Guazhou

Understand

Guazhou is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Jiuquan. The county seat and largest town is the town of Yuanquan One of Guazhou's historical sites, namely the Suoyang City Ruins, has been inscribed on the World Heritage List as part of "Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor". The Yulin Caves, another major Silk Road site in Guazhou, is on UNESCO's tentative list.

Getting there

Since the Suoyang City Ruins and the Yulin Caves are both situated in remote areas, many travellers choose to visit the county as part of an organized tour from Dunhuang.

By plane The nearest airport is Dunhuang Airport in Dunhuang.

By train 1 Guazhou Railway Station, Guazhou Avenue, Yuanquan Town (bus no. 1), ☏ +86 937 5949422. Serves both regular-speed and high-speed trains. (updated Jan 2021) 2 Liuyuan Railway Station, Middle Section, Dongda Street, Liuyuan Town. Serves regular-speed trains only. (updated Jan 2021) 3 Liuyuan South Railway Station, Liuyuan Town. Serves high-speed trains only. (updated Jan 2021) Guazhou Railway Station in Guazhou's county seat is the main railway station in Guazhou, but if you're taking a train from Xinjiang, you'll need to get off at either Liuyuan Railway Station or Liuyuan South Railway Station.

By bus 4 Guazhou Bus Station, 210 Guazhou Avenue, Yuanquan Town (210) (bus no. 1), ☏ +86 937 5522875. (updated Jan 2021) 5 Liuyuan Bus Station, 7 Nanguan Road, Liuyuan Town (7), ☏ +86 937 5572681. (updated Jan 2021)

Getting around

A public bus service operates in Yuanquan. There are also buses running between Yuanquan and other towns in Guazhou. In 2020, a special tourist bus began conveying passengers to some of Guazhou's popular attractions. The bus departs daily at 09:30 from Guazhou Bus Station. The fare is ¥100. Stops include the Son of the Earth sculpture, the Yulin River Reservoir, the Yulin Grottoes, the Suoyang City Ruins and the Ta'er Temple.

See

Yuanquan Town 1 Guazhou County Museum, 52 Xianfu Street, Yuanquan Town (52), ☏ +86 937 5522057. A small museum about the history and culture of Guazhou County. Free. (updated Jan 2021) 2 Memorial to the Red Western Route Army and the Battle of Anxi, Gongyuan Street, Yuanquan Town. Commemorates the Battle of Anxi, a battle that took place in Guazhou in 1937 during the Long March, part of the Chinese Civil War. (updated Jan 2021) 3 Museum of Xuanzang's Pilgrimage, Yuanquan Street, Yuanquan Town. 09:00-16:00. A museum about Xuanzang, a celebrated Buddhist monk from Henan Province who went on a pilgrimage to India in the 7th century and brought back many sacred Buddhist scriptures, which he translated into Chinese, winning the admiration of Emperor Taizong. Xuanzang's journey to India was the main inspiration for Journey to the West, a famous Ming Dynasty novel. (updated Jan 2021) 4 Zhang Zhi Park, 45 Yuanquan Street, Yuanquan Town (45). 08:30-12:00, 14:30-18:00. The park is officially known as the Cultural Production Park of the Cursive Calligraphy Master's Hometown but colloqiually known as Zhang Zhi Park. It is dedicated to Zhang Zhi, a second-century calligrapher who is famous for perfecting the cursive style of Chinese calligraphy. There is a museum about Zhang Zhi in the middle of the park. Free. (updated Jan 2021)

Other areas 5 Son of the Earth (best reached by car or tourist bus). A 15-meter-long sculpture of a sleeping baby created by artist Dong Shubing in 2016. Free. (updated Jan 2021) 6 Pochengzi City Ruins, Pochengzi Village, Tashi Township (best reached by car or tourist bus). Founded during the Han Dynasty, Pochengzi, also known as Changlecheng (or Changle Town) was the county seat of the now defunct county of Changle. It was abandoned sometime during the Tang Dynasty. Free. (updated Jan 2021) 7 Qiaowan City Ruins, National Highway 3

Sleep

1 Guofeng Hotel, 160 Guazhou Avenue, Yuanquan Town (160) (at the intersection of Guazhou Avenue and Nanshi Street; bus no. 1 stops outside the hotel), ☏ +86 937 5585000. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 13:00. A four-star hotel. According to some sources, the address is actually No. 73 Guazhou Avenue. Rooms are available from ¥200 per night. (updated Feb 2021) 2 Yulin Hotel, 61 Xianfu Avenue, Xianfu Street Community, Yuanquan Town (61) (at the intersection of Xianfu Avenue and Guazhou Avenue; bus nos. 1 and 5 both stop outside the hotel), ☏ +86 937 5591999. Check-in: 07:00, check-out: 14:00. A four-star hotel. Rooms are available from ¥250 per night. (updated Feb 2021)