Grasslands: Barkol grasslands in Xinjiang and Xilingol Grassland in Inner Mongolia

Fairy-tale scenery of Barkol grassland in Hami, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, May 14, 2016.[Photo/IC]

Even though summer has come to most parts of China, the rolling Barkol grasslands of Xinjiang have only just entered spring. The blooming Malan flower, the golden edged Mingsha Mountain, and the white snowy Tianshan Mountain look like scenes out of a fairy-tale.Barkol, which means "living place of God" in Kazakh, has various geographical features including mountains, plateaus, basins, deserts, and lakes.

Scenery on Xilingol Grassland,Inner Mongolia.[Photo by Chen Hao/Asianewsphoto]

Xilingol Grassland, which means "rivers on the highlands", is located in Xilinhot city, center of Inner Mongolia. Covering more than 10,786 square kilometers, the grassland is considered one of the most representative grasslands in a temperate climate zone in China. It consists of marshlands, grasslands, sand dunes, and wetlands, with over 1,200 plants growing on the grasslands. Among them, 671 plant varieties are edible, over 400 are herbs, and over 50 are oil bearing corps. The grassland is also home to many animals, including fine-wool sheep, Mongolian oxen, prairie red cows, Ujumuchin sheep, Xilinguole camels and horses, as well as 76 species of birds including swans and larks. When summer comes, it is a wonderful resort for sightseeing and avoiding heat.