Qinghai Province

(chiffres)

Introduction

Often called the “roof of the world,” Qinghai Province occupies a high-altitude position on the Tibetan Plateau, making it one of China’s most remote and ecologically unique regions. With more than 6 million people, Qinghai combines vast plateaus, snow-capped mountains, alpine lakes, and river valleys, where nomadic traditions, Tibetan culture, and natural resources converge.

From towns such as Xining, Golmud, and Delingha to pastoral grasslands, Qinghai has long been a land where rugged nature and human resilience intertwine. Its location at the edge of the plateau has ensured its importance as a cultural, religious, and ecological frontier, shaping regional identity for centuries.

Geography and Key Cities

Qinghai features plateaus, mountains, and lakes, including Qinghai Lake, the Kunlun Mountains, and the Tanggula Range, forming natural borders with Tibet, Gansu, and Sichuan. The climate is alpine and semi-arid, with cold winters, mild summers, and strong sunlight at high altitudes.

Xining, the provincial capital, is a transport, administrative, and cultural hub, linking eastern China with the Tibetan Plateau through railways and highways. Golmud serves as a gateway for mineral resources and plateau trade, while Delingha connects to energy and mining development. Other key areas include Yushu, known for Tibetan culture and Buddhist monasteries, and Haixi, rich in natural resources and ethnic diversity.

Qinghai has a long and varied history. The region was significant during the Tibetan Empire and under the Qing dynasty, serving as a frontier for trade, religion, and pastoral nomadism. The area developed through Tibetan and Han cultural exchanges, as well as through the movement of traders and pilgrims across the plateau.

Throughout its history, Qinghai faced harsh climates, frontier conflicts, and cultural integration, with the Qinghai Lake basin shaping local livelihoods and traditions. In modern times, the province developed transportation, mining, and ecological conservation projects, balancing traditional nomadic life with modern infrastructure and tourism.

Historical Background

Nature and Landmarks

Qinghai combines lakes, mountains, and grasslands with historical and religious landmarks. Qinghai Lake, the largest lake in China, attracts migratory birds and pilgrims, while the Kunlun and Tanggula mountains host snow-capped peaks and glaciers. Chaka Salt Lake provides striking reflective landscapes, and the Hoh Xil Nature Reserve shelters endangered species such as wild yaks and Tibetan antelope.

Ancient monasteries, including Kumbum Monastery near Xining and temples in Yushu, reflect Tibetan Buddhist heritage, while grasslands and plateau villages showcase nomadic lifestyles. These landscapes show Qinghai’s dual nature: sacred mountains and lakes alongside settlements resilient to high-altitude life.

Culture and Cuisine

Qinghai’s culture reflects its position on the Tibetan Plateau and its historical role as a crossroads of Tibetan, Han, Mongol, and Muslim communities. Architecture ranges from Tibetan monasteries and traditional homes on the plateau to modern buildings in Xining and Golmud, blending religious, ethnic, and urban elements. Festivals, music, and folk traditions thrive across the province, from Tibetan Buddhist ceremonies and horse races to thangka painting, chanting, and yak herding rituals. Qinghai is deeply associated with nomadic traditions, Buddhism, and plateau crafts, creating a cultural tapestry that blends highland, river, and urban influences.

Linguistically, Mandarin is widely spoken, while Tibetan, Mongolian, and Salar languages preserve centuries of ethnic identity. Traditional arts include thangka painting, wood carving, weaving, and Tibetan music, often reflecting religious, pastoral, and plateau themes.

Qinghai’s cuisine emphasizes barley, dairy, yak meat, and mutton, hearty and suited to cold, high-altitude life. Signature dishes include:

• Tsampa, roasted barley flour, a staple of nomadic diets,

• Yak butter tea, a rich beverage central to Tibetan daily life,

• Barbecued mutton skewers, reflecting pastoral cooking traditions,

• Steamed buns and noodles, often with meat or dairy fillings,

• Qinghai Lake fish, enjoyed fresh or dried in local villages,

• Yak yogurt and cheese, used in soups, teas, and snacks,

• Hot pot with local spices and herbs, suited to high-altitude winters.

Compared with lowland provinces, Qinghai cuisine favors hearty, warming dishes, dairy products, and simple but nourishing flavors, reflecting its plateau geography, cold climate, and nomadic heritage.

Economy and Modern Development

Qinghai is an important ecological and resource-based province. Xining, Golmud, and Delingha developed into hubs for transport, mining, and energy projects during the 20th and 21st centuries, with salt, minerals, hydropower, and renewable energy forming the backbone of the economy. Tourism, especially around Qinghai Lake, Kumbum Monastery, and Chaka Salt Lake, also contributes significantly.

Historically, Qinghai’s economy grew from pastoral nomadism, trade along plateau routes, and religious pilgrimage, later expanding into mining, hydropower, and infrastructure. Despite geographic challenges, Qinghai maintains strong cultural and ecological traditions, balancing modern growth with preservation of nomadic life, sacred sites, and plateau environments.

Qinghai has produced influential figures in religion, scholarship, and local governance. Lamas, monks, and scholars from monasteries in Xining, Yushu, and surrounding areas contributed to Tibetan Buddhist thought and education. Local leaders and reformers supported pastoral livelihoods, resource development, and ethnic harmony.

The province is equally known for nomadic herders, religious practitioners, and ecological advocates, making Qinghai a spiritual, cultural, and environmental beacon. In modern times, Qinghai contributes scientists, conservationists, and cultural promoters who continue to embody its highland and plateau heritage.

People and Notable Figures

Current Trends and Daily Life

Qinghai daily life balances modernity with nomadic traditions. In Xining, residents commute via buses, roads, and rail, shop in markets, and work in administration or energy sectors, while plateau communities focus on herding, farming, and crafts. Festivals, including Tibetan Buddhist ceremonies, horse races, and local fairs, remain central to community life.

Migration shapes the province: many residents travel for work or education, sending remittances home, while younger generations increasingly pursue careers in tourism, energy, education, or technology. Compared with eastern provinces, Qinghai feels remote and traditional, yet its transport networks, tourism, and energy resources connect it with the rest of China.

Practical Travel and Tips

• Best time to visit: Summer and early autumn offer mild weather and blooming grasslands, spring is windy, and winter is cold with snow at high altitudes,

• Getting there: Xining is the main transport hub with railways, highways, and an airport, making Qinghai accessible from major Chinese cities,

• Highlights: Qinghai Lake, Kumbum Monastery, Chaka Salt Lake, Tanggula Mountains, Yushu Tibetan town, Hoh Xil Nature Reserve,

• Local etiquette: Respect religious customs, nomadic traditions, and high-altitude safety,

• Insider tip: Try tsampa and yak butter tea, explore lakeside grasslands, visit monasteries for cultural insight, and acclimate slowly to high altitudes.

Climate

Plant and animal life

Agriculture

Manufacture

Qinghai has a plateau continental climate, with cold, long winters and short, mild summers. Summer temperatures rarely exceed 25°C in most areas, while winter temperatures often drop below −15°C, especially at higher altitudes. Spring and autumn are brief, with large diurnal temperature variations. Compared with eastern provinces, Qinghai is drier, windier, and colder, reflecting its high elevation on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Snowfall is common in winter, and summer brings occasional rainstorms concentrated in lowland valleys. The harsh climate shapes both human settlement patterns and nomadic grazing practices across the province, while high-altitude conditions affect agriculture and transportation.

Qinghai’s geography—from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to high-altitude lakes such as Qinghai Lake—supports unique alpine and steppe ecosystems. Grasslands and wetlands host yak, Tibetan antelope, wild asses, and various migratory birds including bar-headed geese. Alpine meadows and shrublands shelter medicinal plants, Tibetan herbs, and hardy grasses, while Qinghai Lake sustains freshwater fish and waterfowl. Compared with lowland provinces, Qinghai’s flora and fauna are adapted to extreme cold, high UV exposure, and thin air. Seasonal migrations of wildlife and nomadic grazing patterns define the rhythm of life across the plateau.

Qinghai’s agriculture is limited by altitude and climate, focusing on cold-tolerant crops such as barley, wheat, and rapeseed in valleys, while pastoralism dominates on the grasslands. Yak, sheep, and goat herding provide meat, milk, wool, and other products essential to local economies. Qinghai Lake and smaller rivers support limited freshwater fishing. Compared with fertile eastern provinces, Qinghai emphasizes resilient crops and livestock suited to harsh, dry conditions. Traditional farming and grazing techniques have been shaped over centuries to cope with high-altitude challenges, while modern agricultural projects increasingly focus on sustainable practices and niche products like highland barley and Tibetan herbs.

Qinghai combines mineral extraction, energy production, and light industry. Salt, lithium, and rare earth minerals are mined across the province, while hydroelectric and solar energy projects leverage rivers and high-altitude sunlight. Lighter manufacturing, including food processing and wool products, supports local communities. Tourism, especially around Qinghai Lake, Chaka Salt Lake, and Tibetan cultural sites, contributes to the economy. Compared with provinces with diversified industrial bases, Qinghai’s economy is specialized but growing, balancing resource extraction, renewable energy, and cultural tourism, with ongoing investments aimed at improving infrastructure and connectivity with the rest of China.