China is now one of the most visited countries in the world, welcoming 26 million foreign visitors every year. Since re-opening its doors to foreign travelers in the 1970s, much of China’s tourist traffic has been drawn to well-established metropolitan destinations, like Shanghai and Beijing. But today, rapid infrastructure development in once-ignored locations like Yinchuan is changing that.
At first glance, Yinchuan looks like many other burgeoning Chinese cities: locals ride electric bicycles past newly erected smartphone shops and busy construction sites. But its roots began to sprout over a millennium ago thanks to its strategic location in China’s northwest. In Yinchuan, mountain, desert, and plains all meet at the Yellow River, which made the city a key caravan stop on the Silk Road and a hotly contested geography through much of early Chinese history.
Today, the city serves as a point of entry to the once-isolated cultural and environmental treasures of the broader Ningxia province. It’s also home to a distinctive cuisine that marries Arabic and Chinese flavors and techniques.
City of Historic Relics
Arriving in Yinchuan, it is impossible to ignore the rocky outline of the Helan Mountains that frames the city skyline. The range tops out at 11,600 feet and keeps the extreme desert sands of its western front at bay. Historically, a number of the mountain passes doubled as ancient graffiti walls—a walk through the Helan Rock Art Park pass unveils a trove of Neolithic carvings left by a proto-Chinese nomadic culture.
Across the base of this range lies an architectural curiosity: The Western Xia Tombs. These beehive-shaped pyramids emerge sharply from the severe landscape, and serve as royal burial markers housing the remains of Xia Dynasty leaders. The Xia kingdom ruled for two centuries, but was quickly decimated after challenging the rising conqueror Genghis Khan in the year 1227. Little is known about the dynasty—excavation has been slow and only began a few decades ago. But many of the unearthed remnants reveal a civilization notable for its cultural fusion, embrace of mountain worship, and mystifying stone statue ornamentations.
The Helan range is also home to the Western China Film Studio. Built on the vestiges of two historic Chinese fortresses, the location is a particularly authentic setting for a theme park, and functions as an active set for some of China’s best-known period films and dramas. The studio’s dusty market streets and towering walls depict what old Yinchuan may have once looked like.
China’s Islamic Center
Yinchuan’s location on the northern Silk Road made it one of the first places in China to welcome Islam. Today, it is home for many of the ethnic Hui people—China’s largest group of Muslims. The Hui’s heritage traces back to Mongolian and Han people who intermarried with Persian and Turkic immigrants along the historic trade route. Though western China’s history with Islam is complex and at times marked by conflict, today the Hui thrive in relative religious autonomy, bolstered by an element of self-governance and the common use of Mandarin.
Mosques can be found throughout the city, though few from the distant past have survived. The Najiahu Mosque is an exception, boasting a striking traditional Chinese aesthetic that dates back to the 14th century Ming Dynasty. It stands near the recently rebuilt Hui Village, a campy modern hamlet infused with the scent of savory Lamian noodles and sweet Ba Bao eight-treasure tea.
Gateway to Adventure
The edge of China’s mighty Tengger Desert offers an attraction reminiscent of Mad Max at the bizarre Shapotou theme park. A rickety ski chair carries riders to the top of the sandy range where they can choose from camel rides, downhill sledding, jeep duning, or quad biking on the golden hills. At dusk, visitors might find themselves cruising the slow river on a raft of inflated sheepskin, accompanied by a Mandarin folk-singing oarsman.
Perhaps a more tranquil escape can be found at the enchanting Jin Sha Dao Park, where careful irrigation and cultivation is helping to reclaim the desert landscape. Alongside drought-resistant shrubs and reeds, fields of lavender and roses offer a break from the arid climate. Over the long run, if China hopes to preserve the soul of this captivating region, efforts like these will be increasingly important to its long-time battle against desertification.
As part of the 2016 China-US Tourism Year, China has launched a series of events and resources to help foreign travelers experience China’s rich cultural heritage and spectacular natural landscapes. To plan your trip, visit www.travelchina.gov.cn.
This article was produced on behalf of Visa by Quartz creative services and not by the Quartz editorial staff.