Zhangye Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information
Zhangye is located in the middle section of the Hexi Corridor in Gandu Province. And to its east is Jingchang, Wuwei, to its west is Jiuquan and Jiayuguan, to its south is Beizhou of Qinghai province and to its north is Jiheiqi and Alashanqi of inner Mongolia. Zhangye is often called "Gloden Zhangye".
The four seasons in this area change clearly, in this area winter is long and cold,the summer is short and hot and the temperature of spring rises quickly and that of autumn decreases quickly too. In this area. there is little rain, insuffient sunshine and the big temperature difference between day and night.
This area has 210 - 465 kilometers from east to west and 30 - 148 kilometers from north to south. And The total land area is 42,000 square kilometers. The area includes five counties and one city ,that is Shandan, Minle, Linze, Gaotai, Sulan Yugur counties and Zhangye city. The total population of this area reaches 1200,000 and among them there are 1000,000 people dealing with argriculture, there are 26 minority nationalities in this area, such as Hans, Yugurs, Zhungs, Huis. Zangs, Mongols, Uighurs, etc. Among them, Yuagurzu is the only one of China who live in this area.
Zhangye was once an important garrison town and a stopon the 'Silk Road' (Marco Polo supposedly spent a year here): Photographs takenat the turn of the century show a still largely intact old city with high defensive walls, but little remains of the original Zhangye today. There are 9 senic spots of Province Key Protection and Zhangye was listed 'Historic and Cultural City' by state council.
Definitely worth a visit is the Giant Buddha Temple, which houses an impressive 34 - metre - long sleeping buddha. This clay statue is the largest, of its kind in China and was built during the Western Xia period. Other histaric sites also include Wooden Pagoda of Sui Danasty, Drum - town of Ming Danasty, Heshui Ruins, Mati Temple of Wei - Jing Era, Stone Caves in Jingta Temple, which is as important as Muogao-Caves in Silk Road and famous for the Feitian Status in the central pillar of the Caves. At Mati, a beautiful Tibetan village 135km south of Zhangye in the foothills of the Qilianshan ,is the Horse's Hoof Temple, built within a high cliff face and accessible only via an amazing passageway through the caves. Just outside Mati are the Thousand Buddha Caves. Xulan County is the only one for Yugurzu in China, there are excellent Qilianshan glacier snow scenic spots, Primitive forests, oasis plains and peculiar customs of Yugurzu people, and so on. Here also has cemetory of revolutionary martyrs of Red Army and Relics Museum donated by an international friend.
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