As an important part of the ancient Silk Road, Northwest China's Gansu province has seen commercial and cultural exchanges between the East and West for millennia.

　　Gansu is home to numerous tourist destinations, including the Mogao Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the ever-flowing Crescent Spring - a crescent-shaped lake surrounded by desert in Dunhuang city, and the vibrant Danxia landforms in Zhangye city.

　　Mogao Grottoes

　　Located on south-east of the Dunhuang oasis, Gansu province, the Mogao Grottoes are the world's largest, most richly endowed, and longest used treasure house of Buddhist art. They are located at a strategic point along the Silk Road, at the crossroads of trade as well as religious, cultural and intellectual influences.

According to historical records, the carving of the caves started in 366 AD and continued for about 1,000 years. The 492 well-preserved cells and cave sanctuaries in Mogao, housing about 45,000 square meters of murals and more than 2,000 painted sculptures, are well-known for their statues and wall paintings. The painted clay figures vary greatly in size, with the largest one being 33 meters high and the smallest only 10 centimeters.

　　Painted clay sculptures and murals in the Mogao Grottoes have mainly Buddhist themes, but they also include human figures, reflecting various societies and cultures of different times. Besides, they also demonstrate painting styles of different times in layout, figure design, delineation and coloring, as well as the integration of Chinese and Western arts.

　　The Mogao Caves were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987.

　　

　　Crescent Spring scenic spot

　　Located 5 kilometers south of Dunhuang, a county-level city, in the Mingsha (Singing Sand) Mountains, the Crescent Spring scenic spot is quite literally an oasis in the desert. The spring's name derives from the crescent moon shape of the small pool between two large sand dunes. Although the area is very dry, the pool doesn't dry up as one might expect.

　　The Mingsha Mountains are famous for the sounds the wind makes when blowing over the dunes. Also, the sand is said to be noisy when you walk on it. The dunes are also famous for their size, some reaching 100 meters or more, and their stability despite the fact that the dunes beyond the mountains shift frequently. Also, the sands are said to regain form overnight if they've been trod upon that day.

　　

　　Qicai Danxia Scenic Area

The Qicai Danxia Scenic Area is located at the northern foot of the Qilian Mountains, and sits within both Linze county and Sunan county, in Zhangye city, Gansu province. With a distribution area of about 510 square kilometers, the area is a provincial geopark and scenic spot.

　　Danxia landform refers to landscapes of red terrigenous sedimentary beds characterized by red cliffs and a range of erosional landforms. Zhangye's Danxia was formed by the erosion of red sandstone, forming isolated peaks and steep stratified outcrops.

　　Its special geological structure, combined with long-term desert conditions, freeze-thaw peeling, and wind and water erosion gave rise to its present appearance.

　　Zhangye's Danxia landform is the only compound scenic area of Danxia landform and colorful hill landscapes in China.

　　

　　Mati Temple Scenic Area

　　Located at the northwest bank of the Mati River and at the foot of Linsong Mountain in Zhangye city, Mati Temple is a national 5A tourist attraction, a cultural relic and a famous Buddhist site. It is about 62 kilometers away from downtown Zhangye and earned its name because of a horse footprint found on the top of a grotto.

　　First built in the northern Liang period (397-460), Mati Temple boasts a wide range of natural, historical and cultural sites, with Yugu, Tibetan and Mongolian ethnic features. It has been widely known for the 21 grottoes distributed in seven floors situated on sharp cliffs.

　　It is surrounded by rich landforms and has lots of rare wild animals such as white-lip deer, snow leopards and cliff sheep.

　　

　　Jiayuguan

　　Jiayuguan, situated at the center of the Hexi Corridor, a part of the Silk Road in Gansu province, derived its name from the western terminus of the Ming Great Wall at Jiayu Pass.

　　However, Jiayuguan's reputation stretches further. It is known as the "No 1 Strategic Pass in the World" and "the Steel City of West China", and is the only city to combine the Great Wall of China with Silk Road culture.

　　Jiayuguan is abundant in both natural beauty and cultural heritage. It has many important natural and historical sites, including the Great Wall's Jiayu Pass, a world-recognized historical site and one of China's top 10 scenic spots, Qiyi Glacier, the closest glacier to any metropolitan area in Asia, tombs from the Wei (AD 220-265) and Jin dynasties, which are protected cultural relics, and the Overhanging Great Wall, known as the "Badaling of the West". The area also has a world-class gliding base and an international driving camp for car enthusiasts.

　　

　　Maiji Mountain

　　Maiji Mountain scenic area, which covers 215 square kilometers, is located in Tianshui, Gansu province. The scenic area includes many tourist attractions, such as Maiji Mountain Grottoes, Immortal Cliff (Xianren Ya) and Stone Gate (Shi Men).

　　Maiji Mountain Grottoes, first constructed in the Eastern Jin Dynasty from 384 to 417, consists of 221 caves, 10,632 clay sculptures and stone carvings, and delicate frescoes covering 1,300 square meters.

　　Maiji Mountain Grottoes, as well as the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, Gansu province, the Yungang Caves in Shanxi province, and the Longmen Grottoes in Henan province, are listed as the four most important grottoes in China.

　　

　　Bingling Temple World Heritage Tourist Area

　　Located in Northwest China's Gansu province, the Bingling Temple World Heritage Tourist Area covers 150 square kilometers. It is home to the Stone Grottoes of Bingling Temple (a component of the World Heritage of the Silk Road: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor), the Bingling Stone Forest, the Bingling Lake (the largest artificial freshwater lake in northwestern China), and the Yellow River Hydropower Expo Park.

　　As the largest stone grottoes in Gansu province, the Bingling Temple Grottoes are a world cultural heritage with a history stretching back more than 1,600 years, a national foremost protected cultural heritage site, and one of the six famous stone grottoes in China.

　　The temple boasts 216 extant grottoes, 815 stone statues, 1,000-square-meter murals, 56 stupas and 438 cultural relics. In particular, the earliest of China's well-preserved statue inscription dating back to 420 during the Western Qin State was discovered in the No 169 grotto.

　　With the grotto murals and stone statues of different historical periods, the Bingling Temple Grottoes are dubbed "the encyclopedia of stone grottoes" and have historical, artistic, and academic value arising from the development of stone grottoes and sculpture art in China.

　　

　　FOOD

　　Lanzhou Beef Noodles

　　Lanzhou beef noodles (stretched noodles) is the most famous local dish. It was first created during the reign of Emperor Guangxu (1871-1908) in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and it is now popular all over China. This dish has five main features: clear soup, white radish, red pepper, green caraway and yellow noodles. The noodles can be wide or thin to meet different preferences. The noodles have gone beyond food to become a culture.

　　Eight Treasures

Jincheng Babao (eight treasures) melon carving is a local traditional food. The carved melon peel is used as a bowl to hold white fungus, pineapple, cherry, longan, waxberry and other delicacies. The carving is exquisite and the food is fresh and sweet. This dish will satisfy not only your palate but also your eyes.

　　Yangfazi

Yangfazi is a famous dish west of the Yellow River, and is a food especially favored by local people in Zhangye city, Gansu province. The making process of yangfazi is very particular. First, choose some fresh goat intestines and clean them for use. Mince the goat's heart, liver, kidneys and other viscera, and add chopped scallions, minced ginger, salt and pepper. Mix the minced ingredients with flour and carefully stuff them into the intestines. Next, steam the intestines. Once steamed, cut the sausage into small pieces and fry until lightly golden. Plate the delicacy, and add chopped green onions and fresh ginger, as well as a sauce made using minced coriander, garlic, chili oil and vinegar. The dish is mild and easy to digest. The delicacy is chewy and has a rich flavor.

　　

　　Chicken cooked with dough rolls

　　Chicken cooked with dough rolls is a representative dish of Zhangye, chewy with a rich flavor.

　　To cook this dish, cut the chicken into small pieces and add fresh ginger, green onions and chili. Fry them until the onions soften. Then, knead the dough and divide it into large lumps. Roll each lump into a pancake shape, brush it with oil, and sprinkle it with chopped green onions. Roll it into a cylinder and cut it into 1 cm-long pieces.

　　Next, place the chicken in a pot and stew it until it is about 80 percent cooked. Then, arrange the dough pieces over the chicken and allow them to stew until fully cooked. Once done, add the shredded green pepper and onion. The dish is now ready to be served.

　　

　　Niang Pi Zi

　　Niang pi zi cannot be missed among the local delicacies. Flour paste is steamed for 3-4 minutes, then cut into strips and served with mustard, garlic, sesame butter, chili oil, vinegar and soy sauce. This is a favorite among locals and many tourists.