Tour in Gansu

Gansu is a Mid-west province. It stretches along the Silk Road. The area was settled 200,000 years ago. Its south part has rich soil and sufficient sunshine to produce honeydew melons and vegetables.

Capital city, Lanzhou, is almost in the center of China on the Yellow River. It was an important stop on the Silk Road and is now a gateway to 2 cave temples. The elaborate 5th-century Bingling Temple is 120 km SW of Lanzhou. Here are 183 caves and shrines with 694 stone statues and 82 clay ones.The biggest Buddha 27 m high. The youngest is at least 350 years old. The Maiji Grottoes are 350 km SE of Lanzhou. There are 194 caves full of stone and clay statues, and 1300 square meters of murals.

Jiuquan (Wine Spring) is on the southern edge of a desert. It has imposing Bell and Drum Tower and the Luminous Jade Cup Factory. 30 km away is Jiayuguan Pass, the westernmost end of the Great Wall. The pass is marked by a magnificent castle and 3-story gates. On the way to the Pass are ancient tombs where visitors can have a look at life 1600 years ago.

25 km SE of the city of Dunhuang are the Mogao Grottoes (the Thousand Buddha Caves). Over 1000 caves were cut out of cliffs between the 4th and 14th centuries, of which 492 remain today. They are full of Buddhist carvings, gilt and colored frescoes, murals. The Diamond Sutra, the oldest existing printed book, was found here and is now in the British Museum in London. After close study of the graceful gestures of the painted flying apsaras, Chinese dance troupes created many flowing and dreamy dances. You may find some of the gestures are from the murals and carvings, and they are really fascinating.