A small country town, ZHONGWEI is 160km and a few hours by bus to the southeast of Yinchuan near the Yellow River. Historically, the old, walled city of Zhongwei was said to have had no north gate - simply because there was nothing more to the north of here. The city is still in a potentially awkward location, between the fickle Yellow River to the south and the sandy Tenger Desert to the north, but today Zhongwei is surrounded by a rich belt of irrigated fields, and the desert is kept at bay through reafforestation projects. The river outside the town, at Shapotou , is a splendid sight and should definitely be visited if you are in the area.

 

Zhongwei is based around a simple crossroads, with a traditional Gulou (Drum Tower) at the centre. It's small enough to walk everywhere, although there are cycle-rickshaws available to ferry you around. The town has one intriguing sight, the Gao Miao (daily 8am-6pm; ¥3), a quite extraordinary temple catering for any number of different religions, including Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and even Christianity. Originally built in the early fifteenth century, and rebuilt many times, the temple is now a magnificent jumble of buildings and styles. From the front entrance you can see dragon heads, columns, stairways and rooftops spiralling up in all directions; altogether there are more than 250 temple rooms, towers and pavilions. Inside, you need a pretty expert eye to distinguish the saints of the various religions - they all look very much alike. To reach the Gao Miao, walk a few minutes north from the crossroads, and take a left turn down a small lane opposite the Zhongwei Fandian.