Archive for the ‘Hezuo Travel’ Category

Linxia Trip, My Trip to Linxia

Saturday, August 13th, 2011
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Linxia is the seat of Linxia Hui Autonomous Precture of Gansu Province, one of the two autonomous prefectures in China, the other being Changji Autonomous Hui Prefecture. “Linxia” literally means “fronted by Da Xia River”. So the name of the city is taken after the river passing by – the Daxia River, one of the important tributaries of Yellow River.
 
Linxia is located 140km southeast of Lanzhou, 117km northeast of Xiahe, and 198km north of Hezuo, on the transit zone between the loess plateau and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. There are in total twenty-two ethnic groups living in Linxia, including Hui, Han, Dongxiang, Bonan, Salar, Tibetan and Tu. The Bonan and Dongxiang are unique to the prefecture and have thire own autonomous counties. Linxia has a population of 1.9 million with ethic groups taking 57%.
 
Linxia was an important Silk Road passage in the ancient China. The Hui people as well as Dongxiang, Bonan, Salar are said to be the descendants of the 13th immigrants from Central Asia coming through the Silk Road for the trade and culture exchange. Dongxiang, Bonan, Salar speak an Altaic language.
 
For most travelers, Linxia serves as kinda of transit area to take a break, dining or stay overnight. Aside from viewing the yellow Daxia River, in the downtown of Lingxia, you can visit Linxia Nanguan Mosque, one of the famous Islamic shrines in China’s northwest region first built in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).
 
47km in the northeast of Lixia City is the famous site of Binglingsi Grottoes in Yongqin County under the administration of Linxia. “Bingling” means “thousand Buddhas” or “ten-thousand Buddhas” in the Tibetan language. Also known as Bingling Temple, the grottoes are carved on Jishi Hill 75 km from Lanzhou. Bingling Temple Grottoes are famous for stone sculptures of Buddhist pagodas in relief and murals of Esoteric Buddhism.
 
On Auguast 02, 2011, after visiting Labrang Monastery in Xiahe, we started our 258km driving trip back to Lanzhou along the National Highway 213. At the lunch time, we stopped in the city of Linxia for 2 hours for lunch and a brief city tour.
 
Now we were approaching Linxia, a booming city with plentiful highrises under construction. The yellow Daxia River winds passing by.

Now we were approaching Linxia, a booming city with plentiful highrises under construction.

 
We were driving across the bridge spanning the Daxia River, leading to the city of Linxia.

We were driving across the bridge spanning the Daxia River and entered the city of Linxia.

 
At a crossroad with Linxia Hotel at the front.

At a crossroad with Linxia Hotel at the front

 
One the main street in the city of Linxia.
 

One the main streets in the city of Linxia.

The heart of the city of Linxia, the most commercial area.
 

The heart of the city of Linxia, the most commercial area.

Another main avenue in Lixia.

Another main avenue in Lixia.

Linxia Long Distance Bus Station


Linxia Long Distance Bus Station

 
We were leaving from Linxia and said goodbye to the Daxia River.
 

We were leaving from Linxia and saw goodbye to the Daxia River.

On the way from Linxia to Lanzhou on the Highway 213, we saw a lot of mosques in the villages of various sizes on the loess.
 

On the way from Linxia to Lanzhou on the Highway 213, we saw a lot of mosques in the villages of various sizes on the loess.


More Mosques


More Mosques

Xiahe to Langmusi, Xiahe Langmusi Road Trip

Friday, August 12th, 2011
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At 8:00am, on August 01, 2011, we set off from Xiahe Civil Aviation Hotel in Xiahe County for Langmusi. It was a 230km drive which, later on, took us about 4 hours.

Our bus driver turned out to be a very cautious person keeping a stead driving speed of 80km per hour all the way. On the way, we stopped two times at Gas Sations for using toilets, adding up to the total time of 4 hours for the whole trip along the National Highway No.213.

For the 230km road trip, we drove along the National Highway No.213 passing by Hezuo City, Luqu County, experiencing mesmerising views of alpine meadows, grassslands, grazing yaks and sheep, and Tibetan living houses, unfolding a “water colour” picture of the pristine life in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.

Our Xiahe Langmusi road trip can be divided into 4 sections: Xiahe – Wang Ge Er Tang Town 30km, Wang Ge Er Tang – Hezhou 32km, Hezhou – Luqu 79km and Luqu – Langmusi 90km. The road sightseeing in the later two sections are beyond words.

Xiahe – Wang Ge Er Tang ( 30km), a special road

This is the only non-National Highway section for the 230km road trip. The 30km road is a special road forking from the main road National Highway 213 at Wang Ge Er Tang and leading to Xiahe. Parallelled by Daxia River, the road is nestled in a valley bound by the mountains with good views.

This is the only non-National Highway section for the 230km road trip.

This is the only non-National Highway section for the 230km road trip

Parallelled by Daxia River, the road is nestled in a valley bound by the mountains with good views.

Parallelled by Daxia River, the road is nestled in a valley bound by the mountains with good views.

Wang Ge Er Tang – Hezuo ( 32km ), along National Highway No.213
We entered the National Highway 213 at Wang Ge Er Tang Toll Gate starting our long trip along the national highway.

This 32km section road was a transit area between the loesss plateau and Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau. The Tao River originating from Luqu County runs parallelled by the highway. We felt our coach climbing up all the way to our destionation Langmusi on the edge of Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau, higher and higher.

We entered the National Highway 213 at Wang Ge Er Tang Toll Gate.

We entered the National Highway 213 at Wang Ge Er Tang Toll Gate

The Tao River originating from Luqu County runs parallelled by the highway.

The Tao River originating from Luqu County runs parallelled by the highway

We felt our coach climbing up all the way to our destionation Langmusi.

We felt the up driving all the way to our destionation Langmusi

Hezuo – Luqu ( 79km ), along National Highway No.213
Now we were inside the jurisdiction area of Hezhou, is the capital city of Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gansu Province.

It is located at the southeast fringe of Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau in the cross-border areas of Qinghai, Sichuan and Gansu provinces. The national highway No.213 runs through the city of Hezuo, which is 62km west of Xiahe, 260 km south of Lanzhou and 860km north of Chengdu with a average altitude of over 3000 meters.

Now we were inside the jurisdiction area of Hezhou.

Now we were inside the jurisdiction area of Hezuo.

We were passing by Hezuo Milariba Buddha Pavilion.
We were driving through the city center of Hezou. White clouds, blue sky, green alpine meadows and grasslands with wildflowers

White clouds, blue sky, green alpine meadows and grasslands with wildflowers

A pradise on earth

A pradise on earth

Some people couldn’t help stopping here taking pictures.

Some people couldn’t help stopping here taking pictures.

A local Tibetan house

A local Tibetan house

Yaks dotted on the road sie grassland

Yaks dotted on the road sie grassland

A group of yaks were wandering on the highway.

A group of yaks were wandering on the highway.

Fertile Grassland

Fertile Grassland

Luqu – Langmusi ( 90km ), along National Highway No.213
Now we were entering Luqu County. Luqu is a county under the administration of Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gansu Province. It has a population of over 30,000 with 84% being Tibetans.

A large part of Luqu county is at the sea level between 2900 and 4287 with the yearly average temperature at 2.3 degree and the sunshine time of 2222 – 2351 hours. Luqu County is about 78km away from Hezuo, the capital city of Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gansu Province. Langmusi Town is under the administration of Luqu, 90km to the southeast of Luqu.

Luqu has rich tourism resources with unique ethic features – Gahai Lake, Zecha Stone Forest, and Langmusi.  Linked by National Highway No.213, Luqu is incorporated in the golden travel route of Xiahe, Langmusi, Ruoergai, Jiuzhaigou.

Now we were entering Luqu County.

 

Now we were entering Luqu County

We were marching towards Langmusi.

We were marching towards Langmusi.

We were driving through a small village called Gaxu.

We were driving through a small village called Gaxu.

Again white clouds, blue sky, green alpine meadows and grassland wildflowers.

Again white clouds, blue sky, green alpine meadows and grassland wildflowers.

It is amazing!

It is amazing!

We were passing by Gahai Lake. Gahai Lake is the largest fresh water lake in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, an important wetland in the east of Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau. Gahai Lake is a part of the National Gahai Zecha Natural Reserve. Gahai Lake is under the administration of Luqu County, which is situated 90km north of Langmmsi and 260km south of Lanzhou.

Gahai Lake is surrounded by the mountains with an altitude of 3480. Gahai Lake has rich water resources with water coming from three streams from the nearbye mountains as well as the underground sprinsg. It is a pefect habitat for over 100 migrant birds like swans, black-neck cranes…

We were passing by Gahai Lake.

We were passing by Gahai Lake.

We were aproaching the town of Langmusi.

We were aproaching the town of Langmusi.

Now we were passing through the one street of Langmusi. Langmusi” in Chinese literally “Langmu Temple”. But actually it is the name of the small town bordering Gansu in the north and Sichuan in the south. “Langmu” in Tibetan means “Fairy”. The legend has it that once a fairy was discoverd in a cave near the village.

With a population of over 3,000, the town is now mainly inhabited by Tibetans, Han and hui. The town of Langmusi is only composed of one main street with a streem known as “White Dragon River” passing by the street. The area of north of the streem belongs to Gansu Province while the south to Sichuan.

The rual town is nestled in a valley between the north and south hills along steep grassy meadows, evergreen forests and snow-capped peaks. Langmusi has two Tibetan Temples and one Muslim Mosque. They are:

Sertri Gompa  – The temple is located on northern hill ( on Gansu side ).

Kirti Gompa  – The temple is on the southern hill  (Sichuan side)
Hui Mosque – located close to the Sichuan side temple near the enterance gate to Kirti Temple
 

We were passing through the only street in the Langmusi Town

Langmusi

Any questions,  just drop a line.

Luqu, My Trip to Luqu County

Friday, August 12th, 2011
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Luqu is a county under the administration of Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gansu Province. It is located in the southwest of Gansu and on the edge of the east of Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau at the cross borders among Gansu, Qinghai and Sichuan. It has a population of over 30,000 with 84% being Tibetans.
 
A large part of Luqu county is at the sea level between 2900 and 4287 with the yearly average temperature at 2.3 degree and the sunshine time of 2222 – 2351 hours.
 
Luqu County is about 78km away from Hezuo, the capital city of Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gansu Province. Langmusi Town is under the administration of Luqu, 90km to the southeast of Luqu.
 
“Luqu” in Tiebtan literally means “Tao River”, one of the important tributaries of Yellow River. Tao River is 673km long with its headwater originating from Luqu and Qinghai, passing through Luqu ( 330km long in Luqu ), and entering Liujiaxia Reservior, which is linked to Yellow River. Tao River also has many small tributaries, like White Dragon River in Langmusi. 
 
Luqu is a town on the fringe of Tibetan-Qinghai Plaetau with green alpine meadows in the west and the Tao River in the east. Two third of Luqu county is suitable for grazing livestock, like sheep and yak. Along the Tao River area, a patch of land is developed for agriculture.
 
Luqu has rich tourism resources with unique ethic features – Gahai Lake, Zecha Stone Forest, and Langmusi.  Linked by National Highway No.213, Luqu is incorporated in the golden travel route of Xiahe, Langmusi, Ruoergai, Jiuzhaigou.
 
 
Now we enter the border of Luqu from Hezuo along National Highway No.213.
 

Now we enter the border of Luqu from Hezuo along National Highway No.213.

 
We are amazed by the alpine meadows along the National Highway No.213 within the border of Luqu.
 

We are amazed by the alpine meadows along the National Highway No.213 within the border of Luqu.

 
Alpine meadows and grassland wildflowers
 

Alpine meadows and grassland wildflowers

 

Gahai Lake is the largest fresh water lake in Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, an important wetland in the east of Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau. Gahai Lake is a part of the National Gahai Zecha Natural Reserve. Gahai Lake is under the administration of Luqu County, which is situated 90km north of Langmmsi and 260km south of Lanzhou.

Gahai Lake

 

With a population of over 3,000, the town is now mainly inhabited by Tibetans, Han and hui. The town of Langmusi is only composed of one main street with a streem known as “White Dragon River” passing by the street. The area of north of the streem belongs to Gansu Province ( Under the administration of Luqu ) while the south to Sichuan.

Langmusi Town