Red Hill

Red Hill,910 meters high,on the east bank of the Urumqi River,there is a panoramic view of the city.The reddish-brown hill is dotted with small pavilions and the nine-storey grey-brick Zhenglong Pagoda (Pagoda suppress Dragons),which figures prominently in the folklore of Urumqi.In 1785 and 1786 the city suffered from severe river flooding caused,it was rumoured,by a big red dragon that had settled here,turned into a mountain and was clawing its way towards the opposite Yamalik Hill.If the two mountains joined,the Urumqi River would be blocked and drown the city.So in 1788,Governor Shang An built two pagodas to placate were numerous other pagodas built on Hong Shan,which became a holy Buddhist center.However,many were burnt down by the warlords who later ruled the city.