Gansu Province is located in the northwestern China. Gansu covers an area of 175,289 square mile with a population of 24 million. The capital is Lanzhou. The province lies between Qinghai-Tibet and Inner Mongolia and rises 4,921 feet above sea level.
To the west of Lanzhou and west of the Yellow River is the famous "Hexi Corridor," an important strategic passage on the ancient Silk Road stretching to the west. This area abounds in rich historical and cultural heritage, including grottoes, ancient buildings and other cultural relics.
Many ethnic groups congregate in Gansu, which makes it a unique tourist destination with a variety of folk customs. The scenes of grassland, the Gobi desert, and snow-covered mountains add beauty to this mysterious land.
Lanzhou was called Jincheng in the past and is now the capital of Gansu Province. The Yellow River flows through Lanzhou, which is the center of transportation in northwest. It has an ideal environment for melons and honeydew melons and peach. Tourists can view the Yellow River from the green corridor. Binghe Road, Gansu Provincial Museum and Five-Spring Mountain are also attractive.
Located at the northern foot of Gaolan Mountain in Lanzhou, Five-Spring Mountain is 5,250 feet above sea level. It was so named because there are five springs in the mountain. Chongqing Temple is symbolic of the traditional architecture in the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
Located in western Xiahe County in Gansu Province, Labrang Lamasery can be reached by a 5 to 6 hour drive south from Lanzhou. The lamasery was built in 1709 in the 48th year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty. It is one of the six largest religious temples of the Gelug Sect of China's Lamaism, second only to Potala Palace in Lhasa at Tibet. The lamasery covers 202 acres and has more than 10,000 halls and accommodates over 3,000 lamas.
This article is copyrighted by China National Tourist Office
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