THE CITY OF WATERWHEELS
Our eight-day journey started in
Lanzhou – the capital and largest city
of Gansu Province. Lanzhou linked the
ancient capital Xi’an with Central Asia
and the Roman Empire via the famed
Silk Road.
The Yellow River forms a labyrinth
in the city, compartmentalising it
into different districts. The river is so
named because of its jaundiced colour.
The channels of water in this old city
are home to many waterwheels –
invented by Duan Xu during the Ming
Dynasty (1368–1644) – which were
once used for extensive irrigation,
transporting the river water into the
neighbouring farmlands.
But where once there were over
250 waterwheels along this river,
earning Lanzhou the nickname “City
of Waterwheels”, today the modern
Waterwheel Garden, built in 1994,
serves as one of the few reminders^
of this rich history.
LEFT The Zhangye Danxia Landform
Geological Park in Dunhuang
resembles a multicoloured layer
cake, consisting of strata of different
coloured sandstone and minerals
Lanzhou linked the
ancient capital Xi’an
with Central Asia and
the Roman Empire via
the famed Silk Road
One of the most interesting
activities in Lanzhou is the tradition of
raft making – from sheepskin. These
rafts are still used to ferry goods and
people, and daring visitors can make
the journey across the river in the
rudimentary vessels. However, the
strong current necessitates that trips
can only be made one way.