TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
IN SOUTHERN GANSU
Lintao
A Brief Survey
Lintao, known as the "Cultural County" of Gansu
Province, is about 100 kilometers southeast of Lanzhou. The
county has a population of 430, 000 and a total area of 2, 900
square kilometers. The variation in topography and in tem-
perature is great. The abosolute maximum temperature is
34.6 degrees centigrade and the absolute minimum is --29.6
in January. The average elevation is 1,886 meters above sea
level. Wheat, corn, peas and potatoes are the main crops;
placer gold, copper, iron, coal, marble, and limestone are the
major mineral resources.
Scenic Spots
Yuelu Mountain
Yuelu Mountain, the most popular place of entertain-
ment for the local people, is located in the east of the county
seat. It is a pleasantly green and leafy place with quaint
pavilions and temples standing in the midst of myriad flow-
ers of purple and red.
On the 28th day of the 3rd lunar month every year, a
three-day traditional temple fair is held here, during which
Buddhists gather to attend special services in temples while
sightseers enjoy the view of the mountain at its best. In the
meantime, folk operas are staged and a brisk trade in mer-
chandise and live stock is carried on.
Nanping Mountain
Nanping Mountain lies about 30 kilometers south of the
county seat. It is a scenic spot with unique landscapes char-
acterized by soaring peaks, sharp cliffs, and the clear water
of the Tao River. The mountains here are covered with an-
cient pines and cypresses in various shapes. The water of the
Tao River is as clear as a mirror with the inverted reflec-
tions of blue sky and dark peaks and cliffs. Once there, you
will agree that Nanping Mountain is a refreshing beauty
spot.
Zisong Mountain
Located 30 kilometers southwest of the county seat,
Zisong Mountain is famous for its Hua' er Hui (Song
Festival), which is held annually on the 6th day of the 6th
lunar month and is, in fact, the last venue of the famous
Lianhua Mountain Hua'er Hui. Most farm work is complet-
ed by the sixth lunar month but the montain is still clothed
in luxuriant vegetation. Folk singers from the counties
around gather here to compete in singing their beloved hua~
er songs; local people and hua~ er enthusiasts come to enjoy
both the beauty of hua~ er and the beauty of nature.
In addition to the above mentioned scenic spots, the
main historical sites in Lintao are: a section of the Great
Wall of the Qin Dynasty built during the Warring States Pe-
riod (475--221BC), just fifteen kilometers north of the
county seat; the Memorial Mound of Jiangwei, the eminent
general of the Three Kingdoms period, just east of the coun-
ty seat: aha the Achievement Monument of Ge Shuhan, a
military governor of the Tang Dynasty period, located on
South Street. The county Museum located downtown also
has some ancient painted pottery froml000--3,000 years BC.
Folk Customs
Lianhua Mountain Hua~er
Hua~ er, a well-known style of folksong in China, boasts
a long history and is very popular in south Gan;sm Based on
the style of singing and the difference in tone, hua~ er falls
into two categories--Linxia Hua~ er and Lianhua Mountain
Hua~ er. The latter is in vogue in Lintao County, especially in
the south of the county.
Since Linhua Mountain Huan~ er is simple, it is suitable
for group-singing and story-telling. So, in most casses,
singing-groups, composed of four or five singers are formed
before a competition, team-work is very important. Lianhua
Mountain Hua~ er, in light of the structure of the contents,
can also be divided into two different kinds--San Huan' er
(free-form style) and Zheng Hua~ er (complete story-telling
style). As far as San Hua' er is concerned, singers are al-
lowed to create the words of their songs according to the cir-
cumstances and conditions, in other words, it is improvisa-
tion. Zheng Hua' er, on the other hand, demands singers to
concentrate on a complete story and sing it through from be-
ginning to end antiphonally. Stories like"Three Kingdoms"
and "Journey to the West" are the most popular.
Lianhua Mountain is one of the most important venues
for the Hua' er Festival. On the 2nd day of the 6th lunar
month, every year, Lianhau Mountain, located at the border
of Lintan, Kang, and Zhouni Counties, is at its best and at-
tracts hundreds of singers and fans from the counties
around. They first gather at Jigo Valley, which lies at the
northern foot of Lianhua Mountain and start to climb in the
early morning of the 3rd day. From then on, the whole
mountain is caught up in the spirit of the festival and enrapt
by the sound of singing, day and night.
On the 4th day of the lunar month, the people begin to
descend the mountain. In the morning, of the 5th day, they
set out for Wangjia Goumen--the second venue, 15 kilome-
ters away. On the way, however, the singers are in high spir-
its and eager to meet the challenge o~ the local singers, who
normally block their way by stringing ropes across the road.
Then, the singers from afar and the natives sing merrily in
antiphonal style until the latter are satisfied.
When they get to Wangjia Goumen, the singers and
fans light bonfires here and there, on the river bed and on
the hillside, but they never stop singing, even throughout
the night. On the 6th day, they arrive at the foot of Zisong
Mountain, where they are warmly welcomed by the local
singers and local fans who entertain the guests from afar
with songs and home-made wine. Then, they head for the
hilltop together to continue the celebration and enjoy the
sights of Zisong Mountain.
Since Zisong Mountain is the last venue of the Lianhua
Mountain Hua' er Festival, the singers also, while still
singing, set a date for the next yeart s festival and fairwells
are sung to each other. Thus, the festival comes to an end to
the sound of continuous singing.
In addition to the venues mentionde above, there are
about 20 others, among them Taishi, Zhongpu, and Hongqi
Districts are mainly for Linxia style Huat er. Every year,
from the 28th day of the 3rd lunar month to the 15th day of
the 8th lunar month, traditional hua~ er festivals are held
here and there at differnt times. Thus the singing, on the
whole, lasts almost five months. According to the data pro-
vided by the county, the main festivals are held as follows:
Township Name Date4 lunar month Location Number of Days
Panjia Ji 28 March Zisong Mt. 1
Goujia Tan 5 May Yia Valley 3
Yujing Xiang 19 May Yioume Tan 1-3
Yiaxia Xiang 23 May Wangma Jia Tan 3
Sanjia Xiang 24 May Guojia Quian 1-3
Yiaxia Xiang 15 August Kangjia Valley 1
Folk Art
Papercuts and embroidery are very popular among the
women of Lintao, especially when an occasion for celebration
is just around the corner. Some women who are skilled at it,
like to paste their home-made papercuts on windows and
sometimes embroider pillows, stomachers, shoes, etc. with
multicolored patterns. The principal subjects of their work
are flowers, plants, fish, insects, cats, rabbits, etc. The design
of the intricate patterns are distinctive and have a rich local
flavor. Papercuts and embroidery add additional beauty to
the lives of the people of Lintao.
Some craftsmen in Lintao are good at painting furni-
ture, particularly at painting patterns with gold lacquer. The
most common subjects are flowers, plants, and characters
from traditional operas. The painters in Lintao have earned
an excellent reputation because of their fine craftsmanship.
"Culture County"
Lintao has had a long history and has quite a few sites
of ancient culture. The people here are not only good and
honest, but modest and eager to learn. Since the people and
the county government attach great importance to educa-
tion, those of talent are encouraged and developed. Now
there are around 600 schools of various kinds with 80, 000
students in them. The student enrollment, retention, and
graduation rates are higher than in any other county in the
province. Moreover, an annual countywide track and field
meet is held here; this is very rare throughout the whole na-
tion. As a result, physical culture institutes throughout our
country have enrolled more than 150 students from Lintao.
Over the years, some of them have done very well and be-
come master sportsmen. For instance, Li Yuanzhen, who is
from Lintao, won the gold medal in an invitational track and
field meet for world college students held in Paris. Lintao
does its best to be worthy of the name "Cultural County".
Local Refreshments
Pastries
On almost every happy occasion, women in Lintao pre-
sent elaborate pasteries to their relatives and friends; they
are shaped into flowers, such as lotus, chrysanthemum, plum
blossom, Chinese flowering crabapple, and so on. Even the
simplest one "The Little Round Steamed Bun" is also deco-
rated with patterns like plum blossoms. The ingredients of
the pastries are mainly flour, dried fruit and turmeric powder,
but controlling the leavening of the dough, moulding it and
regulating the fire while steaming the bread calls for partic-
ular skill and experience. What makes the pastries of Lintao
so special is that they are not only good in taste, but also in
smell and color.
Guihua Crunchy Candy
This candy is well-known far and wide and is on sale
throughout the country. The principal ingredients are mil-
let, corn, osmanthus flowers, walnuts and sesame seeds.
The candy is crisp, fragrant, and delicious.
Saozi Noodles
Cooked wheaten food is the staple for the local people,
Over the years, they have developed many ways to cook it.
Saozi Noodles are one of the best known. These noodles are
processed long or short, broad or narrow, or in various other
shapes. When a thick soup made of pork and dainties of any
kind is poured over the prepared noodles, they make a deli-
cious feast. Because of their taste, Saozi Noodles are very
popular with the local people.
In addition to the above mentioned food, Niangao
(Sticky Rice Cakes), Liangfen (Bean Jelly), Xingren Youcha
(Almond and Fried Flour Tea) and Wine Pezi are also fa-
mous local taste treats.
Native Products
Feitian Carpets
With a long history ~ Feitian Carpets, modelled after an-'
tique motifs, have carried forward the fine tradition of
North-west antique carpets in Gansu and Ningxia and have
adopted the ingenious artistic styles of the art of various
ethnic minorities. The carpet designs are elegant and the
workmanship is excellent, These quality carpets, which are
regarded as among the best in the world, sell well in the U-
nited States, Japan, Western Europe, South American. Hong
Kong and other countries.
Lintao Mosquito-Repellent Incense
Developed during more than a hundred proud years or
manufacturing, Lintao Mosquito-Repellent Incense is made
by a traditional process combined with modern science and
technology. Since natural herbs and spices are used, the
products are efficacious, effectively repel insects, and have a
pleasing scent. Because of good workmanship and consistent
quality, Lintao Mosquito-Repellent Incense sells well both at
home and abroad.