吴忠市

Why this place

Wuzhong is a Hui-autonomous prefecture in the Yellow River oasis of Ningxia, and it is the most culturally Hui part of the region — mosque architecture, Muslim food and the old caravan-town culture of the Hexi corridor's edge.

What to see

• The Tongxin Great Mosque — a Ming-era mosque in Chinese architectural form
• The Yellow River irrigation canals and the old oasis towns
• The Hui villages and the dune country at the edge of the desert

What to eat

• Hui cuisine in its Ningxia form: hand-grabbed mutton, beef noodles, 'youxiang' fried cakes
• Wuzhong is known for its 'yanchi' tan sheep and its goji berries

Best time

May–October