Red Hill, 910 meters above the sea level at the highest point, is located in the downtown area, on the east bank of the Urumqi River. Its spectacular shape resembles a mighty wriggling dragon at the very center of the city.

The 1.5-kilometer (km) long and one-km wide hill is reddish-brown, hence its name of Red Hill. Stretching from the east to the west in Urumqi city, the hill is dotted with small pavilions and at the top stands a nine-storied, gray-brick pagoda called Zhenlong Pagoda (Pagoda to Suppress Dragons), 8 meters (26.3 feet) high, facing Yamalike Hill.

According to legend, in 1785 and 1786 the city suffered from severe river flooding, supposedly caused by a vicious dragon. If the two mountains (Red Hill and Yamalike Hill) joined, the Urumqi river would be blocked and drown the city. In 1788, Shang An, Urumqi's governor, had two pagodas built at the top of each hill to suppress the dragon. Now the pagoda still remains intact.

There used to be many famous buildings on the hill. During the time of the nomadic Oyrat Tribe, an "Ebo" - the name for a kind of cairn used by the tribesmen to worship and offer sacrifice to their gods was built here; in the Qing, the Temple of the Jade Emperor, the Temple of the Great Buddha and the Palace of the Dipper were built at the foot of the hill. Those splendid temples used to hold Buddhist activities and attracted swarms of worshippers. Unfortunately warlords later burned them down.

Now with emerald greenery, the Red Hill is a landmark of the city. With a panoramic view on the top, it is one of the best places to enjoy the scenery of Urumqi.

(Author: Jeff)

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