Source of the Yellow River and fabled birthplace of mythical patriarch to all Chinese Fu Xi, Gansu has benefited little in recent years from its historical significance, holding the dubious privilege of ranking among China's poorest provinces. Despite its impoverished economic status, there is one area in which Gansu suffers from an embarrassment of riches: tourist attractions. For many, Gansu is the highlight of northwestern China.
Gansu's abundance of historical sights and spectacular geographical features make for a long list of exhilarating activities which include horse treks, camel rides, hiking snow covered sand dunes, exploring caves and ancient Buddhist grottoes, visiting desert oases, taking rickety old buses to some of the most inhospitable landscapes on the planet and climbing about the imposing peaks of the Qilian Shan (Qilian Mountains). And we've yet to mention the Silk Road.
One of the most popular imports to come in through the Silk Road is Buddhism. Those plying the ancient path in search of traces of ancient civilizations are invariably drawn to the Buddhist monuments that line the way. Gansu's Mogao Caves are, simply put, one of the biggest repositories of Buddhist art in the world. If you go, make sure to give yourself plenty of time to explore a few of the 492 caves there.
Other fantastic Gansu attractions include the western terminal of the Great Wall of China at Jiayuguan Pass, the Great Buddha Temple at Zhangye and Yueyaquan (Crescent Lake), a picturesque desert oasis and a good spot for camel rides or 4x4ing over the dunes.
In Gansu, you'll see Tibetans, Hui, Mongol, Dongxiang and Kazahk ethnicities, in addition to the ubiquitous Han, as you make your way through the province's multifarious landscapes, which include parts of the Gobi Desert, mountain plateaus, grasslands and subtropical river valleys. Tibetans might offer you a cup of Yak butter tea, and if you aren't completely averse to experimenting with new flavors, you should try it. Be warned—it's considered by many to be "appallingly rancid," but to others, the black tea, salt and butter combo delivers a hot, dual-shot of fat and caffeine to the system—perfect for travelers looking for a little pep on chill mornings at 10,000 feet.
Other Gansu dishes on offer are the popular lamien or hand-pulled noodles, served in Muslim restaurants. These are known as qingzhen restaurants ("pure truths restaurants"), and serve typical Chinese dishes pork-free, with the emphasis on lamb and mutton instead, and are as favored by non-Muslim Han Chinese as they are by the Muslim Hui and Uighur. Given Gansu's relative isolation and low levels of development, international fare is largely limited to Lanzhou hotels.
Gansu History
The inhabitation of the upper reaches of the Yellow River goes back to prehistoric times, when what is now Gansu hosted a number of Neolithic cultures. The Qin Dynasty, the founding state of the Chinese empire, grew from the southeastern part of Gansu, around Tianshui. The Han Dynasty extended the Great Wall all the way to the Hexi corridor, part of the fabled Silk Road, terminating at Yumenguan (Jade Gate Pass, near Xinjiang. Traders dealt in everything from astronomy, to wine making, to gunpowder, to silk, not to mention the gold and proud Kyrgyz stallions the Chinese needed to subjugate their neighbors in Tibet and Mongolia.
Gansu, being host to such large minority populations, was often unstable. The Muslim Rebellion of 1862-77 originated here. Tibetans and Taoists would also suffer considerably during the Cultural Revolution. This instability, combined with earthquakes and other calamities ensured a moribund provincial economy, which has only recently begun improving due to the discovery of natural resources including oil and rare earth elements, as well as an increase in tourism. Efforts such as the Silk Road Ecosystem Restoration Project aim to prevent desertification and develop a green corridor, as well as an economic boom, along the Silk Road.
Gansu Climate
Gansu's many geographical features and considerable size mean weather varies according to regions. If you go southwest to Xiahe, you might want to buy a yak wool coat as it gets humid and cold. Average temperatures there are -12º C in January and 15º C in August. Humidity decreases from the sultry, subtropical south as you head northwest towards the Gobi desert. Nearby Dunhuang averages -9ºC in January and 26ºC in August.
