According to an inscription added to the mosque during a major reconstruction in 1914, the mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty under Emperor Hongwu (1368-98). However, it is known that the mosque was destroyed and rebuilt entirely as recently as in the late nineteenth century. Renovated in 1914, the mosque was enlarged in 1946.

Built atop an irregular two-level brick platform, the mosque complex consists of a grand eastern gateway that opens into a large rectangular courtyard that is flanked by two lecture halls to the north and south, with the prayer hall to its west. The five-arched gateway is anchored at either end by bangke towers, which served as minarets and moon-watching pavilions. They rise to three-stories above a tall base: The first two stories are built of brick and have a window on each façade, while the third story is an open pavilion with a pyramidal roof. Built at a later date than the mosque, the wide gateway features neo-classical elements. It leads into the courtyard flanked by lecture halls, where a set of stairs climb up to the prayer hall straight

In 1998, a three-story modern building was built between the gateway and the street to house the mosque administration. Visited by as many as ten thousand worshippers during each one of the Muslim holidays, the Great Mosque of Xining is still the most important mosque in Qinghai and serves as a center of religious education for the region.

The Great Mosque (Dongguan qingzhen dasi), built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD). The mosque is not of particularly Muslim architecture, normally easily differentiated from its Buddhist counterparts, but is more in the typical Chinese folk style. Beyond the square itself, the grand Domed Hall, housing up to 10,000 Muslim worshippers at peak times, is the highest Islamic education center in the province.

Bird Island

Bird Island, which lies northwest of Qinghai Lake, one of the most beautiful lakes in China, is connected to the bank on one side whilst the others are surrounded by water. It encompasses two islands, one is Haixi Pi in the east, and in the west is the Haixi Shan, which is four times smaller than the former island but is where most of the birds of the lake congregate. When the spring and summer come, many birds fly from faraway mountains and deserts to breed here. In the noisiest months of April and May, their numbers can amount to ten thousand, 80% to 90% of which stop on the Haixi Shan and lay eggs there. With eggs interspersed all over the island, Haixi Shan is also called 'Egg Island'.

Then why does the island attract so many birds? Because it has a flat physiognomy and mild climate, and is close to the water, which produces rich float grasses and fishes. The environment here is also very quiet, so it is a natural space for the birds to reproduce and inhabit.

With the enticing natural scenery and so many beautiful wildfowl, Bird Island has been a must for many tourists traveling in Qinghai. The island has been listed as a national natural reserve mainly for the protection of birds here, but also provides an excellent place for the travelers and birdwatchers to visit.

North Mountain Temple North Mountain Temple

Beishan Temple is known as Tuloushan Temple, Yongxing Temple and the North Imperial Sacrificing Temple in history. Presently, it is called the Earth Viewing Mansion. Beishan Mountain Temple is composed of multipurpose cavern where the Northern Wei Dynasty mural still remained in the cliff grotto.

It also made use of the appearance of the mountain cliff chisel to build two Jin’gang Buddha statues with the height reaching as high as 10 meters. Only one vague statue remained from the flushing of the rain water. The existing Beishan Mountain Temple is the reconstruction from the Ming Dynasty. There is long life tower on the summit and there are 18 caves connected with the trestle tune porch. It is a rare and unusual temple construction of Qinghai.