Gansu Introduction

A relatively barren province in western China, Gansu has long been considered as on the very borders of "civilised" China. It was here that the westernmost point of the Great Wall officially came to an end, at the fortifications of Jiayuguan. It was here that Chinese traders, on still early stages of the Silk Road, left the safety of their motherland to brave the dangers of the far west. It was here that highly mixed nationalities and personalities have often resulted in infighting, especially during some of the darker days of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976 AD).

Yet it has also long been, and remains, one of China's more interesting and colourful areas. The traders, traveling camel-hoof worn tracks, risked lives to bring into the country a more varied culture. Traveling as far west as the Roman Empire, they, and the foreigner traders with them, were to bring back numerous exotica, including grapes, alfalfa, Buddhism, Western artforms and settlers. Gansu today is filled with interesting "foreign" architecture, from numerous Buddhist grottoes to bright green, onion domed mosques, and a 23 million population that is filled with mixed minority faces, including the Hui, the Mongols, the Tibetans and the Kazakhs.

It was not until the Mongolian Yuan dynasty (1271-1368 AD) that Gansu was officially to become a province. The backwardness that many Chinese ascribe to it comes about mainly through the sterility of much of the land here. Frequent droughts and sandstorms have had harsh consequences on agricultural projects. Much modern day efforts are now directed more towards industries that are sadder upon the the areas beauty, polluting the air and intensifying the already serious soil erosion problems. This situation can no better be seen than in the provincial capital, Lanzhou, that despite a pretty location and a friendly populace is beset by low layer haze and the oozing Yellow River that runs beside it.

Gansu is one of China's best locations for travelers who are interested in a bit of culture and a slightly more interesting experience. Although today the completion of rail links and airports threatens the traditional feel that the isolation and backwardness used to bring, some well preserved sights, from the grottoes at Dunhuang, Maijishan and Binglingsi to the little Tibetan areas of Mati and Xiahe, can still cause delight.

Best Time To Visit: Climate

Located in the inland, more temperate, area of China, Gansu Province's climate is characterized by dryness and abundant sunlight. Winter here is long and freezing, with little precipitation; spring is harder to pin down, with rapid temperature swings; summer is short and hot, with heavy precipitation; autumn witnesses quick drops in temperature. The annual average temperature is between 4 and 14 degrees C.

Although a fairly small province, there are still some discrepancies among different cities in Gansu. Lanzhou, that has a semi-arid climate, boasts a relatively long winter. Zhangye, drier than the capital city, is characterized by sharp temperature differences between day and night. Further west, Dunhuang, is cold in winter while sweltering in summer, often with as little annual precipitation as 50mm. Generally speaking, the optimum time to pay the province a visit is between May and October.

Suggested Itineraries

Lanzhou, capital of Gansu Province, is frequently chosen as the starting point for an in-depth provincial tour by most travelers due to its convenient transport.

Day One: In the morning, go to the Gansu Provincial Museum. Lunch: try one of the local restaurants, perhaps sampling the Lanzhou Beef Noodle. In the afternoon, first go to the Five Springs Mountain Park and then the White Pagoda Hill Park to appreciate the Buddhist architecture. Stay at one of the local Hotels.

Day Two: Get up early to get the bus to Xiahe at 7:30 or 8:30am. You will probably spend the whole day to reach the destination. Check in at one of the local hotels after arrival.

Day Three: Take a tour of the Labrang Monastery and then visit the monastery's Gongtang Pagoda in the morning (before 12am). Eat lunch in any restaurant along the main street. Afternoon can be spent talking to locals, circling the monastery around the Prayer Wheels, or heading to the hills for some amazing scenery. Return to the main street to eat dinner.

Day Four: Head to the Sanke Grasslands by bike to enjoy the calm view and perhaps take a ride on a Tibetan horse. Return in the afternoon for dinner and then bed. (Optional night: You may wish to extend you trip by staying a night at the grasslands in a traditional Tibetan tent).

(Optional trip: for those with a bit more time, or who wish to travel on to Sichuan, you may wish to leave on day five for Hezuo, and then Langmusi, early in the morning).

Day Five: Get up early to get the bus to Lanzhou. You will probably spend the whole day to reach the city. In Lanzhou, either stay the night in a local hotel or take a night train (about 10pm) that will arrive in Zhangye about 12 hours later.

Day Six: In the morning, pay a visit to the Muta Temple. After having a brief lunch, walk to the Giant Buddha Temple. Stay in one of the hotels.

Day Seven: Take a train in the morning to Jiayuguan, which can be reached in four hours. In the afternoon, take a look at the Jiayuguan Fort. Check in at a local hotel.

Day Eight: In the morning, pay a visit to the Great Wall Museum and in the afternoon, head to the Overhanging Great Wall. Stay in a hotel.

Day Nine: In the morning, take a train to Dunhuang, which should take you about nine hours. Check in at a local hotel.

Day Ten: You may get up late today, for the scenery at the Crescent Moon Spring and the Singing Sand Mountains is better later on in the day. Take a bus there either late morning or early afternoon and get back late evening. Stay in a hotel.

Day Eleven: In the morning, take a bus to Mogao Grottoes to study the Buddhist grotto art. Head back in the afternoon. (Don't forget to take food with you).

Day Twelve: We set Dunhuang as the end point of our Gansu tour because it is fairly convenient to take a flight or train to quite a number of the major cities in China. However, if you still have got some time. You may head back to Lanzhou and extend your time in Gansu by visiting Tianshui to take a look at the the Maijishan Grottoes. Alternatively you can continue up towards Xinjiang, maybe stopping off at the sweltering oasis, Turpan, along the way.

Dining Overview

Coming here from the eastern or southern part of China, you will find sharp differences not only in landscape, architecture and culture, but also in dining. It is accepted that the Silk Road had significant influence on the food that is still served today, especially that coming from the west. The most dominant food styles, beyond the local food, are those from Tibet, Xinjiang, Sichuan and Sha'anxi.

Flour products are the staple food of the inhabitants of this northwestern province, and it is the Beef Noodle that has made its mark upon every city, town and village throughout the region. This type of pasta is especially noticeable in Lanzhou, where almost every street in the entire city either has a beef noodle shop (Lanzhou lamian guan) or stalls that sell the cheap and tasty dish. Other cities and towns are also distinguished by their own noodles. Of particular note, are the three specialties of Dunhuang, the Rangpi, the Yellow Noodles, and the Saozi Noodle, and the Mianpi of Tianshui.

The main meat dishes in the province are, similar to their northwestern Muslim neighbor Xinjiang, lamb and beef. Of the better culinary places to visit for serious meat eaters is Zhangye, where both the Lamb Soup and the Cured Lamb, are worth attempting. In Lanzhou, you may also sample the succulent Roast Whole Lamb or the interesting beef-stuffed cake.

If you are vegetarian there are fewer interesting options for you in the province. The obvious place to head would be the Tibetan monastery town, Xiahe, that has many delicacies both Tibetan and Western for you to try. The yoghurt and pancakes are the best way to fill a travel weary stomach.

Shopping Overview

As one of western China's major tourism-oriented provinces, Gansu has no lack of shopping specialties. Most notable include handicrafts, replicas of cultural relics, herbal plants and liquor.

Most probably the best-known shopping specialty here is the "glow in the dark" stone cup, (Yeguang bei), which can be found everywhere--Lanzhou, Jiayuguan, Dunhuang and Tianshui. The best place to buy one is probably in Zhangye, thanks to the unparalleled quality of the stone excavated not far from town.

Lanzhou is characterized by carving works, the most famous of which being the Jincheng Babao Melon-skin Carvings and the Pebble Carvings. If you are lucky enough, you may come across replica Buddha heads from the Maiji Grottoes. Those interested in Chinese calligraphy should buy the Tao inkstone.
Jiayuguan, a place famed for its grandiose Fort, is good for Stone Carvings and assorted Carpets. Again, like Lanzhou, the city is also known for its special Inkstones.
Dunhuang boasts odds and ends, such as Crystal, Jade, Silk and all kinds of Antiques.
Tianshui is well-known for its Lacquerware, while Zhangye for its Liquor and Herbal Plants

Transportation

By plane: The most convenient way to access Gansu Province is by plane, for, small as it is, travelers may land in three cities here, Dunhuang, Jiayuguan, and Lanzhou. There are daily flights to Lanzhou from most major cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Xi'an. So long as one does not care too much about price, flying intraprovince is also a good choice.

By train: For budget travelers, train is by far the best option for visiting almost all of the main sights in Gansu. The Liangyuguang-Urumqi train line, the backbone of China's east-west rail links, traverses the entire province and links all but one of the provinces highlights: Xiahe. Raillinks to the northwest from Lanzhou, will take you through Zhangye, Jiayuguan and Liuyuan (near Dunhuang), and then onwards into Xinjiang. Those coming into Gansu from Shaanxi to the east, will also pass through Tianshui on their way towards Lanzhou.

By bus:* Bus is the best way for travelers to reach the less accessible areas of the province, and is especially good for those heading southward towards Sichuan. Buses will take you to the wonders of the small Tibetan monastery town Xiahe, and from here bus is the way on to the quaint Langmusi and then on towards Sichuan's Songpan. Bus is also the best way to travel to Yinchuan (Ningxia Province) and Golmud (in Qinghai Province) from either Lanzhou or Zhangye.

*Special Note: For traveling on long-distance buses throughout this province and the northern section of Sichuan, foreigners are required to purchase a travel insurance policy from the state company PICC. You are not always asked to show this, but some areas are strictly regulated. PICC offices can be found in major cities, and the policies can be bought here and in many bus stations, in hotels, in CITS offices, and frequently from "principled" officials for varying prices. Normally the cost is around RMB40 for a ticket valid for two weeks, and around RMB20 for one week's validity.