# Riyue Mountain (日月山)

Xining, Qinghai Province · Northwest, China · Guidebook rating: 3/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/riyue-mountain
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Admission:** ¥50 (15 April–15 October); ¥30 (16 October–14 April of the following year)
- **Opening hours:** 9：00—17：00
- **Time needed:** 1–3 hours
- **Getting there:** Take a bus from Xining to the county seat of Huangyuan, then charter a car to the mountain.
- **Good for:** History & Culture, Photography, Nature

## About Riyue Mountain

The story of Princess Wencheng made Riyue Mountain famous. It is the necessary gateway to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, so it is also known as the “Western Sea Screen” and the “Gateway to the Grasslands.” From the summit, looking east, you see a pastoral landscape; looking west, you see the bright and beautiful Qinghai Lake. The two views are entirely different. Legend says that when Princess Wencheng passed this mountain on her way to Tibet, she climbed the peak and looked east, no longer able to see her hometown of Chang’an. Overcome with sorrow, the empty mirror she carried fell to the ground and split in two, turning into the golden sun and the silver moon. At the foot of Riyue Mountain, the Daotang River winds along a unique course and is worth a stop on the way.

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 709. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
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