Guazhou

A melon-growing oasis at the western end of the Hexi Corridor, where the Yulin Caves' murals rival those of Mogao, and the World Heritage site of Suoyang City and the giant Gobi sculpture “Son of the Earth” make up a one-day loop.

Guazhou County lies in Jiuquan, Gansu, at the western end of the Hexi Corridor, bordering Dunhuang to the west. Formerly known as Anxi, it was a key frontier garrison on the Silk Road during the Han and Tang dynasties, and an important stop in the story of the monk Xuanzang's pilgrimage to India. Most of the county is Gobi desert and very windy — it is nicknamed “the world's wind reservoir” — yet it also produces abundant honeydew melons, which gave Guazhou (“Melon Prefecture”) its name. This destination uses Guazhou's county town as a base; the main sights are scattered across the Gobi 15–90 km south of town. The Mogao Caves, Mingsha Shan and other sights in Dunhuang, about 120 km to the west, are listed as a separate destination.

The classic one-day loop: head south from town to see the Gobi sculptures “Son of the Earth” and “Boundless”, continue to the Yulin Caves for their Tang and Western Xia murals, then go east to the ruins of Suoyang City and Ta'er Temple, returning to town in the evening — about 250 km in total. In town, the Guazhou County Museum, the Memorial Hall of the West Route Red Army's Anxi Campaign, the Xuanzang Pilgrimage Museum and the Zhang Zhi (“Sage of Cursive Script”) Hometown Cultural Park make for a half-day visit. The East Thousand Buddha Caves have long had restricted access, and the Han-dynasty Xuanquanzhi site, on the border between Guazhou and Dunhuang, is primarily an archaeological conservation site — check in advance whether either can be visited.

Seasons: May–Jun and Sep–Oct are comfortable; in Jul–Aug daytime temperatures in the Gobi often exceed 35°C, but this is melon season and farmers around town let you pick and taste; winters are cold and windy. Getting there: Guazhou and Liuyuan stations are on the Lanzhou–Xinjiang line; it's about 1.5 hours by hired car from Dunhuang, and Dunhuang Airport is the nearest airport. There is no public transport between sights, so self-drive or hire a car. Allow 1–2 days, easily combined with a Dunhuang itinerary. Photography is not allowed inside the Yulin Caves; on the Gobi, carry plenty of water and protect yourself from the sun.

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