🌊 Yili River Scenic Area

"The Yili River, the lifeblood of the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains, the vital artery of the 'Jiangnan Beyond the Frontier.'" — Record of Waterways in the Western Regions

Located approximately 16 kilometers east of Yining City in the Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the scenic area stretches along Provincial Road 313 (formerly the G218 auxiliary route), spanning the border region between Yining City and Chabuchar County of the Xibe Autonomous County. It is a nationally designated water conservancy scenic area and an autonomous region-level key cultural-ecological tourism zone, developed around the mid-reach section of the Yili River—the most voluminous international inland river in China.

📜 Historical Evolution: A Thousand-Year-Old Silk Road Waterway, a Corridor of Multi-Ethnic Coexistence

• Han to Tang Dynasties: The Yili River Valley was the heartland of the ancient state of Wusun. As recorded in the Book of Han – Treatise on the Western Regions, “The Wusun Kingdom had its capital at Chigu City… overlooking the Yilie River,” where “Yilie” is the ancient name for Yili. During the Tang Dynasty, the Kunling Protectorate was established, making the Yili River a lifeline for military garrisons and trade caravans of the Anxi Protectorate in northern frontier regions.

• Qing Dynasty Prosperity: After the pacification of Dzungaria in 1759, the Qing court built Huiyuan City (present-day Huiyuan Town, Huocheng County) along the Yili River and established the Ili General’s Office, which governed all areas north and south of the Tianshan Mountains. The Yili River became the core water system for military farming, border settlement, and migration policies. Along its banks stood Manchu military camps, Xibe garrisons, and grazing lands of the Chahar Mongols.

• Modern Witness: Following the signing of the Treaty of Ili between China and Russia in 1881, certain sections of the Yili River became the Sino-Kazakh boundary (downstream portion). Remnants of Qing-era boundary markers still remain at the mouth of the Horqin River. Starting in the 1950s, major national projects such as the Yamadu Hydropower Hub were constructed along the main stem of the Yili River, laying the foundation for modern water resource management.

⚠️ Note: The scenic area is not centered on ancient city ruins or palace complexes. Instead, it is a linear riverside cultural corridor rooted in natural river landscapes and enriched by historical human narratives. Its value lies in the living transmission of civilizational memory across the watershed.

🏯 Core Landscapes and Cultural Relics

🌉 Iconic Riverbank Structures

• Yili River Bridge (New Bridge)
  Spanning 1.2 kilometers, this modern cable-stayed bridge opened in 2017 and serves as a critical crossing point along Provincial Road 313. Illuminated at night, its reflection in the river creates a breathtaking visual effect, making it a top destination for photography and sightseeing.

• Yili River Sunset Viewing Platform (East Bank Scenic Garden)
  Built atop a natural riverbank slope, the platform features wooden walkways, rest pavilions, and a bronze relief wall inscribed with the Ode to the Yili River and pictorial legends of ethnic groups including the Wusun, Xibe, and Kazakhs related to river life.

🪙 Significant Cultural Relics and Sites (within or adjacent to the scenic area)

• Qing Dynasty Kalen Ruins (Three Verified Sites)
  The surviving remains of Abulong Kalen, a rammed-earth fortification about 3.5 kilometers from the viewing platform, dates back to the Qianlong era. Its clear earthen foundations were listed in 2013 among the immovable cultural relics of Ili Prefecture.

• Xibe Westward Migration Commemoration Grove
  A row of century-old poplar trees planted along the riverbank, accompanied by stone inscriptions depicting the theme of westward migration. This grove commemorates the 1764 journey of over 4,000 Xibe soldiers and civilians who traveled thousands of miles from Shengjing (Shenyang) to defend the frontier. A stele inscribed with the poem "Marching Ten Thousand Li to the Battlefield" stands here (erected in 2004).

• Chabuchar Grand Canal Inlet Site
  A large-scale irrigation intake dug by Xibe villagers in 1958, hailed as the "New Dujiangyan" of modern times. Now recognized as an autonomous region-level patriotic education base (located about 5 kilometers west of the scenic area’s entrance, serving as a linked visitation site).

🌿 Cultural Significance: A Model of Integrated Civilization Across the Watershed

| Dimension | Interpretation | |---------|----------------| | Ecological Value | The Yili River has an average annual runoff of 11.8 billion m³, accounting for 19% of Xinjiang’s total water resources. It sustains the only inland wetland ecosystem in the Eurasian continent interior, providing critical habitat for more than 100 bird species, including egrets, cormorants, and black storks. | | Ethnic Narrative | Thirteen indigenous ethnic groups—including Han, Kazakh, Uyghur, Xibe, Hui, and Mongol—have settled along the riverbanks, forming a symbiotic model of “living by water and grass, thriving through water management.” The Xibe word for “Yili” means “plowshare,” symbolizing cultivation and hope. | | Silk Road Legacy | As the main waterway of the northern route of the ancient Silk Road, it once carried jade, silk, horses, and spices. Poet Cen Shen of the Tang Dynasty wrote in his verse: “Do you not see the horsemen riding through snowbound deserts by the sea, where vast yellow sands stretch endlessly into the sky?”—a vivid depiction of this region’s landscape. | | Contemporary Symbolism | Selected in 2021 as a national case study for high-quality development of water scenic areas, embodying the principle that “clear waters and green mountains are invaluable assets” in multi-ethnic border regions. |

🧭 Practical Travel Information

📍 Location & Transportation

• Address: 16 km east of Yining City, along Provincial Road 313 from K28+500 to K35+200 (starting at Yili River Bridge, ending at the extension entrance of Kazanqi Folklore Street)
• By Car: Drive east from downtown Yining City along Provincial Road 313—approximately 20 minutes. Use navigation apps to search for “Yili River Sunset Viewing Platform” or “East Bank Parking Lot of Yili River Bridge”
• By Bus: Take Route 3 or Route 11 buses in Yining City and alight at “Yili River Bridge Stop,” then walk 300 meters to reach the site

🕒 Opening Hours

• Open year-round, free admission
• Daytime access: 08:00–20:00 (summer hours extend to 21:30 due to later sunsets—ideal for viewing)
• Nighttime restrictions: Vehicles prohibited from entering riverside walking zones after 22:00

🛑 Important Tips

• Riverbank mudflats are soft and unstable; avoid entering unmarked areas, especially during rainy season (May–July), and heed flood warnings;
• Respect local ethnic customs; always seek permission before photographing herders or religious sites;
• No commercial accommodations within the scenic area—recommended stay in Yining City (e.g., Six-Star Street or Kazanqi Folk Tourism Zone);
• 📸 Best photo moments: 30 minutes before sunrise (misty morning haze) and 40 minutes after sunset (blue hour).

🌟 Closing Reflection: The Yili River Scenic Area does not rely on ornate architecture but instead unfolds like a vast scroll woven from mighty currents, boundless skies, centuries of boat tracks, and the rising smoke of diverse communities. It is a flowing chronicle, an endless frontier ballad—only by standing quietly beside the water, listening to the wind rustling through reeds and watching clouds glide over snow-capped peaks, can one truly understand what it means to behold “the Jiangnan beyond the frontier, the magnificent beauty of Yili.”