Qinghai, located in the northwest of the motherland, was selected by netizens as the city with the lowest sense of existence in China. It is true that although the area of Qinghai Province has reached 720000 square kilometers, ranking the fourth in the country, the population is less than 6 million, and the natural environment is relatively poor, and the economy is not very developed. Last year, the province’s GDP was only 3346 yuan. Under the current situation, it can only be described by performance.
Qinghai Province has a low sense of existence in China, and the cities and counties under its jurisdiction can only be more low-key. Take Delingha City for example. Although it is the capital of Haixi Prefecture, it has little reputation in the mainland. It is located in the northwest of Qinghai Province, in the Qaidam Basin, which enjoys the reputation of “the cornucopia”, and is far away from the provincial capital Xining. It is more than 500 kilometers and nearly 6 hours’ drive.
Delingha, a transliteration of the Mongolian word “Aleteng Delingha”, meaning “Golden World”, has a long history. It was once the main post station of the South “Silk Road”. When Mongolia rose in the 13th century, it was under the jurisdiction of the “Tubo and other propaganda and consolation departments” of the Xuanzheng Yuan. After the 1950s, it had several ups and downs. Finally, it was separated from Ulan County in 1988 to set up Delingha City.
Delingha has a history of less than 35 years since the establishment of a county-level city. It should be regarded as a very young city, with a jurisdiction area of 27700 square kilometers and an urban area of only 40 square kilometers. Although it is the seat of the capital of Haixi Prefecture, the permanent population is not large, less than 100000, and it is not as large as the population of the larger towns in the mainland.
Delingha is located at the edge of the desert, surrounded by the Gobi Desert. The vegetation in the city is very lush, and the environment is very beautiful. Both the streets and alleys are covered with green vegetation. Its density and variety are not inferior to many well-known cities in the mainland. According to statistics, the forest coverage rate of the whole city is more than 10%, among which Gahai Wetland Park, Bayin River, and Suoshuo Forest Nature Reserve are all at the national level, which is not easy.
Perhaps because of the young city, Delingha’s urban area is also very beautiful. The “ten horizontal and ten vertical” road framework covers the entire planning area. The urban area is horizontal and vertical, which is quite standardized. Cleaning is also a highlight. The main road is not mentioned, that is, the back streets and alleys are rarely seen with yellow sand, let alone garbage. It makes people feel clean and tidy. Walking on the street, they feel relaxed and happy.
Delingha’s most enjoyable thing is the slow pace of life. Although the income is not high, the pace of life is slow, especially for the elderly. After dinner, the old friends who have been around for many years, take the erhu, come to the square and play a song. It is very beautiful. In their own words, this is Delingha’s slow life, which is really enviable, don’t you think?