Shihezi

Shihezi sits on the southern rim of the Junggar Basin at the northern foot of the central Tianshan, with the Manas River flowing down from the mountains along its western side. Its name, meaning stony creek, comes from a small spring-fed stream east of town whose bed was full of pebbles. Under the Qianlong emperor the area was opened to farming settlements, and scattered villages grew up that later belonged to Suilai county. Today the city is known for its extensive tree cover, with shelterbelts and canals binding the oasis together at the edge of the gravel plain. From spring creek to oasis city, its character has always depended on Tianshan meltwater meeting the basin's edge.