Xining (西宁)

1. Introduction

Xining, historically known as Shanzhou, Xiping Commandery, and Qingtang City, is the capital of Qinghai Province of the People's Republic of China, located in the eastern part of Qinghai Province. The city borders Haidong City to the east, reaches Haibei Prefecture to the northwest, and borders Hainan Prefecture to the southwest. Situated in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, within the midstream valley basin of the Huangshui River, it is flanked by the Daban Mountains to the north, the Laji Mountains to the south, and the Riyue Mountains to the west, surrounded by hills on all sides. The Huangshui River flows from west to east across the city, with its tributaries, the Nanchuan River and the Beichuan River, converging in the urban area. Xining was a vital passage on the ancient "Silk Road" and the "Tang-Tibet Ancient Road," often referred to as the "Key to the Western Sea and the Throat of Tibet." The city covers a total area of 7,607 square kilometers, with the Municipal People's Government located at No. 43 Nanguan Street, Chengzhong District.

2. Etymology

The meaning of the character "西":

Xining City is located in the eastern part of Qinghai Province, China, and historically served as a crucial stronghold for the expansion of the Central Plains dynasties toward the west. The character "西" indicates its geographical location in the western part of China.

The meaning of the character "宁":

"宁" means "peace" or "tranquility," reflecting the historical desire of the central dynasties for stability and peace in this region.

3. History

Archaeological discoveries at sites such as the Zhujiazhai, Shenna, and Xixingyuan sites in the northern part of the city indicate that humans have been living in Xining as early as four to five thousand years ago.

3.1 Han Dynasty Period

Before the Qin and Han dynasties, this area was the land of the Western Qiang and Western Rong peoples, primarily inhabited by the Qiang people. During the Western Han Dynasty, the Xiping Ting was established in present-day Xining, belonging to Jincheng Commandery. This marked Xining's formal incorporation into Chinese territory and the beginning of its establishment as a city. During the reign of Emperor Ping of Han, the Xihai Commandery was also established.

3.2 Wei and Jin Dynasties Period

Present-day Xining fell under the rule of Cao Wei. In 222 AD, Wei constructed the Xiping Commandery city in present-day Xining. In 265 AD, the Western Jin Dynasty established the Xiping Commandery in the present-day Huangshui River basin, governing areas including Xidu (present-day Xining).

3.3 Sixteen Kingdoms Period

The western part of present-day Gansu and the eastern part of Qinghai were occupied by the Tufa tribe of the Xianbei people, who established the separatist regime Southern Liang, which once made Xiping (Xining) its capital.

3.4 Northern Wei Dynasty Period

In 445 AD, the Northern Wei Dynasty changed Xiping Commandery to the Shanshan Garrison. In 526 AD (the second year of Xiaoming of Northern Wei), the Shanshan Garrison was changed to Shan Prefecture, governing areas including Xiping (present-day Xining).

3.5 Sui and Tang Dynasties Period

In 607 AD (the third year of the Daye era of Emperor Yang of Sui), Shan Prefecture was changed to Xiping Commandery, governing Huangshui and Hualong counties. Present-day Xining was under the jurisdiction of Huangshui County in Xiping Commandery. After the establishment of the Tang Dynasty in 618 AD, Shan and Kuo prefectures were set up in eastern Qinghai. Shan Prefecture governed Longzhi and Huangshui counties, with present-day Xining under Huangshui County. After the An Lushan Rebellion, the Tibetan Empire captured Xining from Tang forces and renamed it Qingtang City.

3.6 Gusiluo Period

From the late Tang Dynasty to the early Northern Song Dynasty, the various Tibetan tribes in the Hehuang region of Qinghai were not unified and were mired in division and warfare. By the early 11th century, they had split into several larger tribal confederations. Li Lizun was the leader of one such confederation. He abducted Gusiluo (a Tibetan transliteration meaning "son of Buddha"), a descendant of the Tibetan Tsenpo, to present-day Ping'an County in Qinghai, honoring him as Tsenpo, while Li Lizun declared himself chancellor. In 1025, Gusiluo broke free from the control of Li Lizun and others.

3.7 Song and Yuan Dynasties Period

After Gusiluo's death, the throne of Qingtang passed through three generations. In 1099, Song forces entered the Huangshui River basin, occupied Qingtang City, and established Shan Prefecture. In 1104, the Northern Song Dynasty changed Shan Prefecture to Xining Prefecture, subordinate to the Longxi Protectorate. The name "Xining" has been used ever since.

In 1129, it was occupied by the Jin Dynasty.

In 1136, it was occupied by the Western Xia.

In 1227, Genghis Khan, the founding emperor of the Yuan Dynasty, led Mongol armies to invade the Western Xia, crossed the Yellow River southward, captured Xining Prefecture, and incorporated Xining into Yuan rule.

3.8 Ming Dynasty Period

In 1373 (the sixth year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty), Xining Prefecture was changed to Xining Guard, under the jurisdiction of the Shaanxi Regional Military Commission. It governed six thousand-household garrisons: Xining Thousand-household Garrison (administered present-day Xining), Zhenhai Thousand-household Garrison (administered present-day Tonghai Town in Huangzhong County), Beichuan Thousand-household Garrison (administered the old Chengquan in present-day Datong County), Nanchuan Thousand-household Garrison (administered Shenzhong in Huangzhong County), Gushan Thousand-household Garrison (administered present-day Gushan Town in Minhe County), and Nianbo Defensive Thousand-household Garrison (administered present-day Nianbo Town in Ledu County). In 1385 (the eighteenth year of Hongwu), construction began on the Xining Guard city wall. The ancient city wall preserved on the south side of Qiyi Road in present-day Xining is a remnant of the Ming Dynasty Xining Guard city.

3.9 Qing Dynasty Period

In 1645 (the second year of the Shunzhi era of the Qing Dynasty), Qing forces occupied Xining. In the third year of the Yongzheng era (1725), after suppressing Lobsang Danjin's rebellion, Xining Guard was changed to Xining Prefecture, belonging to Gansu Province. It governed Xining County, Nianbo County, and Datong Guard. In 1724, the Imperial Commissioner for Managing Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs in Qinghai (commonly known as the Xining Minister) was established to oversee the Mongolian and Tibetan tribes within Qinghai.

3.10 Republican Period and Early People's Republic

In June 1912, the Qinghai Minister was changed to the Qinghai Administrative Commissioner, stationed in Xining, Gansu. In April 1913 (the second year of the Republic), the Beiyang Government reformed the Qing administrative system, abolishing Xining Prefecture and establishing Haidong Circuit, with Xining as the circuit seat. In June 1914, Haidong Circuit was renamed Xining Circuit. In October 1915, the Xining Town Military Commander of Gansu Province was changed to the Gansu Border-Ninghai Garrison Commander, stationed in Xining.

In 1927 (the sixteenth year of the Republic), Xining Circuit was abolished, and the Xining Administrative Commissioner was established.

In 1929, the Nationalist Government established Qinghai Province, with Xining County as the provincial capital. By the end of 1943, the seat of Xining County was moved to Wenhua Town (present-day Lushar Town). In the Xining urban area (officially called the Provincial Capital, a term still used today), the Provincial Capital Special District was established, directly under the Provincial Civil Affairs Department, with administrative affairs handled concurrently by the Provincial Capital Police Bureau. In August 1945, the Provincial Capital Special District was changed to the Xining Municipal Preparatory Office, divided into five districts: First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth. In January 1946, Xining County was renamed Huangzhong County. In June 1946, Xining City was officially established, with a total area of 30 square kilometers (including 3 square kilometers of urban area) and a total population of over 70,000 (including 55,564 urban residents).

On September 5, 1949, the People's Liberation Army occupied Xining. On September 8, the Municipal People's Government was established.

In June 1956, the Qinghai Provincial People's Committee made the "Decision on the Establishment of Xining City," making Xining a city with district-level people's governments under its jurisdiction. In January 1960, the State Council approved Xining's elevation to a prefecture-level city.

4. Geography

Xining is the capital of Qinghai Province, the largest city on the Tibetan Plateau, and the largest city in Qinghai. It serves as the province's political, economic, cultural, educational, scientific, transportation, and communication hub. The Qinghai–Tibet Railway and the Lanzhou–Xinjiang Second Double-Track Railway pass through Xining, with stations located in the city. Situated in the Hehuang Valley of the Tibetan Plateau, Xining lies between two opposing mountains in the north and south, both part of the Qilian Mountain range. The Huangshui River, a tributary of the Yellow River, flows from west to east through the urban area. The city's elevation is 2,261 meters, with an average annual precipitation of 380 mm, evaporation of 1,363.6 mm, and an average annual sunshine duration of 1,939.7 hours. The average annual temperature is 7.6°C, with a maximum of 34.6°C and a minimum of -18.9°C, characteristic of a high-altitude cold temperate climate. The average summer temperature ranges from 17 to 19°C, making it a pleasant summer retreat and earning it the title "China's Summer Capital."

Climate

Meteorological Data for Xining (1981–2010)
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |-----------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------|------------------| | Record high °C (°F) | 13.9 (57.0) | 20.8 (69.4) | 26.2 (79.2) | 31.8 (89.2) | 30.7 (87.3) | 31.9 (89.4) | 36.5 (97.7) | 34.0 (93.2) | 29.9 (85.8) | 25.2 (77.4) | 19.3 (66.7) | 13.3 (55.9) | 36.5 (97.7) | | Average high °C (°F) | 2.0 (35.6) | 5.2 (41.4) | 10.1 (50.2) | 16.0 (60.8) | 19.9 (67.8) | 22.7 (72.9) | 24.8 (76.6) | 24.1 (75.4) | 19.3 (66.7) | 14.1 (57.4) | 8.4 (47.1) | 3.2 (37.8) | 14.2 (57.5) | | Daily mean °C (°F) | -7.3 (18.9) | -3.5 (25.7) | 2.0 (35.6) | 8.1 (46.6) | 12.4 (54.3) | 15.4 (59.7) | 17.4 (63.3) | 16.5 (61.7) | 12.3 (54.1) | 6.4 (43.5) | -0.3 (31.5) | -5.9 (21.4) | 6.1 (43.0) | | Average low °C (°F) | -13.8 (7.2) | -10.0 (14.0) | -4.0 (24.8) | 1.6 (34.9) | 6.1 (43.0) | 9.4 (48.9) | 11.6 (52.9) | 11.0 (51.8) | 7.5 (45.5) | 1.3 (34.3) | -6.0 (21.2) | -11.9 (10.6) | 0.2 (32.4) | | Record low °C (°F) | -24.9 (-12.8)| -20.7 (-5.3) | -16.9 (1.6) | -12.5 (9.5) | -2.3 (27.9) | 0.2 (32.4) | 4.2 (39.6) | 3.7 (38.7) | -1.1 (30.0) | -12.5 (9.5) | -19.0 (-2.2) | -26.6 (-15.9)| -26.6 (-15.9)| | Average precipitation mm (inches) | 1.8 (0.07) | 2.1 (0.08) | 8.5 (0.33) | 21.2 (0.83) | 51.4 (2.02) | 62.9 (2.48) | 82.3 (3.24) | 80.8 (3.18) | 61.4 (2.42) | 21.1 (0.83) | 3.6 (0.14) | 1.6 (0.06) | 398.7 (15.68)| | Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 2.7 | 3.4 | 5.2 | 6.5 | 10.7 | 14.6 | 15.0 | 13.8 | 13.1 | 7.3 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 96.9 | | Average relative humidity (%) | 47 | 44 | 46 | 48 | 54 | 61 | 66 | 67 | 70 | 65 | 55 | 50 | 56 | | Mean monthly sunshine hours | 209.8 | 204.9 | 222.5 | 241.0 | 253.9 | 236.5 | 243.8 | 244.4 | 196.9 | 208.1 | 212.7 | 201.2 | 2,675.7 | | Percent possible sunshine | 69 | 67 | 60 | 62 | 58 | 54 | 55 | 58 | 53 | 60 | 69 | 67 | 60 |

Source: China Meteorological Administration (precipitation days and sunshine data from 1971–2000)[1][2]

5. Administrative Divisions

Xining City administers 5 municipal districts, 1 county, and 1 autonomous county.

Municipal Districts: Chengdong District, Chengzhong District, Chengxi District, Chengbei District, Huangzhong District County: Huangyuan County Autonomous County: Datong Hui and Tu Autonomous County Xining City has also established the following economic functional zones: National-level Xining Economic and Technological Development Zone, Xining High-tech Industrial Development Zone, Haihu New District, and Chengnan New District.

Map of Administrative Divisions of Xining City

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | of which: Ethnic Townships | |-------------------|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------|--------------------------------| | 630100 | Xining City | Xīníng Shì | 7,606.78 | 2,467,965 | Chengzhong District | 810000 | 22 | 27 | 23 | 6 | | 630102 | Chengdong District | Chéngdōng Qū | 112.86 | 489,372 | Dazhongjie Subdistrict | 810000 | 7 | 2 | | | | 630103 | Chengzhong District | Chéngzhōng Qū | 153.58 | 325,813 | Yinmajie Subdistrict | 810000 | 7 | 1 | | | | 630104 | Chengxi District | Chéngxī Qū | 52.98 | 326,866 | Xiguandajie Subdistrict | 810000 | 7 | 1 | | | | 630105 | Chengbei District | Chéngběi Qū | 138.10 | 417,701 | Chaoyang Subdistrict | 810003 | 4 | 2 | | | | 630106 | Huangzhong District | Huángzhōng Qū | 2,444.07 | 395,043 | Lusha'er Town | 811600 | | 10 | 5 | 3 | | 630121 | Datong Hui and Tu Autonomous County | Dàtōng Huízú Tǔzú Zìzhìxiàn | 3,159.70 | 403,368 | Qiaotou Town | 810100 | | 9 | 11 | 2 | | 630123 | Huangyuan County | Huángyuán Xiàn | 1,545.48 | 109,802 | Chengguan Town | 812100 | | 2 | 7 | 1 |

6. Economy

1. Economic Overview
   Economic Aggregate: Xining City is the economic center of Qinghai Province, accounting for a significant proportion of the province's total economic output. In recent years, Xining's GDP has maintained steady growth, and its economic structure has been continuously optimized.

Per Capita Income: With economic development, the per capita disposable income of residents in Xining City has increased year by year, leading to a significant improvement in living standards.

2. Industrial Structure
   Primary Industry (Agriculture):
   Agriculture in Xining City is dominated by plateau-specific farming, with main crops including highland barley, rapeseed, and potatoes. Animal husbandry is also an important component, focusing on plateau-specific livestock such as yaks and Tibetan sheep.

Secondary Industry (Industry):
Industry in Xining City is primarily resource-based, including non-ferrous metal smelting, chemical engineering, building materials, and food processing. In recent years, Xining has actively promoted industrial transformation and upgrading, developing high-tech industries such as new energy and new materials.

Tertiary Industry (Services):
The service industry is a key driver of economic growth in Xining City, mainly encompassing tourism, commerce and logistics, finance and insurance, and cultural creativity. As a gateway city to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Xining has seen rapid tourism development, attracting a large number of tourists.

3. Key Industries
   New Energy Industry:
   Leveraging Qinghai Province's abundant solar and wind energy resources, Xining City is vigorously developing the new energy industry, with multiple photovoltaic and wind power projects already established.

Biomedical Industry:
Utilizing the unique plateau-specific flora and fauna resources, Xining City is developing the biomedical industry, producing specialty products such as Tibetan medicine and health supplements.

Tourism Industry:
Xining City is a major hub for tourism on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, featuring famous attractions such as Ta'er Temple, Qinghai Lake, and Dongguan Mosque. The development of tourism has driven the prosperity of related industries.

7. Transportation

7.1 Long-Distance Passenger Transport

In Xining city, there are several long-distance bus stations: Xining Bus Station, Xinning Road Passenger Transport Station, Nanchuan West Road Passenger Transport Station, and Xining Xiaoqiao Bus Station.

Expressways

• G6 Beijing–Lhasa Expressway
• G6 Lanzhou–Xining Expressway
• G6 Ping'an–Xining Expressway
• Xining–Huangyuan First-Class Highway
• Huangyuan–Daotanghe First-Class Highway
• Xining–Ta'er Monastery Expressway
• Xining–Datong Expressway
• Xining Ring Expressway

National Highways

• China National Highway 109
• China National Highway 213
• China National Highway 214
• China National Highway 227
• China National Highway 315

7.2 Railway

Xining is served by the Lanzhou–Xining Railway, Qinghai–Tibet Railway, and the Lanzhou–Xinjiang High-Speed Railway (second double-track line). Xining is a mandatory stop on the railway route into Tibet; all trains entering or leaving Tibet stop at Xining. For passenger service, Xining Railway Station is in operation.

Intercity Railway Preliminary work began in 2020 for the Lanzhou–Xining–Qinghai Lake intercity rail transit line.

Urban Rail Transit System As of March 2022, there is no operational rail transit. The Xining Rail Transit system is still in the planning stage.

7.3 Aviation

Xining Caojiapu International Airport, located in Huzhu Tu Autonomous County, Haidong City, is a civilian international airport. It also serves as the provincial capital airport for Qinghai and a regional hub airport for the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau.

7.4 Public Buses

The city operates multiple bus lines with fares ranging from ¥1 to ¥2. Fares to Huangzhong and Ta'er Monastery are ¥2-¥3, and fares to Datong County and Huangyuan County are ¥6. For details, please refer to Xining Public Transport.

7.5 Taxi

The taxi flag-down fare in Xining is ¥8 (for the first 3 kilometers), followed by ¥1.3 per kilometer. From 22:00 to 06:00, the per-kilometer rate is ¥1.5. When the vehicle is stationary (e.g., waiting at a long red light or in traffic), an additional ¥0.3 is charged every 90 seconds. A deadhead subsidy of ¥0.65 per kilometer is added for trips outside the city limits.

8. Education

Qinghai University Qinghai Normal University Qinghai Minzu University

9. Population

By the end of 2022, the permanent resident population of Xining City reached 2.48 million, an increase of 4,400 people compared to the end of 2021, representing a growth rate of 0.18%.

According to the Seventh National Population Census conducted in 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 2,467,965. Compared with the 2,208,708 people recorded in the Sixth National Population Census, this represents an increase of 259,257 people over the ten-year period, a growth of 11.74%, with an average annual growth rate of 1.12%. Among them, the male population was 1,256,520, accounting for 50.91% of the total population; the female population was 1,211,445, accounting for 49.09%. The overall sex ratio (with females as 100) was 103.72. The population aged 0–14 was 403,700, accounting for 16.36% of the total; the population aged 15–59 was 1,710,014, accounting for 69.29%; and the population aged 60 and above was 354,251, accounting for 14.35%, of which those aged 65 and above numbered 249,669, accounting for 10.12%. The urban resident population was 1,940,616, accounting for 78.63% of the total, while the rural resident population was 527,349, accounting for 21.37%.

9.1. Ethnic Groups

Among the city's permanent resident population, the Han ethnic group numbered 1,762,822, accounting for 71.43%; ethnic minorities totaled 705,143, accounting for 28.57%. Among these: Tibetans numbered 160,049, accounting for 6.49% of the permanent resident population; Hui people numbered 418,420, accounting for 16.95%; Tu people numbered 66,378, accounting for 2.69%; Salar people numbered 17,770, accounting for 0.72%; Mongolians numbered 19,099, accounting for 0.77%; and other ethnic minorities numbered 23,427, accounting for 0.95%. Compared with the 2010 Sixth National Population Census, the Han population increased by 127,605, a growth of 7.8%, but its share of the total population decreased by 2.61 percentage points. The total ethnic minority population increased by 131,652, a growth of 22.96%, and its share of the total population increased by 2.61 percentage points. Specifically, the Hui population increased by 59,282, a growth of 16.51%, and its share of the total population increased by 0.69 percentage points; the Tibetan population increased by 38,382, a growth of 31.55%, and its share increased by 0.98 percentage points; the Tu population increased by 8,857, a growth of 15.4%, and its share increased by 0.09 percentage points; the Mongolian population increased by 5,398, a growth of 39.4%, and its share increased by 0.15 percentage points; the Salar population increased by 9,265, a growth of 108.94%, and its share increased by 0.33 percentage points.

Ethnic Composition of Xining City (November 2020) | Ethnic Group | Han | Hui | Tibetan | Tu | Mongolian | Salar | Manchu | Tujia | Dongxiang | Zhuang | Other Ethnic Groups | |------------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-----------|---------------|-----------|------------|-----------|---------------|------------|-------------------------| | Population | 1,762,822 | 418,420 | 160,049 | 66,378 | 19,099 | 17,770 | 6,632 | 6,237 | 6,063 | 730 | 3,765 | | Percentage of Total Population (%) | 71.43 | 16.95 | 6.49 | 2.69 | 0.77 | 0.72 | 0.27 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.03 | 0.15 | | Percentage of Ethnic Minority Population (%) | — | 59.34 | 22.70 | 9.41 | 2.71 | 2.52 | 0.94 | 0.88 | 0.86 | 0.10 | 0.53 |

10. Religion

Xining City, the capital of Qinghai Province, is located in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is a city where multiple ethnic groups and religions coexist. The religious culture in Xining is rich and diverse, primarily including Tibetan Buddhism, Islam, Taoism, and Christianity.

11. Culture

Cultural Heritage:

The religious culture of Xining City is not only a manifestation of faith but also an important vehicle for cultural heritage. Through religious festivals, religious art, and other forms, the religious culture of Xining City has been effectively preserved and developed.

12. Sister Cities

Izhevsk, Udmurt Republic, Russia Kalutara, Sri Lanka

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Central District

Central District

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Willow tree

Lilac, Tulip