Tekes Bagua City & Zhaosu: The Circular City and the Heavenly Horse Prairie
Tekes Bagua City & Zhaosu: The Circular City and the Heavenly Horse Prairie
Most cities in the world grow by accident — streets twist, grids collide, and the map reads like a spilled plate of noodles. Then there is Tekes Bagua City (特克斯八卦城), in the Ili River Valley of Xinjiang. From above, it looks like a perfectly drawn eight-pointed star, concentric rings radiating out from a central park, each ring a boulevard, each spoke a numbered street. It is the only city in China planned entirely on the I Ching (Book of Changes) Bagua system — and it is completely navigable without a compass, a traffic light, or a GPS.
If your Xinjiang itinerary leans toward independent travel, Tekes (pronounced roughly “Tek-ess”) is the gateway to one of the region’s most rewarding sub-regions: the southern Ili prairie circuit, where Zhaosu County (昭苏) raises China’s most famous horses and the snow-line of the Tianshan runs so close you can hear glacier water at night.
Tekes Bagua City grassland scenery in Xinjiang Ili region with rolling prairie and distant Tianshan mountains”>
Why Tekes Bagua City Exists — And Why It Matters
The story begins in the 1930s, when Qiu Zongjun, a local garrison commander with a background in feng shui and I Ching studies, proposed a radical idea: lay out the new town according to the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) and the Nine-Palace formation. The plan was adopted in 1937. The result is a city of 4 concentric ring roads (each ring ~800m apart) connected by 8 radial streets named after the eight trigrams — Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, Dui — corresponding to directions, elements, and seasonal energies in the I Ching system.
It is not a gimmick. The layout genuinely works for navigation: if you know which trigram-direction you want, you can orient yourself from any point in the city. And because the central core is a public park (Bagua Park / 八卦公园), the city has a rare inward-facing calm — the traffic flows around the center rather than through it.
In 2001, the layout earned Tekes a place in the Guinness World Records as the world’s largest Bagua-shaped urban plan. It was also recognized by UNESCO’s Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards (special mention) for cultural landscape preservation in 2007.
Getting to Tekes — The Ili Valley Approach
Tekes sits ~80 km south of Yining (the Ili prefectural capital), tucked into a wide river valley at ~1,200 m elevation. The drive from Yining takes 1.5–2 hours via the S220 scenic highway, which itself is worth the trip: apricot orchards, poplar tunnels, and sudden reveals of snow peaks that make you pull over.
From Urumqi: Overnight soft-sleeper train to Yining (12–14 hours), then bus or private car south to Tekes. Flying into Yining (YNJ) is the faster option if you’re short on time — several daily flights from Urumqi (~1.5 hours).
From the south (Kashgar / Aksu side): The route through the Tianshan spine is longer but spectacular. Most independent travelers approach Tekes as part of an Ili loop that also hits Nalati and Gongliu.
Practical note: Tekes has no traffic lights within the old Bagua core. The ring-road system makes them unnecessary — which also makes the city feel oddly peaceful compared to anywhere else in Xinjiang.
The Bagua Layout — How to Walk It and What to Look For
You do not need a guided tour to appreciate the layout, but a basic orientation helps. Start at Bagua Park (八卦公园) in the exact center. A small I Ching culture museum here explains the trigram system in Chinese and basic English. Climb the central pavilion for the overhead view — you can actually see the ring roads branching out.
From the center, walk outward along any radial street. Each ring road you cross marks roughly 800m of distance. The first ring (nearest the center) is mostly parkland and low-rise residential. The second and third rings are where the action is: guesthouses, Uyghur bakeries, small restaurants serving laghman noodles and naan, and the occasional rooftop chaykhana.
Don’t miss: The evening light on the outer ring roads, when the Tianshan ridge turns pink and the street grids cast long shadows. It is one of the most geometrically satisfying urban walks in China.
Sayram Lake scenic area on the way to Tekes Bagua City in Xinjiang Ili region”>
Zhaosu — The Horse County and the Golden Prairie
If Tekes is the geometric curiosity, Zhaosu (昭苏) — 60 km further south — is the raw landscape payoff. At ~1,800 m elevation, Zhaosu County is an alpine basin cradled by the Khan Tengri massif (6,995 m) on the Kyrgyz border. It is famous across China as the home of the “Heavenly Horse” (天马, Tian Ma) — a breed of steppe horse with bloodlines tracing back to Ferghana imports brought along the Silk Road 2,000 years ago.
Why Zhaosu Matters to Foreign Travelers
Three things make Zhaosu worth the extra drive beyond Tekes:
1. The horse culture is real and accessible. Unlike staged “horse shows” at commercial tourist parks, Zhaosu’s horse events happen in actual pastures. The annual Heavenly Horse Festival (typically July) features Kokpar (goat-snatching game on horseback), bani (a kind of horseback tag), and straight-line sprints where the horses hit 60 km/h across the grass. Even outside festival season, many Kazakh family pastures welcome visitors for a ride — negotiate on the spot; typical rates are ¥80–150/hour including a guide leading the horse if you’re a beginner.
2. The grassland scenery rivals Nalati — with fewer crowds. Zhaosu’s prairie is flatter and wider than Nalati’s folded ridges, which means the sky feels bigger. In June-July the meadows are an impossible green studded with wild iris and poppy. In September the same grass turns a copper-gold that photogrpahs like nowhere else in Xinjiang.
3. The mountain backdrop is world-class. On a clear day, the snow line of the Tianshan runs unbroken along the southern horizon. Khan Tengri — technically in Kyrgyzstan but visible from the Chinese side — is the northernmost 7,000 m peak on Earth, and seeing it from a horse saddle in a flower meadow is the kind of travel moment that makes the entire Xinjiang trip worthwhile.
Kalajun Grassland — The Folded Prairie Next to Tekes
Just 15 km east of Tekes town lies Kalajun Grassland (喀拉峻草原), a UNESCO-recognized component of the Xinjiang Tianshan World Heritage Site. Unlike the flat prairie of Zhaosu, Kalajun is a folded-terrain grassland — ridges, ravines, and spur ridges that step down toward the river valley, creating a layered green effect that looks almost sculpted.
Tickets & access (2025–2026 reference):
Entrance + mandatory shuttle: approx. ¥140–160 / person for the full east–west Kalajun circuit. The shuttle hops between viewing platforms; you cannot self-drive inside the scenic zone. Hours: typically 08:00–19:00 (summer).
What to do: The Flower Terrace (鲜花台) platform in June-July is the signature Kalajun photo spot — wildflowers in the foreground, folded green ridges in the middle distance, snow peaks behind. Allow 3–4 hours for the full Kalajun loop if you take the boardwalks at a relaxed pace.
Nalati Grassland scenery near Tekes Bagua City in Xinjiang with rolling green prairie and wildflowers”>
Best Time to Visit Tekes & Zhaosu
| Month | What You Get | Temperature (day) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| May | First green, wildflowers begin, few tourists | 10–20°C | Good for photographers; nights still cold |
| June–July | Peak green, horse festival season, warm | 18–28°C | Busiest time; book accommodation ahead |
| August | Warm, flowers fading, harvesting begins | 15–26°C | Good compromise between weather and crowds |
| September | Golden grass, crisp air, fewer tour buses | 8–20°C | Many consider this the best month |
| Oct–April | Cold, snow possible, limited services | Below 10°C | Not recommended for independent travelers |
Where to Stay & Eat
Tekes town: The Bagua core has mid-range hotels (¥200–500/night) and an increasing number of courtyard guesthouses run by local Hui and Uyghur families. Staying inside the ring-road area means you can walk to food streets and the central park in the evening.
Zhaosu: Accommodation is more basic — functional hotels (¥150–350/night) and a few yurt-stay operations on the prairie edge (¥80–200/person including dinner and breakfast). The yurt stays are rustic: no plumbing, solar lighting, and the toilet is an outhouse 50m away. If that sounds grim, stick to town hotels. If it sounds like exactly what you came for, book a yurt for at least one night.
Food: Tekes is a good place to try Kazakh-style horse-milk fermented drink (kumiss / 马奶子) — an acquired taste, but culturally significant. Zhaosu’s specialty is whole-lamb roast (烤全羊) shared among a group; order it 3–4 hours in advance through your guesthouse.
Sample 3-Day Tekes + Zhaosu Itinerary
Day 1 — Arrive in Tekes: Morning arrival from Yining. Walk the Bagua core (center → outer rings). Lunch at a local naan bakery. Afternoon visit to Bagua Park and I Ching museum. Sunset from the western outer ring for Tianshan views.
Day 2 — Kalajun Grassland: Full day on the Kalajun circuit (shuttle system). Flower Terrace platform, boardwalk hikes, picnic lunch with provisions from Tekes. Return to Tekes for the night.
Day 3 — Zhaosu Prairie: Morning drive south to Zhaosu (1.5 hours). Horse-riding session arranged through a local pasture family. Picnic lunch on the grass. Afternoon visit to a horse-training ground (ask your guesthouse which family is hosting demonstrations). Return to Tekes or continue south toward the Tianshan border crossing area (permit required).
Practical Tips for Independent Travelers
Permits: Tekes and Zhaosu are NOT in a border zone — no special PSB permit needed for the town areas. However, if you plan to go further south toward the actual Kyrgyz border crossing area, you will need the border permit arranged in Yining or Urumqi.
Cash: ATMs exist in Tekes town, but Zhaosu and pasture areas are increasingly cash-light (in the sense that vendors prefer WeChat Pay, which foreign cards can’t easily top up). Bring sufficient Chinese yuan cash for the rural portion of your trip.
Mosquitoes: In June-July the prairie breeds mosquitoes. Bring DEET 30%+ and consider a lightweight bug-headnet for sunset walks.
Respect: When visiting a Kazakh or Kyrgyz yurt, accept tea if offered (refusing is impolite). Don’t walk in front of someone praying. Ask before photographing people — a smile and a gesture with your camera is the universal ask.
How Tekes Fits Into Your Broader Xinjiang Trip
Tekes works best as part of a 5–7 day Ili Valley loop that also includes Sayram Lake (north of Yining) and Nalati Grassland (east of Tekes). The loop can be driven in either direction; most independent travelers come from Urumqi via the G30 to Yining, then head south to Tekes, and return north via the eastern Tianshan route toward Korla or continue west toward Kashgar.
If your trip is short and you have to choose between Nalati and Tekes/Zhaosu: choose based on your interests. Nalati is more “postcard famous” and has better infrastructure. Tekes/Zhaosu is quieter, culturally deeper, and geometrically unique. The ideal solution, of course, is to spend the extra days and do both.
Tekes Bagua City will not be the most famous stop on your Xinjiang itinerary. It might, however, be the one you remember most clearly — the city where the streets make sense, the horses run free on the edge of the map, and the mountains remind you how much world is still unmeasured.