Things to do in Linxia

Hidden within the Eight Squares and Thirteen Lanes is China's first museum dedicated to covered bowl tea—the Hezhou Mingyuan Covered Bowl Tea Culture Museum! The entire museum is housed in an ancient Qing Dynasty residence in Northwest China, preserving the "style of the Tang and Song Dynasties and the layout of the Ming and Qing Dynasties." Even the walls are decorated with blue and white porcelain covered bowls—it's incredibly unique! A leisurely stroll through it is so relaxing!

The Bingling Temple Grottoes are hailed by scholars as an "encyclopedia of Chinese grottoes," holding an irreplaceable and important position in my country's grotto art. It is not only one of the three major grottoes in Gansu, but also the first Yellow River grotto on the Silk Road.

October is a good time to appreciate chrysanthemums. The chrysanthemums in the Red Garden are graceful, elegant, and beautiful, which makes people envious. Look at the pink as rouge, the red as the sunset, the yellow as the gold in the garden, the curled silk as if it is cut by a skilled hand, and the colorful as if it is a painting. It is really more beautiful than peony, and the beauty is even more amazing. The pavilions and towers in the Red Garden are more graceful and charming under the shade of these colorful chrysanthemums.

This place is totally worth a visit as the scenery is truly beautiful. However, it may be a little bit crowded during peak season. Bus boarding could be an issue during peak season. It may take more time to travel within the park under such situation

Linxia is one of China's major areas inhabited by ethnic minorities, home to 31 ethnic groups including Han, Tibetan, and Tu, among whom are Hui, Dongxiang, Bao'an, and Salar minorities who practice Islam. Linxia is also the center of Islam in Northwest my country, with Islam spreading widely and exerting a profound influence. The region is home not only to the four major Sufi sects of Islam in China—the Gedimu, Ikhwani, Salafyya, and Xidaotang—but also the four major Sufi orders—the Zheherenye, Hufuye, Kubulinye, and Gaderenye. Throughout its history, Linxia has been influenced by both Han Chinese Confucian culture and Islam, resulting in a distinctive Islamic culture and architecture. While mosques are typical representatives of Islamic culture and architecture, another widely distributed and historically significant type of Islamic architecture exists in Linxia—the Gongbei (宮北). The Gongbei is a collective term for the burial complexes of Sufi Sufi masters in Chinese Islam. Because Linxia is the birthplace of the Sufi order in Chinese Islam, numerous Gongbei are scattered throughout the region. In its formation and development, the Gongbei (sacred tombs) of Linxia absorbed traditional Chinese cultural thought, adhered to the requirements of Islamic religious architecture, and was also influenced by the traditional architectural forms of the Linxia region, resulting in a distinctive architectural style and religious culture. Simultaneously, the Gongbei served as an important link for maintaining social relations among the Linxia Sufi order's Muslims and a crucial site for the development and dissemination of Islam. The Gongbei are not only religious sites but also witnesses to the Sinicization of Islam. Today, many Gongbei are listed as cultural relics protection units, maintaining their religious functions while also becoming important windows for studying Chinese Islamic culture.

I drove there on a self-driving tour from Liujiaxia Town. It was a long way to go. Some of the statues on the grotto walls were blocked by gauze and could not be seen clearly. Some were still empty. Only the Buddha statues were magnificent. I took a long detour back to the entrance. It is suitable for scholars and scholars. I think it is okay. If you want to see the special grottoes, you need to make a separate reservation and buy a ticket, which seems to be 300 yuan.

The Liujiaxia Reservoir is a large-scale hydroelectric power station built independently during the First Five-Year Plan. The green Yellow River and the earthy yellow mountain valleys complement each other beautifully, and the scenery along the bridge is also stunning. It's definitely worth a visit!

Linxia Museum has a rich collection, which comprehensively and systematically displays the profound historical heritage of Majiayao culture. The museum is full of colorful pottery, stone tools, jade, gold and silver ornaments, etc., which are exquisite and make people feel as if they have traveled back to that distant era and felt the wisdom and ingenuity of the ancients.

Lanzhou Danxia Geological Park is fabulous. One of the top three things I have done on this tour. I used Trip.com to get out to the park and that was very easy. Shuttle buses are necessary to get between the various vantage points. I would come for longer next time and do the zip line. I got an 8am bus from Xiaoxihu Subway Station and it leaves the Park at 12pm to return back to the city.