Helan Mountain Rock Art

贺兰山岩画

Thousands of prehistoric rock carvings on the cliffs of Helankou Gorge, with the “Sun God” as the masterpiece. Wild bharal often appear in the gorge, and the Han Meilin Art Museum is nearby.

Helan Mountain Rock Art is located at Helankou, about 50 km northwest of central Yinchuan. It is a gorge cutting deep into the Helan Mountains. Roughly 6,000 rock carvings are scattered across its cliffs and the terraces at the mouth of the gorge. They date from the Neolithic period through the Western Xia and depict human faces, the sun, hunting, herding, and animals. They are a “history book” left by the nomadic peoples of northern China and are a National Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit. The most famous is the “Sun God,” a human face carved high on the cliff with radiating lines like sunrays. There are also many images of sheep, deer, tigers, horses, and handprints.

How to visit: Admission is about 70 yuan, including the shuttle bus. First visit the Yinchuan World Rock Art Museum to learn about rock art around the world and in the Helan Mountains. Then take the shuttle to the gorge entrance and walk the trails along both sides of the gorge, where the carvings are numbered and marked (about 2 km, 1.5 hours round trip). Near the mountain spring streams, herds of wild bharal often come down to drink, and they are used to people and can be observed up close. At the mouth of the gorge is the Han Meilin Art Museum, which displays works by artist Han Meilin inspired by rock art (free admission).

Getting there: A chartered car from the city takes about 1 hour. It can be combined with Western Xia Tombs and Zhenbeipu Western Film Studio as a one-day trip along the eastern Helan Mountains. Typically, visit the rock art first, then the film studio and Western Xia Tombs, and watch the sunset there.

Tips: Many carvings are high on the cliffs, so bring a telephoto lens or binoculars. Do not touch the carvings or make rubbings. The gorge has snakes and bees, so stay on the trails. In summer afternoons, flash floods are possible, so avoid going deep into the gorge on rainy days.

Helan Mountain Rock Art

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