Gansu Province is located in the northwest of the motherland, located in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, is the key to the Silk Road and the golden section, like a magnificent piece of jade, embedded in the Loess Plateau. Gansu is different from other northwestern scenery, more of a sense of history, and the unique beauty given by nature. Although when it comes to the northwest, most people think of desolation, or the grandeur of "desert smoke" and "long river sunset". But Gansu is an inclusive place, because here you can not only see these scenery, but also have historical and cultural accumulation.
Therefore, when you come to Gansu, Dunhuang must go. Dunhuang is located at the intersection of Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang provinces, the unique geographical location gives here a unique atmosphere, Dunhuang has both exotic styles, but also has historical and cultural treasures, and was rated as "the most beautiful eight towns in China".
When you first arrive in Dunhuang, you will be shocked by the scenery here and have a feeling of traveling through time. Grottoes, pavilions, guankou ruins, ancient castle fortresses, Great Wall beacons... Each attraction seems to have been engraved by time and is breathtaking.
The most classic attraction in Dunhuang is the Mogao Grottoes. Mogao Caves, also known as "Thousand Buddha Caves", is located at the foot of Mingsha Mountain, 25 kilometers southeast of Dunhuang County, and is named after its location in Mogao Town. It is the largest and most famous Buddhist art grotto in China, distributed on the cliffs of Mingsha Mountain, with a total length of 1,600 meters. Mogao Caves in the winter sky, the faint morning light reflects the vast three dangers, the breeze blows the camel bell sound; the snow-capped nine floors have slowly fallen asleep after a thousand years of glory, the caves on the cliffs are peaceful and quiet, you can feel this sacred Buddha world here, enjoy a different kind of northern scenery.
In Gansu, another must-visit place is Xiahe County. Xiahe County is a county under the jurisdiction of Gannan Prefecture in Gansu Province, named after the Daxia River in its territory, and is known as the "Vatican of the East". Here are many deep valleys and high mountains, the grassland scenery is picturesque, the forest is long and the waves are charming, the national culture is gorgeous, and the cultural landscape is strong.
Xiahe County integrates natural scenery, Tibetan Buddhism, and ancient city ruins, and is a must-visit place for a trip to Gannan. Simple Tibetans live here, grazing their cattle, and the clear river meanders across the grasslands. Living in Xiahe County can choose to live in the local collector's inn, the accommodation environment is good, very Tibetan characteristics.
In Xiahe County, the must-go is Labrang Temple. This is one of the six major monasteries of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, the scale of the monastery is lofty, it is the representative of the monasteries in the Gannan area, and it is also a must-visit place for tourists to come to Gannan. There are magnificent monastic complexes, most of which are magnificent, and walking in them or taking panoramic views from above are spectacular.
Tourists who visit Labrang Temple basically come from lanzhou or Sichuan, arrive at Xiahe around noon and visit the temple in the afternoon, and leave Xiahe after watching the morning class the next day. The way to visit Labrang Monastery is to circle the temple clockwise, which is also an important pilgrimage ceremony of Tibetan Buddhism. The temple complex is located on the west side of the county seat, from renmin east road to the west to reach the boundary between the temple and the county seat, which is also the starting point of the temple road, the road to the left along the temple periphery can be carried forward. There are many painted prayer wheels in the outer circle, which is the longest prayer corridor in the world.
Walking around while turning the prayer wheel in your hand is a way to accumulate good karma and pray for the blessings of relatives and friends. On the way, you can also see the local Tibetan aunts focusing on prostrating their heads and turning the prayers, which makes people feel pious and peaceful. At night, the quaint temple has no lights, and the starry sky photographed here is also very quiet.
Of course, this is a Tibetan area, we must respect the beliefs and customs of ethnic minorities, you need to take off your hat before entering the temple hall, you can't make a noise after entering, you can't point directly to the Buddha statue with your fingers, and you can't step on the threshold when entering and leaving the hall. In addition, photographs are not allowed inside the temple, and monks will consider it disrespectful to the gods.
After walking so many places and seeing so many scenery, it is better to stop and eat something together!
I have to say that food is also a major driving force for people to travel. Gansu is one of the five northwestern provinces, so the most worth tasting is noodles. Lanzhou clear soup beef noodles, commonly known as "beef noodles", is the most beloved breakfast of Lanzhou people, and is also a famous flavor snack in Lanzhou, which is known by locals as the McDonald's of Lanzhou. Lanzhou beef noodles are famous for their fresh meat soup and fine noodles. Lanzhou beef noodles have five characteristics: one clear, two white, three red, four green and five yellow. When it's cold, just take a sip of soup and the whole person warms up. Beef noodles can be divided into large and wide, wide, thin, two thin, leek leaves and other types according to the thickness. The noodles are hand-pulled on the spot, a bowl of noodles can be made in less than two minutes, and then poured with the prepared beef noodle soup, white radish slices, red pepper oil, turquoise garlic seedlings, coriander, the food is amazing.
If you come to Gansu in the summer, you may wish to bring a bowl of pulp water. Syrup water can be used to make a refreshing drink and a soup while eating noodles. Add shallots and parsley to taste. It is even more popular. Therefore, the masses in Lanzhou, Dingxi, Tianshui, Linxia and other places like to eat pulp water surface. The slurry water has the effect of clearing heat and relieving heat. In the hot summer, drinking a bowl of pulp water, or eating a bowl of pulp water, you will immediately feel cool and fast, you can also relieve fatigue, restore physical strength, is a good choice to relieve hunger.
However, although the noodles are delicious, the most satisfying thing in summer is the cold skin. The cool skin is a food made of flour, the color is crystal yellow, translucent like jade, with a knife cut into the shape of a two-finger-wide strip, plus carefully brewed balsamic vinegar, garlic juice, chili oil, salt and other spices can be eaten.
The stuffed skin is cheap and good, its taste is sour and spicy, cool, flexible and delicious, and it is a popular local flavor food. When eating, add gluten, carrots, coriander and other ingredients, with red and shiny oil spicy seeds, the aroma of the food is hidden under this bright color, eat a bite will be unforgettable.
When you come to Gansu, it is a must to buy some specialties to take home. Lanzhou is rich in lilies, and the lilies made by small street shops are sweet and refreshing, not greasy, and are a kind of small dim sum with a unique flavor. Angelica in Min County and Babao Tea in Linxia are all used to condition good things.
You can also buy a little more dried fruit, which is more convenient to carry. If you are interested in crafts, you can also check out the Lanzhou carved gourd. He is a unique Han folk skill in China and the world, and is called the Three Treasures of Lanzhou along with Lanzhou beef noodles and sheepskin rafts. There is a saying that "auspicious gourd beef noodles, sheepskin raft racing warship".
Lanzhou is the capital of Gansu Province, on the last day of the trip in Gansu can live in Lanzhou City, Lanzhou City has developed transportation, travel is very convenient, here whether it is to transfer to the plane or train is relatively easy, and there are many attractions in the city for visiting.
And Lanzhou is the only provincial capital city where the Yellow River crosses. The urban area is surrounded by mountains and rivers, and the mountains and still waters have formed a unique and beautiful urban landscape: the mountains in the north and south face each other, and the Yellow River in the east and west runs through the city for hundreds of miles. A bridge is built over the Yellow River to connect the north and south.
The last day in Lanzhou, it is recommended to live near the Xiguan Cross. It is a business district, although it is older, but relatively prosperous. In the morning, you can go to the queue to eat a bowl of authentic beef noodles to replenish your strength, and then you can cross the Zhongshan Bridge to the bottom of Baita Mountain. The relative height of Baita Mountain is low, and it takes about an hour to hike to the top. Standing on the White Pagoda Mountain looking down on Lanzhou City, looking at the city that is gradually getting busy under your feet, looking at the yellow river rushing away, the whisper of the breeze in your ears makes people suddenly have a relaxed feeling.
After going to baita mountain, you can also go to the five springs mountain for a walk. Wuquan Mountain Park is full of trees, and there are several Chinese-style cornice buildings hidden between the horizontal tree shadows, giving people the feeling of "winding paths through the shadows". It is a good choice to take a photo here. Lanzhou is relatively muslim, and coming to Lanzhou around September can catch up with their traditional festival Eid al-Adha. This is one of the most important festivals for Muslims, and it is grand and lively.
On the day of Eid al-Adha, the Hui Youth Association sings flowers, and the streets and alleys are filled with a festive joy. Take a walk around the city and take a ride to the snack street of Xiguan Cross in the evening. Most of the merchants in the snack street are local Muslims, where you can taste authentic Muslim-style meat.
In the brightly lit night market, enthusiastic vendors are shouting and selling, and the aroma of food is still filled in the air, how beautiful. There are also two grandfathers who sell candy people on the snack street, and the candy people blown out are very vivid. There are also many fruit stalls at the snack street, if you eat it, you can also buy two fruits to relieve the tiredness.
However, it should be noted that in the religious teachings of Islam, Muslims can not drink alcohol, so there are many Muslim stores that will not provide alcoholic beverages such as beer, but do not ask Muslim stores whether there is alcohol to sell in order to drink alcohol and eat meat.
The world is so big, there are so many beautiful views, and the good scenery is like the peach blossoms blooming in spring, blooming in front of us, gorgeous and colorful.