Otherworldly sights of Yulin take visitors back to the future

To reach Yulin in northern Shaanxi province, I first had to travel to Xi'an.

Xi'an is one of the most famous destinations for international visitors to China thanks to its position as an ancient capital and the resultant palaces and relics.

But upon arrival in Yulin, I saw an equally ancient and futuristic Chinese city, a fascinating and honest representation of the country's development through the past and into the future.

Yulin is home to China's largest Neolithic archeology site, the Shimao Relics, which are the ruins of a city that predates the written records of those who once occupied it.

The city is also home to the northern portion of the Great Wall and its Zhenbei Observatory, one of the wall's largest fortresses, built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Red Rock Canyon, with its picturesque grottoes and riverside paths, harkens back to a simpler time.

Outside the city, I was taken aback by the rugged landscapes of the Ordos Desert. As a result of government efforts to curtail desertification in the region, much of the red earth is covered in scraggly shrubbery, giving the wilderness an almost extraterrestrial atmosphere.

The Longzhou Danxia Landscape Park only intensifies this otherworldly effect. Its dramatic landforms, in bold red against the green grass and blue skies, resemble the Grand Canyon. Viewing platforms stretch down from the road into the wind-blown, winding canyon below.

Likewise, Tongwan city is as impressive as it is eerie. Located just north of Jingbian county, the deserted ancient city stands alone, a white prism rising out of the surrounding red desert.

Once home to Huns some 2,000 years ago, the former city stands on high land overlooking the desert that reaches to the horizon in every direction.

With all its history, Yulin offers a glimpse into where the people of Shaanxi came from. But the city has also played an important role in China's growth into the world power it is today.

The Yulin Exhibition Center, near Century Square and the city's picturesque historic district, focuses on the Yulin's resources and development over the past few decades, starting with Mao Zedong's arrival in the city at the end of the Long March at the end of 1935. A collection of photographs commemorate visits from China's leadership through the years.

The city briefly hosted the Red Army after its yearlong march across the country and it takes pride in its modest claim to fame.

After breaking down the city's governmental history, from dynastic rule to the establishment of the Communist Party, the displays turn to the city's economic present and near future.

As an important center of commerce in the ancient Silk Road region of Northwest China, Yulin is poised to benefit from the new Belt and Road Initiative. Its massive energy and mineral stores have made the city a literal powerhouse for the national economy.

Jingbian county is filled with signs of China's juggernaut economy: chemical plants the size of small towns, new plants for processing cleaner coal and solar farms stretching as far as the eye can see.

Despite its ancient history, Yulin is rife with futurism. Driving from one side of the city to the other, you will see the factories and freshly completed luxury hotels interspersed with classic architecture and historic sights.

One gets a more holistic view of China in Yulin than in other cities. It's a relatively unspoiled city, less famous and thus less accessible than Xi'an, but the rugged desert terrain surrounding the city and the relative lack of tourist kitsch work together to teleport visitors to the heart of China-its past, present and future.

The author is an editor at China Daily. mary@chinadialy.com.cn

(China Daily 10/24/2016 page7)