Gansu Province Guide Introduction

Gansu Province,like Ruyi (a jade object in ancient China), is mounted at the junction of northwest China's Inner Mongolia Plateau, Qmghai-Tibet Pla-teau, Loess Plateau as well as valleys of the Yangtze River and the Yellow River. Stretching over 1,600 kilometers from east to west, it covers 450,000 square km. The miraculous natural scenery and splendid human landscape jointly constitute a magnificent picture scroll.

Fu Xi, a legendary ruler of great antiquity in China, and Nuwa, the Goddess who patched the holes in the sky, once led the primitive people in this land to hunt and fish, keep records by tying knots and deduce Eight Trigrams,starting with a historic prelude of brilliance and extraordinariness of the Chinese Nation. Dynasties of Zhou (c. llth century-256 B.C.) and Qin (221B.C.-206 B.C.) rose rapidly here, creating the foremost great renown of the Chinese Nation on horseback. Following Zhang Qian and his caravan who were sent on a mission to the Western Regions in the Han Dynasty (206 B C - 220 A.D.), a great number of traders from China and the West passed here with full load of goods and rare treasures, witnessing resplendence of this area as part of ancient Silk Road. After Mogao Grottoes were accidentally discovered in the early 20th century, the whole world has been overwhelmed.The Chinese Red Army joined forces triumphantly here after tramping over snow-capped mountains and marshlands, starting a new fire for the Chinese Nation.

Numerous great historic moment sail passed, but splendid moments were solidified into permanent impressions. In the far-flung land of Gansu, there  are two World Cultural Heritage sites, four national historic and cultural cities, 72 major historic and cultural sites under state protection, 13,000 over-grund-and underground relics and420,000 cultural relics in museums. Mogao Grottes in Dunhuang that can be called "treasure-house of world grotto fresco art", Jiayuguan Pass that stands at the western starting point of the Great Wall, Overhanging Great Wall, Maiji Mountain Grottoes that are famous for statues carved of clay, Labrang Monastery that gains its world fame for mystery, Fu Xi Temple in Tianshui, Jiuquan Historical Site of the Westen Han Dynasty, Giant Buddha Temple of Zhangye, Leitai Man Tombs in Wuwei, Yumen Pass and Yangguan Pass (two famous passes of the Han Dynasty)...all have experienced a great many changes, but still remain their grandeur and charm, quietly telling every touching stories and heroic legends to all visitors.

This land with great history also has charming natural scenes. When boundless Gobi desert and pure glacier and jokul endow this land with incomparably beautiful colors, when stretching alpine grassland and scattering poplars in oasis show unbending and vigor of this land, when the mysterious and perfect combination of Echoing-Sand Dunes and Crescent Lake brings some pleasure to the Hexi Corridor.when Xinglong Mountain, Tulu Gully, Guiqing Mountain, Kongtong Mountain, Heaventy Pond in Wenxian County, Qiyi Glacier and Sangke Grasstend provide visitors with magnificent and beautiful scenes, you wilt feel vividly colorfulness and charm of this land.

Gansu, a land that carves resplendence on grottoes, leaves bravery on the ancient paths in deserts and values the spirit of tenacity. The unusual songs and dances, unique papercut and desolate sound of suona horn...all have come down from thousands of years ago but are still glittering today, attracting numerous visitors with their unique charm.