By Tao Yongyan&Wang Ruiling

　　Against the backdrop of the majestic Helan Mountains, the Yellow River winds through Yinchuan, the "Pearl of the Frontier," where rich history, ecological beauty, and distinctive industries converge. Aligning public security efforts with the city’s overall development, the Yinchuan police have embraced tourism policing as a key approach. By integrating professional protection, intelligent governance, and people-centered services into the cultural and tourism landscape, they have made security a visible, reassuring presence.

　　Ancient Civilization in Harmony with Modern Ecology
　　At the foot of the Helan Mountains, along the banks of the Yellow River, the Western Xia Imperial Tombs stand solemnly in the morning light, silently bearing witness to a civilization that spanned a thousand years. Known as the "Eastern Pyramids," the site was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in July, 2025. As the royal mausoleums of the Western Xia Dynasty, the tombs represent both a mysterious chapter in history and Yinchuan’s most significant tourist destination.
　　While patrolling at the Western Xia Museum, Bai Yang, a community auxiliary police officer with the Ninghua Road Police Station, often pauses to explain to visitors: "The souvenir you just saw is modeled on this figure. Kalavinka—meaning ‘the bird of wondrous voice’—is believed to sing with the purity of Buddhist music and reflects the unique aesthetics and spiritual beliefs of Western Xia culture."
　　Such fluent explanations are supported by a comprehensive cultural relic protection network built on a smart security platform, integrating "personnel deployment, technological safeguards, and intelligent systems." At the same time, instructor Chen Hao monitors real-time data through the system terminal. His reminder, broadcast through the public address system, urging visitors to observe the drone no-fly zone to protect cultural relics, forms a symbolic dialogue across centuries, ensuring that its historical narrative can be transmitted to the world in a safe manner..
　　Given the vast expanse and dispersed layout of the tomb complex, the Yinchuan police have established a four-tier responsibility system, set up eight fixed duty posts in core areas, and deployed drones, thermal imaging equipment, and other advanced technologies for round-the-clock, multidimensional patrols, thereby making modern technology a shield for ancient civilization.
　　Here, police officers are not only guardians of relics but also communicators of culture. During patrols, they share stories about the mysterious Western Xia script, the ingenuity of tomb architecture, and legends such as the belief that "no grass grows and no birds alight atop the tombs for a thousand years", or that "the full moon conjures ethereal melodies." During flood seasons, they conduct overnight inspections of drainage systems and during peak tourist periods, they mediate disputes, ensuring that visitors can explore the grandeur and mystery of the "Eastern Pyramids" with peace of mind.
　　The World Heritage designation brings responsibility as well as honor. As the largest and best-preserved Western Xia site in China, the tombs have been the focus of archaeological research since the 1970s, yielding a wide range of artifacts that have enriched the broader narrative of Chinese civilization.
　　Legal protection underpins heritage preservation. The Yinchuan police strictly enforce the Regulations on the Protection of the Western Xia Imperial Tombs of Yinchuan, work with multiple departments to define more than 20 protection red lines, establish coordination mechanisms for cultural relic security, and carry out dedicated protection campaigns, safeguarding the roots of civilization through the combined force of law and technology.
　　Not far from the tombs, another example of the "policing + industry" model unfolds. "Zhihui Yuanshi Winery was transformed from an abandoned quarry," said Tian Weihua, an officer from the Zhenbeibu Police Station. "Every brick and stone here comes from recycled materials. It is a paragon of ecological and industrial integration." His voice carried the husky grain born of years working outdoors, yet each word seemed fermented deep within the earth — rich, robust, and resonant. "The ‘wine-plus’ ecological model is especially popular, and Ningxia’s wine is winning over the world." He habitually narrowed his eyes to gaze upon the endless rows of grapevines with the affection of a parent watching over their children.
　　Tian’s story, like the grapevines themselves, is deeply rooted in the land. In August 2024, a tourist accidentally left a valuable camera at the winery. Rather than relying solely on technology, Tian retraced the visitor’s route under the scorching sun while cross-checking details with colleagues by radio. He eventually recovered the camera from a wooden rack outside the fermentation workshop. When returning it, he reassured the tourist that, "Here with us, nothing gets lost."
　　His words reflect the meticulous implementation of the "one enterprise, one officer" mechanism. Tian carries a detailed mental map of the winery and knows it as intimately as a winemaker knows the oak barrels. During patrols, he picks up litter, patiently reminds visitors to stay safe while taking photos, and regularly assists with hazard checks and dispute resolution.
　　"Grapes grow well only when their roots run deep. The same goes for policing," Tian said, describing the essence of the "policing + industry" model. Along the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains—the region’s iconic purple land", thanks to its wine industry—the Yinchuan police have embedded policing services directly into the industrial chain through liaison posts, providing legal support for the healthy development of the wine industry. Like timely sunlight and rainfall, their presence helps the wine industry flourish across this peaceful and hopeful land.
　　Ecological Police Officers in Dialogue with the Mother River
　　Ningxia benefits the most from the Yellow River. Liang Peng views his patrols along the western bank of the Yellow River at the Lijun section in Yongning County as an ongoing dialogue with the Mother River. A community police officer stationed at the ecological joint-service police station in Leitai Central Village, Liang patrols the 4.8-kilometer riverbank at least twice a week. "Patrolling here requires extra care and vigilance," he said, scanning the riverside forest belt.
　　 His duties range from rescuing injured wild birds and discouraging illegal fishing to instructing villagers about wildlife protection laws, dissuading herders from trespassing protected areas, and assisting tourists who stop to admire the scenery. "Anything related to ecological protection or tourism order along the Yellow River falls within our responsibility." As river ecology improves and public awareness grows, fewer reminders are needed, but patrols have become more focused and thorough. The area is now home to more than 40 wild bird species and 37 fish species. Herons and egrets accompany Liang on his patrols, while shelterbelt forests such as Wanghong and Wenzhou serve both as ecological barriers and popular green corridors.
　　Liang is one of 396 ecological police officers in Yinchuan. Together, they form a four-tier ecological policing system covering the city, county, township, and village (or residential community) levels. Five ecological police stations, police–enterprise co-built stations, and six community patrol teams, including the "Golden Yellow River Bank Patrol", work together to safeguard both ecology and tourism. Carrying backpacks filled with brochures, logbooks, and first-aid kits, they share the stories of the Yellow River and spot ecological hazards on patrol, connecting green landscapes with safe journeys.
　　At the Rencun Ferry Site in Leitai Central Village, where the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) crossed in 1949 to liberate the city and where the Yellow River first enters Yinchuan, red revolutionary memory now intersects with navy-blue police uniforms. The ecological police station coordinates with environmental, forestry, and cultural tourism departments to integrate "red heritage, green ecology, and tourism policing," achieving synergy among ecological governance, public security, and tourism services.
　　Once a revolutionary ferry crossing, the site is now a gateway to Yellow River culture. The police’s "Navy blue" and the verdant landscapes blend seamlessly. "We are not only police officers," Liang said. "We are guardians of the Yellow River’s ecology, service providers for the tourism environment, and storytellers of red history."

　　A New Icon Calling Card of the "Silk Road Waystation"
　　Ahead of the Spring Festival to welcome the Year of the Snake, Mangpu Town in Xixia District invited more than 30 foreign experts and international students from Iraq, Russia, Canada, and beyond to its festive celebrations. Participants and tourists tried for the first time writing the character fu (meaning happiness), cutting paper designs, and tasting traditional sugar art, creating a vivid holiday scene adorned with red lanterns and Chinese knots.
　　Yinchuan’s attentive "scenic-area policing" approach reflects their commitment to high-quality institutionalized services. In recent years, guided by the city’s development strategy and rooted in the "Frontier Fengqiao" policing model, they have strengthened the integration of policing with scenic-area management, embedding public security into cultural tourism and social governance, trying to make every visitor feel the comfort of home.
　　During the 7th China–Arab States Expo, police officer Luo Nan, fluent in Arabic, served as a vital bridge in the international exhibition area. Beyond translation, he guided first-time visitors through venue layouts and security procedures and assisted exhibitors unfamiliar with mobile payments. Alongside a 24-hour visa fast-track and full-process support from six multilingual officers, these services—designed to foster friendship and cooperation—demonstrated the Yinchuan police’s "meticulous, refined, and ultimate" approach in safeguarding this national-level event.
　　Service is not limited to grand occasions; it is woven into the fabric of everyday life. On July 14, at the Vehicle Administration Office of the Yinchuan Municipal Public Security Bureau, bilingual officer Yang Weijun assisted Pakistani student Aliyar in converting his driver’s license. To overcome language barriers, Yang taught himself English and compiled a specialized glossary of technical terms. "This service makes me feel truly accepted by the city," Aliyar said.
　　The Yinchuan police are building long-term, sustainable service mechanisms to help make Yinchuan a popular tourist destination and a livable city. Pilot programs offering one-stop processing for work and residence permits, along with the expanded use of the Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card ("Five-Star Card"), have streamlined procedures and made daily life easier for foreign residents. Since Ningxia rolled out the new edition of its card in March 2024, 21 foreign residents have become card-holders, giving them a key to life in the city.
　　Together with the "one enterprise, one officer" mechanism, where police act as advisors to major tourism and cultural projects, initiatives such as the "Yinchuan Enterprise Safety" platform for online dispute resolution and comprehensive digital channels for foreign-related services—complementing offline counters—form a comprehensive policing network. These measures reflect the Yinchuan police’s shift from traditional law enforcement to service-oriented governance that supports development.
　　In this picturesque Oasis of the Frontier, the Yinchuan police, backed by technology and guided by a human touch, bring safety and warmth to every aspect of their work. Every visitor to Yinchuan is welcomed with a sense of home. This quiet, steadfast protection has become one of the city’s most lasting and striking hallmarks.

　　A Living Fairytale of Snow
　　In midwinter, icy winds sweep snow across the ridges of the Helan Mountains, draping Yinchuan—the "Frontier Lakeside City"—in a silvery veil. At Yuehai Ski Resort, Ms. Chen, a tourist from Shaanxi Province, stood on skis for the first time, tense with nerves. Spotting her distress, young patrol officer Wang Ziran skied over and advised: "Ma’am, try heading toward the middle slope. There are fewer people and the snow is softer—it’s safer." Nearby, his colleagues glided steadily across the snowfield, their movements forming a distinctive presence in the white expanse.
　　This winter has seen rising enthusiasm for snow tourism in Yinchuan, with interest growing steadily. Statistics show a significant increase in visitor numbers at ski resorts and winter amusement parks across the city. Behind this surge, the Yinchuan police have fully activated their "tourism protection mode," safeguarding every visitor’s winter dream with both smart technology and human warmth.
　　At 7 a.m. when dawn had barely broken, officer Li Jiang and his colleagues from the Zhangzheng Police Station of the Xingqing Branch had got to the equipment inspection zone of Mingcui Lake Ice and Snow World. They conducted routine safety checks on snowmobiles, ice carts, and other equipment scheduled for operation that day.
　　"The spring on this safety buckle is a bit loose and must be replaced immediately," Li Jiang said, pointing to a ski tow rope. Nodding repeatedly in agreement, the site manager arranged repairs at once. Such scenes have become routine during this snow season. Working together with market supervision and emergency management departments, the Yinchuan police established individualized safety files for 57 pieces of special equipment across the city’s ice-and-snow venues, systematically eliminating 41 safety hazards.
　　Officer Ma Shaolong and auxiliary officer Shao Lipu from the Haibao Park Police Office were patrolling along the shoreline of Beita Lake when they spotted something dangerous. "Look over there! People are heading toward the middle of the river!" Shao said, pointing to several figures in the distance. The two officers immediately sprung from their car, calling out as they ran, "Caution! Thin ice ahead. Stay clear—it’s dangerously unstable!" Ma gestured toward newly installed warning signs by the shore. "Please stay within the designated area. It’s safer and just as fun." This winter, officers carried out 62 such interventions and installed 29 new safety warning signs around hazardous waters across the city.
　　At 3 p.m. on January 2, 2026, Yuehai Ski Resort reached its daily peak. In the command center, a large screen displayed real-time crowd density across the slopes. A yellow alert suddenly appeared at the junction of the beginner and intermediate ski runs, signaling congestion.
　　"Patrol Team Three, proceed immediately to the east side of the beginner slope for crowd diversion," the dispatcher said over the radio. Within just three minutes, three officers from Fengdeng Police Station arrived to guide visitors and ease the flow. Simultaneously, a police drone was deployed, providing aerial monitoring of the entire ski area.
　　"Mom, look up! A police drone!" a little boy exclaimed, pointing to the sky. His father, Mr. Wang, smiled. "That puts my mind at rest, knowing there are watchful eyes on us everywhere." Behind the scenes, a big data platform was conducting real-time analysis of pedestrian and vehicle flows across scenic areas, forecasting potential congestion and deploying officers in advance.
　　As night fell, neon lights lit up the Flower Expo Park. Gao Wei, deputy captain of the Yinchuan Public Security Bureau’s SWAT detachment, patrolled the lantern display area with his well-trained police dog, Lightning. Nearby, a young girl who had been separated from her family stood crying beside the "Soaring Heavenly Horse" lantern installation. Gao knelt down and gently comforted her. "Do you know your parents’ phone number?" With Lightning at her side, the girl gradually composed herself and recited her mother’s number. Ten minutes later, the family was reunited. Grasping Gao’s hand, the girl’s father said gratefully, "Thank you so much. This place is huge and so crowded. I wouldn’t have known what to do without you."
　　Early on New Year’s Day, traffic bound for the Suyukou Scenic Area in the Helan Mountains began to build steadily. At a major intersection, traffic police officer Yang Xiao from the Xixia Second Traffic Brigade was directing vehicles as frost formed along the brim of his cap. Radio reports came in one after another: "Traffic volume rising at the Yinchuan East exit of the Qingyin Expressway. Recommend activating diversion measures." "Parking lots at 70% capacity. Please guide vehicles to temporary parking areas."
　　This winter, the Yinchuan police developed dedicated traffic management plans for each major site. Around scenic areas and ski resorts, more than 180 temporary parking spaces were added to ease parking pressure. Visitors were particularly appreciative of the traffic police’s flexible enforcement approach: for minor violations stemming from unfamiliarity with local roads, officers often issued warnings or reminders rather than fines.
　　On the second day of the New Year holiday, visitors to the Zhenbeibu Western Film Studio Scenic Area were greeted by a striking blue police service station. In addition to standard police equipment, the station was stocked with heat packs, power banks, and basic medical supplies. Around noon, station chief Li Maohua helped a visitor from Beijing recover a mobile phone lost inside the park; later that afternoon, he provided first aid to a college student who had sprained an ankle.
　　"I didn’t expect a police station to offer hot water and phone-charging services—it’s so thoughtful," said a mother visiting with her child. This winter, 23 standardized police service stations (and offices) were set up within major scenic areas across the city, providing thousands of consultations and assistance services and helping recover more than 150 lost items.
　　No sooner had a queuing dispute erupted at the Helan Mountain Rock Art Scenic Area than Officer Li Xiang of the Suyukou Police Station arrived to de-escalate the situation. After patiently hearing both sides, he smiled and said, "You’ve come all this way to enjoy Yinchuan’s snow scenery—don’t let a small issue ruin the day. How about I take a group photo for you here in front of the rock carvings?" Laughter replaced tension, and the disagreement was quickly resolved. By applying and advancing the "Fengqiao Experience" in the new era, the Yinchuan police have established a diversified mechanism for handling tourism-related disputes, successfully mediating more than 100 consumer conflicts to date.
　　In the evening, brilliant lantern displays illuminated Yinchuan’s winter sky. Under vigilant protection, visitors’ laughter echoed through the ice-and-snow wonderland. Through wisdom and dedication, the Yinchuan police have turned "cold resources" into "warm experiences", ensuring every visitor can safely enjoy the winter delights and take home cherished memories.■
　　(Translated by Chen Xiaoying, School of Foreign Languages, Beijing Forestry University)