A journey to adventure and warm hospitality
China DailyA sea of lavender provides a perfect backdrop for tourists in Ili. An elegant, blue horse-drawn carriage makes its way along the road, the rhythmic clopping of hoofs blending with the jingle of bells that echo through the air. It's a novel and certainly a relaxing way for tourists to explore the lanes and corners of the Kazanqi folk tourism area in Yining city, Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Home to about 300 examples of different styles of architecture dating back to the Qing Dynasty, Kazanqi is known for the seemingly ubiquitous blue color of its doors, windows, columns, porches and walls. Many of the area's residents are from the Uygur ethnic group and they have kept their customs, while other residents are from ethnic groups such as the Hui and the Kazak.