The Introduction of Lanzhou

In and around Lanzhou are ancient Buddhist temple sites and shrines. Now, Lanzhou has a large Muslim minority of about 9% of the population. The city is an important transportation hub. The legacy of centuries of travel and trade on the Silk Road are the Bingling Temple Grottoes near Lanzhou and ancient temples and fortifications in the Hexi Corridor, and the modern city of Lanzhou offers the Gansu Provincial Museum as a travel highlight and modern facilities for a Silk Road tour.
 

What to Visit in Lanzhou?

One of the legacies of the Silk Road is the Bingling Temple (Thousand Buddha Caves) that are one and a half hours southwest of Lanzhou. The first frescoes were carved during the 4th or 5th centuries AD. Carving and excavating continued for about 1,000 years. There are more than a hundred caves and hundreds of carved figures. Some are quite big. A famous one is more than 27 meters tall and is similar in style to great Buddhas that were carved in Central Asia.
When you visit Lanzhou, you must visit the Yellow River Mother Sculpture; it is a granite-structured, full relief composed of a mother and a baby boy. The sculpture has reflected the Chinese people growing sturdily under the parenting of the Yellow River and the Chinese people's persevering spirit that makes the world go round. 
Let's continue to visit, the Yellow River Steel Bridge ( Zhongshan Bridge ) is a famous landmark in Lanzhou, the scenery on both sides of the bank is quite fantastic, and it is also adjacent to the pedestrian street and snack street in Lanzhou. This steel bridge was built in 1907, which is known as the first bridge on the Yellow River.
Gansu Museum is also entirely worth to visit, "The Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow (Ma Ta Feiyan)" is treasured in the museum.
 

Lanzhou Beef Noodle:

Named after the provincial capital, Lanzhou Beef Noodles are a signature dish in Gansu Province and one of the 10 most famous noodle dishes in China.
There are strict criteria about what a typical bowl of Lanzhou Beef Noodles should look like:
The soup should be crystal clear and tea-colored and should have been cooked before breakfast for four to five hours, stewing the beef with condiments. There should be sliced daikon radish to balance the oil, meat, and spices in the dish. The dish should include red chili. Preferably, sliced beef shank should be used. Serve green onions on the side and the dish is complete.
 

Climate and Weather of Lanzhou:

Lanzhou has a temperate continental climate, and the annual average temperature is 10.3℃, and the annual average precipitation is 327 mm, mainly in June to September. There is no severe heat in summer and severe cold in winter, which is a famous summer resort in China. From April to October is the best time to visit Lanzhou.

                              Annual Temperature of the Year/℃ ( High-Low )

Geography of Lanzhou:

Lanzhou is located in the central part of Gansu Province, NW, China; bordering Wuwei and Baiyin to the north, Dingxi to the east, and Linxia to the south. The terrain of western and southern Lanzhou is relatively high, and the Yellow River flows from southwest to northeast, traversing the whole territory and cutting through mountains, forming a bead-shaped valley with canyons and basins alternately.
 

History of Lanzhou:

The history of Lanzhou is tied up with the Silk Road. The Han Empire (206 BC – 220 AD) rulers sent Zhang Qian as an emissary to the Western Region about the year 100 BC. The Han rulers sent a big embassy with him with trading goods, and they interested the countries to the west with trade with China. Lanzhou has a diverse culture and religion; many year ago, Cai Yin brought back Buddhist scriptures and two Buddhist monks. Buddhism became popular, and people built many Buddhist temple sites associated with the Silk Road.
When Arabs attacked Central Asia in the 700s, Islam replaced Buddhism as the major religion. The Silk Road fell into disuse after the Tang Dynasty fell in the year 907. Then Mongolians conquered China and most of Asia and established the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) in China. They brought Muslims from Persia and Central Asia to China. Many Mongolians converted to Islam.
 

How to Get to Lanzhou:

There are two ways to get to Lanzhou: Flight, and Trains.
 

Go to Lanzhou by Air:

Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport: Located in Yongdeng County, Lanzhou City, about an hour's drive from the urban area. At present, it has more than 40 national air routes to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Malaysia.
 

Go to Lanzhou by Train:

Lanzhou Railway Station: It is the starting and ending point of Longhai Railway, Baolan Railway, Lanxin Railway, Lanqing Railway. Trains depart from Lanzhou Station to all parts of the country and are an important railway hub in the Northwest.

Lanzhou West Railway Station is the largest terminus along Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-Speed Railway. There are 3 floors inside the terminal building, two above ground and one underground.