Lanzhou---Travel In China

Lanzhou (Traditional Chinese: 蘭州, Simplified Chinese: 兰州, Hanyu Pinyin: Lánzhou, Wade-Giles: Lan-chou, sometimes seen transliterated as Lanchow) is the capital of the Gansu province in China.

History
Early settlement in this region could be dated to Han Dynasty, when it was a major stop on the ancient Silk Road. To protect the city, the Great Wall was extended as far as Yumen.
After the fall of the Han Dynasty, Lanzhou became the capital of a succession of tribal states. Mixed with different cultural heritages, the area at present-day Gansu province, from the 5th to the 11th century, became a center for Buddhist study.

Contemporary Lanzhou was founded in 1656 (Qin Dynasty).

Lanzhou is famously one of the most polluted cities in China. The air quality is so poor that at times one cannot see Lanshan, the mountain rising straight up along the south side of the city. The city is located in a river valley with an unfortunate curve causing it to be hemmed in with no free air flow. Lanzhou also is the home of far too many factories including petroleum processing, and suffers from storms of dust kicked up from the Gobi Desert, especially in the winter and spring.

Geography
Area: 14,620 sq km
Elevation: 1600m above sea level
China's geographic center
More than 20km along urban corridor along the southern banks of the Yellow River.
Character of zonary basin
Mountains: the south and north
Qilian Ranges, Mt. Pingliang and Mt. Kongtong (the most famous in Taoism)
Rivers:
The Yellow River flows through from east to west.

Climate
The semi-dry climate is in the temperate zone.

Demographics
Population: 32 million
Urban Population: 1.2 million (2004- considered to be 2.5 million inside Lanzhou City)
Ethnic groups: Han, Hui, Tibetan, Bonan, Dongxiang, Yugur, and Salar

Economy
The GDP per capita was ¥15051 (ca. US$1820) in 2003, ranked no. 134 among 659 Chinese cities.

Natural resources
Mineral: coal, gold, silver, zinc, nickel, manganese, clay, and dolomite
waterpower

Industry
Gansu has one of the largest oil refineries in the country and is the center of China's atomic energy] industry.
Main Industries: textile mills, rubber, fertilizer plants, oil refinery, Petro-chemical, machinery, and metallurgical industry

Agriculture
spring wheat, vegetables, beans, oil-boiling, melon, peaches, and tobacco
roses and lilies

Transportation
Lanzhou is a rail, highway, and air hub and the junction point to remote Xinjiang in extreme NW China.
Airways: The airplane here can take you to more than 20 cities all over the country.
Railroad: Lanzhou is linked by rail to Beijing and to the Republic of Mongolia and Russia
Highways: on the highway to Tibet.
Lan-Xin railway: only railway leading into Xinjiang
See also: Trolleybus

Places of interest
Wuquan Mountain
Baita Mountain
Xinglong Mountain
Lutusi ancient government

Culture

Chinese drama/Chinese opera: Qinqiang Drama

Cuisine: Lanzhou beef noodles

Lanzhou is the capital city of Gansu Province in northwest China. The Yellow River runs through Lanzhou, ensuring rich crops of many juicy and fragrant fruits. The city is the transportation and telecommunication center of the region. Covering an area of 1631.6 square kilometers (629.96 square miles), Lanzhou used to be a key point on the ancient Silk Road. Today, It is a hub of the Silk Road Tourism Ring, with Maiji Caves to the east, Bingling Thousand Buddha Caves to the west, Labrang Monastery to the south and Dunhuang Mogao Caves to the north.


With mountains in the south and north of the city and the Yellow River flowing from the east to the west, Lanzhou is a beautiful modern city with both the grand beauty of northern cities and the prettiness of southern cities.


The Landscape along the Yellow River should not be missed, as Lanzhou is the only provincial city through which the Mother River runs. Whether you choose to roam along the River, to cross the First Bridge over the Yellow River, or to have a cup of eight auspicious teas at the Waterwheel Park, you will be impressed by Lanzhou with its harmonious combination of the modern and the old.


First Bridge over the Yellow River
Chengguan, Qilihe, Xigu, Honggu and Anning are the five districts comprising Lanzhou's downtown. Chengguan District, situated in eastern Lanzhou, is the center of politics, economy, culture, scientific research and transportation. In northwestern Lanzhou, Anning District is the economic development zone as well as the area where most colleges are located. Zhongxin Square, also named Dongfanghong Square is the largest in Lanzhou situated in the central area of the city. There is Dongfanghong Department Store in the south, Guofang Shopping Center in the east and Lanzhou Gym sitting in the west. The square is the daily entertainment place for local people and is also an ideal shopping area for tourists. The popular commercial streets in Lanzhou are mainly Qingyang Lu, Zhongshan Lu, Jiuquan Lu, Zhangye Lu, Yongchang Lu, Qin'an Lu, Longxi Lu and Linxia Lu, etc.
While the natural parks around the city such as Yan Tan Park and Shifogou National Forest Park will restore and refresh you, the White Pagoda Park and the Five-Spring Mountain Park will give you an understanding of the cultural side of Lanzhou.


If you want to experience something more exciting, the Bingling Thousand Buddha Caves, Labrang Monastery, Sangke Prairie, Waterwheel Garden and Gansu Provincial Museum should satisfy you thoroughly.
Besides the above-mentioned attractions, the hospitable locals, multifarious restaurants, cheap yet delicious snacks, and convenient transportation system will all ensure that you get a memorable trip in this tolerant and placid city.