’One doesn’t truly understand the vastness of China until they visit Xinjiang, and one doesn’t truly appreciate the beauty of Xinjiang until they visit Yili.’ This precise and apt praise has spread far and wide, reaching all corners of the country along with the wave of western development.
Yili is indeed very beautiful. Its beauty is unique and extraordinary, even the Yili River that nourishes it flows westward leisurely. Yili is a warm green island in the hinterland of Central Asia, a heavenly treasure land in the remote northwest, and a Jiangnan (south of the Yangtze River) with blooming apricot flowers beyond the thousand-mile-long Great Wall… There are seldom such bright blue skies and green fields; seldom are there ten thousand hectares of fertile farmland at the foot of the mountains! Here, snow-capped mountains, long rivers, and setting suns complement the bridges, flowing water, and households; here, cows, sheep, yurts, pastures, and modern towns are combined in the same scene…
Yili is beautiful, and its beauty lies in its vast expanse and large area—
Yili is located in the northwest border area of the country and is known as the “South of the Great Wall beyond the Great Wall”. It governs eight counties and one city, covering an area of 56,000 square kilometers and with a population of 2.09 million. The regional administrative office is located in Yining City, the “Flower Capital”, which is the political, economic, and cultural center of Northern Xinjiang. The Yili Prefecture is surrounded and separated by various branches of the Tianshan Mountains. Its unique geographical environment has given rise to a series of unique and exotic natural landscapes.
This place has abundant precipitation, a pleasant climate, beautiful scenery, abundant resources, and rich produce. The Yili Prefecture borders Bortala Mongolia Autonomous Prefecture to the north, Wusu City in the Tacheng Prefecture to the northeast, Hejing County in Bayingolin Mongolia Autonomous Prefecture to the southeast, Baicheng and Wensu Counties in the Aksu Prefecture to the south, and Kazakhstan to the west, with a 421-kilometer-long border.
Yili is beautiful, and even more beautiful for its long and ancient history—
This is the hometown of the “Celestial Horses of the Western Extremes” (today’s Yili Horses) praised by Emperor Wu of Han, the former territory of the Wusun Kingdom, and the place where Zhang Qian, the Han envoy, led a mission of 300 people. In 108 BC, Princess Xijun, the daughter of Liu Jian, Prince of Jiangdu, married the King of Wusun from afar, sowing the seeds of ethnic affection. Princess Jieyou, who followed her later, married three generations of Wusun kings—Junxumi, Wengguimi, and Nimi—here and lived for more than fifty years.
Yili is beautiful, and even more beautiful for its numerous tourist attractions—
Sayram Lake is the first stop of your Yili trip. Blue lake water, blue sky, snow-capped mountains embracing, and white clouds floating for thousands of years. Guozi Gorge, with eighteen winding mountain roads, layered forests, cascading waterfalls, and a new scene at every step. Yili River Bridge, with clear water flowing westward and a bridge spanning it. There are green poplar forests and beautiful and comfortable resorts on the riverbank.
Needless to say, you should also visit Tangbula, Nalati, and the secondary forests of Kashgar River. Pay homage to the Stone Men of the Grasslands and the Rock Paintings of the High Mountains, and witness the autumn scenery of Qiaxi with “red frost-covered leaves more beautiful than flowers in February”. You should also visit the霍尔果斯 Border Gate, Lin Zexu Memorial Hall, Tuhuluke Tomb, Tekes Eight-Trigram City, and then go to Zhaosu to see the Gedeng Stele inscribed by Emperor Qianlong. Visit Xiata to take in the pastoral scenery of horses galloping on the ranch. If you are interested, you can also visit the grape vineyard in Kekedala, walk into the charming atmosphere of “Night on the Grassland”, and take a ride in the blue horse-drawn carriage called “horse taxi” on the country road.
Xinjiang Tourism Consultation: (Same) 0991-8585456