[2025 Zhangye Attraction] Travel Guide for Zhangye City Museum (Updated May)

Zhangye, this city, no one will ask you whether you love it or not, only people will ask you why you love it. The colorful colors, brilliant ethnic groups, inclusive religions, ancient history, galloping horses, young heroes, there are many reasons to fall in love with Zhangye, and it seems that no reason is needed. Zhangye is located in the transition zone from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the Inner Mongolia Plateau, and has gathered all the natural landscapes that people can imagine, such as glaciers, snow mountains, forests, grasslands, rivers, lakes, Danxia, wetlands, deserts, Gobi, mountains, and canyons. It can be called a world geomorphological landscape garden. Zhangye was originally a place where ethnic minorities lived. In history, it was a necessary place for the Western Regions to enter the Central Plains. It was also a strategic point for a strong dynasty to achieve unification and strength. Various ethnic groups blend here, and the ethnic culture is brilliant and colorful. As a 4,000-year-old civilization ancient city, Zhangye's history is old enough. The ancient history adds a bit of heaviness to this city. Rich historical relics have also become our carrier to look back at the past. 🚙Transportation The scenic spots in Zhangye are far apart, public transportation is not convenient, it is recommended to drive or charter. 📜Itinerary details D1️⃣: Zhangye Museum➡️Xilai Temple➡️Dafo Temple➡️Muta Temple ✅Zhangye Museum (2h) The first stop is at the Zhangye Museum, overlooking the 4,000-year-old civilization ancient city and entering the important town of the ancient Silk Road. Follow the footsteps of the commentator, step by step into the museum, in the exquisite cultural relics such as bronzes, pottery, coins, porcelain, etc., look back at the 4,000-year-old civilization ancient city, the important town of the ancient Silk Road. ✅Xilai Temple (1h) Feel the incense after the reconstruction in the Xilai Temple, which was built in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. ✅Dafo Temple (2h) Check in the only religious hall of the Western Xia minority in China, the largest indoor reclining Buddha Nirvana statue in China, and the murals of Journey to the West, which are 200 years earlier than the book. ✅Muta Temple (1h) Take a walk outside the Muta Temple in the evening and see the life of the locals outside the ancient building. D2️⃣: Biandukou➡️Binhe Jiuliang ✅Biandukou (3h) Many people rush to Qinghai to see a field of rapeseed flowers, but in Zhangye Biandukou, under the Qilian Mountains, the rapeseed flowers bloom, also blooming the colors of Zhangye. Biandukou has travel photography, hot air balloons and other projects to check in. ✅Binhe Jiuliang (3h) Come to the birthplace of Binhe Jiuliang, in the strong aroma of wine, from the Shen Zhou Qu Workshop to the brewing workshop, from the 10,000-ton wine cellar to the 10,000-acre sorghum raw material base, step by step to trace the roots, go into the past and present of Binhe Jiuliang, and explore this time-brewed Long legend. D3️⃣: Colorful Danxia ✅Colorful Danxia (sunrise and sunset, rest at noon) The colorful Danxia has long become the business card of Zhangye and the dreamland of many good “color” followers at home and abroad. When the colorful Danxia meets the hot air balloon, it is even more romantic in the summer of Zhangye. D4️⃣: Gaotai Site➡️Zhengyi Gorge➡️Camel City Site ✅Gaotai Site (1h) Not far from the Camel City site, history lovers check in, if time is tight, you can ignore it. ✅Zhengyi Gorge (3h) You can see the wild gorge of the Great Wall, desolate and wild. ✅Camel City Site (2h) Must check in, once the ancient capital of Beiliang, the military city of the Tang Dynasty, now only the broken walls remain, stubbornly standing in the desert alkali, desolate and solemn, telling the prosperity of the past with the wind and sand. The ruins are silent and persistent, this stubbornness that spans 1,800 years, makes people tearful. D5⃣️: Sunan Matisi➡️Kangle Grassland➡️Wenshu Temple➡️Sunan County ✅Matisi (3h) Mainly visit Matisi North Temple, Thousand Buddha Cave. Matisi North Temple is the most peculiar, most strictly arranged, and largest grotto in the Matisi Grottoes. Must check in Thirty-three days, Tibetan Buddha Hall. ✅Kangle Grassland (3h) The grassland in summer is close to the sky and not far from the snow mountain, which is very similar to the appearance of the dream far away. Here you can take a large travel photo of the Yugur style. ✅Wenshu Temple (2h) The ancient grotto group under the main peak of Qilian Mountain, for thousands of years, Tibetan Buddhism, Han Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese religious sects have intersected and integrated here. D6️⃣: Yanzhi Mountain➡️Shandan Horse Farm ✅Yanzhi Mountain (3h) Shandan Yanzhi Mountain, the waist of the Hexi Corridor, the throat of the Ganliang Ancient Road, has always been a must for the military. Huo Qubing defeated the Huns here, laying the foundation for Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty to "expand the Western Regions and open up the Silk Road". Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty held a "World Expo" here, which became the prototype of the modern World Expo. ✅Shandan Horse Farm (3h) Must check in, although the distance is relatively far, but it is currently the largest and oldest horse farm in the world.

Don't miss the museum when you visit Zhangye! This cultural treasure trove hidden in the city not only allows you to understand the past and present of Zhangye, but also takes you to experience the glory of the ancient Silk Road. 📍Address: No. 63, County Government Street, Ganzhou District, Zhangye City, Gansu Province 🕙Opening hours: Tuesday - Sunday 8:30 - 17:30, closed on Mondays. 🎫Tickets: Free🆓, just bring your ID card. 🌟Themed exhibitions: 1. General History Exhibition: From the "weak water" prehistoric civilization to the "government city" of the Ming and Qing dynasties, 6 units and 21 sections clearly present the historical context of Zhangye. Here, you can see ancient pottery, exquisite bronzeware, and artifacts reflecting the lifestyle of different periods, each telling a story of the past. 2. Special Exhibition: "Zhangye on the Silk Road" showcases the important position of Zhangye as a Silk Road hub. Looking at the artifacts from different regions, you can almost see the bustling scene of camel bells and merchants traveling in the past. ✨Featured exhibits: 1. Bronze Horse: The horse's face is long and the eyes are wide open. The back is round and the hips are full. The shape is beautiful and the craftsmanship is exquisite. It is one of the "treasures" of the museum and can be compared with the "Flying Horse" of Gansu. 2. Replica of the East Pagoda Pillar of the Golden Pagoda Temple: A one-to-one replica, exquisite high-relief colored sculptures, and the posture of the flying Apsaras is lifelike. You can experience the charm of Buddhist art of the Northern Liang period at close range. 3. Bronze Bell of the Tang Dynasty: Once hung on the Zhenyuan Building, the bell body is decorated with patterns, and it is cast in three layers and nine pictures. The images are separated by cross-shaped patterns, carrying the weight of the years. 📌Tips for visiting: 1. It is recommended to visit for 2-3 hours, slowly stroll around, and carefully appreciate the charm of the museum. 2. You can rent a guide at the entrance (20r/time), or listen to the audio guide on the applet to learn about the stories behind the artifacts and enhance your experience. 3. The light in the museum is relatively dim. When taking photos, please do not turn on the flash to protect the artifacts.

[Scenic] Tour route: Chengdu-Lanzhou-Wuwei-Zhangye-Dunhuang-Lanzhou-Chengdu 🕐️DAY 1 Lanzhou [HighSpeedRail] Transportation: Chengdu-Lanzhou (high-speed rail about 8 hours) 🛏【️Hotel Guide】 Near Lanzhou West Railway Station (very close to the core scenic spots) 📝Note tips: [Pushpin] The seats in the Chengdu-Lanzhou train are small, there are many tunnels on the way, and the signal is poor. Prepare activities to kill time in advance [Pushpin] Lanzhou-Lanzhou West If the time is right, you can choose the high-speed train, transfer directly at the station, save luggage security check, high comfort, 10 minutes by car 🍽Dining recommendations: As we arrived late, we casually had a bowl of beef noodles at "Ma Youbu Beef Noodles" outside Lanzhou West Station. The taste was okay, but the beef had to be ordered separately, otherwise there were only two small pieces. 🕐️DAY 2 Lanzhou ⛰【Attractions Guide】 [One] Waterwheel Expo Park Metro Line 1 Donggang direction Lanzhou West Station North Square Subway Station - Provincial Government Subway Station Exit A Walk [Two] Zhongshan Bridge, take bus No. 25, get on at Green Park outside Waterwheel Expo Park - Zhongshan Bridge Bus Station [Three] Baitashan Park is just across Zhongshan Bridge. [Four] Xiaoxihu Park Walking [Five] Gansu Provincial Museum Bus No. 32 West Lake Park Station - Provincial Museum Station [Six] Lanzhou Center West Station Night Market 📝Note tips: Gansu Provincial Museum is closed on Mondays. Admission is stopped at 16:30 on other days. Please make an appointment in advance through the mini program and enter by swiping your mainland China ID card. 🍽Dining recommendations: [Tableware] Asia Northwest Mom’s Specialty Dishes Stir-fried lamb meat is tender and juicy, and the vermicelli is chewy [Tableware] Looking back at Lanzhou’s famous snacks Spicy three kinds (potatoes, bean curd skin, vermicelli) Gray beans [Tableware] Fangha Gansu Specialty Tea Sweet embryo milk tea 🕐️DAY 3: Wuwei (stay at Wuwei Station) 🚄Lanzhou West-Wuwei East 1h54min [RoundNails] Sit on the left and you can see the Qilian Mountains Wuwei East-Wuwei Station (Bus No. 28, about 40 minutes) [Mountain] Check-in spots [One] Leitai Han Tomb (Ticket 45) [Two] Kumarajiva Temple [Three] Wuwei Museum 📝Note tips: No reservation is required, enter by swiping your mainland China ID card, there will be a public welfare explanation at 15:00 [Four] South Gate Tower 🍽Dining recommendations: [Tableware] Caiji Noodles Three Sets (Noodles + Braised Pork + Fu Tea) [Tableware] Dough 🕙DAY4 Zhangye (stay near Drum Tower) 🚉Transportation strategy: Wuwei-Zhangye Green leather hard seat 2h40min [Mountain] Check-in spots [One] Big Buddha Temple (Ticket 10 yuan) [Two] Hsi Lai Temple [Three] Zhangye Museum 📝Note tips: 15:00 public welfare lecture 🌟Highlights: [Four] Zhangye National Wetland Park 🚉Transportation strategy: Take bus No. 8 in the city to the terminal ❤Recommendation reason: On a winter afternoon, basking in the sunshine, walking quietly on the plank road, watching the snow-covered lake and the blue sky merge into one, feeling the reeds swaying in the wind, watching white swans, black swans and various water birds playing and frolicking on the lake, every scene is so beautiful that it seems unreal. 🍽Dining recommendations: [Tableware] Fried Bo La (Shandan specialty, fried offal with a barbecue flavor, with onions, green peppers, and steamed buns as side dishes. Large portion is 118, small portion is 98. The boss saw that I was alone and fried a single portion, 68) [Tableware] Qi Saozi Spicy Hot Pot Available in sweet and spicy flavors I eat sweet and spicy, the taste is good, but if you eat too much, you will feel sick and it will be too sweet 🕙DAY5 Ma Ti Temple, Colorful Danxia Day Tour (Group Fee 73 Yuan) 08:00 The driver will pick you up at the hotel and drive to Mati Temple in about 1 hour 📝Note tips: The first ticket is free in the off-season, and the ticket for the must-see attraction Thirty-three Days Grottoes is 35 yuan There are no sightseeing buses in the scenic area. Vehicles entering the scenic area must pay a parking fee of 10 yuan per vehicle. Thousand Buddha Caves [Pushpin] The passages in the cave are narrow and steep, and require a certain amount of physical strength. The Medicine Master Hall in the Thousand Buddha Caves is the most dangerous. [Pushpin] At noon, the driver took us to a place called "Bai Fu" for dinner. It was like a Northwestern specialty food city for tourists. There were many varieties of food, and the taste was quite satisfactory. Go to Qicai Danxia in the afternoon, the journey takes about 1 hour, and the ticket price is 92 yuan Enter from the north entrance, and the sightseeing bus will arrive at Qicai Xianyuan Terrace, Yunhai Terrace (the popular S-curve road), Jinxiu Terrace, and Hongxia Terrace (for watching the sunset and the Little Potala Palace) in turn. [1:00]DAY6 00:13 Zhangye-07:16 Dunhuang (green hard sleeper) After checking in at the hotel, take a taxi to Mogao Grottoes 📝Note tips: Book tickets in advance through the official account. The off-season ticket price is 140, and you can see 10 caves. First watch two movies at the visitor center, then take the scenic sightseeing bus to the caves to queue up in groups of 25 and follow the tour guide. Go to Mingsha Mountain in the afternoon. Tickets are free in the off-season. Camel ride costs 100 yuan. 🍽Dining recommendations: [Tableware] Chen Kee Mutton Restaurant The set meal is 88 yuan, including stewed mutton pancake, cold alfalfa, fried lotus root, milk and egg fermented glutinous rice soup Lots of variety, big portions, good taste DAY7 Dunhuang West Line One-Day Tour (Group Fee 76 Yuan) 08:00 Driver picks you up at the hotel [One] Silk Road Heritage City (Ticket price: 60 yuan) [×] 👎Least recommended: All the scenic spots are man-made, and there is no other meaning except taking photos and checking in. [Two] West Thousand Buddha Caves (Ticket 30) 4 caves to visit [Three] Yangguan (Ticket 50, Shuttle Bus 10) [Four] Yumen Pass (free ticket, shuttle bus 50) [Five] Yadan Ghost City (free ticket, shuttle bus 70) Tips: There are 3 ways to play in Yadan Ghost City 1. Ordinary shuttle bus Get off at each scenic spot and get on the bus to the next scenic spot at the designated spot. Do not go deep into the desert. 2. Beach surfing car 60/person, non-enclosed car, cold in winter 3.Off-road vehicle: 800/vehicle, 4 people per vehicle, form your own team. Both 2 and 3 go deeper into the desert. 3 goes longer in the desert than 2, but both eventually reach the same platform to watch the sunset. [Six] Watching the stars in Dunhuang Ancient City The travel agency is equipped with professional astronomical telescopes, and teachers will explain simple astronomical knowledge and teach you how to set the parameters for shooting the stars. DAY8 Dunhuang-Lanzhou Lanzhou - Chengdu 📝Note tips: You will rest and eat at a restaurant on the way at noon. The price is expensive and the taste is not good. It is recommended to prepare two meals for lunch and dinner. 💰️Total cost: 4150.2 yuan Transportation: 1551.5 yuan Accommodation: 767 yuan Play (tickets, tour fees, sightseeing bus, etc.): 903.7 yuan Food and Beverage: 661.5 yuan Other miscellaneous items (purchase of cultural and creative souvenirs, etc.): 266.5 yuan 💗Other tips:

Zhangye, Zhang Guo Bi Ye, West to the Western Regions. Cut off the arm of the Xiongnu, and expand the armpit of China. Huo Qubing crossed the Yanzhi Mountain, defeated the Xiongnu, and won the Hexi Corridor. Emperor Yang of Sui was the first emperor to set foot in the Hexi Corridor. At the foot of Yanzhi Mountain, the World Expo originated from the gathering of the leaders of 27 countries in the Western Regions. This is Ganzhou—Zhangye. Recommended attractions 🏄‍♂️: As always, learn some history first, then visit. Otherwise, there are no crowds, no mountains and rivers, but it is still worth it. 1⃣️ Zhangye Museum 2⃣️ Dafo Temple (Western Xia Temple) 3⃣️ Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park 4⃣️ Shandan Army Horse Farm 5⃣️ Mati Temple 6⃣️ Jinta Temple Transportation 🚆: The museum and Dafo Temple are in the city, just across the street from each other. You can walk or take a taxi. For other attractions, you can join a day tour or drive yourself. Food and accommodation 🏠: We recommend staying near Xinhui International Times Square, because there are many delicious foods on the B1 floor. Walk 5 minutes to Ganzhou Market for more delicious food, and another 5 minutes to Wanshou Commercial Street for all the food, drinks, and entertainment you want.

Zhangye City is located in the northwest of Gansu Province, in the middle section of the Hexi Corridor. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty established Zhangye County here and named it Zhangye for "Zhangye, which connects the country's arm to the Western Regions". Zhangye in the Western Wei Dynasty was renamed Ganzhou. It is an important town on the ancient Silk Road and a thoroughfare of the new Eurasian Continental Bridge. It is known as "Jiangnan on the Great Wall" and "Golden Zhangye". Throughout its long history, this small northwestern city has witnessed the rise and fall of countless dynasties and left behind many precious cultural heritages. 🎉This time I spent a day checking in at several must-see attractions in Zhangye. Come and experience the charm of this treasure tourist destination with me! 1. Wooden Pagoda Temple A Buddhist building with a long history, the most famous building in the temple is the 32.8-meter-high wooden pagoda, which has 8 sides and 9 levels, each of which is decorated with wooden dragon heads containing jewels and hanging wind chimes. The tower body adopts the mortise and tenon structure of red pine logs, without any iron nails, which fully demonstrates the exquisite craftsmanship and outstanding creativity of the ancients. 2. Hsi Lai Temple Xilai Temple is the seat of Zhangye Buddhist Association. According to the "Ganzhou Prefecture Records", Xilai Temple was first built in the Tang Dynasty and rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty under the name "Ciyu Jingshe". Xilai Temple is unique among the many temples in Zhangye. It is not only a Tantric temple (the vast majority of temples in Zhangye are of the Exoteric school), but also has a profound historical heritage and rich cultural connotations. Although it is open to the public for free, it is not well-known and has few tourists, making it a quiet place waiting for those who are interested to come. 3. Zhangye Museum The museum houses more than 11,000 historical relics, bringing together a large number of cultural treasures from ancient times to modern times, including grid-patterned double-eared painted pottery jars, bronze elks from the Warring States Period (also known as the four-legged beasts we call them), and tortoise and crane thousand-year-old bronze tobacco bottles, which are national first-class cultural relics. 4. Big Buddha Temple Built during the Western Xia period, the temple houses a gigantic statue of Sakyamuni entering Nirvana, which is 34.5 meters long and is the largest existing indoor reclining Buddha in China. The Big Buddha Temple has been the family temple of the royal family for generations. It is said that Kublai Khan, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty, was born in the Zhangye Big Buddha Temple, and his mother, Empress Dowager Beji, was also buried in the Big Buddha Temple after her death. In addition to the giant Buddha, the temple also preserves a Shanxi Guild Hall with a history of 300 years. The guild hall not only witnessed the era when Shanxi merchants in the Qing Dynasty started trade exchanges in Zhangye and promoted the economic prosperity of Zhangye, but also witnessed the historical changes and development of Zhangye culture.

Zhangye Museum, located on Xianfu Street, Ganzhou District, Zhangye City, Gansu Province, has a construction area of 11,000 square meters and is a national second-level museum. The museum has a collection of more than 11,000 historical relics, gathering a large number of cultural treasures from ancient times to modern times. The main functional areas are divided into general history exhibition area and special exhibition area. The general history exhibition includes Ruoshui Suoyuan, Zhangguo Biye, Beiliang Xiongfeng, Wanguo Xianbin, Ethnic Regime, Fucheng Yiyun, 6 units and 21 sections, displaying 444 historical relics from Zhangye's prehistoric to Qing Dynasty. The special exhibition includes "Zhangye on the Silk Road" and "Ganzhou Good Man Museum". It is recommended that those who like history must come to Zhangye. The overall is not big, 4 exhibition halls, the exhibition is very attentive, telling the history from the pre-Qin to the Qing Dynasty. The cultural relics are very rich, the Han Dynasty bronzes, the Buddha statues since the Wei and Jin Dynasties, really reflect the historical heritage of Zhangye. The most intimate is! Some uncommon characters are annotated, and many museums can't do this! It is recommended that other museums learn and promote. Recommendation: Free visit, scan code to enter, closed on Monday, don't run in vain.

This article is enough for Zhangye nanny-level humanities-oriented guide! |||During the fourteen months of traveling in the northwest, I have long been a little tired of the noodles in the northwest, but Zhangye is the only one among the four counties in Hexi that I will never forget. ✨Because this small city on the Hexi Corridor carries too many historical memories - from the "Jinta Temple", the only remaining high-flesh Feitian grotto in the country hanging on the cliff, to the "Big Buddha Temple", the royal temple in the Western Xia Dynasty; Here you can see the "Yugu", the only ethnic group of Turkic people who still believe in Buddhism, and you can also see the vast "Qilian Mountains" like a falling skyline. If you go deeper to the north, you will be shocked and deeply impressed by the rammed earth ancient city ruins of "Camel City" and "Xu Sanwan" through aerial photography. - Scenic spots far away from the city are written in separate notes. Here we only describe the strategies within the city, which are exclusive to the city walk party~ 【🔥Attractions】: ✨Zhangye Museum: A national second-level museum, the entire museum is divided into four exhibition halls, which systematically narrates the history of Zhangye since ancient times. The most exciting one is naturally Zhangye during the Western Han Dynasty! As the era when the four counties in Hexi were established across the ages, following the explanation, you can most intuitively understand how hard-won the establishment of Zhangye County was. ✨Big Buddha Temple: The most important scenic spot in Zhangye city! The complete largest reclining Buddha in the Western Xia Dynasty, one of the few "Journey to the West" murals in the country, and two high-level historical relics exhibition halls are worthy of setting aside a chapter for him. ✨Zhangye Guild Hall: During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Shanxi merchants came all the way to build a gathering place in Zhangye. It was built in the second year of Yongzheng in the Qing Dynasty. The building is the original structure of the Qing Dynasty. The Minqin Guild Hall was built in the 18th year of Guangxu's reign, and both are listed as the sixth batch of cultural relics protection units in the country. 【🔥Gourmet articles】: ✨Heshunyuan: I really love it, and it can be ranked as one of the two treasure shops alongside Huanghong Restaurant! In the morning when the chill is still strong, have a bowl of spicy and fragrant noodles, or pair it with two steamed buns if you want a big meal, it is a delicacy that countless people in Zhangye can't stop eating. ✨Dongji Beef Rice: The most famous beef rice in Zhangye. It is crowded with people every morning. You can try it. ✨Huanghong Restaurant: It is also one of the hidden treasure shops! Their price-performance ratio is really super high. The fried beef and fish roe is a must-order for me every time I go there. I can hardly finish one portion by myself. The beef is the best I have ever eaten in Zhangye. The portions of mixed noodles and soy noodles are also quite large, enough to satisfy one person~ ✨Ming and Qing Night Market: Compared to Ganzhou Alley, this is my favorite night market! It is crowded with people and full of fireworks since the sun goes down. Several of the most famous Chai Po La and "Sun Kee Chao Pao" are here, so they are not to be missed. [city walk one-day tour route🔥🔥]: Heshunyuan → Xixia Buddhist Temple → Shanxi Guild Hall → Yellow and Red Restaurant (only open at noon) → Zhangye Museum → Muta Temple → Zhangye Zhenyuan Drum Tower → Ming and Qing Night Market → End of the trip. Of course, there are many itineraries that can be substituted in between. For those with a big appetite, the soy noodles and beef rice are both worth trying!

Xiaojin Plateau Scenic Area From Lanzhou Airport to the city center, you can choose the intercity high-speed train or a hotel near Lanzhou West Station. Gansu Museum — Statue of Mother Yellow River — White Pagoda Mountain — Zhengning Night Market Arrive in Lanzhou at noon, rest at the hotel, then head to the Gansu Museum (advance reservation required, closed on Mondays, seriously visit for 3-4 hours), afterwards take a taxi to the Statue Park, stroll along the Yellow River, reach the park via Baita Bridge, climb up to overlook the Lanzhou night view (after 12:00 midnight), there is a dessert shop downstairs, you can try it. (The night market food is so-so) Day 1 Morning: From Lanzhou to Zhangye West/Overnight train Evening: Take the train from Zhangye Railway Station to Dunhuang, sleep on the train Day 2 Morning: Arrive in Dunhuang, admire the Danxia landform Noon: Reach Zhangye Museum (advance reservation required, closed on Mondays, food may not be cheap, it is recommended to bring some snacks) Afternoon: Visit Mogao Caves (it is recommended to stay near the train station for convenience) Evening: Shazhou Night Market — Watch the 'Impression Dunhuang' performance Day 3 Morning: Arrive in Dunhuang/Overnight in Dunhuang It is recommended to stay near the train station for convenience.

🎈Day Eight: Zhangye Mati Temple 🎈Mati Temple is definitely the highlight of this Hexi Corridor trip! The name 'Little Switzerland of the East' is well-deserved! 🎈While watching a documentary about the Hexi Corridor, I knew there was a place called Linsong Xie Valley, a meeting point of Han and Tibetan Buddhism. When we drove to the entrance of the Mati Temple scenic area, we were stunned by the continuous peaks and snow-capped mountains. Upon entering the scenic area, a landscape of autumnal mountains and waters unfolded before us, a perfect fusion of natural and cultural landscapes, as if we were in a paradise. 🎈We drove to the visitor center, bought tickets, and drove straight into the scenic area. Due to time constraints, we only stayed at Mati Temple and didn't visit Jinta Temple, but at the Zhangye Museum, we saw a replica of the Jinta Temple grottoes, so we had no regrets. 🎈Although the Thirty-Three Heavens Grottoes and the Thousand Buddha Caves have been severely damaged, their architectural forms are still worth exploring. The grotto plank road is built inside the mountain, winding and twisting, and some sections can be quite thrilling. Sometimes, we even felt like we were climbing up to a hanging temple. 🎈Standing at the top of the Thirty-Three Heavens Grottoes, overlooking the Ximalian Beach, the view is magnificent. After descending the mountain, we continued to explore, following the road ahead, greeted by the splendid autumn scenery. Moreover, there are few visitors here, and the roadside is planted with a sea buckthorn trees, which are in the season of ripe fruits. Picking a few sea buckthorns to try, the taste was simply delicious. 🎈The preservation of the grottoes at Mati Temple is not complete, and visitors can only see four of them. However, the explanations in the scenic area are very detailed, leaving a deep impression. After leaving Mati Temple, we moved on to Wuwei. On the Lianhuo Expressway, we also saw the ruins of the Ming Great Wall, and even encountered a group of camels by the road, such unexpected beautiful scenery always brings a pleasant surprise.

I got to wear Hanfu while immersing myself with the history of the Silk Road in the Northeast of China 🇨🇳. It was a great experience and this was my first time to wear Hanfu 😄💕. How to get there? If you are already in Zhangye city, you can go to there by bike 🚴 or by taxi. There’s also a famous temple just across the museum which is called Dafu Temple. You can just cross the street and buy a ticket 🎟 before entering the temple. I hope you can visit the museum if ever you visit Zhangye.