Helan Mountains in Ningxia - By: Grace Fan

Located 17 kilometers northwest of Yinchuan City in Ningxia, the grand Helan Mountains have traditionally served as a natural barricade against desert winds and foreign invaders. Helan means steed in Mongolian. Stretched over 250 kilometers from north to south, Helan Mountains is the dividing line between Ningxia and Inner Mongolia. The whole mountains include 46 peaks and 30 mountain passes. The average elevation of Helan Mountains reach over 2,000 meters and Aobao Geda with the elevation of 3,556 is the highest peak. Aobao Geda also is the place where the ancient Mongolians offer the sacrifice to Heaven.

Helan Mountains, as a geological dividing line, play a positive role in developing Yinchuan Plain as beautiful as Yangtze River and creating a harmonious living place for human. Helan Mountains also curb the desert moving to the east of China. Helan Mountains is rich in kinds of animals and plants and underground mineral resources. There are many age-old and rare trees and more than 170 kinds of wildlife including blue-eared pheasant, red deer, musk deer, lynx which are rare and listed as the key protection species. The blue-eared pheasant is the peculiar species in China which only lives in the area of Helan Mountains.

The area of Helan Mountains has been habited by the various ethnic groups such as Xirong, Hun, Xianbei, Chile, Tujue, Huihu, Dangxiang and Mongolian since the ancient times. The ancient people who lived there also carved their lives and dreams on rocks. According to historical documents, rock paintings paintings were carved by the different nationalities. The creating time of these rock paintings can be roughly divided into two periods. The early ones were carved by nomad of Hun in the pre-Qin days (2100BC-221BC) and Han Dynasty (202BC-9BC). The paintings of later period were made by Dangxiang People. These rock paintings have various themes which include nomadic life, sacrifice to goes, animals and human images as well as knives, axes, stone chains, traps and carts. These artistic signs which reflect the life, customs and thoughts and feeling of ethnic group can be regarded as an encyclopedia of ancient nomadic nationalities of China.

About the Author

Grace Fan is an English editor of ChinaTours.com which offers full range of tour service such as classic China tour package, Yangtze River cruise, first time China holidays, Tibet tours and so on.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Grace-Fan/93589

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