Heicheng Ruins

The Heicheng Ruins, also known as Khara-Khoto Ruins, were once the site of Heishui City in the Western Xia Dynasty and later became Yijinai Road City in the Yuan Dynasty. The Heicheng we see today was expanded during the Yuan Dynasty. It is a rectangle, 470 meters long from east to west and 384 meters wide from north to south, with a total area of 180,500 square meters. Nearly 2,000 people lived here in the past. As the most intact and largest ancient city ruin left on the ancient Silk Road, it is also an important historical site linked to Western Xia culture. That is why it is a great place for people who love Western Xia culture. It should be noted that the Heicheng Ruins may be closed irregularly for cultural relic rescue work, so it is necessary to check in advance whether it has reopened to visitors. Currently, the Heicheng Ruins announced its reopening in mid-September 2025.

Highlights of Heicheng Ruins

Historical and Cultural Relics

First built in the Western Xia Dynasty (9th century AD), the Heicheng Ruins were an important military fortress and trade hub for the Western Xia. Later, it was expanded in the Yuan Dynasty, turning into a transportation hub that links the Central Plains and Mobei (the northern grasslands of ancient China). The city walls we see now were expanded in the Yuan Dynasty. They are rectangular, with a circumference of about 1 kilometer. Workers made these walls by tamping loess, and what's left of them is about 9 meters high. There are gates on the east and west sides, and each gate has a barbican (a defensive outwork) built next to it. Inside the city, you can still faintly see remains of government offices, mansions, granaries, Buddhist temples, houses and streets. Outside the city, at its southwest corner, there is also a Muslim Gongbei (a mausoleum for Muslim saints). All these relics show Heicheng's past glory and let visitors feel how history has changed over time.

Iconic Stupa

Iconic Stupa

A stupa (about 13 meters tall) has been preserved at the northwest corner of the city, and it is the iconic structure of Heicheng. This stupa has a unique shape. When bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, it looks even more mysterious and solemn. Whether at sunrise or sunset, this spot is an excellent place for taking photos. The golden light shines on the stupa, creating silhouettes full of atmosphere—attracting many visitors to come and take photos here.

Unique Desert Landscape

Surrounded by huge, endless sand dunes, the Heicheng Ruins sit in the desert. Visitors can come here to enjoy the desert's vastness and bleak look, and get a feel for its special charm. The ruins and the desert set each other off, which makes a one-of-a-kind view. The sand dunes' lines and the ruins' outline go well together—any photo you take here will look nice. What's more, the desert gets much hotter during the day and colder at night. This special weather also gives visitors a different kind of experience.

Educational Value

As a key stop on the northern route of the ancient Silk Road, the Heicheng Ruins are a "physical record" of military, trade and cultural exchanges from the Western Xia to the Yuan Dynasty. Its educational value first lies in the vivid presentation of historical details. Most people's understanding of Western Xia civilization only stays at the level of written records. However, the existing rammed-earth city walls, government office foundations and remaining Buddhist temple walls of Heicheng, as well as the unearthed cultural relics like historical documents, Buddhist sutra scrolls and trade records, allow visitors to directly understand the Western Xia's feature of "founding the state through military strength and prospering the country through commerce".

Activities to do at Heicheng Ruins

AR Digital Interactive Experience： It's hard to visit the original Heicheng Ruins in depth, because they're damaged by sand and need to be protected for cultural relics. But you can go to the Hecheng Ruoshui Populus Euphratica Scenic Area—it's a 1:1 copy of the Heishui City Ruins—to learn more about Western Xia culture. When you get to the scenic area, scan the special QR code at the entrance. This will activate your "Populus Euphratica Guardian" identity. The AR virtual guide "Xiao Yang" will tell you about the scenic area and give you an electronic checkpoint passport. In the replica area of Heicheng Ruins, scan the relics and you'll see AR-made scenes. These scenes show what Heishui City was like in its busy days during the Western Xia Dynasty. You can also solve puzzles to collect clues about Western Xia cultural relics and get the "Archaeologist" achievement.