Name in Chinese: 张掖 Zhāng Yè [dzæŋ’je]
Location: Northwestern Gansu, China, GMT+8
Population: 1.23 million as a prefecture, about half a million living in the city proper
Telephone Code: +86936
Keywords: Chinese Danxia Landform and the Silk Road
Zhangye is a prefecture in Northwestern Gansu. It is notable for the ancient silk road and Chinese Danxia landform. The prefecture was called Ganzhou in ancient times. It became a garrison town, since General Huo Qubing had defeated the nomadic tribes in Northern China. In the following centuries, Zhangye served as a town where the merchants made a one-night stopover when they were traveling along the silk road. Danxia is a special landform in China which features its spectacular view of red cliffs and rugged landscape. Developed on continental red terrigenous sedimentary beds, Danxia landform has been influenced by endogenous forces, including the upthrust, and sculpted by exogenous forces, such as the weathering and erosion. Zhangye is mainly inhabited by the Han, the majority of China. It is also the home to some native peoples, such as the Yugu, the Hui, Mongols and Tibetans.
Attractions
Zhangye Danxia National Geo-park
Zhangye Danxia National Geo-park consists of two scenic areas, namely the Ice Valley and the Rainbow Mountain. The former is called Binggou by locals, and the latter is one of the must-go destinations for photographers. The Ice Valley lies in the west of the national geo-park, attracting visitors with its oddly shaped hills and cliffs. The Rainbow Mountain is situated 37 kilometers(23 miles) to the west of downtown Zhangye, is noted for its rocks with a wide range of colors.
The Giant Buddha Monastery
The Giant Buddha Monastery was built in the year of 1098. It is also known as the Reclining Buddha Monastery, is the birthplace of Kublai Khan. The monastery houses a large number of historical curiosities, including murals, paintings and carvings. It has been designated as a national key historic site under protection and a four-star scenic area.
Climate
Zhangye Prefecture has a semi-arid temperate climate. Summer is hot and short, while winter is cold, dry and long. Hot sun and cold winds can soon dry out your skin. It is highly suggested to bring some suncream to protect your skin from harmful effects of the sun and the winds. The best time to travel to Zhangye is between May and October. The temperature in Zhangye ranges from minus 11℃(12.2°F) to 6℃(42.8°F) in spring, 10℃(50°F) to 25℃(77°F) in summer, 14℃(57.2°F) to 29℃(84.2°F) in autumn, and minus 7℃(19.4°F) to 9℃(48.2°F) in winter.
How to get to Zhangye
Zhangye is located some 500 kilometer(311 miles) to the northwest of Lanzhou, the capital city of Gansu Province. There is an airport in Zhangye. But the airport is quite small, operating only a few flights to seven of domestic cities within Mainland China, such as, Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Lanzhou, Xi’an, Guangzhou and Yinchuan. Tourists usually travel to Zhangye from Xi’an or Lanzhou by bullet train.
Author: Tina Luo
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