Yinchuan (Chinese: 银川, pinyin: Yínchuān) is an urban district in China, the capital of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The name means “Silver Stream”.

Geography
Yinchuan is located in the north of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Republic, between the Yellow River and the Helanshan mountain range, near the Gobi deserts.
The climate in the urban area, located at an altitude of about 1100 m above sea level, is moderate. The average annual temperature is about +8.5°C, precipitation is about 200 mm per year.

History
In ancient times, various tribes roamed these places. When in the III century BC. e. The Qin kingdom created the first centralized empire in the history of China, then it launched an attack on these lands, and they were administratively included in the Beidi district (北地郡).
Under the Western Han Empire in 24 BC. e. in these places, the peasant city of Beidian (Chinese: 北典, pinyin: Běidiǎn) was founded, from which the history of Yinchuan begins. In the II century, these places were captured by the Huns, and for a long time came under the rule of nomads.
In the second half of the 4th century, these places became part of the state of Early Qin, which united almost the entire northern China, and then – in the state of Late Qin. In 407, the Huns created the state of Great Xia here. Subsequently, this territory was captured by the troops of the Northern Wei, who defeated the Great Xia. Under the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Huaiyuan County (怀远县) of Huaiyuan County (怀远郡) was established here. Under the Tang Empire in 677, the administrative center of Huaiyuan was washed away by a flood, and in 678 a new settlement was founded to the west of its former location.
At the end of the existence of the Tang empire, the Tangut leader Toba Simi, for his help in suppressing the uprising, Huang Chao received in 886 the title of jiedushi of the Dingnan military region (定难军). He managed to stay away from the turbulent events of the era of the Five Dynasties and 10 Kingdoms, and after the unification of the country by the Song Empire, the next hereditary jiedushi Li Jipan in 982 recognized the supremacy of the new empire, but his younger brother Li Jiqian seized control of the Yinzhou region, and then recognized power Sun then rebelled against her. In 1020, Li Jiqian’s son Li Deming moved his capital from Lingzhou to Huaiyuan Township, and renamed Huaiyuan County to Xingzhou Province (兴州). In 1038, Li Jiqian’s grandson Li Yuanhao proclaimed himself emperor of Xi Xia, and elevated the Xingzhou area to Xinqing City Council (兴庆府), later renamed Zhongxing City Council (中兴府).
In 1205, attacks on the state of Xi Xia by the Mongols began, united under the rule of Genghis Khan; due to Mongol raids in 1209, the Tanguts moved the capital of their state to Khara-Khoto. In 1226-1227. during a bloody war, the troops of Genghis Khan crushed the state of Xi Xia; at the same time, in 1227, they first captured the current Yinchuan, and then the new capital of the Tangut state (immediately after its fall, Genghis Khan also died).
After Khubilai established the Yuan Empire, the country was divided into lu provinces. In these places, Zhongxing (中兴路) Province was created, then renamed Ningxiafu (宁夏府路).

Under the Chinese Ming Empire, which replaced the Mongol Yuan Empire, the Ningxia Administration (宁夏府) of Gansu Province was created in these parts. In 1372, due to the threat of a Mongol attack, the council was disbanded, and the population was resettled inland, and these lands were deserted. In 1376, the Ningxia garrison (宁夏卫) was established. Under the Manchu Qing Empire in 1731, these places were badly damaged by a powerful earthquake, the magnitude of which was 8.0 units. In 1724, the Ningxia garrison was again transformed into the Ningxia council, to which the counties of Ningxia (宁夏县) and Ningsho (宁朔县) were subordinate.
After the Xinhai Revolution in China, a reform of the administrative division of the level below the provincial level was carried out, and in 1913 the councils were liquidated, and regions-dao were introduced as an intermediate level between the province and the counties. The region of Ningxia (宁夏道) was created, but then, to avoid confusion with the name of Ningxia County, the region was renamed Shofang (朔方道) after the name of the administrative unit that once existed here; 8 counties were subordinate to the region.
After the Beiyang government was overthrown as a result of the Northern Expedition and the Kuomintang Party ruled China, a new administrative reform was carried out and the regions were liquidated. In 1928, the Kuomintang government announced the creation of six new provinces (Rehe, Chahar, Suiyuan, Ningxia, Qinghai, and Xikang); in these places the capital of the new province was located, which was called the “Provincial City of Ningxia” (宁夏省城).
In April 1944, the provincial capital of Ningxia received its modern name: Yinchuan.
In August-September 1949, decisive battles unfolded on the territory of Northwestern China between the troops of the PLA 1st Field Army under the command of Peng Dehuai and the northwestern militarists, during which the Kuomintang troops suffered a complete defeat. 24 сентября 1949 года части 19-го корпуса (командир — Ян Дэчжи) 1-й полевой армии без боя вступили в Yinchuan. With this victory for the Communists, both Kuomintang rule over the province and Ma Hongkui’s rule ended.
In 1954, Ningxia Province was disbanded and these lands became part of the Yinchuan Special Region (银川专区) of Gansu Province.
On October 25, 1958, the creation of a provincial-level administrative unit, the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, was proclaimed, with Yinchuan as its administrative center; Yongning County was also transferred to the Autonomous Region and came under the jurisdiction of Yinchuan. In 1975, Helan County came under the jurisdiction of Yinchuan.
In 2002, a major reform of the districts of Yinchuan was carried out, and Lingwu County was transferred from the jurisdiction of Wuzhong City to Yinchuan City.

Attractions, tourism
The main attractions of Yinchuan include the mausoleums of the Tangut emperors (西夏王陵), the twin pagodas of Baisykou, the Helanshan petroglyphs; as well as the Haibao Pagoda (Sita), built in the fifth century and restored in 1771, and the city’s modern mosque. Nearby is also a section of the Great Wall of China.
The Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Museum is located in Yinchuan, the exhibits of which tell about the history of the autonomous region and the revolutionary struggle of its inhabitants. The museum also exhibits archaeological finds dating back to the times of the Xi Xia state.
Since 2000, Yinchuan has hosted the International Auto and Motorcycle Tourism Festival, the largest festival of its kind in China.