A 5-Day, 4-Night Travel Guide to Wuwei, Gansu! See the Unparalleled Treasures of Wuwei
Preface
Many people are familiar with Wuwei, as those who drive along the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop often use it as a stopover. However, many people also have a sense of familiarity with Wuwei, believing it to be the least interesting prefecture-level city in Gansu.
Is this really the case? This summer, I spent five days and four nights traveling through Wuwei's three counties and one district, like a special forces soldier. I saw a different Wuwei and it also changed my traditional understanding of the city.
Getting to know each other started from the museums in Wuwei City
To know and love a city, you need to look beyond its concrete facade. You need to use your artistic eyes and ears to discover and listen to its rich history and cultural heritage, and to feel the pulse of the city where history and modernity blend together. Let's start our first acquaintance with Wuwei by looking at its museums.
Wuwei boasts a history of over 4,000 years and over 2,000 years of uninterrupted urban development. Known as the "Ancient Capital of the Five Liang" and "Auxiliary Commandery of Western Xia," Wuwei is renowned for its rich history and diverse cultural heritage. Known as the "Metropolis of Hexi," it was once a crucial political, military, economic, and cultural center in Northwest China.
Wuwei boasts a long history and splendid culture. Since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty established the "Four Commanderies of Hexi," successive dynasties have established prefectures and prefectures here. The Former Liang, Later Liang, Southern Liang, Northern Liang during the Sixteen Kingdoms period of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and the Great Liang at the end of the Sui Dynasty all established their capitals here.
Cultural relics such as the Chinese tourism symbol "Horse Stepping on Flying Swallow", the "ancestor of Chinese grottoes", the Tianti Mountain Grottoes, the Liangzhou League Memorial Hall, the "crown of Longyou Academy" Confucian Temple, the rare treasure "Western Xia Stele", and the "Luoshu Temple Pagoda", the pagoda housing the tongue relic of Kumarajiva, one of the four great Buddhist translators in China, are shining brightly. The historical and regional cultural characteristics such as the Han and Tang culture, the Five Liang culture, the Western Xia culture, the Buddhist culture, and the ethnic folk culture are distinct.
The Wuwei Museum is a comprehensive museum of Wuwei's history, encompassing its political economy, cultural heritage, and social and humanistic aspects. Its collection includes Neolithic painted pottery, Han bamboo slips, Han and Tang Dynasty woodcarvings, Tangut woodblock prints, Tangut texts, Buddhist artifacts from various historical periods, and documents and documents from ethnic minorities. These artifacts are distinctive and possess exceptional historical and cultural value.
Among the museum's treasures are the 26 wooden slips containing the imperial edict granting the imperial staff. These slips provide crucial information for the study of the Han dynasty's system of respecting and caring for the elderly, and address questions raised by historians regarding the granting of the imperial staff to those aged seventy.
The Wuwei Museum boasts numerous treasures, including a national first-class cultural relic, a painted lacquer wooden dove. Painted entirely in ink, it features fish-scale feathers from its neck to its belly, and fishbone feathers on its wings and upper tail, all clearly visible to the naked eye. There's also a dedicated exhibition hall dedicated to the Tianti Mountain Grottoes, where you can get a general understanding of the mountain before visiting it.
Let your imagination run wild in Wuwei. When exploring the history of Liangzhou and savoring its cultural charm, the Bronze Galloping Horse is an unavoidable topic. The Wuwei Leitai Han Culture Museum is located within the Leitai Scenic Area. The Leitai Han Tomb, where the Bronze Galloping Horse, a symbol of Chinese tourism, was unearthed, is also known as the "underground museum." If you want to explore its mysteries, the Leitai Han Culture Museum is a must-see.
The bronze galloping horse unearthed from the Leitai Han Tomb in Wuwei, with its graceful posture, evokes a sense of soaring flight, perfectly reflecting the balanced and profound spirit of the Han Dynasty. Besides visiting the Leitai Han Tomb, three exhibition halls—including the "Da Han Fu," "Tian Ma Ge," and "Liangzhou Ci"—stand in a triangular pattern within the Hexi Metropolitan Scenic Area, offering a truly captivating experience.
In the Liangzhou Ci Exhibition Hall, you can see the graceful dancing of Xiliang music and the lifelike figures of Tang Dynasty poets such as Wang Han and Wang Zhihuan. You can also appreciate the grand occasion of Huo Qubing's battle against the Huns to regain Hexi, and truly feel the unrestrained and heroic spirit of "Liangzhou horses running rampant all over the world" in the changing light and shadow.
"Inheriting the past and ushering in the future, carrying on the lost and supporting the declining"—these eight words beautifully summarize the characteristics of Wuliang culture. The Wuliang Culture Museum, located atop the South Gate Tower of Wuwei City, features 12 exhibits that recount the rise, prosperity, and subsequent influence of Wuliang culture. Entering it is like stepping into the eclectic, diverse, and unified spirit of China.
The Western Xia Museum is the only thematic museum in Gansu Province that displays the history of the Western Xia. The Western Xia cultural relics in the museum are precious materials for studying the history and culture of the Western Xia.
The "Stele of the Reconstruction of the Huguo Temple's Gantong Pagoda" is the "treasure of the museum" of the Western Xia Museum. It details the grand event of the reconstruction of the Huguo Temple Pagoda in Liangzhou and is of great significance to the study of Western Xia history and culture.
The Wuwei Confucian Temple is the largest and best-preserved Confucian temple in the Hexi Corridor. Located on Chongwen Street in Liangzhou District, Wuwei City, it faces the Wuwei Xixia Museum across the road. Originally built in 1437, it has undergone numerous expansions and expanded to its sprawling scale, earning it the title of "the crowning academy of Longyou."
The Liangzhou League Memorial Hall is a historical witness to Tibet's administrative jurisdiction over the central government. The 99 white pagodas stand majestically, testifying that Tibet was a sacred and inseparable part of the motherland more than 700 years ago.
"Remember your homesickness" and "retain your hometown"—rediscover your roots and nostalgia at the Shajingzi Cultural and Folk Tourism Scenic Area in Minqin, Wuwei. Nine themed pavilions showcase the ingenuity of traditional craftsmanship and the profound wisdom of food as the primary need of the people.
When talking about Gansu's iconic landmarks, one has to mention the Babusha Forest Farm, which is almost as well-known as Kubuqi and Saihanba. Three generations of people have dedicated four decades to transforming the desert into an oasis.
Carry forward the contemporary Yugong spirit of the "Six Old Men" of Babusha, tell good stories about sand control and educating people, the Gulang Babusha Six Old Men Sand Control Memorial Hall, the Babusha Two Mountains Practice and Innovation Base, and the Babusha Forest Farm, use the ironclad evidence that man can conquer nature to interpret the profound connotation that green waters and green mountains are invaluable assets. No matter how scorching the sun or how fierce the wind is, it cannot cover up the dream of towering green trees on the yellow sand.
The Gulang Battle Memorial Hall was built on the site of the Gulang Battle of the 9th Army of the Red West Route Army. It shows the revolutionary journey of the Red West Route Army in the smoke of war.
The entire memorial hall has a three-story structure, with the main exhibition area covering two floors above ground. It is themed "Strong West Wind, Red Battle Flag", and consists of 8 parts, 33 units, and a final hall, including marching into Hexi, forming the Western Route Army, breaking through Ganchaiwa, sniping at Hengliang Mountain, bloody battle in Gulan City, blood-stained battle flag, loyal heart shining like the sun and the moon, and noble spirit lasting forever.
Only when we understand that today's wonderful life is hard-earned can we cherish what we have more and strive towards a brighter future.
We met because of the endless beauty of Wuwei
What do you imagine the Northwest to be like? Is it the Gobi Desert? Or the desert? The footprints left by caravans crossing the desert? Or something else entirely? These aren't necessarily incorrect, but they're incomplete. Wuwei embodies these images you imagine or imagine, but there's much more to it than that. Let's satisfy your imagination first by visiting Wuwei Desert Park.
Wuwei Desert Park is more accurately described as a desert management demonstration park than a desert. Shaded by verdant trees and lined with poplar trees, it's also the birthplace of premium wine grapes, home to the Mogao Winery. Not only can you indulge in camel riding, but you'll also find a variety of popular photo spots to satisfy your photo-taking cravings.
There is also a Luobu village here, which meets your fantasy of the western frontier town in movies and TV dramas. It has sand as the background and the castle is made of rammed earth, which is very photogenic.
In comparison, the sand in the Minqin Suwu Desert Scenic Area is purer. Here, 132 sculptures by Chinese and foreign masters are gathered. Each one is moving, with a story and ingenuity. Whether photographed individually or with people in the frame, they are extremely interesting.
The Star Picking Town is nestled next to the Sculpture International Creation Camp. Its unique geographical features and distinctive architectural complexes have also attracted a large number of tourists to stop and check in at the Sculpture International Creation Camp to take photos, and to watch the stars and relax in the Star Picking Town, and learn about celestial knowledge by the way. It is fun and interesting.
There is also a "big mansion" on the Great Wall, which is Rui'an Fort in Minqin.
From a distance, it looks like a square city, but in fact it is very sophisticated. One side is high and the other side is low, resembling a phoenix spreading its wings. Built with rammed earth and brick structure, Anbao combines residential houses and fortifications, integrating practicality and artistry. It is a representative work of residential architecture in the Hexi Corridor in the northwest.
As the Minqin Suwu Desert Scenic Area demonstrates, Minqin is a region of water scarcity. The advent of the Hongyashan Reservoir has transformed Minqin's microclimate, transforming the desert into an oasis. Happiness can blossom even in the wilderness; as long as there's sufficient water, the dramatic transformations depicted in mythology are but a ray of light shining into reality.
Wuwei Shenzhou Desert Wildlife Park should be the favorite of children. Here they can have close contact with animals and embrace nature affectionately, and they can also release joy in the playground. This is what childhood should be like.
Liangzhou was a key town on the ancient Silk Road, connecting the eastern and western parts of the Hexi Corridor. Since the introduction of Buddhism to China from India in the 1st century BC, Liangzhou, with its unique geographical location and cultural environment, has gradually become a major hub for Buddhist translation and dissemination. Many renowned monks have resided here, promoting Buddhism and translating Buddhist scriptures.
Vast yet indifferent, profound yet warm. Kumarajiva Temple, located on Beida Street in Wuwei City, Gansu Province, was originally built during the Later Liang Dynasty. The pagoda and monastery were significantly expanded during the Tang Dynasty, and renovated during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Built to commemorate the contributions of the eminent Western Regions monk Kumarajiva to the spread of Buddhism and translation of Buddhist scriptures, it boasts a history of over 1,600 years and is a valuable relic for the study of the Five Liang cultures, Han Buddhism, and Western Regions Buddhism.
The Tianti Mountain Grottoes, also constructed during the Northern Liang Dynasty and boasting a history of over 1,600 years, are revered as the "ancestor" and "source of grottoes." The Tianti Mountain Grottoes currently have 18 extant caves. The main cave, the Great Buddha Cave, features a 28-meter-tall statue of Sakyamuni. The Buddha sits majestically, his demeanor surmounting the clouds and clouds, commanding the universe. His expression is lifelike and the sculpture is exquisite.
Rippling blue waters shroud the caves, while wisps of cloud entwine them, creating a magnificent scene of mountains, water, Buddha, and clouds blending seamlessly into one. This is a renowned tourist attraction in Wuwei. Due to geological reasons, the Tianti Mountain Exhibition Hall, the Great Buddha within the caves, the Northern Liang central pillar, the niches, and some of the precious murals are currently closed to the public. The Wuwei City Museum offers a dedicated exhibition on the Tianti Mountain Grottoes, offering a detailed exploration.
"Three seasons in one day, a different weather every ten miles" is a true description of the Tianzhu Binggou River Scenic Area. Named after the Binggou River, the main river formed by the melting glaciers of the Qilian Mountains, the scenic area encompasses natural landscapes such as the Qilian Glacier, Amiwanzhi Snow Mountain, Qilian Tianchi Lake (Chaierlong Lake), Nimeila Grand Canyon, Malanhua Grassland, Honghua Pasture, primeval forests, and alpine meadows.
Walking into Binggou River means walking into a private summer resort. Visiting it not only gives you the special experience of experiencing three seasons in one day and different weather every ten miles, but also a pleasant journey of roaming in the magical and magnificent nature, experiencing history and culture, and enjoying forest health care.
The crystalline Chaillong Lake, surrounded by misty snow-capped mountains, appears even more limpid and radiant. In the Nimera Grand Canyon, high peaks and deep valleys are close together, and mountain springs flow gently between them. Amidst the rolling hills, the Malanhua Grassland is carpeted with flowers all year round, its lush greenery brimming with vitality and vigor. The Honghua Ranch, steeped in the vicissitudes of history, evokes the story of Princess Honghua of the Tang Dynasty marrying the Tuyuhun King and relocating to Liangzhou a thousand years ago. It also seems to evoke the high spirits of the Tang Dynasty's heyday.
Wuwei Hot Spring Resort is a great place for Wuwei people to travel on weekends. In comparison, Wuwei people prefer to soak in hot springs in summer, and Wuwei Hot Spring Resort is the best choice to return to nature in summer, which can satisfy your various imaginations of hot spring experience.
Wuwei Hot Spring Resort is a green health and wellness destination integrating hot spring therapy, cultural tourism, and leisure vacations. Yaowang Hot Spring, a radon-rich hot spring with a long history, boasts an outlet temperature of 80-83°C and pure water that meets medical hot mineral water standards.
In the hot summer, walk into the Wuwei Hot Spring Resort, where the water of Xiying River is sparkling, green willows are shady on the opposite bank, clouds and mountains are reflected on the water surface, and a gentle breeze blows. Soaking in hot springs and tasting delicious food here will make you feel happy. It is so beautiful and wonderful!
Stay together and be loyal to Wuwei's endless delicious food
My five-day, four-night trip gave me a deeper understanding of Wuwei and completely changed my previous perspective on it. If my acquaintance with Wuwei began with its museums, my understanding of Wuwei stemmed from its boundless beauty, and my continued connection with the city stems from my loyalty to its endless food. I'd like to call this trip a "Taste of Wuwei" experience!
For those who are driving along the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop, you may want to come to Wuwei and taste the unique Wuwei flavor. I believe it will surprise you and make you praise it.
Wuwei cuisine is all about the number three, with dishes like Sandaoche (Three-Tao Cart) and Sanpaotai (Three-Paotai)—both names are straightforward. The name "Santaoche" (Three-Tao Cart) originates from General Zuo Zongtang and consists of Liangzhou noodles, braised pork, and rock sugar Fucha tea, with unlimited refills. Sanpaotai (Three-Paotai) can be customized to your taste, combining the aroma of tea with the sweetness of jujube, longan, and rock sugar, to help reduce greasiness and reduce greasiness.
The spiciness that Wuwei people prefer is less intense than that of Sichuan and Chongqing, and more fragrant and spicy. The lamb, pepper chicken, and potatoes here are all delicious and highly recommended.
Of course, the delicious Liangzhou hotpot is worth recommending. Although it is a vegetable hotpot, it can be either meat or vegetarian, so you can order according to your taste. There are also fried cake rolls, Tianzhu white oyster beef hotpot, and local delicacies made with shami. I will leave these to discover for myself.
As night falls and the lights come on, take a stroll through the streets of Wuwei. The ever-more-beautiful Wuwei, becoming even more beautiful with each passing night, will offer you a unique experience. The Ferris wheel lights flicker, cars rush by at the South City Gate, and thousands of homes light up. The Ming and Qing Street Night Market is filled with the vibrant atmosphere of the city. Stroll around casually, soak in the evening breeze, and order some of your favorite delicacies. The familiar Liangzhou city has returned.
【About the itinerary】
Day 1 Wuwei City Museum - Leitai Scenic Area - Hexi Metropolitan Scenic Area - Wuliang Cultural Museum - Wuwei Confucian Temple - Xixia Museum - Kumarajiva Temple - South City Gate Night View - Ming and Qing Street Night Market
Day 2 Wuwei Desert Park - Wuwei Shenzhou Desert Wildlife Park - Liangzhou League Memorial Hall - Tianti Mountain Grottoes Scenic Area
Day 3: Minqin Suwu Desert Scenic Area - Minqin Shajingzi Folk Culture Tourism Scenic Area - Minqin Rui'an Fort - Minqin Hongyashan Reservoir
Day 4 Tianzhu Binggou River Scenic Area－Wuwei Hot Spring Resort
Day 5 Gulang Babusha Six Old Men Desertification Control Memorial Hall - Babusha Two Mountains Practice Innovation Base - Babusha Forest Farm - Gulang Battle Memorial Hall
Conclusion
Wuwei, located at the eastern end of the Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province, borders Lanzhou to the east, Xining to the south, Yinchuan and Inner Mongolia to the north, and Xinjiang to the west. It's the site of the unearthed bronze galloping horse, a symbol of Chinese tourism. It's also a National Historical and Cultural City, an Excellent Chinese Tourist City, and a Chinese Wine City. This summer, I spent five days and four nights exploring Wuwei, witnessing its rich cultural heritage, majestic landscapes, and enchanting scenery. It was a truly captivating experience, making me reluctant to leave.
