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Summary: Muslim Travel Guide China 2026: Qinghai Mosques, Gongbei Shrines and Plateau Halal Travel is presented here as a clear English travel account for Muslim readers, beginning with this scene: The most beautiful season to travel to Qinghai is July/August. After mid-August, the rapeseed flowers in Qinghai begin to wither, and the temperature gradually drops. In summer, the daytime temperature in. The article keeps the original place names, food details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Qinghai Mosques, Gongbei Shrines, Muslim Travel.

The most beautiful season to travel to Qinghai is July/August. After mid-August, the rapeseed flowers in Qinghai begin to wither, and the temperature gradually drops. In summer, the daytime temperature in Qinghai is around 23 degrees, and the night temperature is around 15 degrees. If you live in the mountains, the night temperature is around 10 degrees. Qinghai belongs to the plateau area, with an average altitude of more than 2,000 meters. Although altitude sickness is not obvious, the intensity of ultraviolet rays is high, so pay attention to sun protection and it is best to wear long-sleeved clothes.

My trip to Qinghai was to accompany my daughter-in-law back to her parents’ home to celebrate the Corban Festival. Anyone who knows me knows that I am married to a Salar from Xunhua Salar Autonomous County, Qinghai Province. We stayed in Qinghai for 20 days this time and visited Xining, Jianzha, Hongshuiquan Township, Xun Huaxian County, Mengda Mountain Village, Mengda Tianchi, Qinghai Lake, Chaka Salt Lake, Menyuan, Qilian Mountains, plus the Kumbum Monastery, Riyue Mountain, Dangar Ancient City and other places I have visited before in Qinghai, I will introduce them all in this issue for the convenience of friends who come to Qinghai.

tips Things to prepare before departure:

Umbrella:

July/August is the rainy season in Qinghai, with showers almost every day;

Sunglasses and sunscreen:

Sunglasses are not to look cool, sunscreen is more than 50 times needed, the sunshine in Qinghai is really strong;

Mosquito repellent water:

There are mosquitoes and flying insects in the mountains, although not as many as in the south;

power bank:

Large capacity, long-distance travel, especially when passing through areas with no signal, the mobile phone will consume power quickly;

Dental floss:

Eating meat every day will clog your teeth, so flossing has a good cleaning effect;

Long sleeve jacket:

Living in the mountains, you feel cold as soon as the sun sets;

Drone:

Only drones can capture the beautiful scenery of Qinghai. You can rent it online at a price of 15-35 yuan a day, and SF Express will return it. If the local SF Express says it cannot mail the drone, you can call the customer service hotline to complain on the spot. This is a personal behavior of some SF Express outlets because they are afraid of damage to valuables and claims for compensation. In fact, any outlet can mail it.

The first stop in Qinghai usually starts from Xining. As the capital of Qinghai Province, Xining is the most prosperous city in Qinghai, with many high-rise buildings and many delicacies. Xining can be said to have concentrated all the delicacies in Qinghai. For an introduction to Xining’s delicacies, please see:

Xining Halal Food Map

Xining Halal Food Map (2)

to food, Xining also has many cultural attractions, such as Ma Bufang Mansion, Dongguan Mosque, Tibetan Buddhism Kumbum Mosque, etc. Each scenic spot is not far away, so it is recommended to visit for 1-2 days.

Xining

Ma Bufang Mansion



Panoramic view of Ma Bufang Mansion

Ma Bufang's mansion was built in June 1942 (the 31st year of the Republic of China) at a cost of 30 million yuan. It is Ma Bufang's private residence and is named "Xinlu". In recent years, Ma Bufang Mansion has been closed due to some reasons, but it has recently been reopened. As the most influential figure in Qinghai's modern history, Ma Bufang has too many controversies.



During the Republic of China, Qinghai's military power, political power, and party power were all in the hands of Ma Bufang and his son. Although the official leaked information mainly criticizes the Ma family warlords, such as the corruption of Ma Bufang's private life, Ma Bufang's political achievements in Qinghai are still considerable, mainly including road construction, smoking ban, tree planting, literacy campaigns, etc.



Moreover, according to literature records, Ma Bufang was devout in his beliefs and keen on preaching. He vigorously promoted the teachings of the Yihewani sect in Xining and suppressed the officials, which attracted a lot of criticism. Today, there are still three gates in Gongbei in Xining, namely Xianmen Gongbei, Guangdemen Gongbei Mosque, and Fenghuangshan Gongbei. Gongbei was not repaired during Ma Bufang's time in power.



"The Biography of Ma Bufang" by Fan Qianfeng

"The Biography of Ma Bufang" written by Fan Qianfeng is a relatively objective material that I have read about Ma Bufang's biography. The book quotes a large number of historical materials about the Ma family and has mixed reviews of Ma Bufang. There were rumors that Ma Bufang had taken her niece as a concubine, but in fact she was marrying a distant relative from the fifth service. She was slandered because of family discord. Half of the Ma family's army returned to the Han Dynasty, and Ma opposed dividing the army based on ethnic groups. Ma contributed to Qinghai's infrastructure construction, environmental transformation and education, but he was determined to be anti-communist and fell on the wrong side of the civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, leading to a road of no return.

Tanger ancient city



The ancient city of Dangar is 40 kilometers away from Xining. Dangar is the Mongolian transliteration of the Tibetan word "Dongkel", which means "white conch". This city is named after the Dongkel Monastery of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism.



There were folk performances in the ancient city and a Mongolian girl's catwalk, but overall it didn't leave much of an impression on me.

Riyueshan



Riyue Mountain and Dangar Ancient City are adjacent to each other, both belong to Xining City, and are the location of the geographical boundary monument of China, where nomadic civilization and farming civilization are divided. Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty passed through this Tang-Tibet ancient road and married Songtsen Gampo.

Kumbum Mosque



Kumbum Mosque

Kumbum Monastery is located in Huangzhong District, Xining City. It is one of the six major monasteries of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism. It is the center of Tibetan Buddhist activities in the northwest region. It has a prominent position in Tibetan Buddhism and is a national cultural relic protection unit.



It takes half an hour to take a taxi from the city to Kumbum Monastery. If you don’t enter the building and only visit the outside, you don’t need to buy a ticket. You must wear a long gown to enter the mosque, and the ticket is 80 yuan.



Kumbum Monastery is the most profitable scenic spot in Xining. A large number of mainland tourists come to check in every year. I remember when I went there in 2014, I met a Hui driver in a taxi.

Xunhua Salar Autonomous County

Salar Hometown Folk Culture Park



Xunhua is the only Salar autonomous county in the country. There are about 200,000 Salar people living here. The Salar language is commonly spoken, and a few Salar people speak Tibetan. The cultural park is currently recruiting investment, and it is free to visit.



The park is all built in the traditional folk architectural style of the Salar people. It houses a ramen museum, a national musical instrument training class, a food street, etc., with a total investment of more than 200 million. We look forward to seeing the park prosper next year.



Mosque in the park

The park was originally the site of the Sesshu Group and there was no mosque. The mosque is an ancient mosque that was moved from another village.

Jiezi Mosque



Xunhua Jiezi Mosque is the second largest mosque in Qinghai. It was built in the Ming Dynasty and is a provincial cultural relics protection unit. It contains the handwritten Quran of the Salar ancestors. Two Salar ancestors are buried in the square, one is named Ahemang and the other is named Galemang. They moved to Samarkand from Central Asia to Qinghai in the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties.



Jiezi Mosque Reservoir

The Jiezi Mosque was rebuilt after the Kashgar Mosque in Xinjiang, and the original old building is no longer there.



Tomb of Ahemang

Ahemang and Galemang are a pair of brothers, and Ahemang is the younger brother. People say the two are the ancestors of the Salar people. They migrated from Central Asia to settle in Xunhua to avoid the persecution of the Seljuq Dynasty.



Galemang Tomb

Opposite the Jiezi Mosque is the museum, which contains manuscripts of the Quran brought by the ancestors of the Salar people.



Salar handwritten Quran

A national cultural relic, this scripture was once brought to Syria for display, causing shock in the local area. The scripture traveled to many places and was almost lost. With the protection of Allah, the scripture finally returned to the hands of the Salar people.



The manuscript "Quran" has a total of 30 volumes and 867 pages. It is divided into upper and lower volumes. Each volume is covered with rhinoceros leather. The cover is embossed with exquisite patterns. The font is similar to the "Muhaqaq" script in Arabic calligraphy. The copying date is about after the 11th century.

mengda mountain village



Mengdashan Village is located in Xunhua County, with a total of 580 households and 2,600 people. It has a grassy mountain area of ​​9,374 acres, a cultivated land area of ​​7,300 acres, and an altitude of more than 2,700 meters. It is the village with the highest altitude, the most cultivated land, and the widest village area in Jiezi Town.



The word "Mengda" comes from the Salar language, which means "stay here". The people living in the village are all Salar people. If it weren't for my father-in-law's family, it would be hard for me to know that there is such a large village in the mountains of Xunhua Street Town. The people in the village are mainly engaged in shepherding and farming, and most of the young people open restaurants in other places.



Mendashan Village Mosque

The Salar people in Mengda Mountain Village are very friendly. They will smile and say Selan when they meet strangers in the village. The children are all very cute and their appearance is obviously different from the people in the mainland. The mosque is the oldest building in Mengda Mountain Village and is said to be three to four hundred years old.



The elders in Mengda Mountain Village can all speak Salar and Tibetan. Most of the shepherds or workers employed by the family are Tibetan. The Salar people have close relations with the Tibetans. They affectionately call the Tibetans "aunts". As for why the Salar people in Mengda Mountain Village did not live in Jiezi Town, but came to the high mountain plain at an altitude of 2,700 meters, it is currently unknown. It may be to avoid the war.

Aerial photography of the back mountain of Mengda Mountain Village. The whole family is out of the country. In Salar dialect, this place is called "bazer", which means Zhuangkuoyuan.



I spent the Corban Festival in Menda Mountain Village. The Salar people here have integrated their faith into every aspect of their lives. Their children have to receive scripture education from an early age. Everyone is proud of their good religious background. They will not sell alcohol when opening restaurants outside. They feel uneasy about making illegal money.

Chaka Salt Lake



Chaka Salt Lake is a popular attraction on Douyin. It is about 300 kilometers away from Xining. You can make a day trip from Xining, but I recommend staying in Chaka for one night, because the most beautiful time in Chaka is at sunrise and sunset, as well as the starry sky at night. PS: Tickets are free for tourists from Qinghai, Hubei and Zhejiang.



Chaka is 3,000 meters above sea level. Some people may suffer from altitude sickness. It is cloudy all year round and sunny days are rare. Photos of the salt lake circulated on the Internet are often edited. To enter the scenic spot, you need to take a small train. The round-trip fare is 100 yuan per person. If you walk to the center of the lake, which is about 5 kilometers long, it is recommended to get off the train halfway. If you get off the train after reaching the center of the lake, you will find that there are many people.

Drone aerial photography of tea card

The drone I brought this time is the DJI Mavic 2, which is foldable and easy to carry. However, the battery can only last for 20 minutes, so it is equipped with three batteries. One of the batteries bulged during use. I consulted customer service and said that there may be problems in high-altitude areas. It is recommended that you consult customer service before bringing the drone to the plateau.

Zhuoer Mountain Scenic Area

Aerial photography of Zhuoer Mountain Scenic Area

Zhuoer Mountain belongs to the Qilian Mountains, with an altitude of about 3,000 meters. It departed from Xining at 8 o'clock in the morning and arrived at Zhuoer Mountain at around 1 p.m. Compared with Chaka, Zhuoer Mountain has a different scenery. It is a Danxia landform, the rocks are red, and the mountains and fields are full of flowers.



This is the back of my wife~



this is me

Mengda Tianchi



Mengda Tianchi is about 25 kilometers away from Xunhua County. It is a protected area. There are many rare wild animals and plants in the mountains. The average altitude is more than 2,000 meters. To enter the scenic area, you need to buy a ticket of 75 yuan per person, which includes the bus fee in the scenic area. It takes about an hour to climb to the top of the mountain. You can choose to go up the mountain on horseback.

Drone aerial photography of Mengda Tianchi. There is a local legend. People say Tianchi was originally in Jiezi Town. One day, a woman washed her dirty pants in the pool. That night, a rich man in the town dreamed of an old man in white clothes. The old man said to him: "Allah gave me clean and sweet things, but some people use them to wash dirty things. I want to move to a clean place. Can I borrow a horse?" "After the rich man woke up, he asked his son to prepare the horse. The next day, he found that the horse was dying from exhaustion. The rich man hurriedly prayed. The next day, he found that the horse was healthy again and was still carrying gold and silver. At night, the rich man dreamed of the old man in white again. The old man thanked him and told him that Tianchi had moved away.

Haidong

Shuishuiquan Hui Township



Shuishuiquan Mosque Main Hall

In Hongshuiquan Hui Township, Haidong City, more than ten kilometers away from Xining Caojiabao Airport, there is an ancient mosque from the Ming Dynasty. This mosque is currently the mosque with the highest cultural relic level in Qinghai and is a national cultural relic protection unit.



This mosque is a brick and wood structure, and its architectural style combines the characteristics of Tibetan Buddhist temples. There is a vase on the top of the main hall, the interior is decorated with eight Buddhist treasures, and there are many folk carvings with auspicious meanings.



It is best to go here from Ping'an and take a taxi, because the village is built in the mountains and there is no public transportation.



Mihrab in a wishful shape



the Tianluo umbrella structure on the top of the back kiln hall. This structure is unique to the mosques in Qinghai area. The Jianzha Kangjia Mosque and the Heyin Mosque in Guide also have this structure, which is of great academic research value.

menyuan

Xianmi National Forest Park

My wife and I appeared on camera holding hands

The last stop is Xianmi National Forest Park in Menyuan County. Everyone knows that Menyuan is a place where rapeseed flowers are in full bloom. In fact, rapeseed flowers can be seen everywhere in Qinghai, but few people know about Xianmi Forest Farm in Menyuan County. It is close to Xining and is the largest forest farm in Qinghai. The scenery is very similar to Canada, and there are no tickets and few tourists. It is highly recommended.

The scenic spots introduced in this issue are just the tip of the iceberg in Qinghai. There are many distinctive places that I have not been to, including Dongtai Jinai Salt Lake, Hoh Xil, Devil's Eye and other places. Because the tourist season in Qinghai is July/August, the time is short. Next year I will go to these places to see Silver Sand Allah. view all