# Eastern Gansu travel guide (陇东) Gansu Province · Northwest, China · 8 places Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/gansu/eastern-gansu ## Quick itinerary - **Day 1:** Fuxi Temple → Yuquan Taoist Temple → Nanguo Temple - **Day 2:** Maijishan Grottoes → Jieting Ancient Town (hot spring, accommodation) - **Day 3:** Jieting Ancient Town → Tianshui → Pingliang - **Day 4:** Kongtong Mountain ## The feel of the place - **Hometown of Xihuang:** Fuxi, the first of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, is said to be from Tianshui. According to legend, his mother stepped on a giant footprint at Leize and became pregnant, giving birth to Fuxi. The more historical Fuxi was the chief of a primitive tribe, whose lifetime achievements include creating writing, teaching people fishing and hunting, promoting monogamous marriage, and devising the Bagua diagram. - **Misty Rain over Maiji:** Tianshui lies on the edge of the Loess Plateau, where the landscape is mostly loess hillsides, yet for more than 100 kilometres around Maijishan the land is shaded by lush trees and scenically beautiful. The Maijishan Grottoes also differ from other grottoes in Gansu: countless craftsmen carved Buddha statues and cave shrines across the entire mountain, and the kindly Buddhas look out over a boundless, misty landscape, an earthly paradise. ## The feel of the place ### Fuxi Temple “If you come to Tianshui and don't visit Fuxi Temple, it is as if you haven't really been to Tianshui.” Some local villagers say the real Fuxi Temple is on Guatai Mountain in Weinan Town, 25 kilometres from the city centre. In ancient times, it took hours to reach Guatai Mountain on foot or on horseback, so to make it convenient for officials and wealthy people in the city to make offerings to Fuxi, a Fuxi Temple was built in the city during the Ming dynasty. - tip: The hot springs at Jieting Ancient Town, near Maijishan, are very famous. They are rich in 19 trace elements beneficial to the human body, including silicon, lithium, boron, strontium, molybdenum and cobalt. It is said that after bathing, the skin feels smooth and soft, body and mind feel refreshed, and there are some health-maintaining benefits. ## Getting there & around ### Arrival and Departure Tianshui is divided into two parts, Qinzhou District and Maiji District, which are 20 kilometres apart. The railway station is in Maiji District, but the commercial centre, sights such as Fuxi Temple, and the Tianshui Bus Terminal (天水汽车总站) are all in Qinzhou District. Pingliang sits at the junction of Gansu, Shaanxi and Ningxia, so it is quite convenient to reach neighbouring provinces and cities from here. After a day trip to Kongtong Mountain, you can simply carry on with your journey. ### Air Tianshui Airport is 12 kilometres outside the city and has flights to Xi'an, Lanzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou and other destinations. Shuttle buses run from the airport to the city; a taxi costs around ¥30. ### Rail All trains to Lanzhou stop at Tianshui, so making Tianshui the start and end point of your Gansu trip is a wise choice. Pingliang is a must-pass on the way from Xi'an to Yinchuan, so almost all trains from southern China to Yinchuan stop at Pingliang. Bus No. 1 runs from the west of the city to the north railway station. ### Road Tianshui has direct buses to provincial destinations including Lanzhou, Wuwei, Baiyin, Dingxi, Linxia, Pingliang, Xifeng and Qingyang, and to destinations outside the province such as Xining, Yinchuan, Xi'an, Hanzhong and Luoyang. There are also chartered tourist vehicles to Kongtong Mountain in Pingliang, Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan, and other places. Road transport is the most convenient way to get in and out of Pingliang. The city has two long-distance bus stations, each handling traffic in one direction, east or west. Bus No. 6 from the square in front of Tianshui Railway Station (天水站) goes to the urban area of Qinzhou District. The fare is ¥2, the journey takes about 40 minutes, and buses run every 15 minutes. Local buses also go to scenic areas such as Maijishan, Xianrenya and Shimenshan, for about ¥1. Pingliang has 20 city bus routes, along with 5 special tourist lines serving the main sights. - **Airport Information** — - **Tianshui Railway Station (天水站)** — (No. 2 East Yima Road, Maiji District) - **Pingliang Railway Station (平凉站)** — (Urban area of Kongtong District) - **Tianshui Bus Terminal (天水汽车总站)** — (No. 46 East Taishan Road, Qinzhou District) ## Eat & drink Mouth-numbing, fragrant and spicy, Tianshui malatang has become Gansu's latest food superstar. Even an unassuming little malatang shop in Tianshui may hide a feast, with generous portions at honest prices. Watching the ingredients you have picked out cook in the bubbling pot, you are sure to be drooling. Once they are fished out, they are topped with some of the broth and garlic water, then sprinkled with seasonings, and of course no bowl is complete without that soul-giving spoonful of glossy, bright-red chilli oil. ### Mianpi Mianpi is Tianshui's most famous local snack. Although many places now serve mianpi, authentic Tianshui mianpi is a must-try. Almost every street and lane in Tianshui has small mianpi eateries and stalls. Golden, translucent mianpi sheets, seasoned with chilli oil, refined salt, soy sauce, garlic paste, mustard, black vinegar, sesame paste and a small pinch of greens, are truly mouth-watering. ### Steamed Damo Locals who steam damo (large steamed buns) like to add eight jujubes, said to imitate the Bagua. ## Nightlife The area around the central square of Qinzhou District in Tianshui is a commercial zone, modern and bustling. Here you can shop and eat, and on the northeast side of the square there is a large night market with all kinds of Gansu-style noodles and snacks. ## Where to stay Accommodation in Tianshui is very convenient, whether in the city centre or in the county towns; it is easy to find somewhere to stay. Generally, around ¥100 will get you a very decent standard room. Staying in Qinzhou District is recommended, since most of Tianshui's main sights are located there, making getting around more convenient. ## Things to see - **Tianshui Fuxi Temple Scenic Area** (★★★★): Admission ¥20; Opening hours 8：00—17：40; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/tianshui-fuxi-temple-scenic-area - **Maijishan Grottoes** (★★★★★): Admission ¥80; tickets for special-protection caves ¥100–180; Time needed 2–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/maijishan-grottoes - **Yuquan Taoist Temple Scenic Area** (★★★): Admission ¥20; Opening hours 8：00—18：00; Time needed 1–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/yuquan-taoist-temple-scenic-area - **Gangu Daxiangshan Scenic Area** (★★★): Admission ¥30; Opening hours 8:30–18:00 (May–October); 8:30–17:30 (November–April) — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/gangu-daxiangshan-scenic-area - **Wushan Water Curtain Cave, Tianshui** (★★★★): Admission Admission ¥30; sightseeing shuttle round trip ¥10; Time needed 1–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/wushan-water-curtain-cave-tianshui - **Kongtong Mountain** (★★★★): Admission Peak season ¥110; off-season ¥55; Time needed 0.5–1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/kongtong-mountain - **Yunya Temple Scenic Area** (★★★★): Admission ¥55; Opening hours 8:00–18:00 (April–October); 9:00–17:00 (November–March); Time needed 0.5 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/yunya-temple-scenic-area - **Xianren Cliff** (★★★★): Admission ¥40; Time needed 1–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/xianren-cliff --- Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 771–782. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.