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Gansu

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Gansu is a large province in northwestern China.

Lanzhou-037
Lanzhou-037

It sits between the Tibetan and Loess plateaus. The province borders Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west. To the south is Sichuan, and to the east is Shaanxi.

Gansu Government
Gansu Government

In the north, it touches Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, and Mongolia's Govi-Altai Province. The Yellow River flows through the southern part of the land. It passes straight through Lanzhou, which is the capital and largest city.

兰州中心七里河区
兰州中心七里河区

Part of the Gobi Desert also sits within Gansu territory.

The landscape changes a lot depending on where you stand. The south is very mountainous with the Qilian Mountains.

甘肃 荒山与沃土 - panoramio
甘肃 荒山与沃土 - panoramio

The far west has the highest point at 5,808 meters. In the north, the land is mostly flat. A natural passage called the Hexi Corridor runs through the middle. This corridor stretches from Lanzhou to the Jade Gate. It is tucked between the desert and the mountains. The weather is often dry and continental. Summers are warm or hot, but winters are very cold.

Koppen-Geiger Map v2 CHN Gansu 1991–2020
Koppen-Geiger Map v2 CHN Gansu 1991–2020

In some high areas, winter temperatures can drop to -20°C.

Gansu has a very deep and ancient history. Long ago, Neolithic cultures lived in the eastern part. The Dadiwan culture flourished there from about 6000 BC to 3000 BC.

Chinese jar, Neolithic period, painted earthenware, HAA
Chinese jar, Neolithic period, painted earthenware, HAA

Later, the Majiayao and Qijia cultures took root. The State of Qin actually grew out of southeastern Gansu. This state later started the first imperial dynasty in China.

Cernuschi Museum 20060812 156
Cernuschi Museum 20060812 156

Many people lived here during the Han dynasty. They built things like the Yumen Pass fort towns.

Yumenguan
Yumenguan

You can still see the ruins of watchtowers today.

Summer Vacation 2007, 263, Watchtower In The Morning Light, Dunhuang, Gansu Province
Summer Vacation 2007, 263, Watchtower In The Morning Light, Dunhuang, Gansu Province

This province was a vital link for the Chinese empire. The Northern Silk Road ran through the Hexi Corridor. This made Gansu an important place for communication and trade.

JiayuguanFort
JiayuguanFort

The Ming dynasty built the Jiayuguan outpost here. This city is the second most populated in the province. Gansu is also known for beautiful Buddhist art. The Mogao Caves and Maijishan Caves have amazing murals.

Maijishan grottoes
Maijishan grottoes

Some very old paper was even found near Yumen Pass. These items show how much culture moved through this land.

Today, about 26 million people live in Gansu. Most people are Han, but there are also Hui, Dongxiang, and Tibetan minorities.

Most people speak Mandarin. While the province has been among the poorest in China, it has many minerals. These resources help it become a center for industry. The name Gansu comes from two old settlements. These were Ganzhou and Suzhou. They were once the most important places in the Hexi Corridor.

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🖼️ Images & Media (14)
File:Summer Vacation 2007, 263, Watchtower In The Morning Light, Dunhuang, Gansu Province.jpg
Summer Vacation 2007, 263, Watchtower In...
File:Chinese jar, Neolithic period, painted earthenware, HAA.JPG
Chinese jar, Neolithic period, painted...
File:Yumenguan.jpg
Yumenguan.jpg
File:JiayuguanFort.jpg
JiayuguanFort.jpg
File:Koppen-Geiger Map v2 CHN Gansu 1991–2020.svg
Koppen-Geiger Map v2 CHN Gansu 1991–2020.svg
File:Gansu Government.jpg
Gansu Government.jpg
File:5920-Dongxiang-County-Daxiahe-valley-fields-seen-from-Linxia-County.jpg
5920-Dongxiang-County-Daxiahe-valley-field...
File:兰州中心七里河区.jpg
兰州中心七里河区.jpg
File:Lanzhou-037.JPG
Lanzhou-037.JPG
File:Yulin Cave 3 w wall Manjusri (Western Xia).jpg
Yulin Cave 3 w wall Manjusri (Western Xia).jpg
File:Han Dynasty Granary west of Dunhuang.jpg
Han Dynasty Granary west of Dunhuang.jpg
File:Cernuschi Museum 20060812 156.jpg
Cernuschi Museum 20060812 156.jpg

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