I have seen many pictures of the Rainbow color landscape in Zhangye Danxia Geopark. I have always been suspicious that people photoshopped the images to get the brilliant colors. That is, until we got there and saw it with our own eyes. These brilliant rainbow bands are the REAL colors! The unusual colors of the rocks are the result of deposits of sandstone and other minerals that occurred over a period of 24 million years. The park covers 124 sq. mi, and there were hop-on and hop-off shuttle buses which we took to visit the park. The park also features a gigantic geological museum that explains the formation and characteristics of the colorful hills. It features a beautiful display of all the seeds collected in this region. Don’t miss this park if you’re in Gansu – it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
We attended the show “Memory of Zhangye” on Zhangye’s history, which featured a massive indoor sandstorm on stage. The show wasn’t bad, but I couldn’t believe half of the audience (bus tourists on a set time) got up in the middle of the show and walked out right in front of us, blocking our view of the show. Very disrespectful to both the performers and the other audiences. Some Chinese tourists still need to learn about theater etiquette; however, this is partly the fault of the company that operates the show, as it has not addressed this situation.
My primary goal on the trip to Gansu is to visit the Mogao Caves of Dunhuang, a renowned UNESCO site that boasts the world’s most extensive collection of Buddhist art. Situated along the Silk Road, cave construction began in 366 AD and continued during the pinnacle of Buddhist art from the 4th to the 14th century. Currently, there are still 492 caves in the Mogao Grottoes, but we were allowed to view only eight caves in small groups (to prevent CO₂ and moisture buildup). We were not allowed to take photographs inside the caves, but our guide informed us that the Dunhuang Academy had created a full-scale physical replica of all the murals and sculptures from Cave 285. The original Cave 285 was built between 538 and 539 CE during the Western Wei Dynasty. This cave was notable for its rich Buddhist art, a unique blend of Chinese, Indian, and Central Asian cultures. The mural detailed the Buddha’s teaching and his life story in vibrant colors. We also visited the Dunhuang Museum, which displayed the history of Dunhuang in chronological order. One interesting painting depicting the Buddhist Paradise, in which the floor was covered with gold tiles and there were lots of musicians and dancers. The Paradise structure looked a lot like the Palace in Tang Dynasty. The museum also showed how the clay sculptures were made starting from a cross wood frame and straw tie to the body. A document caught my eyes, it was a bylaw written for a women society during the Tang Dynasty (1200 years ago). It stated that the women would get together regularly for socializing and would help each other when needed. This must be one of the earliest women organization in the history of China!
After visiting Mogao Cave, we went to see the Crescent Lake, an oasis in the Gobi Desert. It was fed by underground water from the melting snow in the Qilian Mountains. Many tourists hiked up the desert and slid down, but we are just a bit old for that. On our way home, I saw this brilliant lamp post and our driver told us that it is an active solar-powered lamp, providing electricity to nearby towns. I have never seen a solar-powered lamp like that!
We attended another show, “Encore Dunhuang,” which was presented in an immersive format I had never seen before. In the first stage, the audience stood in an arena while performers walked on a catwalk and presented themselves as historical figures from Dunhuang. The second stage featured the dances of Flying Fairies inspired by the paintings of the Mogao Cave. Audiences finally sit down in a theater for the third stage, watching a magnificent performance that includes 3D installations, movable screens, and experiencing the lives of different characters in grottoes. All of these were housed in a 19,900-square-meter Aqua Blue Theater. I’ve included several short clips to showcase the uniqueness of this fantastic show. I highly recommend this show to anyone visiting Dunhuang.