The Strategic Throat of the Hexi Corridor: Zhangye

The name "Zhangye" was given by Emperor Wu of Han, meaning "to extend the arm of the nation and open the way to the Western Regions." Among the four counties in Hexi, Zhangye is located at the narrowest part of the Han Dynasty's territory and is the essential link between the Western Regions (Jiuquan and Dunhuang) and the Central Plains (Wuwei). The ancients described Zhangye as "the crucial point between the barbarians and the Han, the throat of Hexi, and the moat of Jincheng." Zhangye can be said to be an ancient city that combines natural scenery, history, religion, and culture. In the morning, we first visited the Great Buddha Temple. The Zhangye Great Buddha Temple was built during the Western Xia Dynasty and has a history of nearly a thousand years. The reclining Buddha inside is 34.5 meters long, making it the largest reclining Buddha in the country. It also houses precious Buddhist scriptures and artworks. The murals depicting the story of Journey to the West portrayed a different version of Zhu Bajie, which the children found very interesting. After a short rest in the afternoon, we visited the famous Rainbow Mountains Scenic Area in the evening. As a national 5A-level tourist attraction and a world geological park, the Zhangye Rainbow Mountains are a spectacular and magnificent wonder, making one marvel at the wonders of nature. In the evening, the children experienced traditional shadow puppetry and dough figurine making, enjoying the fun of Chinese traditional culture.