Jingbian

A county town on the southern edge of the Mu Us Desert in northern Shaanxi, with the wave-like Danxia cliffs of Longzhou and the White City ruins of Tongwan, capital of the Xiongnu's Great Xia state, standing on the steppe.

Jingbian County lies in the southwest of Yulin City, Shaanxi Province, on the southern edge of the Mu Us Desert where it meets the Loess Plateau. The north is sand and grassland, while the south is gullied loess ridges, and the Ming Great Wall crosses the county. Two highlights stand out. About 22 km southeast of the county seat, the Longzhou Danxia Wave Valley has red sandstone carved into layered waves. About 45 km north of town, the Tongwan City ruins are the white rammed-earth capital of the Xiongnu's Great Xia state, standing amid the sand.

The best season is May to October. Summer averages around 22°C, good for escaping the heat. The Danxia colors are richest after rain and at dusk. Spring brings strong winds and sandstorms, and winter is cold and dry.

Plan 1–2 days. On day one, visit the Wave Valley and watch the sunset. On day two, head north to Tongwan City, and on the way back stop at Jinji Sand to the west for desert and lakes. If you are interested in revolutionary history, visit the Xiaohe Conference Site to the southeast, and on the way see the Zhenjing Fort section of the Ming Great Wall.

Getting there: Jingbian Station has trains to Xi'an, Yinchuan and Yan'an, and the Jingbian Expressway exit is close to town. Yulin is about 2 hours away and Yan'an about 2.5 hours. Sights are spread out, so self-driving or a hired car is essential. Local specialties include lamb, buckwheat noodles, stewed lamb offal and Shaanbei potato cakes.

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