Shihezi

Shihezi is a young city created by the army. Nearly 60 years ago, Shihezi was a desolate spot in the vast Gobi Desert, little known and uninhabited. In 1950, a special corps of China's army was commissioned to build the- now miraculous city almost in the middle of nowhere. The corps was formally known as the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.
When they arrived in the waste land, there were no houses, no water, no machines, and no roads - nothing. After nearly half a century of living in tents and working hard in extremely poor conditions, they eventually built a brand new city which is now honored with the name "Pearl of the Gobi Desert."
In 2000, it won the "Dubai International Award for Best Practices to Improve the Living Environment," issued by UN-HABITAT.
As you wander through the streets, you won't be able to imagine that the city is actually that young (only 58 years old). It is not only miraculous but also magical.

--Highlights in Shihezi:
1. The Shihezi Army Reclamation Museum
It is a good place to learn about the city's history. The museum is the former residence of the 22nd corps. It has been repaired and turned into a museum, officially opening in October, 1995. The museum is divided into three exhibition halls. The hall to the left of the entrance is the "the Ancient Shihezi" exhibition hall, where earthenware pots, stoneware, fossils and bronze ware are exhibited. Turn right at the entrance and you'll see the second exhibition hall that exhibits the farming tools, and clothes worn by the people as they reclaimed the barren land into a modern garden city. The third hall, "Extending Footsteps," showcases the city's recent developments. The museum is actually a miniaturized Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and a window to the Xinjiang Reclamation project. It is now open to visitors free of charge.

2. Beihu Lake Park
The lake park was originally called the Daquan Valley because of the large number of springs there. In 1985, the Shihezi city government developed it into a tourist zone and named it Beihu Lake Park. While enjoying the clear water, the winding corridors, the pavilions, and the weeping willows swaying in the breeze, you can imagine that you are in a southern city like Suzhou or Hangzhou. While sitting in the Lake View Pavilion, you can appreciate the blue rippling water with the snow-capped peaks of the Southern Mountains in the distance. You can also tour the lake by yacht or boat and there is a restaurant on the waterside, where fresh fish is served. If you go there on July 16, you can join the "Beihu Lake Festival" along with the people from Shihezi and the surrounding areas. Ethnic activities and performances will also be held on that day.