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Gansu province
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A relatively barren province in western China, Gansu has long been considered as on the very borders of "civilised" China. It was here that the westernmost point of the Great Wall officially came to an end, at the fortifications of Jiayuguan. It was here that Chinese traders, on still early stages of the Silk Road, left the safety of their motherland to brave the dangers of the far west. It was here that highly mixed nationalities and personalities have often resulted in infighting, especially during some of the darker days of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976 AD). |
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Lanzhou| Lying in the central section of Gansu Province, this provincial capital received its name from the "lan" of the Gaolan Mountain Range to its south. Lanzhou was also in the past called the "Gold City", due to the precious metal that was found here. It was this discovery, along with the fact that the city was a significant fortress (for around 1,400 years) of the Hexi Corridor, an eastern and crucial stretch of the Silk Road, that led to a long period of great prosperity in the city. ...... |
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| Dunhuang| Throughout Dunhuang's history of over two thousand years, it has always served as a critical gateway leading to the west due to its unique geographical location at the juncture of Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang. As a result, several emperors throughout Chinese history have made improvements these western fortifications. ...... |
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| Jiayuguan| Founded during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), there was originally just the Fort here, built onto an existing watchtower and completed in 1372. With primitive working tools it took thousands of laborers dozens of years to complete the project. Goats, and even ice, were used to convey building materials to the site. With completion, the fort became the strategic end of the Great Wall, demarcating the apparently advanced east from the allegedly desolate and dangerous west. Many Chinese still feel this way today, even after the completion of the Gansu Expressway. ...... |
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