Xining

Quality 0.50 · 2 views · Updated 2 months ago

City in Qinghai, China

title: "Xining" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["xining", "amdo", "cities-in-qinghai", "provincial-capitals-in-china", "prefecture-level-divisions-of-qinghai", "national-civilized-city", "national-sanitary-city"] description: "City in Qinghai, China" topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xining" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary City in Qinghai, China ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

Field	Value
name	Xining
official_name	City of Xining
native_name	西宁市
native_name_lang	zh-Hans
other_name	Sining
settlement_type	Prefecture-level city
image_skyline	{{multiple image
border	infobox
total_width	280
perrow	1/2/2
image1	Skyscrapers in Chengzhong District, Xining (53727167629) - 2024.jpg
caption1	Xining skyline
image2	Qinghai.Xining.Batiment de jade.Résidence.Ma Bufang.jpg
caption2	Ma Bufang Mansion
image3	Xining - 53725921152.jpg
caption3	Xining Railway Station
image4	Kumbum Monastery.jpg
caption4	Kumbum Monastery
image5	China May 2007 231.jpg
caption5	Dongguan Mosque
image_map	{{maplink
frame-long	101.52}}
image_map1	Qinghai subdivisions - Xining.svg
map_caption1	Location of Xining City jurisdiction (dark blue) in Qinghai
pushpin_map	Qinghai#China
pushpin_label_position	bottom
pushpin_map_caption	Location of the city center in Qinghai
pushpin_relief	yes
subdivision_type	Country
subdivision_name	China
subdivision_type1	Province
subdivision_name1	Qinghai
subdivision_type2	County-level divisions
subdivision_type3	Township divisions
seat_type	Municipal seat
seat	Chengzhong
government_type	Prefecture-level city
governing_body	Xining Municipal People's Congress
leader_title	CCP Secretary
leader_name	Wang Weidong
leader_title1	Congress Chairman
leader_name1	Song Chenxi
leader_title2	Mayor
leader_name2	Shi Jianping
leader_title3	CPPCC Chairman
leader_name3	Duan Fada
established_title2
established_title3
unit_pref
area_footnotes
area_total_km2	7596
area_land_km2
area_urban_km2	2892.7
area_metro_km2	2892.7
population_as_of	2020 census
population_footnotes
population_total	2467965
population_density_km2	auto
population_metro	1954795
population_density_metro_km2	auto
population_urban	1954795
population_density_urban_km2	auto
population_blank1_title
population_blank1
demographics_type2	GDP
demographics2_title1	Prefecture-level city
demographics2_info1	CN¥ 164.4 billion
US$ 18.2 billion
demographics2_title2	Per capita
demographics2_info2	CN¥ 49,185
US$ 7,897
timezone	China Standard
utc_offset	+8
coor_pinpoint	Qinghai People's Government
coordinates
elevation_footnotes
elevation_m	2275
postal_code_type	Postal code
postal_code	810000
area_code	971
iso_code	CN-QH-01
blank_name	License plate prefixes
blank_info	青A
website	www.xining.gov.cn
::

| name = Xining | official_name = City of Xining | native_name = 西宁市 | native_name_lang = zh-Hans | other_name = Sining | nickname = | settlement_type = Prefecture-level city | motto = | image_skyline = {{multiple image | border = infobox | total_width = 280 | perrow = 1/2/2 | image1 = Skyscrapers in Chengzhong District, Xining (53727167629) - 2024.jpg | caption1 = Xining skyline | image2 = Qinghai.Xining.Batiment de jade.Résidence.Ma Bufang.jpg | caption2 = Ma Bufang Mansion | image3 = Xining - 53725921152.jpg | caption3 = Xining Railway Station | image4 = Kumbum Monastery.jpg | caption4 = Kumbum Monastery | image5 = China May 2007 231.jpg | caption5 = Dongguan Mosque | image_seal = | seal_size = | image_shield = | shield_size = | city_logo = | citylogo_size = | image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|type=shape|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#000000|zoom=7|frame-lat=36.8 |frame-long=101.52}} | image_map1 = Qinghai subdivisions - Xining.svg | mapsize1 = | map_caption1 = Location of Xining City jurisdiction (dark blue) in Qinghai | image_dot_map = | dot_mapsize = | dot_map_caption = | dot_x = | dot_y = | pushpin_map = Qinghai#China | pushpin_label_position = bottom | pushpin_map_caption = Location of the city center in Qinghai | pushpin_mapsize = | pushpin_relief = yes | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = China | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Qinghai | subdivision_type2 = County-level divisions | subdivision_name2 = | subdivision_type3 = Township divisions | subdivision_name3 = | seat_type = Municipal seat | seat = Chengzhong | government_footnotes = | government_type = Prefecture-level city | governing_body = Xining Municipal People's Congress | leader_title = CCP Secretary | leader_name = Wang Weidong | leader_title1 = Congress Chairman | leader_name1 = Song Chenxi | leader_title2 = Mayor | leader_name2 = Shi Jianping | leader_title3 = CPPCC Chairman | leader_name3 = Duan Fada | established_title = | established_date = | established_title2 = | established_date2 = | established_title3 = | established_date3 = | area_magnitude = | unit_pref = | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 7596 | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | area_water_percent = | area_urban_km2 = 2892.7 | area_metro_km2 = 2892.7 | population_as_of = 2020 census | population_footnotes = | population_note = | population_total = 2467965 | population_density_km2 = auto | population_metro = 1954795 | population_density_metro_km2 = auto | population_urban = 1954795 | population_urban_footnotes = | population_density_urban_km2 = auto | population_blank1_title = | population_blank1 = | population_density_blank1_km2 = | population_blank2_title = | population_blank2 = | demographics_type2 = GDP | demographics2_title1 = Prefecture-level city | demographics2_info1 = CN¥ 164.4 billion US$ 18.2 billion | demographics2_title2 = Per capita | demographics2_info2 = CN¥ 49,185 US$ 7,897 | timezone = China Standard | utc_offset = +8 | coor_pinpoint = Qinghai People's Government | coordinates = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 2275 | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 810000 | area_code = 971 | iso_code = CN-QH-01 | blank_name = License plate prefixes | blank_info = 青A | blank1_name = | blank1_info = | website = www.xining.gov.cn | footnotes = | pic = XN name.svg | piccap = "Xīníng" in Traditional (top) and Simplified (bottom) Chinese characters | picsize = 123px | t = 西寧 | s = 西宁 | p = Xīníng | gr = | bpmf = | myr = | mi = | xej = ثِ نٍ | w = | psp = Sining or Ziling | j = | wuu = | poj = | l = "Western tranquility" | tib = | wylie = Zi-ling | zwpy = Siling | order = st | mon = Сэлэнг | mong = ᠰᠢᠨᠢᠩ | monr = Seleng

Xining is the capital and most populous city of Qinghai province in western China and the largest city on the Tibetan Plateau. As of the 2020 census, it had 2,467,965 inhabitants (2,208,708 as of 2010), of whom 1,954,795 lived in the built-up (or metro) area made of 5 urban districts. The city lies in the Huangshui River Valley, also known as Tsongkha (Tibetan: ཙོང་ཁ་), and owing to its high altitude, has a cool climate on the borderline between cool semi-arid and dry winter humid continental.

Xining was a commercial hub along the Northern Silk Road's Hexi Corridor for over 2000 years, and was a stronghold of the Han, Sui, Tang, and Song dynasties' resistance against nomadic attacks from the west. Although long a part of Gansu province, Xining was added to Qinghai in 1928. Xining holds sites of religious significance to Muslims and Buddhists, including the Dongguan Mosque and Kumbum Monastery. It is connected by the Qinghai–Tibet railway to Lhasa, Tibet and connected by a high-speed railway to Lanzhou, Gansu and Ürümqi, Xinjiang.

The city is home to Qinghai University, a comprehensive university and the only Double First-Class University in Xining.

History

Xining has a history of over 2,100 years and was a chief commercial hub on the Hexi Corridor caravan route to Tibet, handling especially timber, wool and salt in ancient times. The trade along the Hexi Corridor was part of a larger trade corridor along the Northern Silk Road, whose use was intensified in the 1st century BC after efforts by the Han dynasty to control this route.

Under the Han dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD), a county called Linqiang was established to control the local Qiang tribesmen. It was again a frontier county under the Sui (581–618) and Tang (618–907) dynasties; during the 7th and early 8th centuries it was a center of constant warfare with Tuyuhun and Tibet. In 763, it was overrun by the Tibetans and while under Tibetan control was known to the Chinese as Qingtang cheng (青唐城). Recovered by the Song dynasty in 1104, it received the name Xining (meaning "peace in the west") and has been the seat of a prefecture or superior prefecture under that name since that time. The founder of Gelug Tsongkhapa (Tibetan: ཙོང་ཁ་པ་, meaning: "the man from Tsongkha". c. 1357–1419) was born in the 14th century, and on the site of his birthplace the Kumbum Monastery was founded in the late 16th century, establishing Xining as an important religious center for the Gelug School of Buddhists.

A major earthquake occurred May 22, 1927, measuring at a magnitude of 7.6. It was one of the deadliest earthquakes in China with a total count of over 40,000 deaths. It also caused large land fractures.

Xining was the extraterritorial capital of the Koko Nor territory and remained in Gansu until 1928, when it became the provincial capital of the newly established independent province of Qinghai.

Xining was subjected to aerial bombardment by Japanese warplanes in 1941 during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The bombing spurred all ethnicities in Qinghai, including the local Qinghai Mongols and Qinghai Tibetans, against the Japanese. The Salar Muslim General Han Youwen directed the defense of the city of Xining during air raids by Japanese planes.

Xining was given municipal status in 1945.

Under the rule of Governor Ma Bufang, Xining, like the rest of Qinghai, underwent industrialization and modernization. In 1947 the USA sold Ma Bufang a piped water (sewage) system which was installed in Xining. Ma Bufang also promoted education. He made businessmen methodically clean up Xining by serving as insect exterminators. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Nanliang_Hutai_Relics_Park,Xining(20230927094732).jpg" caption="Nanliang Hutai Relics Park"] ::

Since the late 1950s, when the Liujiaxia Dam and hydroelectric project came into operation in neighboring Gansu province, Xining has been linked by a high-tension electrical grid to both Liujia and Lanzhou. It also uses local coal from mines at Datong County to the north, but however, a modern woollen mill was installed at Xining before 1957. The city also has a leather industry and is a market for salt from the Qaidam region. During the late 1950s medium-sized iron and steelworks were built there, supplying metal to Lanzhou.

Construction of a highway to the mineral-rich Qaidam basin, and completion in 1959 a link to the Chinese rail network via Lanzhou in Gansu province, has spurred industrial development. This effort was part of a plan of the central government to rapidly exploit oil and pasturage in the Xining area beginning in the 1950s.

Geography

Xining is located in the eastern part of Qinghai Province and lies on the Huangshui River. The four urban districts have a total area of 343 km2.

Xining is located on the eastern edge of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and the upper reaches of the Huangshui River. It is the political, economic, and cultural center of Qinghai Province with an average altitude of about 2,200 m. Human activity in the region can be traced to 2,100 years ago. During the Western and Eastern Han dynasties, owing to its developing agriculture, Xining was paid notice due to its economic and military significance. As well as being an important hinge between the Central Plains and the western part of China in ancient times, Xining was an important link in the Silk Road. It continues to be an important rail and road link to the hinterlands of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau.

Climate

Xining has also been dubbed the Summer Resort Capital of China owing to its cool summer, with a borderline cold semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk)/dry winter humid continental climate (Dwb). Conditions are influenced by the aridity and high altitude. Nights are cold or cool throughout the year, and the diurnal temperature variation often reaches or exceeds 15 °C-change. The monthly 24-hour average temperatures ranges from −7.9 °C in January to 17.5 °C in July; the annual mean is 6.0 °C, still making it one of the warmest locations in Qinghai due to the low elevation by provincial standards. Rainfall falls mainly from May to September, and the area is often dry and sunny: with monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 49 percent in September to 67 percent in November, the city receives 2,540 hours of bright sunshine per year. Extreme temperatures have ranged from −26.6 °C to 36.5 °C. Snow cover is very sparse due to the dry winters.

River management

In 2007, the World Bank lent US$1 billion to aid river treatment in Xining, including Sanxian County's anti-flooding project, with an added US$1 billion to support infrastructure. Qinghai has invested large amounts in the treatment of Huangshui Main River and Nanchuan River, totalling 24.5 km. However, a treatment on a 40 km river course and 10 flash flood relief channels remain pending due to lack of equipment. In Sanxian County, a 108.4 m long river course and 80 flash flood relief channels need treatment.

Air quality

According to a 2011 World Health Organization (based on Chinese statistics), Xining has the second worst air quality (annual mean PM10 ug/m3 of 141) among eleven western China cities, and is worse than Beijing (121).

Economy

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Xining_skyline.jpg" caption="View of partial Xining skyline from the north"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Plateau_Pearl_Sightseeing_Tower_-_Xining.jpg" caption="Plateau Pearl Sightseeing Tower"] ::

The GDP per capita was 49,200 RMB (US$7,897) in 2015. Its main industries are wool spinning and textiles, fur, meat, milk, salt, and light processing industries.

Economic and Technological Development Zones

Xining Economic & Technological Development Zone Xining Economic & Technological Development Zone XETDZ) was approved as state-level development zone in July 2000. It has a planned area of 4.4 km2. XETDZ lies in the east of Xining, 5 km away from downtown. The XETDZ is the first of its kind at the national level on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is established to fulfill the nation's strategy of developing the west.

XETDZ enjoys a convenient transportation system, connected by the Xining–Lanzhou expressway and run through by two main roads, the broadest roads of the city. It is 4 km away from the railway station, 15 km from Xining Airport.

It focuses on the development of following industries: chemicals based on salt lake resources, nonferrous metals, and petroleum and natural gas processing; special medicine, foods and bio-chemicals using local plateau animals and plants; new products involving ecological and environmental protection, high technology, new materials as well as information technology; and services such as logistics, banking, real estate, tourism, hotel, catering, agency and international trade.

Demographics

According to the 2020 Chinese census, the prefecture-level city of Xining has a population of 2,467,965 inhabitants (compared to 2,208,708 as of the 2010 Chinese census), of whom 1,954,795 lived in the built-up (or metro) area made of 5 urban districts.

At present, four districts, three counties and a national economic and technological development zone are under the administration of the local government. With a population of more than two million, Xining is the first city on the upper reaches of the Yellow River to achieve a population in the millions.

Ethnic diversity

There are about 37 nationalities living here, though only the Han, Hui, Monguor/Tu and Tibetans are numerically significant. Local traditions and customs are influenced by the Tibetans, Monguor, Muslims and Han. In the 2010 Census numbers, Han Chinese represent 74.04 percent of the total population of Xining, while Hui (16.26 percent), Tibetan (5.51 percent) and Tu (2.6 percent) are the main minority groups in the city.

Religion

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/塔尔寺02.jpg" caption="Kumbum Monastery"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Dongguan_mosque_Xining.jpg" caption="The [[Dongguan Mosque"] ::

Located in the southwest part of Xining City, the Kumbum Monastery or Ta'er Monastery is one of six famous monasteries in the Gelug (also called Yellow Hat Sect) of Tibetan Buddhism and has hundreds of monks.

Having a history of over 600 years, the Dongguan Mosque, located in the Xining City Zone, is one of the most famous mosques in the northwest region of China. It has splendid and diversiform towers, walls and halls in the mosque.

Another unique religious structure is the Beishan Si (North Mountain Temple), a Taoist facility.

There are more than 300 Christian meeting points in Xining.

The Catholic minority is pastorally served by the (pre-diocesan) Apostolic Prefecture of Xining.

Administrative divisions

The municipality oversees seven districts and counties. The data here are presented in km2 and in population according to 2010 Census:

::data[format=table] | Map | Name | Simplified Chinese | Hanyu Pinyin | Area (km2) | Population (2010) | Density (/km2) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | | | | | | | | | Urban | | | | | | | | Chengzhong District | 城中区 | zh | 11 | 296,987 | 26,999 | | | Chengdong District | 城东区 | zh | 115 | 359,688 | 3,128 | | | Chengxi District | 城西区 | zh | 79 | 242,627 | 3,071 | | | Chengbei District | 城北区 | zh | 138 | 299,002 | 2,167 | | | Suburban | | | | | | | | Huangzhong District | 湟中区 | zh | 2,430 | 437,835 | 180 | | | Rural | | | | | | | | Huangyuan County | 湟源县 | zh | 1,609 | 136,632 | 85 | | | Datong Hui and Tu Autonomous County | 大通回族土族自治县 | zh | 3,090 | 435,937 | 139 | | ::

Education

Colleges and universities

Private schools

Xining International Academy is an English-language international school.

Transportation

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/Street_of_Xining.jpg" caption="Jianguo Avenue in Xining, prior to 2013 reconstruction of the railway station"] ::

Xining is situated in a fertile mountain basin in the valley of the Huangshui (river), a tributary of the Yellow River, that acts as a river port. The city lies about 200 km west of Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu province, on what was traditionally the main trade route from northern China into Tibet and the Qaidam Basin. These routes are now followed by modern highways.

Railway

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Xining_railway_station_indoors.jpg" caption="Inside the [[Xining railway station"] ::

Since 1959 Xining station has been connected by the Lanzhou–Qinghai Railway to China's railway network. Later, this railway was extended into the Qaidam area via Haiyan near Qinghai Lake to Golmud, and, since 2006, to Lhasa, Tibet. (See the Qinghai–Tibet Railway).

The second major railway serving Xining is the Lanzhou–Xinjiang High-Speed Railway, opened in December 2014. When first opened, it just provided high-speed train service to Lanzhou and Urumqi (and points in between). With the opening of the Baoji–Lanzhou high-speed railway on July 9, 2017, it has been connected to the rest of the nation's high-speed rail network.

Unlike many other Chinese cities, where the conventional and high-speed trains stop at different train stations, Xining railway station is served by both types of trains. Thus it can be used as a transfer point for e.g. a passenger traveling from Xinjiang to Tibet.

Air

Xining Caojiapu International Airport serves the area with regularly scheduled passenger flights to major Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Chengdu, Kunming, Xi'an, and Wuhan.

Highway

Food

Xining's cuisine is distinct from other Chinese cities and mainly uses food products native to the area.

Local specialties include: Feng'er Liji (a round lamb tenderloin), Danbai Chongcao Ji (a medicine cuisine made of chicken, Chinese caterpillar fungus and eggs), and Jinyu Facai (pork wrapped in flagelliform nostoc and shaped as a goldfish).

There are also many small restaurants offering noodles. Gan Ban is a very common noodle dish. Perhaps Mian Pian, which means "noodle leaves" is the most common noodle plate among the Qinghai people. On the streets, many Muslims sell spicy lamb brochettes. Due to the cold climate, residents of Xining are also fond of strong spirits; Xining has the reputation of being one of the regions of heaviest alcohol consumption in China.

Notes

References

"China: Qīnghăi (Prefectures, Cities, Districts and Counties) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map".
青海省统计局、国家统计局青海调查总队. (August 2016). "《青海统计年鉴－2016》". [[China Statistics Press]].
"Xining". [[Oxford University Press]].
"Illuminating China's Provinces, Municipalities and Autonomous Regions". PRC Central Government Official Website.
"China: Qīnghăi (Prefectures, Cities, Districts and Counties) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map".
[http://www.xining.gov.cn/English/English_1.html] {{webarchive. link. (September 29, 2007)
["Silk Road, North China Northern Silk Road, North Silk Road] Ancient Trackway : The Megalithic Portal and Megalith Map". Megalithic.co.uk.
(1979). "China's inner Asian frontier: photographs of the Wulsin expedition to northwest China in 1923". The Peabody Museum, distributed by Harvard University Press.
Graham Hutchings. (2003). "Modern China: a guide to a century of change". Harvard University Press.
link
"1941：日军飞机轰炸西宁--党史频道-人民网".
"怀念我的父亲──韩有文".
http://www.kunlunpai.cn/thread-1211-1-1.html{{dead link. (July 2016)
(3 February 1947). "CITY IN WEST CHINA TO GET PIPED WATER; American 'Sells' Warlord at Sining on System to Aid Health --People Suspect Clear Fluid". THE NEW YORK TIMES.
HENRY R. LIEBERMAN. (15 September 1948). "ENLIGHTENED RULE BOLSTERS TSINGHAI; General Ma, War Lord, Enjoys Passion for Education -- He Taxes as Need Arises". The New York Times.
Greg Rohlf. (2003-10-01). "Dreams of Oil and Fertile Fields". Mcx.sagepub.com.
link. China Meteorological Administration
link. [[China Meteorological Administration]]
"Experience Template". [[China Meteorological Administration]].
"Xining Climate Normals 1991-2020". [[NOAA]].
WHO report OAP_database_8_2011.xls
(2013-11-18). "Xining Economic & Technology Development Zone | China Industrial Space". Rightsite.asia.
(14 May 2011). link. Xining Municipal Bureau of Statistics
"Data from the Sixth National Population Census of the People's Republic of China". Compilation by LianXin website.
"Discovering China: CityScape". Library.thinkquest.org.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::