Anxi
A Brief Survey
Anxi is on the vast Gobi Desert at the western end of
the Hexi Corridor. It was another important station on the
Silk Road. In the past,it was called Gua -- -- " melons". In
the 24,130 square kilometer area ,more than 340,000 mu
are under cultivation;the main crops are wheat ,corn ,and
broad beans. It is one of the important bases of grain pro-
duction in Gansu. Animal husbandry is developing fast on
the 2,650,000 mu natrual grassland. Anxi is also known for
its rich mineral resources: gold, silver, copper, iron, alu-
minium ,lead, zinc,manganese mirabilite, marble, serpentine,
granite ,quartzite ,dolomite ,limestone ,basalt ,and others.

Scenic Spots
Yulin Grottoes
Yulin Grottoes,a branch of the Dunhuang art complex,
are located 75 kilometers southeast of Anxi. They are also
named Ten--Thousand Buddha Valley. There are 41 major
caves and hundreds of others scattered around.
It is not yet clear when the caves were first cut. Judging
from the background and the cave formation, experts have
determined that they were not begun later than the Mogao
Grottoes. Murals in these grottoes consist of huge scripture
drawings,portraits of Buddha, rare animals and plants ,and
scenes of plowing, harvesting, weddings, banquets, chess,
brewing,ironsmelting,music and dancing. The big scripture
drawings on the southern and northern walls of cave 25, in
composition,techinque of expression ,line drawing, coloring
and human image reveal the artists' skillfulness and accura-
cy. They are authentic portrayals of the highly developed art
of painting in the Tang Dyansty more than 1300 years ago
and are praised as the essence of the Yulin Grottoes. In the
drawing of the "Western Purelandn, the artist, with his
great skill of condensation,described the various scenes in
the grand, tranquil, and illusory Buddhist after-- world. On
the northern wall is the drawing of Mitreya Buddha depict-
ing the ideal world to come predicted by the Buddha. Man-
jusri and Samantabhadra with female devas on the western
wall and Buddha Losana and Bodisattva Avalokitesvara on
the eastern wall are all life--like.
In 1036 AD, the Western Xia occupied Gua and Sha
(present day Anxi and Dunhuang). After founding his king-
dom,Emperor Li Yuanhao,who was conversant in the clas-
sics and history,expert in painting,and a devout believer in
Buddhism,undertook a large scale construction of grottoes
and exquisite ----the highlihgts of Yulin Grotto art.
Yulin grottoes protect a very precious ivory Buddha
which was evenly halved and carefully carved with hundreds
of scripture drawings inside and Samantabhadra on an ele-
phant with a treasure pagoda in his hands outside----all ob-
viously in theindian style. It was preservde theYe for more
than a thousand years before being transferred to the Palace
Museum in Beijing.

East Thousand--Buddha Cave
East Thousand--Buddha Cave is found to the south of
Anxi in a valley of the Qilian Mountains and is known to
very few. There are a total of 20--odd grottoes constructed
no earlier than the Western Xia. They contain murals and
sculptures of which only a half are still extant. In the West-
ern Xia Grottoes ,the murals are of then--popular Buddhist
religious topics like Pureland,Master of Healing, Preaching
the Dharma, Bodhisattvas and Nirvana. They are rare trea-
sures of Western Xia art.

Folk Customs
Struggling in the Wind
Anxi is known as the "World Storehouse of Wind". For
nearly one third of the year,there are strong winds up to 7
to 12 knots. Folk and modern wind power devices co--exist
and form a unique sight in this area. People here always take
the wind into account whether in choosing their clothing or
mural painting. Murals of his period are unique and
their houses. Generation after generaton,they have
building
been fighting against the wild winds:planting trees as wind-
breaks ,growing grasses to protect the soil ,and struggling to
save their grain crops. Even with such unfavorable climate
conditions,the people of Anxi have been producing an annu-
al average of 2,000 kilograms of grain per head in recent
years and providing huge supplies for the province;virtually
a miracle.
Enjoying Watermelons Around the Stove
Wearing heavy clothes in the morning but light at
noon.
Round warming stoves they enjoy watermelons.
This is an authentic description of the people's lives in
Anxi. Growing melons here originated more than 2,000
years ago in the Zhou Dynasty. The people are fond of mel-
ons and are expert in growing them. There is a rich variety
of excellent watermelons and sweet melons with a sugar
content of over 10 percent, Every summer and autumn,there
are melons everywhere. Guests are served melons instead of
tea. Melons become both a topic of conversation and an item
of competition. Now there is a total of more than 10,000 mu
o~ melons with an annual output of approximately 30,000,
000 kilograms. Anxi is really worthy of its other name---
" Gua"which means "melons"in Chinese.

Local Products
Chinese Cynomorium
Cynamorium is a rare and expensive Chinese medicinal
herb. It is effective in increasing the vital energy.

it is very good for man's kidney. If you can not make love you should eat this.!!