Gansu

Geological Uniqueness & Formation ProcessBingou Danxia Landform(冰沟丹霞), located 50 kilometers southwest of Zhangye, presents a stunning paradox: fiery-red sandstone formations rising from valleys that host perennial ice formations well into spring. This 30-square-kilometer area represents a rare subtype of Danxia landform where periglacial processes interact with colorful Cretaceous sandstones. While the broader Zhangye Danxia is famous for its “rainbow […]

Geological Formation & Natural ArchitectureOften called “China’s Grand Canyon,” Pinghu Lake (平山湖) presents a 150-square-kilometer symphony of erosion carved over 80 million years. Located 60 kilometers northeast of Zhangye, this crimson-hued landscape reveals geological chapters from the Cretaceous to Quaternary periods. The canyon’s defining features—towering pillar formations, deep narrow gorges, and natural arches—result from the […]

Historical Significance & Discovery ContextLocated in the secluded Linze County approximately 60 kilometers from Zhangye, the Jintasi Grottoes (金塔寺石窟) represent one of China’s most significant yet least-known early Buddhist art treasures. Dating primarily to the Northern Liang Dynasty (397–439 CE)—the very period when Buddhism was systematically establishing itself along the Hexi Corridor—these caves preserve artistic styles […]

Zhangye Matisi Grottoes: Where Buddhist Art Meets Natural Majesty Historical Context & Geographical SettingNestled 65 kilometers south of Zhangye city in Gansu Province, the Matisi Grottoes (马蹄寺石窟) represent a remarkable synthesis of human devotion and natural grandeur. Carved into the dramatic cliffs of the Qilian Mountains foothills, this extensive cave temple complex dates back over […]

The city of Dunhuang, in north-west China, is situated at a point of vital strategic and logistical importance, on a crossroads of two major trade routes within the Silk Road network. Lying in an oasis at the edge of the Taklamakan Desert, Dunhuang was one of the first trading cities encountered by merchants arriving in […]

Shazhou Night Market is located in the center of the Dunhuang city, which is the largest night market in Dunhuang. Shazhou Night Market is becoming more and more popular among Chinese and foreign tourists. Whenever the night falls, tourists from all over the world gather here, making the street extremely lively. Shazhou Night Market consists […]

 As you know ,Shifting sand and a clear spring are two natural sights which are hardly ever found together at the same place .However ,at Dunhuang ,unusual sand hills and a beautiful spring have combined to set a new style in lovely scenes for sightseers .Local and foreign tourists alike are fascinated by it . […]

Fuxi Temple，Worship of China’s First Mythical Emperor Fuxi Temple in Tianshui, Gansu Province is dedicated the first mythical emperor of China and the ancestor of all Chinese people, Fuxi. It’s also known as Taihao Palace or Renzhong Temple. It was constructed during Ming Dynasty with a magnificent architectural style resembling a palace. Fuxi Temple is […]

Maijishan Grottoes is the core scenic spot of Maijishan Scenic Area and China’s 5A tourist attraction. Because its mountain shape resembles the wheat stack piled up by farmers, it is called Maijishan. As one of the four major grottoes in China, Maijishan Grottoes are known as the “Oriental Sculpture Museum”. The other three grottoes are […]

Dunhuang Museum is a local three-storied museum for keeping cultural relics of Dunhuang area. A group of carved figures depicting people leading their camels as they travel along the Silk Road stands in front of the museum. The exhibit which covers the period from primitive society to the end of the Qing Dynasty can be […]

Tianshui is a prefecture-level city in Gansu province, China, and is the province’s second-largest city (behind the provincial capital Lanzhou). Located in the southeast of the province, the city strides along the upper reaches of the Wei River and at the boundary of the Loess Plateau and the Qinling Mountains. As of the 2020 census, […]

The nine-storied White Horse Pagoda with a height of 12 meters is a uniquely shaped spectacular architecture that is a leading site among the tourist attractions in Dunhuang. Built in the Qing Dynasty, the White Horse Pagoda, with a typical style of lama pagoda of Ming Dynasty, has been renovated multiple times throughout years. The […]

Yadan National Geologic Park is famous for its largest scale of Yadan Landforms, fully developing into the most valuable ornament in the world. “Yadan,” which refers to a precipitous hillock in the Uygur language, is a kind of wind-eroded landform. Yadan landforms rise above the flat Gobi Desert and cover a vast area. Due to […]

Yangguan is a place where ancient Chinese land roads were used for external traffic, and the only pass along the South Silk Road, located near the antique beach in the southwest of Dunhuang City, Gansu Province. After the Song Dynasty, due to the gradual decline of transportation with the West and land, the pass was […]

The West Thousand Buddha Caves is located in the west of Mogao Grottoes (or Thousand Buddha Caves). It is about 35 kilometers from the downtown area of Dunhuang. It was dug on the cliffs of the Danghe River bank since Northern Wei Dynasty. It is also an important part of ancient Dunhuang art. According to […]

Nowadays, tourists could still find the preserved sections of the Great Walls built in the Han Dynasty in the northern area of Dunhuang. With the destruction of wind and sand in last two thousand years, part of the Great Wall was razed to the ground while the most have been preserved well. Among them, the […]

Yulin Cave is located 70 kilometers south of Guazhou County (formerly Anxi County), Gansu Province. The cave was chiseled on the east-west cliffs on sides of the Yulin River Canyon. Due to large elm forest on the river bank, the cave is named as Yulin Cave. When the Yulin Cave was built is unknown. However […]

Gansu is blessed with diversified tourist resources. Except for oceans and islands, other landforms in the rest of the country can all be found in Gansu. It is known as a birthplace of the Chinese civilization, a big museum of natural wonders, a fascinating gallery of folk customs, and an ideal destination of leisure tours. […]