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| LANZHOU---A CITY OF
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE ON THE ANCIENT SILK ROAD |
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Early
in the Neo-Stone Age, 5000 years ago, the ancestor of Chinese
nation was already dwelling here. The city was named as Jincheng,
meaning "strong fort" in the time of the Western Han Dynasty when
a prefecture was established here. Later, the administrative structure
was changed into a "Commander Prefecture of Lanzhou" at the early
stage of Sui Dynasty and the name of Lanzhou started to use from
that time. |
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It gradually became an important commercial center on the vital
communications line during the period from Han Dynasty down to
the Tang and Song Dynasties in pace with the opening up of the
Silk Road. As a key link to communicate with ethnic groups in
the western region, the city then played a dominant role in the
promotion of economic and cultural exchanges between China and
western countries. There are great many historical relics and
splendid cultural heritage left over on the ancient Silk Road,
which attract tourists both from home and abroad.This has made
Lanzhou a center of the grand tourism area that stretches for
2000 km from the west to the east, linking the city with some
well-known tourist spots in the region. For example, the Mogao
Grottoes in Dunhuang City, the Maijishan Mountain in Tianshui
City, the Binglingsi Grottoes in Yongjing County and the Lapuleng
Lamasery in Xiahe County. A modern Silk Road is rebuilt today
with the opening up of the new Euro-Asian Continental Bridge and
especially the implementation of the Central Government's strategy
for developing the western region. As it is situated on a major
thoroughfare through to mid Asia, western Asia, Middle East and
Europe, Lanzhou has been even more highlighted for its strategic
position, playing a unique role in China in developing exchanges
between the east and the west. |
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