Tibetan antelope self-help travel guide -- Gansu Ningxia: Gansu Ningxia

Author: Sun Shi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-09-01
Features: The journey in this book begins at the point in Gansu where "West of Yangguan" is mentioned. Experienced travelers along the Silk Road turn south in Lanzhou, then head north again from the eastern side of Gansu, crossing the Hetao Plain, which is intertwined with history and space in Ningxia. Cherish every heartbeat of yours; the desolation of the Northwest is also a dream. Gansu is a ruyi (wish-fulfilling scepter), Ningxia is a jujube kernel, as scholars say. But I think they are more like the wings of my own rooster. Across this vast land are scattered historical, cultural, and natural landscapes. Or rather, walking through Gansu and Ningxia is like traveling through history and culture. If you are a traveler who loves Chinese history, if you enjoy the vast, rugged land and simple, unrestrained life, then you should come here. The journey in this book starts at the border between Gansu and Xinjiang in the west, turns south in Lanzhou near Qinghai and Sichuan, then glances east at Shaanxi, heads south into Ningxia, and concludes at the vast grasslands of Inner Mongolia.
Dunhuang Mogao Caves—I don’t even want to say anything. If you haven’t even heard of them, you don’t need to continue reading. Two thousand years ago, a silk road passed through here. Travelers of various complexions led camels and horses, carrying gold, silver, jewels, diamonds, and agates to trade for our silk. Two thousand years have passed, and their footprints have long been buried in the yellow sand. Yet, Dunhuang flourished because of them. Generations of craftsmen carved Buddha statues to express gratitude for divine blessings, depicting murals that explained the principles of life. The brilliant colors remain, the compassionate Buddha statues remain, the flying apsaras playing pipas remain—yet they have become even more beautiful with the passing of time.
Meng Jiangnv cried for the Great Wall, soldiers slept on it, poets sighed at it, and barbarians danced around it. Please come and see too. The arid climate of the Northwest has preserved many of the Great Wall ruins well. From the Qin Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty, builders, soldiers, and enemies left behind bones that piled up over the ages...